Blue Canoe Productions — Kingston Theatre Alliance

A group of young artists puts on a musical about young artists in a festival for young artists. Blue Canoe Productions and the 2024 Juvenis Festival present Rent, directed by Dylan Chenier.  Jonathan Larson’s Rent, loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, tells the story of young artists as they traverse through gentrification, love, and the HIV and AIDS epidemic present in the 80s and 90s. With New York City […]

Kingston’s annual Juvenis Festival run by Blue Canoe Productions is underway and this year’s lineup of shows includes the premiere of Shay O’Brien’s Unknown Caller. The fourth year Queen’s University student has not only written the hour-long piece but is directing the show as well. After reading its mysterious description, my attention piqued and once I was put in contact with O’Brien, an interview was born. I hopped on Zoom […]

In 2023, Blue Canoe Theatrical Productions was recognized with a Creator Award at the City of Kingston’s Mayor’s Arts Awards. This didn’t come out of the blue—the youth theatre company, now in its 17th season, has long played an integral role in Kingston’s arts community. I recently spoke with Kim Dolan, Blue Canoe’s outgoing General Manager, about her time leading the organization, its unique qualities, and her hopes for the […]

Lovers reacquainted, dance numbers galore, and perhaps some Grease-inspired attributes? It’s Happy Days: A New Musical, based off the TV show Happy Days, with book by Garry Marshall, and music and lyrics by Paul Williams. Produced by Blue Canoe, the young folks of this charming show are leaving their hearts on the stage.  Massimo Recupero starts the show off strong, delivering the first lines of the production with energy ablaze. […]

I remember being 13. I remember thinking every mistake was the end of the world, or that my happiness was dependent on what people thought of me at face-value. I now wince at my behaviour then, but truth be told, I still fall into that trap. Blue Canoe Theatrical Productions presents their annual Juvenis Festival where 13 (Jason Robert Brown, Dan Eilish, Robert Horn) ran from April 28th to April […]

To live through life, to fall in love, and to experience change, we build ourselves up hoping for the best as we navigate our growing relationship with the world around us. But for better or worse, nothing truly works out the way we intended, and we are forced to learn as a result. Our emotions can get the better of us and we are left feeling speechless with the cruelty […]

r escapism, which frankly, seems like a necessity in 2020. However, I have yet to experience a production that feels as escapist as Blue Canoe’s Voulez-Zoom. Running just over an hour, this feel-good, dance party-esque show lured me into the fun and joy that is Mamma Mia. 

Similar to all theatre productions in 2020, Blue Canoe’s The Last 5 Years was originally slated for the Juvenis Festival in May of 2020 and cancelled as a result of the pandemic.

Blue Canoe’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical is the second show of its summer season, and features a team comprised entirely of youth (and one dog).