APR 23 WED, 7:30PM — PREVIEW, PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE
APR 24 THU, 7:30PM—PREVIEW, PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE
APR 25 FRI, 7:30PM—OPENING
APR 26 SAT, 2:00PM
APR 26 SAT, 7:30PM
APR 27 SUN, 2:00PM—TALKBACK
APR 29 TUE, 7:30PM—TALKBACK, COMMUNITY PRICING
APR 30 WED, 7:30PM
MAY 01 THUR, 7:30PM
MAY 02 FRI, 7:30PM
MAY 03 SAT, 2:00PM
MAY 03 SAT, 7:30PM
MAY 04 SUN, 2:00PM—TALKBACK, VOCALEYE
TUE, MAY 06 7:30PM—TALKBACK
WED, MAY 07 7:30PM
THUR, MAY 08 7:30PM
FRI, MAY 09 7:30PM
SAT, MAY 10 2:00PM
SAT, MAY 10 7:30PM
SUN, MAY 11 2:00PM
THE CULTCH PRESENTS
Dance Nation
APR 23–MAY 11, 2025
YORK THEATRE
Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama
Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Winner
24/25 SEASON
WARRIOR FESTIVAL: HEADLINER
APR 23–MAY 11, 2025
YORK THEATRE
RUN EXTENDED
A play by Clare Barron
The Search Party (Vancouver)
Content Advisory
Mature themes
Recommended for ages 15+
Runtime
1 HR 45 MIN, NO INTERMISSION
Box Office Info
Phone:604-251-1363
Email: [email protected]
Mondays: 12 – 6pm
Tuesday to Saturday: 12- 4pm
Sunday: closed
Open 1 hour prior to every show
Venue Info
YORK THEATRE
639 Commercial Dr., Vancouver, BC
Showtimes
Header Image: Amanda Sum, Nathan Kay, Rukiya Bernard by Emily Photograpy
About the Show
An army of pre-teen competitive dancers plots to take over the world.
This groundbreaking play by Clare Barron is a ferocious and darkly hilarious exploration of ambition and friendship. As they fight to win a national championship, these young dancers catapult toward finding themselves and unleashing their power.
But this play is no straight-laced coming-of-age-tale. Dance Nation blurs reality and fantasy; dreams and nightmares. The winner of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Dance Nation fuses high-energy dance numbers with dark comedy, poignant personal moments, and wild bursts of surrealism.
Presented by The Search Party (the company behind the critically acclaimed staging of Fairview, Stupid F*king Bird, and Bunny), this Vancouver premiere is directed by Mindy Parfitt, choreographed by Amber Barton, and features an ensemble cast of many of our city’s best actors.
“The casting of Dance Nation specifies that the people playing teenagers are not actually teenagers,” notes Director Mindy Parfitt. “This creates a tension and a connection between who we are as teenagers and who we are as adults.”
Don’t miss this raucous theatrical experience!
Festival Support
The Draw
“…conjures the passionate ambivalence of early adolescence with such being-there sharpness and poignancy that you’re not sure whether to cringe, cry or roar with happiness.”
—The New York Times
Show Credits
Written by:
Clare Barron
Produced by:
The Search Party (Vancouver)
Directed by:
Mindy Parfitt
Choreographed by:
Amber Barton
Starring:
Eileen Barrett*, Jennifer Copping*, Tess Degenstein*, Liza Huget*, Rami Kahlon*, Nyiri Karakas*, Nathan Kay*, Amanda Sum, and Todd Thomson*
Set Design:
Amir Ofek
Costume Design:
Jessica Oostergo
Sound Design:
Kate De Lorme
Lighting Design:
Itai Erdal
Props Supervisor:
Stephen Field Elgar
Stage Manager:
Erika Morey*
Technical Director:
Jeremy Vreeken
Assistant Director:
Sophia Saugstad
Scenic Painter:
Tegan Klancnik
Scenic Carpenter:
Jack Mosher
Costume Cutter:
Victoria Klippenstein
*The participation of these artists is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy (DOT)
The Cultch stage crew, box office, and front of house staff are members of Local 118 of IATSE
Dance Nation is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
Reviews.
Videos
Interview with Director Mindy Parfitt, Choreographer Amber Barton, and Cast Member Amanda Sum
Interview with Playwright Clare Barron
Workshop Photos
Showtimes
- PREVIEW
- PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE
WED, APR 23
7:30PM
- PREVIEW
- PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE
THU, APR 24
7:30PM
- OPENING
FRI, APR 25
7:30PM
.
SAT, APR 26
2:00PM
.
SAT, APR 26
7:30PM
- TALKBACK
SUN, APR 27
2:00PM
- TALKBACK
- COMMUNITY PRICING
TUE, APR 29
7:30PM
.
WED, APR 30
7:30PM
.
THUR, MAY 01
7:30PM
.
FRI, MAY 02
7:30PM
.
SAT, MAY 03
2:00PM
.
SAT, MAY 03
7:30PM
- TALKBACK
- VOCAL EYE
SUN, MAY 04
2:00PM
- TALKBACK
TUE, MAY 06
7:30PM
.
WED, MAY 07
7:30PM
.
THUR, MAY 08
7:30PM
.
FRI, MAY 09
7:30PM
.
SAT, MAY 10
2:00PM
.
SAT, MAY 10
7:30PM
.
SUN, MAY 11
2:00PM
Ticket Prices
Section A+:
$69
Section A:
$64
Section B:
$49
Section C:
$29
Ways to Save
Pay-What-You-Choose Tickets: APR 23 & 24
We are thrilled to offer pay-what-you-choose pricing for select performances!
We encourage you to pay as you can to help support the creation of this show.
Available on: APR 23 & 24
Cultch Connects
The Cultch Connects Program provides complimentary tickets to community organizations and social service groups. It also offers complimentary tickets to individuals and families who may otherwise face barriers to attending Cultch performances. To request Cultch Connects tickets, please email [email protected]
This program is made possible with the support of our generous donor community. Learn more about what your donation can do for our community.
Community Pricing: APR 29
To celebrate our weird and wonderful East Van community, we are offering $29 tickets for select performances!
PLUS enjoy Happy Hour prices at the bar!
Available on: APR 29
VocalEye Performances: MAY 04
VocalEye Performances
We are thrilled to partner with VocalEye to offer the option of live audio description for select performances!
This service provides greater access for people who are blind and partially sighted. Visual elements of the shows are described in real-time through earpieces provided free of charge. Those who do not require it will not experience any disturbance to the performance.
Available on: MAY 04, 2 PM (matinee)
Contact our Box Office to book VocalEye seats:
604-251-1363 or [email protected]
Indigenous Pricing
Complimentary tickets are available for Indigenous patrons thanks to the support of the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation.
Use promo code INDIGENOUS to book up to two complimentary tickets. Those who wish to book tickets for a larger group or family can contact [email protected]
See More, Save More
Save 20% when you buy tickets to more than one show in the Warrior Festival!*
*This discount is automatically applied when you add more than one show in the Warriors Festival to your cart.
Arts Worker Pricing
Arts Worker Pricing:
To celebrate the cast and crew of The Search Party’s Vancouver premiere of Dance Nation, and to encourage the theatre community to come out to join the fun, The Cultch is thrilled to offer Vancouver Arts Workers special pricing for the first two weeks of the Dance Nation run!
Details:
- Ticket Price: $39, for A+, A, and B seats
- Available for: The first two weeks of the run
- Who’s Eligible: Theatre artists and designers; art technicians, and art administrators
- How to Get Your Discount: Simply select the Arts Worker price type when purchasing your tickets
Student Pricing
Student Pricing is available for Dance Nation. Use promo code SPRINGSTUDY to unlock $15 student tickets while supplies last.
Student pricing is meant for Secondary, Post-Secondary, and Dance and Theatre Students
Warrior Festival Pass
Save 30% with the all-access festival pass!
