PENTICTON, B.C. — The stage may be haunted, but in Penticton, it’s very much alive. A new production titled Theatre is Dead is set to blur the boundaries between life and afterlife — and between performance and presence — in what its creator calls both a celebration and a séance.
Conceived and directed by Kate Twa, artistic director of Tempest Theatre, the immersive event pairs live performance with wine tasting, creating what Twa describes as a toast “to all that theatre has been and all it still is.” Over the course of each performance, guests will move through Tempest’s intimate space, encountering spectral characters whose stories are paired with pours from six acclaimed Okanagan wineries.
“Theatre is Dead is both a celebration and a séance,” reads the production’s announcement. “It’s a way to raise a glass to all that theatre has been and all it still is.”
The experience, equal parts performance and ritual, invites audiences to confront what lingers when the curtain falls — and what endures long after applause fades. “We wanted to explore that space between what’s gone and what endures,” says Twa. “That’s what art does best. It transforms, it adapts, and it finds new ways to reveal itself. It lives in us, and in the communities, it continues to awaken.”
A Toast to Art and the Okanagan
Theatre is Dead also doubles as a showcase for local viticulture. Featured wineries include Giant Head Winery, Modesta Winery, Poplar Grove Winery, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, Upper Bench Winery and Creamery, and Van Westen Vineyards. Each has collaborated with the Tempest team to design a tasting experience that complements the show’s shifting moods — from playful to eerie to transcendent.
The event, described as “both a sensory journey and a love letter to Okanagan creativity,” reflects the region’s growing appetite for cross-disciplinary experiences that merge culture, tourism, and the arts. Wine and theatre, both rooted in craftsmanship and storytelling, meet here in an imaginative fusion that supports the sustainability of small arts organizations.
And while there’s no shortage of artistic flair, there’s a practical side to this production. The show also serves as a fundraiser for Tempest Theatre, an independent venue known for its experimental programming. “Every ticket and every pour help keep Tempest’s heart beating, because theatre survives when people believe it should,” the organizers note. “Tempest prefers to think of it as a classy resurrection ritual with excellent wine.”
Limited Run with a Halloween Finale
The immersive production will run for just four performances, from October 24 to October 31, each with a limited number of seats. Special guest hosts will add a personal touch to each evening, including Julius Bloomfield on October 24, Jen and Nick Vincent at a 4 p.m. matinee on October 25, and Denise Kenney and Kate Twa later that evening. The closing night performance on October 31 will feature Julie Fowler, Paul Crawford, and Carl Meadows, with audience costumes encouraged “for a special Hallowe’en twist.”
The show’s ensemble cast will bring a cast of spectral personalities to life — or back from the dead. Audiences can expect encounters with characters such as Lord Corkington, Batholemew Smush, and even the spirits of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The production features performances by Dawn Bassett, Jess Glavina, Maia Fields, Colter McLean, Greta Papageorgiu, Lucas Penner, Kyler Sahlmark, Sarah Senecal, and Tracy Waterhouse.
A Revival in More Ways Than One
As Canada’s live performance sector continues its post-pandemic recovery, Theatre is Dead reflects a broader trend toward inventive, participatory formats designed to bring audiences closer to the art — and to each other. It’s a creative model that merges community engagement with financial resilience, particularly vital for smaller regional theatres.
Twa’s vision, as both artistic experiment and act of renewal, underscores that spirit. “It’s a toast to resilience! To artists, audiences, and to the wild, stubborn, eternal heartbeat of art itself,” she says.
Performances are 19+, and tickets are available at tempest.ca.
