LASA NG IMPERYO/A TASTE OF EMPIRE and More Set for Presentation House Theatre 2025-26 Season

Presentation House Theatre has unveiled its 2025-2026 Season, featuring a flavourful and diverse array of shows for audiences of all ages to enjoy. Under the leadership of new Artistic Director, Keltie Forsyth, PHT launches its 4th Street Series for adults, highlighting bold stories told through food, fearless comedy, and the delicious drama of live baking competitions.

In her first year as Artistic Director, Keltie is eager to bring new audiences in the door and to build connections with the North Shore communities who think of PHT as home.

Keltie began her tenure as Artistic Director at PHT in February of 2025 after three years as Director of Operations for the PuSh Festival and an MFA in directing from the University of British Columbia. The 4th Street Series signifies the new vision, energy, and aesthetic she brings to adult programming at Presentation House Theatre.

Returning after a sold-out run at the 2024 PuSh Festival, Lasa Ng Imperyo, Carmela Sison's bold adaptation of A Taste of Empire by Jovanni Sy starts off the season and the inaugural 4th Street Series. With sharp wit, Sison guides audiences across the layered history of Philippine cultural heritage through a live cooking demonstration. In the new year, Ruby Slippers Theatre's premiere of The Baking Show Show: The Play takes the stage. A satirical comedy by up-and-coming local playwright Faly Mevamanana, The Baking Show Show: The Play takes a knife to the glossy world of social media and reality TV, exposing the cost of chasing perfection and the myth of meritocracy. Finally, in April 2026, Cheyenne Rouleau thrusts fatphobia into the spotlight with Fat Joke, a satisfying blend of stand-up comedy, storytelling, and social commentary that challenges conventions, sparks crucial conversations, and keeps audiences laughing in the process.

In the Family Series, PHT is serving up sensory experiences for young audiences with returning favourites such as Pop! Pop! and Baking Time, along with The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, back by popular demand. Go on a musical baking adventure with bakers Bun and Bap, or take a trip under-the-sea with characters "Seek" and "Hide". Become part of the story with the Old Woman and discover the surprising ways that even the smallest soles can leave a big impression.

From laugh-out-loud moments to thought-provoking reflections and yes, even culinary tastings, this upcoming season is full of experiences to savour.

Presentation House Theatre's 2025-2026 Season includes:

4th STREET SERIES

LASA NG IMPERYO/A TASTE OF EMPIRE

October 9 - 19, 2025

Written by Jovanni Sy
Translated, adapted, and performed by Carmela Sison
Produced by rice & beans theatre
Presented by Presentation House Theatre
Ages: 14+

Superstar of the culinary world, Master Chef Maximo Cortés is offering an exclusive demonstration, sharing the secrets of his trademarked Imperial Cuisine cooking techniques with you, his lucky, elite guests! Or at least, he would have, if he had shown up.

Luckily, the witty and intrepid Sous-Chef Mela is here to save the day! Her task? To cook rellenong bangus, or stuffed milkfish, a dish whose intricate preparation process takes its roots from the country's culinary traditions and colonial past. In a surprising fusion of theatre and gastronomy, this live cooking demonstration pairs the harsh truths of a global food system with shocking humour. Performed in Tagalog with English surtitles, this show guides audiences across the layered history of Philippine cultural heritage through a live cooking demonstration.

This adaptation of Jovanni Sy's A Taste of Empire reimagines this acclaimed play through a fresh female perspective. As the dish is brought to life, so too are the stories embedded within its ingredients.

THE BAKING SHOW SHOW: THE PLAY

February 12 - 15, 2026
Written by Faly Mevamanana
Produced by Ruby Slippers Theatre
Presented by Presentation House Theatre
Ages: 14+

Sugar. Salt. Sabotage.

When Grace's first attempt to win Canada's most elite baking competition fails, she spirals into obsession. Soon enough, she's trapped in a pit of her own deception and turns to the one thing she has left... sabotage.

This sharp, satirical comedy by Faly Mevamanana takes a knife to the glossy world of reality TV, exposing the personal cost of chasing perfection and the dangers of external expectations.

FAT JOKE

April 16 - 18, 2026
Created and performed by Cheyenne Rouleau
Produced by Neworld Theatre
Presented by Presentation House Theatre
Ages: 14+

A fusion of stand-up comedy, storytelling, and unapologetic fact-blasting, Fat Joke thrusts fatphobia into the spotlight. Cheyenne Rouleau surgically dissects this seldom-discussed subject with a razor-sharp wit that leaves the audience confronting their assumptions. Brace yourself for a social commentary that challenges conventions, sparks crucial conversations, and keeps you laughing in the process.

"As a fat person, I never thought of myself as 'sexy.' Society never allowed me to be. So I got funny." - Cheyenne Rouleau

FAMILY SERIES

POP! POP!

October 24 - November 2, 2025
Written by Linda A. Carson with Monica Dufault and Kim Selody
Produced by Carousel Players
Presented by Presentation House Theatre
Ages 2-4

Join characters "Seek" and "Hide" as they discover and explore a colourful undersea world of sensory experiences including adorable puppets and gentle, playful interaction with live musical layers and a rich soundscape. Performed for very young audiences of curious explorers!

Sensory and experiential fun for ages 2-4 and their caregivers!

BAKING TIME

November 28 - December 7, 2025
By Tim Webb and Kim Selody
Produced Presentation House Theatre and Oily Cart Theatre
Ages 3-7

It's Baking Time! The smell of freshly baked bread drifts through the audience as master bakers Bun and Bap try to contain a sticky situation-they've over-yeasted a lively batch of dough and it's GROWING. When Yeasty Beasty rises up and begins to chase newly baked baby Loafy through forests, oceans, and floury snowstorms, Bap and Bun spring to action. But what are they to do?

It's a recipe for pure joy! Expect baking antics, lively music, and lots of opportunities for the audience to safely join in on the fun.

THE OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A SHOE

April 24 - May 3, 2026
Written and performed by Linda A. Carson
Produced by Presentation House Theatre
Ages 4-7

Shoes, shoes, shoes! So many shoes! Where did they all come from? Wait, where did they go? And who is this Old Woman trading her stories for shoes? What happened to the forest she used to live in?

Back by popular demand, step into a magical world that blends fairy tales, music, and shoes in a playful and interactive adventure! Join the Old Woman as she travels around in her oversized boot, discovering hidden stories within each pair of shoes she encounters.