Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre gearing up for busy slate of shows

One of Manitoba’s most prominent theatres has housed several hits this season including the Broadway show ‘Waitress’ and those who work behind the scenes here, say they are looking to continue the momentum that saw a lot of success this year, as they get ready to open their new show this month and a stacked lineup of others planned for 2025-26. 

“I am over the moon with the response from the Manitoba community who supports MTC, and we’re super excited because the season continues we’re only halfway through,” said Kelly Thornton, the artistic director of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

Thornton will be at the helm of the upcoming show Indecent, which follows their last production, which sold over 10,000 single tickets. She says the next season includes more heavy-hitting titles like ‘Life of Pi’, ‘Elf the Musical’, and ‘Murder on the Orient Express’.

“Our strategy coming out of COVID was to grow our way out of the problem. Even though we lost the subscribers, rather than cutting down into a smaller theatre, we decided to give the people what they want, make big, beautiful shows that are magnetic draws that audiences can’t stay away from,” explained Thornton.

Amy Lee, a Toronto-based actor originally born in Winnipeg, will be playing multiple characters including Heleena in ‘Indecent’, all while embracing the chance to perform in her hometown.

“Performing here was my dream, my parents were both theatergoers,” said Lee.

“It is my dream come true, to sing and dance on this stage. So, it’s fulfilling, something I’ve always wanted to do and it’s really special to be able to do it in front of the community I grew up within and in front of and to share this particular story.”

For Thornton, showcasing locally grown talent is always a main focus.

“The cast of ‘Waitress’ was predominantly Manitobans and it’s super important for me to propel and uplift the community because we have a world-class community of actors,” she explained.