{"id":116439,"date":"2025-08-01T11:26:48","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T15:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=116439"},"modified":"2025-08-01T14:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T18:00:01","slug":"preview-coal-mine-theatre-announces-11th-season-contemporary-hits-one-iconic-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/08\/01\/preview-coal-mine-theatre-announces-11th-season-contemporary-hits-one-iconic-classic\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Coal Mine Theatre Announces 11th Season Of Contemporary Hits & One Iconic Classic"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Actor
Alexander Thomas & Ted Dykstra in Coal Mine Theatre\u2019s Waiting for Godot (Photo: Elana Emer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coal Mine Theatre has announced the lineup for its 11th season of programming in 2025\/26. Coal Mine\u2019s season will include bringing contemporary hits to their Toronto stage, along with reworking a classic of the theatrical repertoire, the latter inspired by the success of their presentation of Hedda Gabbler in 2024.<\/p>\n

Coal Mine\u2019s 10th anniversary season garnered the company a record 13 Dora Award nominations, and runs were extended from three to four and five weeks for all their shows..<\/p>\n

The new season will see Artistic Director Ted Dykstra stepping onto the stage for the first time in more than six years, as well as directing the Canadian premiere of an Obie Award-winning work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are launching our 11th season feeling stronger and more energized than ever before,\u201d Coal Mine Artistic Director Ted Dykstra<\/strong> comments in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cEntering our second decade having taken over our home building and now starting to more actively develop new work through our relationship with The Vault, it feels like we are growing in all the right ways. Yet we always remain faithful to our founding vision of producing exciting, sharply produced, of the moment theatre at a scale that allows for a meaningful relationship between the artists and our amazing audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2025\/26 Season At A Glance<\/h2>\n

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett (September 14 to October 5, 2025)<\/h3>\n

Kelli Fox directs Beckett\u2019s classic absurdist tragicomedy, starring Ted Dykstra and Alexander Thomas as Estragon and Vladimir, with Jim Mezon, Simon Bracken, and Kole Parks. The play explores existential themes and asks questions about the nature of human life.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an actor I have had a few chances to explore the classics over my many years in this business, but it has been a while now, and I am itching to tackle something huge, and well, Godot is huge,\u201d says Dykstra<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe play is unknowable in any quantifiable way, and I love that challenge and the fear it brings up in me. Jackie Maxwell suggested I act in this, and I thank her for the idea. As for casting Alexander Thomas as Vladimir, well I couldn’t be luckier or more excited that he said yes. The amazing Kelli Fox and Alex have already collaborated to bring Between Riverside and Crazy to Toronto audiences with incredible success, and Jim and Simon and Kole are icing on this classical cake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Actor Alexander Thomas also returns from Between Riverside and Crazy, a role for which he won a Dora Award for Best Performance.<\/p>\n

\"Evan
Evan Buliung, Kristen Thomson, & Emilio Vieira in Coal Mine Theatre\u2019s Fulfillment Centre (Photo: Elana Emer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fullfillment Centre by Abe Koogler (November 16 to December 7, 2025)<\/h3>\n

Ted Dykstra directs Canadian Premiere of Abe Koogler\u2019s Obie Award-winning play, featuring Kristen Thomson, Evan Buliung, Emilio Vieira, and Gita Miller, all of whom are making their debuts with Coal Mine.<\/p>\n

Fulfillment Centre won the 2018 Obie Award-recipient for playwriting. The story revolves around an online retailer\u2019s fulfillment centre in the New Mexico desert where four characters come together in a struggle to connect.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard the mounting buzz about this play when it opened off-Broadway and managed to track down a copy of the script,\u201d says Dykstra.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin three pages I knew that \u2014 unbeknownst to playwright Abe Koogler \u2014 the role of Suzan was written for Kristen Thomson, an old friend and someone whom I love and admire. I literally laughed out loud at the sound of her voice in my head doing the part. So, I went and got the rights, sent it to Kristen, and luckily, she wanted to do it. The rest of the cast has come together beautifully, and I cannot wait to be in the room with Kristin, Evan, Gita and Emilio this winter!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Sophia
Sophia Walker, Kevin Bundy, & Jake Epstein in Coal Mine Theatre\u2019s Eureka Day (Photo: Elana Emer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eureka Day by Jonathan Spector (February 1 to 22, 2026)<\/h3>\n

Mitchell Cushman directs English language Canadian Premiere of Jonathan Spector\u2019s 2025 Tony Award-winning play, with actors Kevin Bundy, Jake Epstein, and Sophia Walker (who all make their Coal Mine debuts.<\/p>\n

The satirical play focuses on a progressive day school in Berkeley, California, where an outbreak of mumps throws everyone for a loop.<\/p>\n

\u201cEureka Day is about the myth of homogeneity, the fallacy of certainty, and the potential for civil war that lurks within every PTA meeting. In case that doesn’t sound like a good time, I should also say that it’s the funniest play I’ve read in I don’t know how long,\u201d comments director Mitchell Cushman<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat Jonathan Spector had the vision to write it three years before COVID means that he should start betting liberally on the stock market. I couldn’t be more excited to be helming its Canadian Premiere at Coal Mine, with this all-star cast and team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Amy
Amy Luan, Katherine Cullen, & Amy Keating in Coal Mine Theatre\u2019s Dance Nation (Photo: Elana Emer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dance Nation by Clare Barron (April 12 to May 3, 2026)<\/h3>\n

Diana Bentley directs Clare Barron\u2019s play, featuring Katherine Cullen, Amy Keating, Amy Lujan, Zorana Sadiq, and Salvatore Antonio with Movement Direction by Alyssa Martin. This immersive production was co-produced and conceived with Outside the March in association with Rock Bottom Movement.<\/p>\n

Director Diana Bentley and movement director Alyssa Martin return after the success of Coal Mine\u2019s People, Places & Things. Clare Barron\u2019s play was a 2017 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize-winner, and was also a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Shot with dark humour, the story revolves around a group of pre-teen competitive dancers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am overjoyed that Outside The March and Coal Mine Theatre are joining forces for this immersive production of Clare Barron\u2019s Dance Nation,\u201d shares director Diana Bentley<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as Coal Mine took the whole building over, Mitchell and I started dreaming of a project that would make use of both the upstairs (now The Vault Creation Lab) and the downstairs. Dance Nation is the perfect show for our companies to join forces on and bring this immersive dream to life. Alyssa Martin and I had such a thrilling time collaborating on People, Places and Things last season, I can\u2019t wait to see where we take this project with this special group of actors and designers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets & Season Passes<\/h2>\n

Tickets are now on sale, including specially priced tickets for people under the age of 25, arts worker and preview tickets. Season passes go on sale September 22.<\/p>\n