A conversation with Capitol Theatre Artistic Director Rob Kempson rarely stays confined to productions and opening nights. It becomes a window into the theatre industry from a distinctly small-town regional vantage point – shaped by Port Hope, its audiences, and the community gathered around its historic stage.
At the Capitol, that community feels less like an audience and more like an extended family.
The 2027 season – the sixth Kempson has programmed – takes “WHO WE ARE” as its theme. The phrase is broad enough to embrace the theatre’s many identities and forms of self-expression, but Kempson also sees it as a statement of direction: a way of articulating where the Capitol is headed over the next five years.
If 2026’s “WHERE OUR STORIES BEGIN” season looked to origins—with two world premieres and the release of Come From Away – the 2027 lineup turns toward transformation. Its stories centre on moments of bravery, courage and change: the point at which someone comes into their own, recognizes an identity and decides how to show up in the world.
For Kempson, that means deepening relationships with artists and audiences, strengthening the theatre’s values and finding new ways to put those values onstage. Five years into his tenure, novelty is no longer the point. The Capitol is doing fewer “firsts,” he says, for a simple reason: “We’ve done them now.”
The next chapter is about building depth – in Port Hope, across Northumberland and throughout the surrounding communities – while ensuring the Capitol continues to respond, challenge and offer audiences more than they expected:
“We have confidence in our theatre’s organizational identity right now. We’re trying to grow who we are and to show that our work is resonating with thousands of people… this upcoming 2027 theatre season is one that audiences need right now. It might sound grand, but identity and connection span place and time, cross identity boundaries, see different identities, and celebrate them.”
Kempson hopes audiences will trace the thematic connections across the past five years, particularly the last two. He suggests the best way to see that arc is to return often. When he began as artistic director, the Capitol did not offer subscriptions.
This year, the Capitol is making a stronger case for repeat attendance. Its See It All subscription offers savings on every show except the December 2026 panto. Kempson makes the pitch with conviction:
“Ten out of our eleven shows over the past two years have been Canadian, and that speaks to who the Capitol is in a very beautiful way.”
A devoted audience sustains that identity. Kempson believes the season’s themes will ripple outward from Port Hope into neighbouring communities—and that many audience members will encounter them through more than one production.
Months ago, I told Kempson he could never leave the artistic director’s chair – not while he continued bringing such memorable theatre to Port Hope and the surrounding communities. When I repeated the line during our Zoom call, we laughed. Then he answered:
“That’s so generous of you to say that. Thank you. I feel so lucky. I love my job. I love the Capitol, and I love where we’re heading.”
Kempson is proud of how far the theatre has come. When he presented the 2027 slate to the Board of Directors, he said the task now was to build on the relationship forged by this summer’s Come From Away. The numbers offer compelling evidence of the Capitol’s reach: more than 38,000 people passed through its doors between Victoria Day and Labour Day.
By any measure, it was a breakout success.
Now comes the hard work: sustaining that momentum.
The Capitol Theatre’s 2027 season includes:
On the Mainstage
Salt Water Moon by David French and directed by Rob Kempson, May 14 – 30, 2027.
The Birds & The Bees by Mark Crawford and directed by Jill Harper, June 11-27, 2027
Urinetown: The Musical, Music and Lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Book and Lyrics by Greg Kotis. Directed by Rob Kempson, July 18 – August 8, 2027
Rez Gas by Cale Crowe & Genevieve Adam. Orchestrations and Music Supervision by Jeff Newberry with Music Direction by Sarah Richardson and Choreography by Monica Dottor. Directed by Herbie Barnes, August 20-September 5, 2027
The Emperor’s New Clothes (Family and Naughty Panto), written and directed by Rob Kempson, November 19 – January 1, 2028
Second Stage Series
Songs for Blondes, written and performed by Julie Lumsden, June 1-6, 2027
Performance Review (An Outside the March Experience) written and performed by Rosamund Small and directed by Mitchell Cushman, July 6-11, 2027, and to be performed at Milly’s Market across the street from the Capitol
Playlist written and performed by Ivan Coyote, August 11-15, 2027
Music Series
Piano Heist created and performed by Nico Rhodes and Patrick Courtin, March 12-14, 2027
Over the Rainbow: The Harold Arlen Story conceived and directed by Adrian Marchuk with musical arrangements by Chris Tsujiuchi April 16-18, 2027
Feelin’ Bublé created and performed by Jay Davis, October 1-3, 2027
To learn more about the entire season at the Capitol, what else is on offer and how to subscribe, visit: capitoltheatre.com, (905) 885-1071 or info@capitoltheatre.com
