Montreal company unveils theatre productions, outdoor performances and community programs highlighting immigrant experiences
MONTREAL — Teesri Duniya Theatre (TDT) will celebrate its 45th anniversary with a new programming slate focused on migration, identity and community engagement, Artistic Director Rahul Varma announced in March.
The Montreal-based theatre company’s 2026–27 programming, titled “Season of the Migrant,” will feature stage productions, outdoor performances, new play development initiatives and community-driven events designed to spark dialogue around immigrant experiences in Canada.
Building on recent critical and audience successes, the upcoming season also introduces a tiered ticketing system intended to make performances more accessible through reduced ticket prices across all shows.
Teesri Duniya Theatre has long positioned itself as a platform for culturally diverse voices in Canadian theatre. The organization was founded in 1981 to address the lack of representation of visible minorities on Canadian stages and continues to focus on productions that explore social and political themes.
“Our goal is to promote inclusivity and highlight immigrant contributions to the country through showcasing their diverse achievements, ranging from significant professional success to everyday efforts, to the vital roles immigrants play in society. This season honours immigrants, humanizes their experiences, challenges misinformation, and promotes a sense of belonging,” said Varma.
Season explores displacement, belonging and identity
The Season of the Migrant programming explores the emotional and social complexities faced by people who leave their home countries and establish new lives elsewhere. Organizers say the theme reflects both the realities of displacement and the broader idea of building community in a new country.
For many migrants, the concept of home extends beyond physical shelter to include safety, cultural connection and opportunities to contribute to their adopted society. The season aims to highlight these experiences through theatre productions and community initiatives that encourage reflection and discussion.
Most performances will take place at venues within the Cité-des-Hospitalières cultural site in Montreal.
Three mainstage productions headline the season
The company’s mainstage lineup includes three productions examining migration, identity and social tensions through a distinctly Canadian perspective.
The season begins with “Behind the Moon,” written by Anosh Irani and directed by Chelsea Dab Hilke, running April 3–19, 2026 at Rangshala theatre.
Set in Qadir’s Mughlai Moon restaurant, the play centres on Ayub, the restaurant’s lone employee, who cooks, cleans and serves while waiting for his future to unfold. The story explores the pressures faced by immigrant workers in the food industry—where more than a quarter of workers are immigrants—and follows three Muslim men from Mumbai navigating minority status in India before confronting the realities of immigrant life in Canada.
Next is “Wine & Halva,” by Deniz Basar and directed by Art Babayants, staged May 9–23, 2026 at Rangshala in collaboration with Sort Of Productions.
The play focuses on the unlikely friendship between Farias, a Canadian gay white man, and Derya, a Turkish woman confronting subtle institutional discrimination. Through a theatrical structure in which three actors rotate between two characters, the production examines how identity shifts across cultural and social contexts while questioning common assumptions about immigration and belonging.
The season’s final mainstage production is “The Green Line,” by Makram Ayache, translated by Hiba Sleiman and directed by Aladeen Tawfeek, scheduled for April 2–18, 2027.
The story explores intergenerational memory through four queer relationships in Beirut during and after the Lebanese Civil War. At its centre are siblings Naseeb and Mona, whose lives diverge as war threatens their city. While Naseeb attempts to flee to safety in the mountains, Mona refuses to leave because of her secret relationship with a classmate. The narrative blends past and present, connecting wartime memories with contemporary life.
Each production will include post-show discussions with invited experts and audience members.
Outdoor performances address food insecurity and migration
In addition to its indoor productions, Teesri Duniya Theatre will present three eco-conscious outdoor performances at The Backyard Theatre in September 2026.
“The Food/Famine Tour,” created and directed by Anne-Marie St-Louis, will run Sept. 3–6. The project examines the political and personal dimensions of food, drawing inspiration from global crises, including starvation in Gaza, as well as the growing reliance on food banks and school food programs in Canada.
The performance incorporates workshops and community collaboration, encouraging participants to explore the relationship between food, famine and public discourse.
“Echoes in the Streets,” devised and directed by Abi Sanie, will take place Sept. 10–13. The project gathers testimonies from immigrants in Montreal—about a quarter of the city’s population—many of whom were displaced by conflict or political violence. The work aims to document how their experiences have shaped the city through cultural contributions and community activism.
The outdoor series concludes with “Migratory Birds,” presented by the Yunta Clan collective from Sept. 17–20. The play follows three Latin American migrants in Canada and explores their connections to nature, labour and cultural identity as they adapt to life in a new environment.
New play development and community engagement
The season will also feature the Fireworks Play Development program, a long-running initiative supporting emerging playwrights.
The program’s annual New Play Showcase, scheduled for Aug. 13–16, 2026, will present ten new works developed through the initiative under the guidance of Marie Barlizo and Nick Carpenter.
Beyond the stage, the theatre will host a range of inter-arts and community dialogue events.
These include Across the Divide, a participatory “Long Table” discussion on Islamophobia, antisemitism and racialized hate scheduled for March 8, 2026; Kahani, a recurring testimonial storytelling workshop launching in September 2026; and Arab Voices, a performative storytelling event planned for January 2027 highlighting Arab Canadian experiences.
Additional programming throughout the year will include film screenings, speaker series and rapid-response events under the banner Come What May.
A legacy of multicultural theatre in Canada
Since its founding in 1981, Teesri Duniya Theatre has focused on creating theatre that reflects Canada’s multicultural and multiracial reality. Under Varma’s leadership, the company has become known for championing diverse voices and launching the careers of many artists from visible minority communities.
As the organization enters its 45th year, its new season seeks to continue that mission while encouraging audiences to engage with questions of migration, belonging and cultural identity.
The company summarizes its goal simply: “Change the world, one play at a time.”