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TRANSFORM Festival returns for its sixth year, featuring five nights of incredible performances all centrestage at the iconic Vancouver Playhouse! The 2025 festival continues to focus on empowering Indigenous artists and encouraging collaboration with non-Indigenous artists. Featuring local and international Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists in a variety of performance styles including theatre, music, drag, circus, comedy and everything in between.
This year, our artists will be taking over the Playhouse for five explosive nights of bold, sexy, and uncompromising performances that you won’t want to miss! Now, more than ever, this festival is a platform for IBPOC artists to self-determine the stories they share and how they want to share them with the world. We can’t wait for you to join us!
Festival Schedule
November 6 – Opening BASH!
Kick off TRANSFORM Festival with a bang at our epic Opening BASH! Prepare for an electrifying fusion of dance, circus, comedy, drag, and mind-blowing performances that will defy your expectations. The night promises to showcase the dazzling intersection of these incredible artists in a way you’ve never seen before.
Featuring: Jaylene Tyme, Maddi Bulloch, Emma Pennell, Yuki the Juggler
Community Partner: V’ni Dansi
November 7 – Wolf Cull (Workshop Production)
A TRANSFORMATIVE INDIGENOUS THRILLER
In the near future, in an invented Indigenous territory, five young women – Rebel, Leader, Brawn Wildcard, and Skeptic – are drawn by a shared dream to the hunting grounds, where they uncover mysterious tracks that challenge their skills and the group’s fragile unity. How does the creature manifest within and how do we track, hunt, and transform it?
Raised in Kamloops, B.C., the playwright drew inspiration from hunting deer with her father in the nearby T’Kemlúps area. This development production of this gripping one-act thriller explores internalized trauma, the knowledge and power of Indigenous women, and the process of healing.
Featuring: Danica Charlie, Kat Maclean, Teneil Whiskeyjack, Marion Jacobs, and Winona Myles.
Community Partner: Western Canada Theatre
November 8 – Where The Rivers Meet
Where the Rivers Meet is a musical journey that celebrates the deep connections between Indigenous cultures and water. Featuring an extraordinary lineup, this concert unites Indigenous composers with non-Indigenous musicians and choirs.
This one-of-a-kind concert weaves ancient traditions with modern harmonies, creating a unique celebration of resilience, identity, and unity. Notable artists and composers, known for their groundbreaking work, join forces to push the boundaries of musical collaboration.
Featuring: Cris Derksen, Suzette Amaya, Emma Pennell, Sherryl Sewepagaham, Russell Wallace
Community Partner: Pacific Theatre
November 14 – The Starwalker Experience
Join us for an evening celebrating the music of Starwalker, an award-winning musical written and composed by Payette. The vibrant, multimedia experience will bring together a live band and local drag heroes, including vocalists Conor Parnall, Jesse Alvarez, Jason Sakaki, and Vinnie Alberto.
Community Partner: Raven Theatre
November 15 – Closing BASH!
The closing celebrations promise to be an unforgettable night with exuberant and eccentric performances, including appearances by celebrated singer Rebecca Strong, who is the first Indigenous woman to win Canada’s Got Talent in 2024, capturing audiences with her strong, emotional performances of popular pop favourites, and Vancouver-based Indigenous singer/songwriter, dancer, and visual artist, Raven Grenier, who will share a live performance of her alt pop single, Wolverine.
Featuring: Jaylene Tyme, Raven Grenier, Rebecca Strong, Michelangela
Sponsored by Iredale Architecture
Community Partner: Raven Spirit Dance
