Save the date! Canadian blues ingenue turned Texas axe-slinger Sue Foley brings over 35 years of professional talent back to the Rio Theatre's stage on Thursday, July 16.

Foley delivers her own brand of high energy, guitar driven Texas blues along with her band that features a seasoned rhythm section that responds to her every move as she sways, rocks, and digs in deep with equal parts ease and intensity. Known for her fiery playing and soulful voice, Foley blends Texas blues grit with a refined fingerstyle technique, whether on her signature pink paisley Fender Telecaster or a hand-built flamenco guitar.

Thursday, July 16
Doors 7:30 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

--Regular Tickets $40+ s/c
--Students & Veterans (ID Required Upon Entry) $25+ s/c
--4-Pack Ticket Bundle $140+ s/c
--VIP Ticket Bundle $80 + s/c
(Includes exclusive pre-show meet 'n greet at 6:45 pm with Sue Foley, artist's circle seating Rows A-C, exclusive merch bundle!)

Sue Foley is a multi-award-winning blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter whose latest album, One Guitar Woman: A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar, was nominated for the 2025 GRAMMY® Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Born in Ottawa, Canada, Foley began performing professionally at 16 and made her mark in Austin, Texas, with the legendary Antone’s label. Since her 1992 debut Young Girl Blues, she’s toured internationally, sharing stages with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Billy F Gibbons. Foley is a five-time consecutive Blues Music Award winner for Traditional Blues Female Artist (2020–2025) and a recipient of multiple other honors, including a JUNO Award and the 2024 Maple Blues Lifetime Achievement Award.

A passionate scholar as well as a performer, Foley holds a PhD in Musicology and will release her first book, Guitar Women, in 2026. As the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, “Foley has a killer voice, an impossibly alluring blend of sex and innocence to go with those blazing guitar chops.” With One Guitar Woman, she reclaims history and redefines what a guitar hero can be.

"Foley continues to cement her place as one of the leading torchbearers of the blues tradition. Male or female." (Nick Cristiano, Rock and Blues Muse)

“Canada’s greatest blues guitarist." (Brad Wheeler, Toronto Globe and Mail)

STOP! THAT! TRAIN! follows best friends Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee), train stewardesses who trade their dreary shifts on the Stank Rail for the glitzy Glamazonian Express. When a catastrophic "Stormaganza" threatens to derail the high-speed train and crash it into Los Angeles, the duo in coach must join forces with the snobby first class attendants (Symone, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Marcia Marcia Marcia) and President Gagwell (RuPaul) to save the day in this wild ride of camp and comedy.

"With a healthy dose of RuPaul’s signature wit and enough drag queen-friendly lighting to combat Hollywood’s run of dimly lit features, the team revives the disaster spoof with stylish aplomb." (Salon.com)

"A 90-minute madcap riot that deserves a spot in drag comedy herstory alongside 'White Chicks' and 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'." (Guardian)

Friday, July 17
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

STOP! THAT! TRAIN! (Adam Shankman, 2026 / 90 mins / PG) Two train stewardess BFFs switch from a dull railway to the luxurious Glamazonian Express. During a massive storm, they must work with snooty first-class crew and President Gagwell to prevent disaster in LA.

A Hong Kong hitman accidentally blinds an innocent woman during a hit. He is determined to get her surgery to help her regain her sight but he needs to complete one more hit first. He completes the job but then is ambushed as he tries to escape: someone wants him dead. Meanwhile a resourceful, unorthodox police detective is hot on his trail. With Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Kong Chu, Kenneth Tsang.

"John Woo’s 1989 thriller is a reminder of the director’s habit of hitching the craziest of mayhem to a mile-wide streak of earnest emotionalism and sentimentality; a strong and under-acknowledged part of why his films are so addictive." (Guardian)

"The director repeatedly places the viewer at the center of the crossfire and turns the gyrating camera into the next best thing to a lethal weapon." (New York Times)

Friday, July 17
Doors 7:45 pm | Movie 8:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE KILLER 喋血雙雄  (John Woo, 1989 / 111 mins / 18A / Cantonese w/ English subs, English) Mob assassin Jeffrey is no ordinary hired gun; the best in his business, he views his chosen profession as a calling rather than simply a job. So, when beautiful nightclub chanteuse Jennie is blinded in the crossfire of his most recent hit, Jeffrey chooses to retire after one last job to pay for his unintended victim's sight-restoring operation. But when Jeffrey is double-crossed, he reluctantly joins forces with a rogue policeman to make things right.

All his life, an ordinary young man (Stephen Chow) has been treated like dirt. Still, he's never given up believing that all the world's problems could be solved with a little kung fu. So he's teaming up with a band of misfits - six friends who were kung fu masters in their youth - to form a soccer team that only he believes has a chance to win a $1 million grand prize. Together, they're going to apply their hidden talents to a whole new game -- and soccer will never be the same.

"A blitzkrieg of hilarious kung fu craziness." (Lessons of Darkness)

"Catnip to those familiar with the conventions of Hong Kong martial arts movies." (Toronto Star)

"A very funny movie." (Globe and Mail)

"As always, [Stephen] Chow shows himself an acute parodist of other genres while adding his own cherry on the top." (Variety)

Friday, July 17
Doors 10:30 pm | Movie 11:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Late Night Date Night! Bring a friend or date and get two-for-one entry.

SHAOLIN SOCCER "Siu Lam juk kau" (Stephen Chow, 2001 / PG / Mandarin & Chinese w. EST) A young Shaolin follower reunites with his discouraged brothers to form a soccer team using their martial art skills to their advantage.

Catch the semi-finals and final FOOTBALL match at the Rio Theatre. With our big sound... And even bigger screen!

Saturday, July 18 Bronze Final Match
Teams TBD
Doors 1:30 | Game 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive early for best seats.
RSVP Your Seats & Ensure Entry

MADDIE'S SECRET is comedian, writer, and actor John Early's critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company. While her life seems picturesque -- complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant) and a cupboard full of woman-owned ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot -- mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her troubled past. A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts and intimate performances, the film marks a bold new voice in contemporary cinema.

"Maddie’s Secret is genuinely touching, largely because it engages very earnestly with melodrama as a genre—like Douglas Sirk–level earnestness—instead of approaching it as parody." (Chicago Reader)

"It is an extremely accomplished debut and one of the boldest American movies I have seen in years." (IndieWire)

Saturday, July 18
Doors 5:15 pm | Movie 5:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MADDIE'S SECRET (John Early, 2026 / 98 mins /14A) Maddie leaps to food content stardom at a trendy company, but mounting pressures threaten to reawaken a secret from her troubled past.

We are dimming the lights, raising a glass, and firing up the projector in tribute to the late, great actor Sam Neill with one of his most memorable performances as a husband whose marriage is falling apart in Andrzej Żuławski's iconic and endlessly influential horror thriller, POSSESSION.

Banned upon its original release in 1981, Żuławski’s stunningly choreographed nightmare of a marriage unraveling is an experience unlike any other. Professional spy Mark (Neill) returns to his West Berlin home to find his wife Anna (Isabelle Adjani, in a role that earned her Best Actress at Cannes) insistent on a divorce. As Anna’s frenzied behavior becomes ever more alarming, Mark discovers a truth far more sinister than his wildest suspicions. With its pulsating score, visceral imagery, and some of the most haunting performances ever captured on screen, POSSESSION is cinematic delirium at its most intoxicating.

2021 4K Restoration. A Metrograph Pictures release.

"That the film is much more than a gawk-at-it freak show is testament to Zulawski's talent for making even the most exaggerated behavior resonate with pointed and potent emotion." (Time Out Magazine)

"This is not the type of horror movie you take your friends to for a laugh; this is what you watch with your ex and realize how much worse things could have been." (The Stranger)

"[Possession] remains one of the most grueling, powerful, and overwhelmingly intense cinematic experiences that you are likely to have in your lifetime." (Roger Ebert.com)

Catch the semi-finals and final FOOTBALL match at the Rio Theatre. With our big sound... And even bigger screen!

Sunday, July 19 Final Match
Teams TBD
Doors 11:30 am | Game 12:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive early for best seats.
RSVP Your Seats & Ensure Entry

MADDIE'S SECRET is comedian, writer, and actor John Early's critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company. While her life seems picturesque -- complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant) and a cupboard full of woman-owned ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot -- mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her troubled past. A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts and intimate performances, the film marks a bold new voice in contemporary cinema.

"Maddie’s Secret is genuinely touching, largely because it engages very earnestly with melodrama as a genre—like Douglas Sirk–level earnestness—instead of approaching it as parody." (Chicago Reader)

"It is an extremely accomplished debut and one of the boldest American movies I have seen in years." (IndieWire)

Sunday, July 19
Doors 7:00 pm | Movie 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MADDIE'S SECRET (John Early, 2026 / 98 mins /14A) Maddie leaps to food content stardom at a trendy company, but mounting pressures threaten to reawaken a secret from her troubled past.

Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the critically acclaimed, award-winning rock movie musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" with an unforgettable evening featuring writer, director, and Golden Globe–nominated star, John Cameron Mitchell.

The event includes a stunning 4K screening of the film, followed by a live Q&A, and a special mini acoustic performance by Mitchell.

Arrive early for the pre-show costume contest—held in every city—for a chance to win prizes from our sponsors, The Criterion Collection and The Punk Rock Museum. Come dressed as your best Hedwig or in a look inspired by the work of John Cameron Mitchell.

Post show meet and greet add-ons available!

Produced by ThisMyShow Presents

Monday, July 20 - LOW TICKET ALERT!
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Balcony Tickets (GA) $58.25 + s/c
Main Floor (Assigned) $68.75 + s/c
VIP (First four rows, centre section & Meet n' Greet - includes signed poster!) $158 + s/c

Tickets on sale now!

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL

John Cameron Mitchell wrote/directed/starred in the rock musical and film "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," for which he won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, a Special Tony for his performance, an Obie Award, the Best Director award at the 2001 Sundance Festival and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, along with 25 other awards.

He wrote/directed the improv-based film SHORTBUS (2006); directed the film adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning play RABBIT HOLE (2010) which garnered a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Nicole Kidman; and  co-wrote and directed the YA punk romance HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES  (2017) starring Kidman and Elle Fanning. He executive-produced (with Gus Van Sant) Jonathan Caouette’s TARNATION (2004) which was the most decorated documentary of 2004.

John was in the original casts of Tony-winning "Big River," "The Secret Garden," and "Six Degrees of Separation" as well as "Hello Again" (Drama Desk nomination) and Larry Kramer’s The Destiny of Me (Obie Award). TV roles include, "Girls", "Shrill", "The Good Fight", "Mozart in the Jungle", "Yellowjackets", "The Sandman", "City on Fire" and "Joe Exotic in Joe Vs Carole." He wrote and directed two scripted podcast series: the musical Anthem: Homunculus (2019) starring Glenn Close, Cynthia Erivo, Patti Lupone and Laurie Anderson; and the satirical sitcom "Cancellation Island "(2025) starring Holly Hunter.

"'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' is a powerful story about identity and creation and pain and love." (Birth.Movies.Death.)

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (John Cameron Mitchell, 2001 / 95 mins / 14A) | Hedwig, born male as Hansel in East Berlin, fell in love with an American G.I. and underwent a Gender Reassignment Surgery in order to marry him and flee to the West. Unfortunately, nothing worked out quite as it was supposed to - years later, Hedwig is leading her rock band on a tour of the U.S., telling her life story through a series of concerts at Bilgewater Inn seafood restaurants. Her tour dates coincide with those of arena-rock star Tommy Gnosis, a wide-eyed boy who once loved Hedwig - but then left with all her songs.

Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the critically acclaimed, award-winning rock movie musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" with an unforgettable evening featuring writer, director, and Golden Globe–nominated star, John Cameron Mitchell.

The event includes a stunning 4K screening of the film, followed by a live Q&A, and a special mini acoustic performance by Mitchell.

Arrive early for the pre-show costume contest—held in every city—for a chance to win prizes from our sponsors, The Criterion Collection and The Punk Rock Museum. Come dressed as your best Hedwig or in a look inspired by the work of John Cameron Mitchell.

Post show meet and greet add-ons available!

Produced by ThisMyShow Presents

Tuesday. July 21
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL

John Cameron Mitchell wrote/directed/starred in the rock musical and film "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," for which he won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, a Special Tony for his performance, an Obie Award, the Best Director award at the 2001 Sundance Festival and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, along with 25 other awards.

He wrote/directed the improv-based film SHORTBUS (2006); directed the film adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning play RABBIT HOLE (2010) which garnered a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Nicole Kidman; and  co-wrote and directed the YA punk romance HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES  (2017) starring Kidman and Elle Fanning. He executive-produced (with Gus Van Sant) Jonathan Caouette’s TARNATION (2004) which was the most decorated documentary of 2004.

John was in the original casts of Tony-winning "Big River," "The Secret Garden," and "Six Degrees of Separation" as well as "Hello Again" (Drama Desk nomination) and Larry Kramer’s The Destiny of Me (Obie Award). TV roles include, "Girls", "Shrill", "The Good Fight", "Mozart in the Jungle", "Yellowjackets", "The Sandman", "City on Fire" and "Joe Exotic in Joe Vs Carole." He wrote and directed two scripted podcast series: the musical Anthem: Homunculus (2019) starring Glenn Close, Cynthia Erivo, Patti Lupone and Laurie Anderson; and the satirical sitcom "Cancellation Island "(2025) starring Holly Hunter.

"'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' is a powerful story about identity and creation and pain and love." (Birth.Movies.Death.)

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (John Cameron Mitchell, 2001 / 95 mins / 14A) | Hedwig, born male as Hansel in East Berlin, fell in love with an American G.I. and underwent a Gender Reassignment Surgery in order to marry him and flee to the West. Unfortunately, nothing worked out quite as it was supposed to - years later, Hedwig is leading her rock band on a tour of the U.S., telling her life story through a series of concerts at Bilgewater Inn seafood restaurants. Her tour dates coincide with those of arena-rock star Tommy Gnosis, a wide-eyed boy who once loved Hedwig - but then left with all her songs.

Carole Pope’s fearless voice redefined Canadian rock and broke barriers for LGBTQ+ artists. ANTIDIVA traces her journey from underground cult figure to celebrated pioneer, revealing never-before-seen archival footage, candid interviews, and a live performance. The film captures her ongoing fight for artistic expression, cultural history, and inter-generational connection in the face of censorship and erasure.

Opening Film, Hot Docs Film Festival 2026

"'Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions' is a raw and rollicking portrait of a taboo-shattering provocateur and Canada’s original queer rock icon... Interviews with k.d. lang, Peaches, Rufus Wainwright, Jann Arden and Jeanne Beker affirm Pope’s place in queer and Canadian cultural history and show how she had kicked the door open for others to walk through." (CBC)

"An affectionate and nostalgic profile of hugely talented, deeply influential Canadian LGBTQ+ hero, singer-songwriter, Carole Pope of the band Rough Trade. Solid archival footage and interviews with celebrity fans like Peaches, Rufus Wainwright and Jann Arden along with Rough Trade co-founder, the late Kevan Staples, make this a feel-good look at a star who never grabbed the international attention — and recording contract — that she deserved. " (NEXT)

Wednesday, July 22 With Special Guest Veda Hille
Doors 6:30 pm | Screening & Q&A 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP Tickets (Rows A-F, Post-show Meet & Greet) $40
Tickets $30

ANTIDIVA: The Carole Pope Confessions (Michelle Mama, 2026 / 83 mins / NR) Carole Pope shattered taboos with raw, unapologetic music and defiant sexuality—Antidiva tells the story of a queer rock icon reclaiming her rightful place in music history.

Carole Pope’s fearless voice redefined Canadian rock and broke barriers for LGBTQ+ artists. ANTIDIVA traces her journey from underground cult figure to celebrated pioneer, revealing never-before-seen archival footage, candid interviews, and a live performance. The film captures her ongoing fight for artistic expression, cultural history, and inter-generational connection in the face of censorship and erasure.

Opening Film, Hot Docs Film Festival 2026

"'Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions' is a raw and rollicking portrait of a taboo-shattering provocateur and Canada’s original queer rock icon... Interviews with k.d. lang, Peaches, Rufus Wainwright, Jann Arden and Jeanne Beker affirm Pope’s place in queer and Canadian cultural history and show how she had kicked the door open for others to walk through." (CBC)

"An affectionate and nostalgic profile of hugely talented, deeply influential Canadian LGBTQ+ hero, singer-songwriter, Carole Pope of the band Rough Trade. Solid archival footage and interviews with celebrity fans like Peaches, Rufus Wainwright and Jann Arden along with Rough Trade co-founder, the late Kevan Staples, make this a feel-good look at a star who never grabbed the international attention — and recording contract — that she deserved. " (NEXT)

Thursday, July 23
Doors 5:30 pm | Film + Q&A 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $20 (includes taxes and fees)

ANTIDIVA: The Carole Pope Confessions (Michelle Mama, 2026 / 83 mins / NR) Carole Pope shattered taboos with raw, unapologetic music and defiant sexuality—Antidiva tells the story of a queer rock icon reclaiming her rightful place in music history.

STOP! THAT! TRAIN! follows best friends Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee), train stewardesses who trade their dreary shifts on the Stank Rail for the glitzy Glamazonian Express. When a catastrophic "Stormaganza" threatens to derail the high-speed train and crash it into Los Angeles, the duo in coach must join forces with the snobby first class attendants (Symone, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Marcia Marcia Marcia) and President Gagwell (RuPaul) to save the day in this wild ride of camp and comedy.

"With a healthy dose of RuPaul’s signature wit and enough drag queen-friendly lighting to combat Hollywood’s run of dimly lit features, the team revives the disaster spoof with stylish aplomb." (Salon.com)

"A 90-minute madcap riot that deserves a spot in drag comedy herstory alongside 'White Chicks' and 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'." (Guardian)

Thursday, July 23
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

STOP! THAT! TRAIN! (Adam Shankman, 2026 / 90 mins / PG) Two train stewardess BFFs switch from a dull railway to the luxurious Glamazonian Express. During a massive storm, they must work with snooty first-class crew and President Gagwell to prevent disaster in LA.

Three decades ago, the Rose of Nevada vanished at sea, along with its crew. Now, it has returned. In a remote fishing village, its reappearance is embraced as an auspicious sign, with the local citizens convinced the luck of their economically devastated community may turn, if only the ship sails again. Joining the crew is Nick (George MacKay), desperate to provide for his young family, and Liam (Callum Turner), a mysterious drifter eager to escape his past. After a successful voyage, they return to harbor, only to find that nothing is as they remember it.

Shooting on a 16mm Bolex camera and constructing all the sound in post, Mark Jenkin (ENYS MEN) writes, directs, edits and scores a haunting and hallucinatory time-travel mystery that further solidifies him as one of the most distinct, singular artists working in film today. Jenkin conducts a cinematic séance, conjuring a portal into another world that forces us to confront the past and our relationship to it. With Francis Magee, Edward Rowe, Rosalind Eleazar.

"The result is a film that is haunting and singular – a furnace-blast of the past reshaped and refashioned for our modern times. All aboard." (Globe and Mail)

"As a story of time and tide waiting for no man, “Rose of Nevada” is haunting, bittersweet, and a little scary. As a filmed object, it’s even more fascinating." (The New Yorker)

"Using scuzzy, tactile cinematography and creaky audio, Jenkin is interested in breaking and reconstructing familiar filmic grammar — here, a utensil simply being handed over manages to create tension just waiting to burst." (New York Times)

"Mark Jenkin is still Mark Jenk-ing: the most stubbornly analogue filmmaker out there has produced another satisfyingly baffling film about Cornish communities and the supernatural tension between past and present." (Empire Magazine)

Friday, July 24
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.96

ROSE OF NEVADA (Mark Jenkin, 2026 / 115 mins / PG ) 30 years ago, the Rose of Nevada disappeared at sea. Now, it has returned. Desperate to make ends meet, two men join its crew and set sail once again, but soon discover they’ve been transported back into the past, where they are mistaken for the original crew. 

In anticipation of Jane Schoenbrun’s upcoming, BC-shot TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA, the director’s previous two features, WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR on Friday, July 24 and I SAW THE TV GLOW on Wednesday, July 29, will screen at the Rio Theatre as part of a "Summer of Schoenbrun" retrospective. Each screening includes a different sneak peek at CAMP MIASMA, ahead of its August 14 release. See one or see them both for one price with a "Summer of Schoenbrun" pass.

Late on a cold night somewhere in the U.S., teenage Casey (Anna Cobb in her feature debut) sits alone in her attic bedroom, scrolling the internet under the glow-in-the-dark stars and black-light posters that blanket the ceiling. She has finally decided to take the World's Fair Challenge, an online role-playing horror game, and embrace the uncertainty it promises. After the initiation, she documents the changes that may or may not be happening to her, adding her experiences to the shuffle of online clips available for the world to see. As she begins to lose herself between dream and reality, a mysterious figure reaches out, claiming to see something special in her uploads. With Michael J. Rogers, Alex Giannascoli.

"Genre-defying, subtly unnerving..." (Vox)

"A brilliantly distinctive portal into the emotional realities we’ve built online, writer-director Jane Schoenbrun’s debut, “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair,” has coded a story endemic to cyberspace and its visual grammar." (Los Angeles Times)

Friday, July 24
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR (Jane Schoebrun, 2022 / 86 mins / NR) In her attic bedroom, smalltown teenager Casey joins an online role-playing horror game. As she becomes absorbed, she begins to record herself, documenting strange shifts that blur the line between imagination and reality.

In anticipation of Jane Schoenbrun’s upcoming, BC-shot TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA, the director’s previous two features, WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR on Friday, July 24 and I SAW THE TV GLOW on Wednesday, July 29, will screen at the Rio Theatre as part of a "Summer of Schoenbrun" retrospective. Each screening includes a different sneak peek at CAMP MIASMA, ahead of its August 14 release. See one or see them both for one price with a "Summer of Schoenbrun" pass.

Friday, July 24
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Wednesday, July 29
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Single Film Tickets Available.

WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR (Jane Schoebrun, 2022 / 86 mins / NR) In her attic bedroom, smalltown teenager Casey joins an online role-playing horror game. As she becomes absorbed, she begins to record herself, documenting strange shifts that blur the line between imagination and reality.

I SAW THE TV GLOW (Jane Shoenbrun, 2024 / 100 mins / PG) Two teenagers bond over their love of a supernatural TV show, but it is mysteriously cancelled.

Let’s do the Time Warp… Again!

There is no better way to experience the pop-culture juggernaut that is THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW than the the way it is meant to be seen – on the big screen, in the dark, and with a raucous Rio Theatre audience who are just as into it as you are.

Whether you’re a Virgin or a veteran, you’ll have a blast!

Even better? The one and only Dandy-furter will be on-hand as your evening's host to guide the Virgins (and veterans!) through all the do's-and-don'ts of this monumentally experiential cinematic phenomenon.

As always, costumes and audience participation are highly encouraged - because costume contest! (In other words: Prizes! Here's your chance to go all out and let your freak flag fly, people.) The ticket price includes a fun prop bag, too!

Your own props are also very welcome, but please – whatever you do – DO NOT BRING RICE OR CONFETTI!

Friday, July 24
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Bring a friend or date and get two-for-one entry!

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Jim Sharman, 1975 / 100 mins / 14A) A newly engaged couple (Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick) have a breakdown in an isolated area and must pay a call to the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry).

Douglas and friends reunite to help Ian with the most bizarre request that begins to break their realities.

Saturday, July 25
Doors 12:00 pm | Event 12:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $13  (includes taxes and fees)

BFMW! (Ryan Minaker, 2026 / 89 mins /NR) The film follows a man named Douglas who returns to his hometown with his childhood friends to help a pal with an outlandish request, pulling them into a strange new reality.

The robbery should have taken ten minutes.
Eight hours later, it was the hottest thing on live TV.
And it's all true.

Based on the true story of a 1972 Brooklyn bank robbery that went awry, Sidney Lumet's Oscar-winning drama chronicles a truly unique New York City story that takes place on one hot, summer afternoon. Unlikely burglars Sonny and Sal (Al Pacino and John Cazale) attempt at thievery goes wrong from the get-go, starting with the fact the bank they choose to rob has almost no money. Things go from bad to worse as tensions rapidly escalate into a hostage situation and stand-off with the police. As Sonny's motives for the robbery are slowly revealed and things become far more complicated, the heist turns into a volatile media circus. With Carol Kane, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon, James Broderick.

"Framed by great work from director Sidney Lumet and fueled by a gripping performance from Al Pacino, 'Dog Day Afternoon' offers a finely detailed snapshot of people in crisis with tension-soaked drama shaded in black humor." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"'Dog Day Afternoon' is possibly the most perfect entry among the dozens of great gritty Seventies movies that provided me with a durable memory library of cinematic brilliance." (National Review)

"Speaks to a particular moment in an edgy early 1970s New York City -- a post-Stonewall city of people figuring out identities, and bubbling with anti-establishment anger and a nascent culture of exploitation media." (Salt Lake City Weekly)

Saturday, July 25
Doors 3:45 pm | Movie 4:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON (Sidney Lumet, 1975 / 125 mins / 14A) A man robs a bank to pay for his lover's operation, which turns into a hostage situation and a media circus.

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, July 25 for Indian Summer Festival’s Box Office Launch Party! This special evening will include an encore screening of Ramesh Sippy's iconic, genre-defining cult-classic action blockbuster SHOLAY (1975), starring Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra.

The evening will kick off with a programming overview of the Indian Summer Festival Program (July 9-19), offering access to on-the-spot ticket purchasing for the entire festival line-up. Grab specially curated refreshments and mango cocktails and settle into the one, the only SHOLAY.

This 50th Anniversary restoration edition of SHOLAY had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025, where its star Bachchan mused, “Some things in life remain permanently etched in your mind. 'Sholay' is one such film. It’s wonderful that the Film Heritage Foundation has restored 'Sholay' and that they have managed to locate and include the original ending as well as some deleted scenes in the restoration.I hope that even 50 years later, the film will capture the imagination of new audiences across the world.” Dharmendra states, “Sholay is the 8th wonder of the world." Captivating audiences worldwide with its compelling narrative, memorable characters and groundbreaking action sequences, SHOLAY serves as a cornerstone of Indian cinema, and continues to be celebrated for its enduring impact.

This meticulously restored version, a collaborative effort by Film Heritage Foundation and Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd., brings back the film as it was originally intended. Audiences will have the unique opportunity to see the original ending and previously deleted scenes that were not part of the widely distributed theatrical cut, offering a fresh perspective on a cinematic masterpiece.

Co-presented by Rio Theatre and Indian Summer Festival, we are buzzing to be bringing the masala in masala films to East Vancouver. Join us for a spicy night of drama, art, and fun!

"'Sholay' delivers the goods, all right. It has, quite literally, everything -- action, adventure, romance, drama, comedy (very broad), musical numbers -- all superbly directed by young Ramesh Sippy." (Los Angeles times)

"You can divide Hindi cinema into two eras, pre-and-post 'Sholay.' It is a landmark. They don't make 'em like this anymore." (The Indian Express)

Saturday, July 25 - ENCORE SCREENING!
Doors 6:30 pm | Movie 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Please note: This film screens with an intermission.

SHOLAY (Ramesh Sippy, 1975 / 204 mins / Hindi w. English subtitles / NR) In the village of Ramgarh, retired police chief Thakur Baldev Singh plots to bring down the notorious bandit Gabbar Singh and enlists the help of two lesser criminals, Jai and Veeru. When Gabbar attacks the village, however, Jai and Veeru wonder why Thakur does nothing to help them. They soon learn that he has no arms, and that Gabbar was the one who cut them off. Enraged by this, they redouble their efforts to help. Content expanded.

STOLEN KINGDOM is a documentary that delves into the history of mischief, scandal, and theft at Walt Disney World, ultimately leading to the theft of an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars. The film features key figures from the park’s underground exploration community, each sharing their unique stories. As the narrative unfolds, early pranks and antics are shown to have inspired more recent crimes, culminating in a true crime mystery. What begins as a tale of friendship and passion ends with one lingering question: Who stole Buzzy?

Filmmakers Joshua Bailey and Jake Williams will be joining us for talkbacks July 26-27.

Screenings World Premiere Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival, Opening Night Florida Film Festival, Opening Night: Sidewalk Film Festival

“Frankly, it’s impressive just how much law-breaking the filmmakers of 'Stolen Kingdom' manage to get these various figures to confess on camera in the course of its tidy runtime.” (Paste Magazine)

“Outrageous, fascinating, and brilliantly well told! See it before it’s illegal!” (Bobcat Goldthwait)

"'Stolen Kingdom' is an entertaining, comical, disturbing and downright tragic look at what was once supposed to be a cultural utopia.” (Orlando Weekly)

Sunday, July 26
Doors 3:30 pm | Movie 4:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Monday, July 27
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

STOLEN KINGDOM (Joshua Bailey, 2025 / 74 mins / NR) A look into the underground community of rule-breakers at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and how their actions led to the disappearance of an Audio-Animatronic named Buzzy.

Hunt Cinema presents LIKEMINDED — a self-funded independent film by Hunter Paull and David McMillan. A global collaborative film project showcasing likeminded crews and cultures that David McMillan has met over a decade of travel.

Each crew brings its own style and culture, yet all are united by a shared love of riding, creativity and community. The result is a diverse visual explosion of crews and culture as they showcase their own unique take on the art of mountain-biking.

Featuring David McMillan, Josh Bryceland, Matt Hunter, Ollie Hindley, Kade Edwards, Remy Morton, Matt Miles, Jonte Vink, Matteo Iniguez, Matt Begg, Vinny T, Jimbo Monro, Josh Lewis, Hugo Frixtalon, John Lloyd, Meatsack, Thomas Estaque, Hunter Paull, Billy Meaclem, Theo Erlangsen, Sam Cofano, Dennis Luffman, Nils Hieniger, Craig Evans, Finn Hawkesby-Browne, Dan Paley, Jacob Vacation, Sam Hockenhull, and more.

Sunday, July 26
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

STOLEN KINGDOM is a documentary that delves into the history of mischief, scandal, and theft at Walt Disney World, ultimately leading to the theft of an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars. The film features key figures from the park’s underground exploration community, each sharing their unique stories. As the narrative unfolds, early pranks and antics are shown to have inspired more recent crimes, culminating in a true crime mystery. What begins as a tale of friendship and passion ends with one lingering question: Who stole Buzzy?

Filmmakers Joshua Bailey and Jake Williams will be joining us for talkbacks July 26-27.

Screenings World Premiere Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival, Opening Night Florida Film Festival, Opening Night: Sidewalk Film Festival

“Frankly, it’s impressive just how much law-breaking the filmmakers of 'Stolen Kingdom' manage to get these various figures to confess on camera in the course of its tidy runtime.” (Paste Magazine)

“Outrageous, fascinating, and brilliantly well told! See it before it’s illegal!” (Bobcat Goldthwait)

"'Stolen Kingdom' is an entertaining, comical, disturbing and downright tragic look at what was once supposed to be a cultural utopia.” (Orlando Weekly)

Monday, July 27
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

STOLEN KINGDOM (Joshua Bailey, 2025 / 74 mins / NR) A look into the underground community of rule-breakers at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and how their actions led to the disappearance of an Audio-Animatronic named Buzzy.

SON OF SARA is a wickedly entertaining Canadian horror film that subverts the classic "Rosemary's Baby" trope into a queer-led, campy black comedy. Directed by Houston Bone, it follows an expectant lesbian couple whose quiet life devolves into a bloody, demented nightmare when the pregnant mother accepts an invitation to dinner with her estranged boyfriend and his mother. With Chloe Van Landschoot, Tymika Tafari, Garrett Hnatiuk.

"2026 is officially off to a fantastic start thanks to Houston Bone’s wickedly entertaining 'SON OF SARA.' We’re all dearly familiar with 'Rosemary’s Baby' and the unexpectedly-birthing-Satan setup, but 'SON OF SARA' brings the premise firmly into the 21st century with a deliciously campy tone that straddles the line between satanic horror and black comedy." (lovehorror.co.uk)

"'SON OF SARA' has the festival credentials to back up the hype, too. The film opened the Blood in the Snow Film Festival in Toronto in November 2025, where lead Chloe Van Landschoot, of 'From and Lune', took home the festival’s award for Best Lead Performance in a Feature Film. She is joined by Tymika Tafari, Garret Hnatiuk, and Jane Moffat of 'Fahrenheit 451.' Writer-director Houston Bone, also known as Mathew Murray, comes to the feature world after building a following with the Canadian Screen Award-nominated web series Teenagers, which has racked up more than 20 million views, so this is a filmmaker who knows how to grab an audience." (andersonvision.com)

Filmmakers in attendance for Q&A.

Tuesday, July 28
Doors 6:00 pm | Film 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

SON OF SARA: Volume 1 (Houston Bone, 2025 / 85 mins / 14A) Haunted by strange urges and visions, a pregnant woman past her due date accepts an invitation to dinner where the hosts have a demented interest in the birth of her child.

In one of Paul Verhoeven's most provocative films, Detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) becomes ensnared in a web of sex, lies, and violence, all leading back to Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a seductive, mysterious crime novelist. As the bodies pile up and hidden obsessions are revealed, Curran begins to doubt his investigatory instincts and give in to his baser ones.

Best Film Editing and Best Music, Original Score nominations (Academy Awards, 1993)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama and Best Original Score nominations (Golden Globes, 1993)

""Basic Instinct' transfers Mr. Verhoeven's flair for action-oriented material to the realm of
Hitchcockian intrigue...VISCERALLY EFFECTIVE." (The New York Times)

"Ruthless craftsmanship is Paul Verhoeven’s highest form of politics." (Slant Magazine)

"Sharon Stone, in her first major-league role, comes on like a postfeminist Grace Kelly. She turns her haughty, slightly blank, cheerleader sexiness into something vampish and ominous -- an all-American beauty mask." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Despite (or maybe because of) his obligatory nods to Hitchcock, this is slick and entertaining enough to work as thriller porn, even with two contradictory denouements to its mystery." (Chicago Reader)

"Verhoeven's cinematic wet dream delivers the goods, especially when Sharon Stone struts on with enough come-on carnality to singe the screen." (Rolling Stone)

Wednesday, July 29
Doors 6:10 pm | Movie 6:40 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

BASIC INSTINCT (Paul Verhoeven, 1992 / 127 mins / 18A) A violent police detective investigates a brutal murder that might involve a manipulative and seductive novelist.

In anticipation of Jane Schoenbrun’s upcoming, BC-shot TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA, the director’s previous two features, WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR on Friday, July 24 and I SAW THE TV GLOW on Wednesday, July 29, will screen at the Rio Theatre as part of a "Summer of Schoenbrun" retrospective. Each screening includes a different sneak peek at CAMP MIASMA, ahead of its August 14 release. See one or see them both for one price with a "Summer of Schoenbrun" pass.

Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack. With Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Fred Durst, Danielle Deadwyler.

"'Glow' blends the real and the surreal in a neon-drenched nightmare that leaves a trail of thematic breadcrumbs for its audience." (USA Today)

"With all this talk of universal emotions and inherent hope, it is easy to lose track of the fact that I Saw the TV Glow is an unnerving and disarming genre film. It gets under the skin, and is a welcome disruption." (Rue Morgue)

Wednesday, July 29
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Single Film Tickets
Summer of Schoenbrun Pass

I SAW THE TV GLOW (Jane Shoenbrun, 2024 / 100 mins / PG) Two teenagers bond over their love of a supernatural TV show, but it is mysteriously cancelled.

Slay. Serve. Circus!
2025’s Sold-Out Circus Show Returns to the Rio Theatre This July!

Think you know circus? Think again.

On Thursday, July 30th, Du Jour Marketing and April O’Peel Productions brings Cirque Du Slay back to the Rio Theatre for a one-night-only spectacle of drag, circus, comedy, and unapologetic star power. Expect jaw-dropping aerial acts, seductive sets, and unforgettable stage moments designed to keep your pulse racing from start to finish.

Get ready to ooh, ah and ooh la la! Cirque Du Slay is back!

Thursday, July 30
Doors 7:00 pm | Event 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Advanced (Main Floor, Assigned; Balcony GA) - $30 + s/c | $35 + s/c at the door
VIP (Front 3 rows centre, Assigned) - $40 + s/c (includes premiere seating + photos with the cast)

Our prize-packed Intermission will feature a special performance and giveaways from local circus schools, queer-owned businesses, and the artists themselves. Support the scene and snag something sweet! Between the thrills onstage, the Rio Theatre lobby and bar will be buzzing with cocktails, mocktails, and all your favourite queer anthems. Be sure to snag a limited-edition Rio Theatre Pride T-shirt, hit up the Cirque Du Slay merch booth, and tag us in your pics: @riotheatre & @aprilopeelproductions.

This boundary-breaking show is proudly sponsored by Rifflandia who produces international projects across music, art, film, sports and live entertainment.

Featuring an ALL-QUEER core cast plus guests including Batty Banks, Cali Cobalt, Justin Heat, Kit
Fox, Maverick, Miss Kiss, Circus Dancer Sarah, Space Cake, Rain City Circus, and more.

Behind the Curtain: Production Partners in Crime

Du Jour Marketing is the personal project of Tita Cupcakedujour. The former professional figure skater and pint-sized pin up, has shifted from pairs skating to pairing passions. Her unique ability to blend athletics, artistry, and community-building took her around the world, and across Canada. Having stuck her landing in the heart of Vancouver’s live performance scene, Tita is back for another season of dynamic performances and audience thrilling productions.

Joining her is the beloved burlesque star and award winning producer April O’Peel. As the creative force behind monthly Burlesque revues at the Rio Theatre, and performances across Vancouver, April is known for turning every event into a guaranteed good time. April O’Peel

Productions combine top level talent and low-ball humour in equal measure, forever over-serving audiences with classic show biz magic and unexpected delights.

After producing a show that left no crumbs, April O’Peel and Du Jour Marketing are back with another dazzling and dizzying lineup. Their decades of stage experience, shared love for fearless, inclusive art, and sold out success is coming to the Rio stage for Pride 2026!

For Pride this year the Rio Theatre is rolling out the rainbow carpet to welcome back Vancouver Pride & the return of Dandy's BIG GAY CABARET! Celebrate with us in a interactive comedy cabaret hosted by the award-winning host and social media sensation DANDY!

HAPPY PRIDE from the RIO THEATRE!!!  It’s Pride week in Vancouver and that means it’s time for BIG GAY CABARET, hosted by DANDY!

Dahlings this is our best year yet because we’re doing a ROAD TRIP! I rented us a big gay bus and we’re going across the country together to experience the gayest things the world has to offer. We’ll see drag queens, burlesque, fire dances, cosplay, feminist book clubs, and sexy original vocalists. PARTY BUS VIBES ALL THE WAY SO DRESS TO IMPRESS DAHLINGS. And as for our final destination? A HEATED RIVALRY look alike competition IN MONTREAL! Are you kidding? Am I? Well you’ll have to show up to find out. Don’t miss it, and VIP gets interactive prop bags darlings. Let’s go gurrrrlz.

Friday, July 31
Doors 7:15 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Main Floor Assigned $30 + s/c | $35 at the door
VIP - First 4 rows $40 + s/c **VIP ticket holders also get an interactive prop bag to be used during the show!**
The 'We Are Family' 4 Pack $25 a ticket + s/c (Available online only)

But wait, there's more!

The Rio Theatre lobby and bar will be open between shows and serving up Pride inspired cocktails, mocktails and your favorite gay anthems. Don't forget to pick up a Rio Theatre Pride Edition T-shirt, check out the merch booth and pose, vogue, pose at our pride photo backdrop. Don't forget to tag us in your pics @riotheatre & @dandyandfriends

Featuring:

Layna Emerald

Shoop Dumplin

Celeste

Leviticus

And MORE!

Behind the award winning costumes and make-up:

Ryan Leslie Fisher plays Dandy (he/him) is the revelrous cabaret host made popular on TikTok for his viral videos promoting queer joy! Winner of Host of the Year 2024 for Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and awarded runner up in the Georgia Straight’s BEST OF VANCOUVER for his show Drag Attack! - you can catch him regularly on stage in his shows at the iconic Rio Theatre in Vancouver, BC. His Emmy-winning series Dandyland, which highlights businesses, organizations, and artists in the LGBT Community, is now streaming on Optik TV.
@dandyandfriends

Rafaella Rabinovich is an internationally trained, award-winning costume designer working across film, television, and live performance. A proud queer artist, she is known for her bold, character-driven approach to storytelling and her ability to elevate the visual language of every project. Trained in costume and set design, Rafaella further specialized and furthered her educetion in theatrical prosthetics, advanced pattern-making and shoe making. Her credits span major studios and networks including Netflix, The CW, ABC, TBS, Disney, Lifetime, Discovery Channel, and Sony, with notable projects including To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Project Mc2, Kung Fu, Stranger in Town, and the upcoming thriller Harmonia staring Carrie Coon, Lily James, Bella Ramsey, and Odessa Young. Her work has earned multiple CAFTCAD Awards, Leo honors, a Costume Society of America Design Award, a Day Time Creative Emmy nomination as well as a Children’s & Family Emmy Award win and recognition at the 27th and 28th Costume Designers Guild Awards for Dandyland. @costume_designer101

From the outrageous John Waters, writer-director of PINK FLAMINGOS and HAIRSPRAY, comes another signature exercise in bad taste. Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman), the owner of a convenience store in a working-class Baltimore neighborhood, suffers a concussion. The injury causes a drastic change in her sexual drive, turning her into a sex addict with crazy, wild and urgent desires and compulsions, much to the joy and then frustration of her husband (Chris Isaak), who has trouble keeping up with her. As Sylvia's insatiable libido reaches fever pitch, her new oversexed personality threatens to tear apart the remnants of what wasn't an entirely perfect family to begin with. And that's A Dirty Shame. With Chris Isaak, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, Mink Stole, Patricia Hearst.

"A genuine cri de couer in the director's long-running battle against the forces of censorship and a banal societal (and cinematic) status quo." (Austin Chronicle)

"A welcome reminder that sex is sometimes too ridiculous to take so seriously." (Premiere Magazine)

"[Waters] hasn't let slick technique take over as has Hollywood, and he retains his radical sensibility and his willingness to go where others haven't." (Washington Post)

Friday, July 31
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Late Night Date Night! Tickets are two-for-one entry!

A DIRTY SHAME (John Waters, 2004 / 89 mins / 18A) Sylvia Stickles runs a convenience store with her husband and mother-in-law. One day, Sylvia is hit on the head and transforms from an uptight prude to a sex-crazed lunatic. As she goes on a rampage through town, Sylvia attracts the attention of Ray Ray, a sexual healer and tow truck driver in search of the world's greatest orgasm. Their sexual revolution, however, causes a class war in their tiny Baltimore community.

Howard Beale, a veteran newscaster, is informed by his ratings-driven network executives that he is about to be dumped because he "skews old" - in turn, he uses his next broadcast to announce that he is going to commit suicide on his final programme. An ambitious programming executive convinces her superiors to let the broadcast go ahead, hoping that the final event will give the network its greatest ratings ever. Starring William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall.

Screening as part of Arthouse Theatre Day, 2026!

Saturday, August 1
Doors 12:30 pm | Movie 1:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

NETWORK (Sidney Lumet, 1976 / 121 mins / PG) A television network cynically exploits a deranged former anchor's ravings and revelations about mass media for its own profit, but finds that his message may be difficult to control.

Yee Haw!

This ain't Texas, but we are bringing the magic of Stampede to VANCOUVER PRIDE at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, August 1, with an all-star ALL CAST OF COLOUR lineup!!

Vajayjay La'Belle hosts an iconic lineup of Canada’s Drag Race stars, including Season 6 favourite Karamilk. Plus, local talent Wan-Ting Moi and Michelangela are set to make an appearance too. But you won't want to miss headliner and RPDR S5 and All Stars S2, OG alum, COCO MONTRESE!

This will be a hoe-down you DON'T want to miss... Giddyup!

Saturday, August 1
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP (Exclusive Pre-Show Meet and Greet 6:00 pm + Preferred Seating Rows A-B) $40+ s/c
Main Floor Seating $25 + s/c

Meet and Greet Add-On $10 (Limited Quantity Available)

One of the great lost masterpieces of Japanese animation that was never officially released theatrically, BELLADONNA OF SADNESS is the third (and last) of the adult-oriented Mushi Pro Animerama films, produced by the godfather of Japanese anime & manga Osamu Tezuka and directed by his long time collaborator Eiichi Yamamoto (Astro Boy and Kimba The White Lion), and is adapted from French historian Jules Michelet's novel La Sorcière. The obvious and salient feature of this "extremely transgressive" erotica is the unique way in which it was animated, using a blend of still illustrations and full animation - in addition to its mind-blowing Japanese psych-rock soundtrack by noted avant-garde jazz composer Masahiko Satoh.

Initially intended for 'art house' venues rather than a more general audience (like the first two Animerama films), BELLADONNA OF SADNESS comes across as, by far, the more sophisticated and successful production; its strikingly original visuals largely responsible for the film's visceral impact that has been described as, "a mad, swirling, psychedelic light-show of medieval tarot-card imagery with horned demons, haunted forests... equal parts J.R.R. Tolkien and gorgeous, explicit Gustav Klimt-influenced eroticism. " An experience to behold on the big screen, the film unfolds as a series of spectacular still watercolor paintings that seem to bleed and twist together and into each other while telling the story of an innocent young woman, Jeanne (voiced by Aiko Nagayama) who is violently raped by the local lord on her wedding night. To take revenge, she makes a pact with the Devil himself (voiced by Tatsuya Nakadai, from Akira Kurosawa’s Ran) who appears as an erotic sprite and transforms her into a black-robed vision of madness and desire.

This intensely original work was restored by Cinelicious Pics using the original 35mm camera negative and sound elements – and includes over 8 minutes of surreal and explicit footage cut from the negative.

"A bewitching masterpiece."( New York Times)

Saturday, August 1
Doors 10:00 pm | Movie 10:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

BELLADONNA OF SADNESS (Eiichi Yamamoto, 1973 / 93 min / NR) After being banished from her village, a peasant woman makes a pact with the devil to gain magical ability. *Screens in Japanese with English subtitles.

Anirban Dasgupta’s Player is an immersive stand-up show that explores two childhoods, with a twist. Anirban's childhood dream was to become a sportsperson. But instead of Eden Gardens, he’s ended up at your neighbourhood theatre. Clearly it didn’t work out.

Now, as a dad navigating the chaotic second half of life, he’s rethinking the rules and wondering if everything from comedy to raising a kid is actually just a game? Who’s winning, who’s losing, what’s the endgame?

Come find out in this new stand-up comedy thriller that will go down to the… Last joke!

Presented by StageAdda

Sunday, August 2
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP Tickets (Rows A-E, Centre Section) $50 + s/c
Tickets $40+ s/c

In NAOMI OSAKA: The Second Set, we are invited into 4x Grand Slam Champion Naomi Osaka's world, as she returns to tennis after becoming a mom. At the heart of it, this film is an intimate look at the complexities of motherhood, challenging the idea that moms need to "bounce back" to who they once were.

Vancouver Director Kat Jayme (BIG COUNTRY) in attendance for Q&A.

Tuesday, August 4
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

NAOMI OSAKA: THE SECOND SET (Kat Jayme, 2026 / 101 mins / NR) In The Second Set, we are invited into 4x Grand Slam Champion Naomi Osaka's world, as she returns to tennis after becoming a mom. At the heart of it, this film is an intimate look at the complexities of motherhood, challenging the idea that moms need to "bounce back" to who they once were.

A hopeless romantic with big dreams, Steve is an ex-con hired to chauffeur a mob boss’ girlfriend for a night on the town. He’s blissfully unaware that his passenger has died and is now possessed by one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Starring Brian McCaig (as Steve) and Natalie Grace (as Delilah).

Director Karen Lam and cast and crew in attendance for Vancouver Premiere and post-show Q&A.

"'Pulp Fiction' meets 'Escape to Witch Mountain.'" (Sinister Cinema Reviews)

"If you love off-kilter, off Hollywood films with their own view of the world, then you must see 'ARMAGEDDON ROAD.'" (Unseen Films)

Wednesday, August 5
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ARMAGEDDON ROAD (Karen Lam, 2026 / 85 mins / NR) A hopeless romantic with big dreams, Steve is an ex-con hired to chauffeur a mob boss' girlfriend for a night. He's blissfully unaware that his passenger has died and is now possessed by one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Summer vibes are giving us all the summer camp feels... And nothing screams, "Friday Late Night Movie on August 7" more than the cult-classic 80s slasher-fest SLEEPAWAY CAMP!

From the grisly SFX to the fashionable short-shorts, from the nihilistic vibe to the truly unforgettable climax, SLEEPAWAY CAMP is no ordinary slasher . . . it’s an all-time cult classic. After a boating accident kills her family, shy Angela (the iconic Felissa Rose) lives with her eccentric Aunt Martha and cousin Ricky. Angela and Ricky are sent to Camp Arawak for the summer, where bizarre and violent accidents are claiming the lives of campers. Has a dark secret returned from the camp’s past, or will another unspeakable horror end the summer season for all?

“This is a film that has not only stood the test of time, but has also slaughtered it with a glimmering blade in a cabin shower.”
(Bleeding Skull)

"The story of 'Sleepaway Camp' is pretty much everything you'd expect from a slasher movie and nothing you'd ever expect, which is what makes [director] Robert Hiltzik's campy and disturbing summer camp tale still one of the more memorable horror movies ever made." (Daily Dead)

Friday, August 7
Doors 10:30 pm | Movie 11:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

SLEEPAWAY CAMP (Robert Hiltzik, 1983 / 14A / 85 mins) Slightly disturbed and painfully shy Angela Baker is sent away to summer camp with her cousin. Not long after Angela's arrival, things start to go horribly wrong for anyone with sinister or less than honorable intentions.

Caw, caw.

Join us for the ornithological film of your dreams (and nightmares), courtesy of the Master of Horror, Alfred Hitchcock, with a screening of THE BIRDS on the legendary director's birthday. Tippi Hedren stars in her career-defining role as Melanie Daniels, a wealthy San Francisco socialite who pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town. Slowly, life takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to violently attack people.

"Genuinely disturbing thriller classic from the master of suspense." (Empire Magazine)

"Drawing from the relatively invisible literary talents of Daphne DuMaurier and Evan Hunter, Alfred Hitchcock has fashioned a major work of cinematic art, and "cinematic" is the operative term here, not 'literary' or 'sociological.'" (Village Voice)

Thursday, August 13
6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE BIRDS (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963 / 119 mins / PG) A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness.Chic socialite Melanie Daniels enjoys a passing flirtation with an eligible attorney in a San Francisco pet shop and, on an impulse, follows him to his hometown bearing a gift of lovebirds. But upon her arrival, the bird population runs amok. Suddenly, the townsfolk face a massive avian onslaught, with the feathered fiends inexplicably attacking people all over Bodega Bay.

When teen debutante Kelly (Denise Richards) fails to attract the attention of her hunky guidance counselor, Sam (Matt Dillon), she cries rape, igniting a scandal that results in his arrest. Sam appeals to Ken (Bill Murray), a hack personal-injury lawyer who has never handled a case that couldn't be helped by a prop neck brace. Soon, a second victim, Suzie (Neve Campbell), comes forward, and Detective Duquette (Kevin Bacon) discovers that the unfolding case is far from what it seems. With Daphne Rubin-Vega, Bill Murray.

"Blending the superheated emotions of Douglas Sirk with the soft-porn high-jinks of Russ Meyer, the result is steamy, ludicrous and very entertaining." (Guardian)

"'Wild Things' is the kind of movie that gives gratuitous sex and violence a good name." (Toronto Star)

"... a delightfully salacious, flesh-exposed romp that also requires a high degree of love for trash cinema." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"..steamy, tawdry, gloriously over-the-top..." (TIME Magazine)

"Director John McNaughton's grip is a bawdy mix of suspense, sex and silliness, all served up with a huge tongue sticking in his cheek. It's a foamy mix, topped off by highly charged performances." (The Hollywood Reporter)

Friday, August 14
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Late Night Date Night!  Bring a friend or date and get two-for-one entry!

WILD THINGS (John McNaughton, 1998 / 104 mins / 18A) A police detective uncovers a conspiracy behind a case involving a high-school guidance counselor when accusations of rape are made against him by two female students.

John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, the epic 1981 action film featuring his 80's-era "muse" Kurt Russell as the iconic eye-patch-wearing hero Snake Plissken (which was  restored in 2018) is headed to the Rio Theatre's screen as a Friday Late Night Movie on August 21.

Set in a dystopic 1997 in which a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president (Donald Pleasence) is taken hostage by a group of inmates where Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve him in exchange for his own freedom. Also starring Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Harry Dean Stanton, and Adrienne Barbeau.

"The movie proudly wears its affection for crusty Sergio Leone archetypes and countdown-clock suspense sequences; Carpenter was Tarantino long before Tarantino was." (Time Out New York)

"Carpenter’s vision, presented in a beautiful 4K remaster, still impresses with its sense of time, place and attitude." (WeAreCult.Rocks)

Friday, August 21
Doors 10:30 pm | Movie 11:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (John Carpenter, 1981 / 99 mins / PG) In 1997, the island of Manhattan has been walled off and turned into a giant maximum security prison within which the country's worst criminals are left to form their own anarchic society. However, when the President of the United States crash lands on the island, the authorities turn to a former soldier and current convict, Snake Plissken, to rescue him.

"Oh, hai Shark!"

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Tuesday, August 25 with host Greg Sestero - star of the pop-culture phenomenon THE ROOM, and author of the best-selling memoir, THE DISASTER ARTIST - for a double billing of Tommy Wiseau's aforementioned debut feature followed by his sophomore follow-up, BIG SHARK.  Who better to explain Wiseau's latest opus (and the enigma himself!) than Greg Sestero? It's a night of movies, insight, conversation and laughs. (And... merch! There will be sweet, sweet merch.)

Auteur Tommy Wiseau (whose 2003 benchmark THE ROOM ranks among the greatest cult-movie films of all time) finally returns to the cinematic landscape with another tasty morsel made especially for his legion of hungry movie-loving fans: BIG SHARK.

For the uninitiated: A marvel of modern cinema, Tommy Wiseau's THE ROOM is so powerful that it will, literally, "tear you apart." (Or, maybe just your brain. And occasionally your eyeballs.) In the pantheon of you-gotta-see-it-to-believe-it, best-worst movies, it's quite possible that nothing tops THE ROOM. It's the CITIZEN KANE of bad movies! And truly, truly, the best (trust!) way to experience this "masterpiece" is in the dark, on the big screen, and with a packed audience of confused (and enthused) lovers of director Wiseau's bizarre cinematic oddity that has morphed into a pop-culture phenomenon. Having Sestero (who parlayed his portrayal of "Mark" in THE ROOM into an acclaimed best-seller that was ultimately adapted into the 2017 feature, THE DISASTER ARTIST) on-hand to answer audience questions and provide unique insight makes for a very, very memorable night.

Greg will be available before the films, during intermission, and afterwards to sign delicious merch and take photos!

Tuesday, August 25
Greg Sestero Presents: BIG SHARK & THE ROOM
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets $30 plus s/c | $35 at the door

Guests attending the double feature will receive a wristband upon entry.

THE ROOM
Movie 9:30 pm *Screening as part of a double feature. Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE ROOM (Tommy Wiseau / 2003 / 99 mins / 14A) Johnny is a successful banker with great respect for and dedication to the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. The happy-go-lucky guy sees his world being torn apart when his friends begin to betray him one-by-one.

BIG SHARK (Tommy Wiseau, 2023 / 104 mins / NR) EXCLUSIVE FILM! Three firefighters: Georgie, Patrick, and Tim must save New Orleans from a gigantic shark, can New Orleans survive?

"Oh, hai Mark!"

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Thursday, August 25 with host Greg Sestero - star of the pop-culture phenomenon THE ROOM and author of the best-selling memoir, THE DISASTER ARTIST - for a double billing of Tommy Wiseau's debut feature followed by his sophomore effort, BIG SHARK. Who better to explain Wiseau's latest opus (and the enigma himself!) than Greg Sestero? It's a night of movies, insight, conversation and laughs. (And... merch! There will be sweet, sweet merch.)

Auteur Tommy Wiseau (whose 2003 pop-culture phenomenon THE ROOM ranks among the greatest cult-movie films of all time) finally returns to the cinematic landscape with another tasty morsel made especially for his legion of hungry movie-loving fans: BIG SHARK.

For the uninitiated: A marvel of modern cinema, Tommy Wiseau's THE ROOM is so powerful that it will, literally, "tear you apart." (Or, maybe just your brain. And occasionally your eyeballs.) In the pantheon of you-gotta-see-it-to-believe-it, best-worst movies, it's quite possible that nothing tops THE ROOM. It's the CITIZEN KANE of bad movies! And truly, truly, the best (trust!) way to experience this "masterpiece" is in the dark, on the big screen, and with a packed audience of confused (and enthused) lovers of director Wiseau's bizarre cinematic oddity that has morphed into a pop-culture phenomenon. Having Sestero (who parlayed his portrayal of "Mark" in THE ROOM into an acclaimed best-seller that was ultimately adapted into the 2017 feature, THE DISASTER ARTIST) on-hand to answer audience questions and provide unique insight makes for a very, very memorable night.

Tuesday, August 25
THE ROOM
9:30 pm *As this is a double feature, the start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE ROOM (Tommy Wiseau / 2003 / 99 mins / 14A) Johnny is a successful banker with great respect for and dedication to the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. The happy-go-lucky guy sees his world being torn apart when his friends begin to betray him one-by-one.

Now in its 15th year,  the smash hit epic comedy THE CRITICAL HIT SHOW returns to the Rio Theatre's stage on Wednesday, August 26 for another night of dork-filled humour.

Prepare yourself for a generous dose of laughter and snorting out loud, as some of Vancouver’s best comedic performers grace the stage in a night featuring some of this City's most intrepid players on a gallant quest for comedy glory (and more snacks!) in a hilarious adventure saga that has been running continuously since 2012.

Spanning over 100 live performances in both Canada and the United States, two years of “at-home” streaming, and frequent festival appearances, THE CRITICAL HIT SHOW is one of the longest running comedy shows around. #DNDLive is an improvised adventure that takes its inspiration from tabletop role-playing games, fantasy film and TV, and (most importantly) you!

Whether you’re a longtime fan, you’ve been enjoying our live streamed shows, or you’re brand new to the experience - you’re going to have a great time.

Wednesday, August 26
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Please arrive on time. Start time subject to change.

Tickets $17 +s/c in advance | $20+ s/c at the door

THE ADVENTURERS

Eric Fell as The Dungeon Master
Ian Boothby as Benoit the Anointed, the Half-Elf Cleric
Joanna Gaskell as Freya, the Elf Warlock
Barbara Beall as Ingrid, the Halfling Fighter
Ellen MacNevin as Belle Strummer, the Half-Elf Ranger
Allen Morrison as Spitz Lube’n, the Human Wizard
Shaun Stewart as Brask Hellbeard, the Dwarf Bard

More monsters! More Magic! More Mayhem! More Off-Brand soda!

Twitter: @critshow
www.criticalhitshow.com

www.facebook.com/dndlive

The East Van Laugh RioT is happy to welcome comedian TJ back to the Rio Theatre's stage on Thursday, August 27.

Fresh off a TV pilot filmed for FX, comedian TJ is back on the road (and returning to the Rio Theatre's stage!) with new jokes about love, death, grief, and immigration. Come for the same fresh, incisive, and caustic wit, stay for the poetry of laughter to be found within the darkest of subjects.

THE ALIEN EVERYWHERE is TJ’s third standup tour. Following successful stints in North America and Europe, he’s ready to go again and bring jokes from the singular Haitian perspective to the rest of the English speaking world. He’s also planning to add a few more countries, and even continents to this one. He hopes to see you in a room, wherever in the world you live, laughing together at the human condition.

Thursday, August 27
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $30+ s/c | $40+ s/c at the door
Date Night! Pair of tickets $60+ s/c (Online Only)
Squad Pass! Group of Four $25+ s/c (Online Only)

A Haitian born stand-up comedian who is currently based in New York City, TJ has a very laid back, smooth, and conversational style. He jokes about race, society’s idiosyncrasies, and the inherent contrast between life in Haiti and America, and has made appearances on Gotham Comedy Live (AXS TV) and Good Day New York (FOX).  Some people say his humor is smart and eye-opening; he would probably agree with these people.

TJ is a paid regular at the Comedy Cellar and Gotham Comedy Club in NYC, but has performed all over the world, and recently returned from a small European tour where he performed in English and French. In addition to opening for Colin Quinn, Janelle James, Maria Bamford and Sean Patton, TJ has also been a featured performer at numerous festivals like Netflix Is A Joke Festival, SF Sketchfest and the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival.

Not just limited to the stage, TJ is also an Op-Ed contributor for The New York Times, offering a unique and thoughtful perspective on various societal issues. His special, “JANUARY 3RD,” available on Amazon, and album, “SON OF HAITI,” accessible on all major audio platforms, have been celebrated by comedy enthusiasts worldwide.  Check out his Don’t Tell Comedy set on YouTube.

Dr. Brady Smith  brings his own brand of humor to the table, with a mix of brutally honest life stories, outrageous tales from the dental trenches, and a knack for turning the mundane into the absurd, Brady delivers a comedy experience that's raw, relatable, and absolutely hilarious. He combines his love of dentistry, philanthropy, and irreverent humor into a one-of-a-kind style that leaves audiences in stitches. Prepare to laugh until your face hurts.

Sunday, September 6
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $35+ s/c 
VIP (Rows A-E, Centre Section) $45 + s/c

Connect on TikTok @DrBradySmith

Connect on Instagram @DrBradySmith

Laughing My Gas Off Podcast

Vancouver’s longest-running, best-kept secret!

Inspired by early David Letterman and the classic variety show format, Paul Anthony’s TALENT TIME combs youth talent shows and unique corners of underground entertainment to create an innovative, strange and hilarious show that also accidentally builds connection and reaffirms the human spirit.

Come experience what the Vancouver Sun called a "Phenomenon"! Paul Anthony’s TALENT TIME is a live comedy/variety/talk show performed in the heart of East Vancouver. Featuring a live house band and co-host Ryan Beil from The Sunday Service Improv.

Now in its 18th season, this entertaining and unique two-hour live show is also a fast-paced, half-hour television series broadcast on the Novus Network locally and globally on YouTube.

Theme and lineup TBA.

Tuesday, September 8
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Tickets $20+ s/c (Until August 19)
Tickets $25+ s/c

Live Comedy with VHS tapes!
BRAND NEW VOLUME 11 SHOW FOR 2026!

Joe Pickett (The Onion) and Nick Prueher (Late Show With David Letterman) have over 14,000 VHS tapes in their cluttered office in Brooklyn and will take viewers on a guided tour of their latest/greatest finds in this brand new Volume 11 show for 2026. Highlights include a psychotic dollar store salesman, a video catalog of frightening porcelain dolls, two wonderfully homemade Bigfoot videos and a new age “miracle” treatment from the 80s called “Psychic Surgery.” (90 mins - contains nudity, language, clowns).

“I think I speak for fans everywhere when I express gratitude for their continued hunt for hilariously bad videos. I hope the search never ends.” (Steven Hyden, Uproxx)

"Skull-crushingly funny." (AV Club)

Thursday, September 9
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Assigned Tickets $36 (includes all taxes and fees)

About the Found Footage Festival

Debuting in 2004 in New York City, the Found Footage Festival has since sold out hundreds of shows across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., including appearances at the Just For Laughs Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, and Bonnaroo.

The show has been featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and NPR, and has been praised by critics in The Guardian and The New York Times.

Fans can also catch Pickett and Prueher in their weekly YouTube series VCR Party Live! and the hit Tribeca documentary Chop & Steele, now available on Blu-ray and VOD.

For more information on Found Footage, head to www.foundfootagefest.com

Do Go On is a comedy/history podcast hosted by Australian Comedians Dave Warneke, Jess Perkins and Matt Stewart. Every week since 2015 they've taken it in turns to pick a topic from history and report back. Over ten years and 500+ episodes later, they've covered everything from Dolly Parton to Bigfoot, Chernobyl to the real Great Escape.

In that time they've been downloaded more than 25 million times and toured live shows across Australia, The UK, Ireland, Germany, New Zealand and Thailand. This is their first ever time in Canada! Yes it will be weird seeing their voices come out of their faces but don't worry, you'll get used to it!

Saturday, September 12
Doors 12:00 pm | Podcast Taping 1:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

In 2026, The Invincible Czars celebrate 100 years of FW Murnau's silent masterpiece FAUST by performing their tastefully modern soundtrack live with the movie at theatres across the US and Canada - including a stop at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, September 12.

Their brand new electrifying score marries new and old elements of classical music, bossa nova and even a touch of heavy metal to bring the movie to life for contemporary audiences and incorporates a mix of instruments like flute, violin and electric guitar.

The Czars' return engagement at the Rio Theatre will function as an FW Murnau "silent sinema" double feature, as guests will be able to take in both FAUST and their revamped version of the 1922 silent classic NOSFERATU - for one sweet price!

Saturday, September 12
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Pricing $30+ s/c Until August 1!

Adult Entry $35+ s/c
Youth (Under 15) $22+ s/c
VIP (Gold Circle - Rows A-D, Centre Section) $40+ s/c

About FAUST

An elderly alchemist named Faust (Gösta Ekman) makes a pact with the demon Mephisto (Emil Jannings) to gain the power to protect his village from plague. Faust soon succumbs to temptation and asks Mephisto to restore his youth and help him acquire all the hedonistic pleasures that earth can offer. Eventually, his love affair with a young woman named Gretchen (Camilla Horn) leads to tragic and devastating consequences for them both.

FAUST has quite a history. It is the quintessential “deal with the devil” tale based on a centuries-old European legend. The legend inspired Johann Wofgang Goethe’s 1808 play which is considered Germany’s greatest literary work.  The play inspired the famous opera by Charles Guonod which director FW Murnau used as a map for his 1926 film.  Virtually every “sell your soul” type story from the film Crossroads to songs like “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” owes a debt to FAUST whether the creators know it or not. (In fact, "Faust" is the opera in Gaston Leroux’s "Phantom of the Opera.")

Murnau had already made a name for himself and set the standard for early horror films with NOSFERATU (1922) and in 1926 he was on top of his game and found himself with a big budget for FAUST with a lot of autonomy from the studio UFI. The result is silent-era German Expressionist eye candy full of amazing sets, innovative special effects and Murnau’s signature camera work.  It was his last German-made film before he moved to Hollywood later that year.

For modern audiences, it’s the cast that really makes the movie entertaining.  The virtually-unknown Camilla Horn is hard not to love in the role of Gretchen.  (Horn had replaced the legendary Lillian Gish in the role when Gish ultimately turned it down due to the subject matter in the film.)  The charismatic (if complicated) Emil Jannings was like the Jim Carrey of his day bringing all emotions with equal gusto and power. He is hilarious, hateable, terrifying and unforgettable especially when paired with Yvette Guilbert as Aunt Marthe

About the Soundtrack

The Invincible Czars’ score for FAUST is mostly original material inspired by film score composers like Bernard Herrman and John Williams peppered with cinematic metal a la Fantomas and even a little Marcos Valle-esque bossa nova.  The band keeps their tradition of incorporating music from Russian classical composers, revisiting their renditions of Mussorgsy’s Pictures at an Exhibition and A Night on Bald Mountain in particular for this soundtrack.  Five players perform the score live on violin, electric guitar, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, glockenspiel, keyboard and drums.

About the Band

Josh Robins - Guitar
Wes Haynes - Keyboards
Phil Davidson - Violin, glockenspiel
Stefan del Bosque - Drums
Kevin Sakai - Clarinet, Flute, Bass Clarinet

The Invincible Czars have made a name for themselves among horror and classic film lovers in the US and Canada with their original, tastefully modern live soundtracks for silent films which they started creating for the original Alamo Drafthouse in their hometown of Austin, TX in 2007, though they began making their wacky brand of cinematic rock in 2003.  They are great at using music and sound to transform century-old movies into immersive and engaging experiences that allow audiences to approach, appreciate, and enjoy the depth and innovation of classic silent film. Czars shows are a lot of fun with opportunities for audience participation and costumery.

In 2026, The Invincible Czars celebrate 100 years of FW Murnau's silent masterpiece FAUST by performing their tastefully modern soundtrack live with the movie at theatres across the US and Canada - including a stop at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, September 12.

Their brand new electrifying score marries new and old elements of classical music, bossa nova and even a touch of heavy metal to bring the movie to life for contemporary audiences and incorporates a mix of instruments like flute, violin and electric guitar.

The Czars' return engagement at the Rio Theatre will function as an FW Murnau "silent sinema" double feature, as guests will be able to take in both FAUST and their revamped version of the 1922 silent classic NOSFERATU - for one sweet price!

Saturday, September 12
FAUST
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

NOSFERATU
9:15 pm *Approximate Start Time

Single Film (VIP Admission - GA) $39*
Single Film (Main Floor - GA) $34*
Single Film (Kids 13 and under - GA) $21*

About FAUST

An elderly alchemist named Faust (Gösta Ekman) makes a pact with the demon Mephisto (Emil Jannings) to gain the power to protect his village from plague. Faust soon succumbs to temptation and asks Mephisto to restore his youth and help him acquire all the hedonistic pleasures that earth can offer. Eventually, his love affair with a young woman named Gretchen (Camilla Horn) leads to tragic and devastating consequences for them both.

FAUST has quite a history. It is the quintessential “deal with the devil” tale based on a centuries-old European legend. The legend inspired Johann Wofgang Goethe’s 1808 play which is considered Germany’s greatest literary work.  The play inspired the famous opera by Charles Guonod which director FW Murnau used as a map for his 1926 film.  Virtually every “sell your soul” type story from the film Crossroads to songs like “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” owes a debt to FAUST whether the creators know it or not. (In fact, "Faust" is the opera in Gaston Leroux’s "Phantom of the Opera.")

Murnau had already made a name for himself and set the standard for early horror films with NOSFERATU (1922) and in 1926 he was on top of his game and found himself with a big budget for FAUST with a lot of autonomy from the studio UFI. The result is silent-era German Expressionist eye candy full of amazing sets, innovative special effects and Murnau’s signature camera work.  It was his last German-made film before he moved to Hollywood later that year.

For modern audiences, it’s the cast that really makes the movie entertaining.  The virtually-unknown Camilla Horn is hard not to love in the role of Gretchen.  (Horn had replaced the legendary Lillian Gish in the role when Gish ultimately turned it down due to the subject matter in the film.)  The charismatic (if complicated) Emil Jannings was like the Jim Carrey of his day bringing all emotions with equal gusto and power. He is hilarious, hateable, terrifying and unforgettable especially when paired with Yvette Guilbert as Aunt Marthe

About the Soundtrack

The Invincible Czars’ score for FAUST is mostly original material inspired by film score composers like Bernard Herrman and John Williams peppered with cinematic metal a la Fantomas and even a little Marcos Valle-esque bossa nova.  The band keeps their tradition of incorporating music from Russian classical composers, revisiting their renditions of Mussorgsy’s Pictures at an Exhibition and A Night on Bald Mountain in particular for this soundtrack.  Five players perform the score live on violin, electric guitar, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, glockenspiel, keyboard and drums.

About the Band

Josh Robins - Guitar
Wes Haynes - Keyboards
Phil Davidson - Violin, glockenspiel
Stefan del Bosque - Drums
Kevin Sakai - Clarinet, Flute, Bass Clarinet

The Invincible Czars have made a name for themselves among horror and classic film lovers in the US and Canada with their original, tastefully modern live soundtracks for silent films which they started creating for the original Alamo Drafthouse in their hometown of Austin, TX in 2007, though they began making their wacky brand of cinematic rock in 2003.  They are great at using music and sound to transform century-old movies into immersive and engaging experiences that allow audiences to approach, appreciate, and enjoy the depth and innovation of classic silent film. Czars shows are a lot of fun with opportunities for audience participation and costumery.

Get ready, Vancouver! Dhaka Club Vancouver brings you Artcell Live in Vancouver at the iconic Rio Theatre on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 6:00 PM.

Known as one of Bangladesh’s most influential progressive rock/metal bands, Artcell has captivated fans for decades with powerful vocals, unforgettable guitar work, deep lyrics, and an electrifying stage presence. From fan-favourite classics to their signature progressive sound, this will be a night filled with energy, nostalgia, and pure live music excitement.

Join the Vancouver Bangladeshi community and rock fans from across the Lower Mainland for an unforgettable evening celebrating music, culture, and the return of Artcell to Vancouver.

Sunday, September 13
Show begins at 6:00 pm *Please arrive on time.

Regular Tickets:
Main Floor: $50 + s/c | Balcony: $40 + s/c

Secure your tickets early and be part of one of Vancouver’s biggest Bangla Rock Nights of the year.

The East Van Laugh RioT welcomes comedian Katie Boyle to the Rio Theatre's stage for a night of laughter on Thursday, September 17.

Thursday, September 17
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets on sale April 24 @ 9:00 am

Katie Boyle is an Irish comedian living in New York City. Her favorite stand-up topics are her journey through American culture, dating, therapy and shame! She performed as a "New Face" in the 2023 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and was featured in NY Funniest showcase and New York Comedy Festival in 2022. Katie's debut album and special, I'll Do It Myself, was released through Pinch Records in summer of 2023. The special has since hit half a million views on YouTube and the album hit #1 on iTunes Comedy Charts and is currently available to stream on all major audio platforms. Her Don't Tell Comedy set premiered in November, 2023.

Her second full-length special, Terapy, was released in July, 2025, and is currently available to stream on YouTube and Disruptor Comedy. She performed a full run of her critically acclaimed one-woman dark comedy, Roe v. Wade versus Katie, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, 2025.

Katie has headlined clubs across the United States and Ireland, and brought her hour to Dublin and Cork in the summer of 2024 for four sold-out shows. She’s been featured in The Hollywood Reporter, Irish Independent, and The Irish Times and her work has been featured at Laughing Skull, Women in Comedy, Kansas City Irish Fest, and on SiriusXM. Her new, widely acclaimed dark comedy, Roe v Wade versus Katie, was named among the “Best of the Fest” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by The Scotsman in August 2025. She is currently touring the show globally.

Outside of stand-up, Katie has acted in various sketches and shorts, including LadBible and Unilad's Man of the Street videos, and she appeared in a commercial for Oracle. She also collaborates with brands like Piece of Cake Moving, Language Drops, Sundance, and MTV to create and develop funny content. Katie has been producing and emceeing a consistently sold out Irish comedy show at the Dead Rabbit since February, 2023, which flies in Irish comedians to perform. She currently hosts The Shift podcast, on which she and guests discuss sex and dating from an Irish perspective.

Connect with Katie Boyle @KatieBoylecomic

Wes Barker is the funniest magician touring today! Wild tricks, hilarious stories, and incredible feats. A magic show like you’ve never experienced. You may recognize Wes from his TV show (Big Trick Energy) or other appearances on Kill Tony, America’s Got Talent, Ellen, Syfy, MTV, and Penn & Teller: Fool Us (which he won). Wes also has numerous viral videos which have gained over a billion views across the internet!

Saturday, September 19
Doors 5:30 pm | Show 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Tickets $36.75+ s/c (Until June 5)
Tickets $42+ s/c

www.youtube.com/WesBarker

One of YouTube's most popular comics with over 225 million views and half a billion more on Facebook, Steve Hofstetter is also the host of Finding Babe Ruth on FS1. Hofstetter was the host and executive producer of Laughs (FOX) and he has been on CBS’ The Late Late Show, E! True Hollywood Story, Comics Unleashed, and more. He’s sold out shows in hundreds of cities and dozens of countries. Now is your chance to find out what the fuss is about during this no-holds-barred stand-up performance, featuring some of his unfiltered observations about life.

Wednesday, September 23
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Meet and Greet:  Row A, seats 5-17: $210 + GST + s/c
Gold (Centre Section / Main): $77 + GST + s/c
Silver (Side Sections / Main)  $49 + GST + s/c
Balcony (General Admission)  $42 + GST + s/c

Guess who's back to keep Vancouver laughing in 2026... The East Van Laugh RioT is pleased to welcome back comedian Sammy Obeid - with all-new material! We just can't keep him off our stage!

Sunday, September 27
Doors 4:00 pm | Show 5:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Balcony (General Admission) $44 + s/c
Adult Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $55+ s/c
VIP Meet n' Greet (Rows 2-6, centre section) $69+ s/c
VVIP Meet n' Greet (Front Row, centre section) $85+ s/c
Group Ticket Pricing (Minimum 4) $49 (ea)+ s/c (online only)

Lebanese-Palestinian American and born in Oakland California, Sammy Obeid double-majored in Business and Mathematics at UC Berkeley and then turned down a job at Google to be a comedian.

Now the host of 100 Humans on Netflix, he’s also appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing and America's Got Talent, as well as TBS’s Conan, and is best known for his world record of performing comedy 1,001 nights in a row, a story featured in both Time Magazine and The New York Times.

Connect on Instagram @sammyobeid
Connect on Facebook
Connect on TikTok @sammyobeidthem
Connect on X @sammyobeid

Guess who's back to keep Vancouver laughing in 2026... The East Van Laugh RioT is pleased to welcome back comedian Sammy Obeid - with all-new material! We just can't keep him off our stage!

Sunday, September 27
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Balcony (General Admission) $44 + s/c
Adult Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $55+ s/c
VIP Meet n' Greet (Rows 2-6, centre section) $69+ s/c
VVIP Meet n' Greet (Front Row, centre section) $85+ s/c
Group Ticket Pricing (Minimum 4) $49 (ea)+ s/c (online only)

Lebanese-Palestinian American and born in Oakland California, Sammy Obeid double-majored in Business and Mathematics at UC Berkeley and then turned down a job at Google to be a comedian.

Now the host of 100 Humans on Netflix, he’s also appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing and America's Got Talent, as well as TBS’s Conan, and is best known for his world record of performing comedy 1,001 nights in a row, a story featured in both Time Magazine and The New York Times.

Connect on Instagram @sammyobeid
Connect on Facebook
Connect on TikTok @sammyobeidthem
Connect on X @sammyobeid

WestBeth Entertainment Presents
Schalk Bezuidenhout: Hey Hey Divorcè

Fresh from a sell-out world tour, a hit Netflix stand-up special, hosting Amazon Prime series "The World’s Strangest Jobs," and an arena run supporting Trevor Noah, South African comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout brings his acclaimed new show Hey Hey Divorcé to Canada this fall.

Tuesday, September 29
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Assigned Tickets: $42+ s/c

Following a successful run across the UK, Ireland and Europe earlier this year, Hey Hey Divorcé arrives in Canada after earning rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. The show marks Schalk's first stand-up hour in the wake of a marriage breakdown and sees him at his most personal, honest, and unfiltered, while remaining just as side-splittingly funny.

‘Rapid-fire gags and manic energy. Highly recommended.’ ★★★★ - The Age.

★★★★★ Ed Fringe Review  ★★★★ Mervyn Stutter  ★★★★ Broadway Baby

‘Fast-rising talent’ The Guardian

Lloyd Cole will take to the road in 2026 with a run of solo shows in North America, including a stop in Vancouver at the Rio Theatre on Thursday, October 15. His elegant solo live performances in recent years have been predominantly acoustic, but for these concerts he has decided to go electric. The performance will run the gamut from his masterful debut with the Commotions ‘Rattlesnakes’ right up to 2023’s acclaimed ‘On Pain’ touching on all points in between.

Says Lloyd: “In 1999, in retreat from mainstream ambivalence, the idea of becoming a troubadour was perversely alluring. Two acoustic guitars, a suitcase, and a round the world ticket. It took a while for me to become comfortable with it, but The Folksinger Show became my staple. And then, somehow or other, twenty-five years were gone, and now I find myself approaching the end of my career, and wanting to be seen more as just a singer, who wrote a body of work, very little of which one would reasonably label ‘folk’. So I’m back with my Telecaster, my Princeton amp, and my solo show is now electric.”

Thursday, October 15
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP / Artists Circle (Rows A-D, Centre) $65+ s/c
Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $50+ s/c
Balcony (General Admission) $50+ s/c

ABOUT THE ARTIST

In 2023 Lloyd Cole released ‘On Pain’, his twelfth album as a solo artist. He has released 17 studio albums including three with The Commotions [‘Rattlesnakes’ (84), ‘Easy Pieces’ (’85), Mainstream (’87)] twelve solo albums [‘Lloyd Cole’ (’90), ‘Don’t Get Weird On Me Babe’ (’91), ‘Bad Vibes’ (’93), ‘Love Story’ (95), ‘Plastic Wood’ (’01), ‘Music In A Foreign Language’ (’03), ‘Anti Depressant’ (’06), ‘Broken Record’ (’10), ‘Standards’ (’13), ‘1D’ (’15), ‘Guesswork’ (’19), ‘On Pain’ (’23)],  one with The Negatives [‘The Negatives (2000)] and one with Hans Joachim Roedelius  [‘Selected Studies Vol. 1’ (’13)].

WHAT THE PAPERS SAID ABOUT LLOYD COLE’S 2023 ALBUM ‘ON PAIN’

“Ghostly electronica accompanies meditations on loss, mortality and the passage of time on Cole’s absorbing new album.” 4 **** Sunday Times

“Grappling with the ineffable…a richly detailed synth-pop LP of admirable sophistication…it’s Cole’s growing sound design expertise – and ever unique lyrical voice – that ensure his 40-year career still has legs.” (4**** MOJO)

“’A storied songwriter comes of age (again)… He too has become more of what he always was. And somehow he’s achieved that by paring his music down to its rawest essence.” (8/10 Uncut)

“…beautiful and special, the kind of miminalist adventure we hoped Mark Hollis would return with one day, only with added tales of bloodthirsty wolves and drug-addled rockers...Cole is on a roll. He’s still making erudite melodies, but now there’s something new and other to them. At 62, ‘On Pain’ is the sound of a man just getting started.” (8/10 Classic Pop)

“Cole’s ruminations on the human condition have rarely been as finely tuned as this.” (4***  The Sun)

The iconic “Half Italian, Half Jersey Boy” brings his viral dating stories and emotional reflections to live audiences this fall.

Outback Presents is proud to announce that viral storyteller, author, and live performer Davide de Pierro will bring his unique live storytelling experience to Canada this fall with three special performances, including at the Rio Theatre on Sunday, November 1.

Known for his candid reflections on relationships and the everyday moments that define the human experience, De Pierro has built a devoted online following of more than 6 million across TikTok and Instagram, where his commentary on dating, personal growth, and modern life regularly reaches millions of viewers.

Inspired by his newly released novel The Letters I Never Sent, the live show blends personal storytelling, humor, and audience conversation. Throughout the night, De Pierro will deliver a monologue and read selections from the book, followed by an open Q&A with the audience. Limited meet-and-greet opportunities will also be available for those who purchase in advance.

“The show is a night out together,” said De Pierro. “It’s storytelling, conversation, some laughs, and hopefully a reminder that we’re all navigating a lot of the same things — relationships, personal growth, and the moments in life that connect us. If people leave feeling a little lighter and a little less alone, then it was a good night.”

Sunday, November 1 - LOW TICKET ALERT!
Doors 2:00 pm | Show 3:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Platinum (Rows A & B, Centre Section) $85.75 + s/c
Main Floor  $55.75 + s/c
Main Floor (Aisle Seats) $65.75 + s/c
Balcony (General Admission) $45.75 + s/c

The iconic “Half Italian, Half Jersey Boy” brings his viral dating stories and emotional reflections to live audiences this fall.

Outback Presents is proud to announce that viral storyteller, author, and live performer Davide de Pierro will bring his unique live storytelling experience to Canada this fall with three special performances, including at the Rio Theatre on Sunday, November 1.

Known for his candid reflections on relationships and the everyday moments that define the human experience, De Pierro has built a devoted online following of more than 6 million across TikTok and Instagram, where his commentary on dating, personal growth, and modern life regularly reaches millions of viewers.

Inspired by his newly released novel The Letters I Never Sent, the live show blends personal storytelling, humor, and audience conversation. Throughout the night, De Pierro will deliver a monologue and read selections from the book, followed by an open Q&A with the audience. Limited meet-and-greet opportunities will also be available for those who purchase in advance.

“The show is a night out together,” said De Pierro. “It’s storytelling, conversation, some laughs, and hopefully a reminder that we’re all navigating a lot of the same things — relationships, personal growth, and the moments in life that connect us. If people leave feeling a little lighter and a little less alone, then it was a good night.”

Sunday, November 1
SOLD OUT!
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Platinum (Rows A & B, Centre Section) $85.75 + s/c
Main Floor  $55.75 + s/c
Main Floor (Aisle Seats) $65.75 + s/c
Balcony (General Admission) $45.75 + s/c