Nightwood Theatre Announces 2026-27 Season, Featuring Canadian Premiere of Jaja's African Hair Braiding

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The Toronto company's lineup includes To a Flame, Fall On Your Knees, and more.

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Nightwood Theatre has revealed its 2026-27 season. This season offers three productions through creative collaboration with 1S1 Theatre, Obsidian Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre, Crow’s Theatre, Vita Brevis Arts, and our 41st annual Groundswell Festival of new works.

Get all the top news & discounts for Toronto & beyond.

NIGHTWOOD THEATRE’S 2026-27 SEASON:

Written by Erin Shields In collaboration with Dawn Jani Birley, Josette Bushell-Mingo , Lisa Karen Cox, Anna Hardwick, Birgit Schreyer Duarte Directed by Josette Bushell-Mingo

A 1s1 Theatre and Nightwood Theatre co-production, in association with Modern Times Stage Company and Why Not Theatre September 22 - October 4, 2026 at the Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre

To a Flame is an explosive theatrical feast of image and language that pulls us deep into a Victorian Gothic Horror. Three confined women await the conclusion of their stories in the ancestral home of the man they call Father. Secrets burn to be revealed, aches of the past refuse to be suppressed, and the very house itself vibrates with desire for revenge. This groundbreaking work intertwines American Sign Language and English with vibrant movement and live music into a haunting, multi-sensory performance for Deaf and hearing audiences. Featuring celebrated Deaf performer and cultural leader Dawn Jani Birley, internationally-renowned director Josette Bushell-Mingo , and vivid text by Governor General Award-winning playwright Erin Shields, with the support of the company.

Co-created & Written by Hannah Moscovitch Co-created & Directed by Alisa Palmer Based on the Novel by Ann- Marie Macdonald

A Crow’s Theatre and Vita Brevis Arts Co-production in Association with Nightwood Theatre February 9 - March 21, 2027 at Crow's Theatre

Presented in two parts and spanning generations, Fall on Your Knees follows the Piper family, a journey that reveals a family history shaped by silence, survival, and the enduring power of love.

Part one: The beloved Canadian story of buried family secrets.

In Cape Breton, at the turn of the last century, a young piano tuner and the daughter of immigrants defy convention to build a life together. From their union grows a volatile household shaped by faith, ambition, and the transformative power of music. When their daughter’s extraordinary voice offers a path to greatness, dreams of success carry her from a small coastal community to the electrifying cultural awakening of New York and Harlem.

Part two: Some family secrets take more than one night to unravel.

Years have passed and the Piper family’s buried past begins to surface. The youngest sets out from Cape Breton toward New York City to learn more about her family’s secret past. Through the journey a passionate story of music, identity, and forbidden love, set against the vibrant nightlife of Harlem’s Jazz Age, comes to life.

Written by Jocelyn Bioh Directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu

A Nightwood Theatre, Obsidian Theatre and Soulpepper Theatre co-production, in partnership with Luminato Festival May 13 - June 6, 2027 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts

From the award-winning, TONY Award Nominated Ghanaian-American writer of School Girls: Or, the African Mean Girls Play.

Step into Jaja’s shop, where every braid carries a story. On a sweltering July day, this vibrant comedy celebrates five women building new lives far from home. Overlooked by the world around them, inside Jaja’s, they’re artists with gifted hands and bold ambition. Equal parts hilarious and tender, Jaja’s reminds us that everyday rituals can become profound celebrations of community, calling us back to who we really are.

November 9-11, 2026 at the Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre

Join us as we celebrate creation, community, and our 41st annual Groundswell Festival! Hear new plays from our 2026 Write from the Hip playwrights, including: Alison Adams , Rais Clarke-Mendes, Sal Currie, Nicci Pryce, and Vanessa Spence, led by Program Director Intisar Awisse and Program Associate Mya Wong, as well as other new Nightwood works in development.

Package A: Full Season Pass (4 shows) General Pass: $317.00 | Subsidized Pass: $264.00 Package B: Three Performance Pass (3 shows) General Pass: $232.00 | Subsidized Pass: $198.00 Package C: Two Performance Pass (2 shows) General Pass: $153.00 | Subsidized Pass: $100.00

All passes include fees and HST. Subsidized Passes are available in limited quantities and are intended for arts workers, students, and seniors in financial need.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/JAJAS-AFRICAN-HAIR-BRAIDING-and-More-Set-for-Nightwood-Theatre-2026-27-Season-20260514)._