August 14, 2025 – Port Dover, ON | Lighthouse Festival is proud to unveil its exciting 2026 summer season, brimming with side-splitting comedies, heartfelt Canadian storytelling, and a toe-tapping musical review. From riotous road trips to heartwarming family chaos, audiences can expect another unforgettable season of live theatre at Lighthouse Festival.
“Our 2026 season is bursting with stories we can’t wait to share with you,” says Jane Spence, Artistic Director of Lighthouse Festival. “Whether it’s a chaotic family funeral, an unexpected Caribbean getaway, or an espionage-filled comedy that is one part Mission: Impossible and the other part MasterChef, there is something for everyone.”
Nicole Campbell, Executive Director, adds: “Our patrons are the heartbeat of Lighthouse Festival. Their loyalty and enthusiasm fuel our mission to bring professional, world-class theatre to our beautiful lakeside communities. Our 2026 season is our way of saying thank you by offering a line-up that’s as vibrant and dynamic as our audience.”
Lighthouse Festival has long been recognized for championing Canadian talentand presenting comedies and stories that resonate with audiences from all walks of life. The 2026 summer season builds on that tradition, offering a mix of laugh-out-loud farces, moving characters, and nostalgic musical celebrations with our season topper.
Each production will run at Lighthouse Theatre in Port Dover before moving to Roselawn Theatre in Port Colborne, giving theatregoers in both communities the chance to experience every show. With the scenic Lake Erie shoreline as a backdrop, a trip to Lighthouse Festival is the perfect summer outing, whether you’re a longtime subscriber or a first-time visitor.
“This season is a perfect snapshot of what Lighthouse Festival does best — telling stories that make people laugh, think, and feel connected,” says Spence. “Our audiences can count on us to deliver theatre that’s fresh, fun, and proudly Canadian.”
The 2026 Season Line-Up
The Beaver Club | Written by Barb Scheffler
Four friends pile into a well-worn car and set off on the ultimate cross-country road trip: from Toronto all the way to Dildo, Newfoundland. What starts as a spontaneous getaway soon spirals into a journey full of chaos, confessions, and questionable roadside snacks. The women relive old memories, create outrageous new ones, and take on everything from skinny dipping in questionable lakes to navigating tourist traps with names they definitely can’t say on the radio. Secrets are spilled, boundaries are tested, and laughter erupts at every turn. The Beaver Club is a raucous and surprisingly touching celebration of womanhood, aging disgracefully, and friendships that can survive anything.
Crees in the Caribbean | Written by Drew Hayden Taylor
A delightfully witty yet deeply touching play about Evie and Cecil Poundmaker, a Cree couple celebrating their 35th anniversary with their first trip abroad – a Mexican resort vacation gifted by their children. The comedy sparkles as this fish-out-of-water couple navigates resort life with laugh-out-loud exchanges rooted in decades of shared history. Curmudgeonly Cecil and spirited Evie fill the stage with humorous banter, but the play unfolds as a truly heartfelt journey as memories resurface, and Evie gently pushes Cecil to seize each moment. In addition, their new friendship with Manuela, their young housekeeper, is profoundly moving. This play is a beautiful, poignant story celebrating human connection across cultures; the comic joy of love rekindled and self-discovery in later life against an idyllic backdrop.
Secret Service | Written by Ephraim Ellis (World Premiere)
Welcome to Il Glorioso Buco, Toronto’s swankiest Italian restaurant. The atmosphere is thick with… espionage? A crack team of international spies has taken over the kitchen, using marinara as camouflage for a top-secret sting operation. Enter Harry Marsden: an eternal optimist, who thinks he’s just starting a regular old waiter gig. Armed only with a serving tray and way too much enthusiasm, Harry has no idea he’s just walked into the culinary equivalent of a James Bond blooper reel. Ephraim Ellis’s world premiere Secret Service is a riotous rollercoaster of laughter and subterfuge. It’s Mission: Impossible meets MasterChef in a farcical feast.
Liars at a Funeral | Written by Sophia Fabiilli
Family reunions are hard enough without faking a funeral, but that’s exactly what Grandma Mavis has cooked up. When a blizzard traps a wildly dysfunctional family inside a drafty funeral parlour, the sparks fly faster than the power lines go down. Over one increasingly unhinged day, skeletons are flung from closets, and secrets are spilled like cheap wine. Five actors play nine roles in a whirlwind of crazy characters, and one enthusiastic funeral director. Liars at a Funeral is a gloriously over-the-top tribute to family, forgiveness, and the fine art of pretending everything’s fine. It’s the perfect send-off for anyone who thinks their family is a little bit nuts – until they see this one.
A Woman’s Love List | Written by Norm Foster
Megan and Carly write down a list of qualities for the perfect man, and to their surprise, he appears! But perfection proves to be a moving target. As they begin tweaking the list – Blaze Wilson, their masterpiece, responds in kind, morphing from one personality to the next faster than you can say “emotional whiplash. Things get even messier when Blaze discovers the list and takes matters into his own hands. Full of rapid-fire dialogue, bizarre romantic detours, and enough twists to qualify as cardio, A Woman’s Love List is a hilarious exploration of modern relationships and why love can’t be measured by bullet points.
Leisa Way’s Get Down Tonight (The Ultimate 70’s Soundtrack)
Leisa Way presents Lighthouse Festival’s 2026 Season Topper Get Down Tonight (The Ultimate 70’s Soundtrack). It’s a high-energy celebration of the unforgettable music of the 70’s! From the glittering dance floors of disco to the coffee houses of folk, to the classic anthems of rock, this electrifying concert features hits from The Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, ABBA, Carole King, Freddie Mercury & Queen, Elton John, The Bee Gees, Dolly Parton, The Stones, Stevie Wonder, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, Carly Simon and many, many more. Leisa Way and her sensational Wayward Wind band return to Lighthouse to deliver powerhouse vocals and non-stop nostalgia in this feel-good celebration of the decade that defined a generation. Whether you’re a dancing queen, or a rock-and-roll rebel, get ready to sing your heart out, boogie, and Get Down Tonight – because this show is pure 70’s magic from start to finish!
Tickets and Subscriptions
Season subscription and single-show ticket on sale dates will be announced in the coming months. Subscribing offers the best value, with savings of up to 18% compared to single-ticket prices, as well as access to subscriber events and early-bird pricing for the following season.
To purchase subscriptions or tickets, visit www.lighthousetheatre.com or call the box office at 1-888-779-7703.
About Lighthouse Festival
Lighthouse Festival is a charitable organization devoted to the development and production of new and existing Canadian plays. Lighthouse Festival strives to be artistically excellent, support and encourage local and regional artists, and be a source of enjoyment and pride in local communities while promoting local tourism. Located in two beautiful towns on Lake Erie, our theatres operate on a central policy of hospitality, inclusivity, accessibility, and affordability for all.
Media Contact
For media inquiries, interview requests, or further information, please contact:
Don Kearney-Bourque
Marketing & Communications Manager
Lighthouse Festival Theatre Corporation
[email protected]
Direct: (226) 290-0070
Cell: (289)541-7410
