In 1957, renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman and spirited biologist Bristol Foster set out on a global expedition in a rugged Land Rover they call “The Grizzly Torque”. Starting in the UK, their travels take them to the far corners of the earth. From the lush rainforests of the Congo to the vibrant landscapes of India, Bob paints the wonders they encounter, while Bristol films on his 16mm Bolex camera. Fifty-seven years later, the abandoned Grizzly Torque is rediscovered. As its hidden history emerges and a new owner restores it to its former glory, the tale of their environmental activism through art and science unfolds. 

"An awe-inspiring road trip where the car becomes the canvas." (Hollywood North Magazine)

"A heartwarming and inspirational tribute to the adventure of life itself." (Vancouver International Film Festival)

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

THE ART OF ADVENTURE (Alison Reid, 2026 / 86 mins / PG) In 1957, world renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman and spirited biologist Bristol Foster embarked on a global expedition in a Land Rover they called “The Grizzly Torque” - a journey that ignited a deep love of our planet and set in motion a powerful story of environmental activism though art and science.

"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"

Decades after its release in 1986, Rob Reiner's STAND BY ME remains one of the most beloved film adaptations ever - and an enduring, nostalgic "end of summer" movie staple.  Based on prolific horror icon Stephen King's short story "The Body", this coming-of-age tale set in enigmatic Castle Rock, Oregon over Labor Day weekend, 1959 is a cinematic touchstone for 80s kids everywhere, and made stars out of its four young leads, River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell.

After learning that a stranger has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, they encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. While just a lark at first, the boys' adventure is colored by the personal pressures brought to bear on all of them by the adult world, and eventually evolves into a defining event in their lives. With Kiefer Sutherland, John Cusack, and Richard Dreyfuss.

"This is as fresh and moving as it was when it was first released. Superbly acted...the classic of its genre." (Empire Magazine)

"It has aged into a staple of youthful nostalgia for its deft straddling of the line between childhood and adulthood... STAND BY ME gets its staying power from its well-measured bittersweet take on the good ol’ days, resulting from the combination of Rob Reiner’s intuitive knack for seeing through a child’s eyes and the writer’s brutal awareness of what comes afterward." (Rolling Stone)

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

STAND BY ME (Rob Reiner, 1986 / 89 mins / PG) After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy.

Multi-award-winning stand-up comedian and one of the UK’s top-selling live acts, Paul Chowdhry brings his latest show AI: Artificial Indian to Vancouver for one night only on May 8, 2026.

Fresh off his sold-out 2025 UK arena tour Englandia, Paul delivers his signature mix of bold cultural commentary, observational humor, and razor-sharp wit. Widely regarded as one of the most successful British-Indian comedians, he has built a global following through international tours and hit comedy specials.

Friday May 8
Doors: 6:00 pm | Show: 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Main Floor, Assigned - 55.50 + s/c
Balcony, General Admission - 45.50 + s/c

Tickets on sale April 2 at 10:00 am PST

Multi-award-winning stand-up comedian and one of the UK’s top-selling live acts, Paul Chowdhry brings his latest show AI: Artificial Indian to Vancouver for one night only on May 8, 2026.

Fresh off his sold-out 2025 UK arena tour Englandia, Paul delivers his signature mix of bold cultural commentary, observational humor, and razor-sharp wit. Widely regarded as one of the most successful British-Indian comedians, he has built a global following through international tours and hit comedy specials.

Friday May 8
Doors: 9:00 pm | Show: 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Main Floor, Assigned - 55.50 + s/c
Balcony, General Admission - 45.50 + s/c

"Don't call me Babe!"

The Rio Theatre's Friday Late Night Movie series continues of May 8 with a 30th Anniversary screening of one of the campiest films to ever come out of the 90's,  BARB WIRE.

Canadian Pamela Anderson stars in this retro-glam, weirdly prescient dystopian odyssey (set in 2017) loaded with fights, gun battles and other action-trashy thrills as the eponymous sexy nightclub owner, Barb Wire. Barb moonlights as a mercenary in Steel Harbor, one of the last free zones in the now fascist (!) United States. When scientist Cora Devonshire  wanders into Barb's establishment, she gets roped into a top-secret government plot involving biological weapons. Soon Barb is reunited with her old flame Axel Hood, who is now Cora's husband and a guerrilla fighter, resulting in plenty of tense action. With Victoria Rowell,  Temuera Morrison.

"The movie carries its cyberpunk variation right through to the end, and usually with enough wit and craziness to freshen the mix. Then, there is Pamela, whose tight, disciplined performance deserves more respect than it will almost certainly get." (Washington Post)

Friday, May 8
Doors 11:10 pm | Movie 11:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

BARB WIRE (David Hogan, 1996 / 14A / 98 mins) During the Second American Civil War in 2017, Barb Wire owns a nightclub called the Hammerhead. Things become complicated when her ex-lover Axel Hood, who is married to the fugitive Corrina Devonshire, re-enters her life.

THE LAST RECKONING is a 2025 award-winning crime-drama shot in Vancouver produced, written & edited by Grant Gladish, produced & directed by Garnet Campbell, and starring Drummond Macdougall, Grant Gladish, Julien Minet and Anja Marcetic.

Set in Seattle when Washington State still had a death penalty, a morally conflicted lawyer (Gladish) on the brink of promotion conceals the murder-confession of his panic- stricken brother (Minet), only to face a haunting reckoning twelve years later when the father (Macdougall) of the innocent woman wrongfully executed for the crime returns with a calculated plan for justice.

Drama, crime, mystery ⏤ even romance with the entaglement of a femme fatale (Marcetic) ⏤ marks this slow-burning film. Life-and-death-stakes, set within a believable narrative with its whiffs of Romeo & Juliet, make this Canadian picture stand out from so many other stories.

The vision and themes of THE LAST RECKONING will haunt viewers long after its screening. THE LAST RECKONING delves into the topic of murder, cover up, justice, judgement and the wreckage remaining after selfish choices. When we see how innocent lives can be chewed up and spit out by an imperfect justice system, it begets the question of the morality of a death penalty anywhere in this world. The strongest lesson, however, is that viewers shall be reminded ⏤ in the end ⏤ of universal justice: it almost always has the final say, especially when one values one’s own life over another's.

Saturday, May 9
Doors 12:00 pm | Movie 12:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adapted from two public domain stage plays, The First and the Last, 1918 by John Galsworthy; and The Reckoning, 1922
by Percival Wilde ⏤ THE LAST RECKONING was first theatrically screened in Tbilisi, Georgia at the Action Thriller Crime Adventure Film Festival where it won "Best Feature."

Shot on Black Magic cameras in Metro Vancouver by award-winning cinematographer and director, Joel McCarthy, THE LAST RECKONING is a throwback to a society rapidly evolving around the time of the Winnipeg General Strike and the Russian Revolution. The film has an old-time feel and style and is a faithful adaptation of the two public-domain plays which have been dovetailed into a singular, cinematic whole. The film was 100% privately funded by Canadian financing. All the major players are Canadian and its collaborators trust that this film will help establish credibility for the Indie Film community of Canada.

In 1940, Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier and Leslie Banks starred in 21 DAYS, an adaptation of "The First and the Last," a 1917 short-story and a 1920 short-play by John Galsworthy. Basil Dean directed and Columbia Pictures distributed 21 DAYS. Today, THE LAST RECKONING is an adaptation of two plays, one being Galsworthy's "The First and The Last," and so it marks the second cinematic
adaptation since the play first hit the stage in 1920.

Special Screening of the Ukrainian Documentary “Second Wind” in Vancouver.

“Second Wind” is the story of five Ukrainian heroes: four veterans with lower-limb amputations and one active-duty servicewoman who climbed Africa’s highest peak — Mount Kilimanjaro.

This is a deep human story about recovery, inner transformation, dignity, and the strength to move forward despite trauma. The film follows the protagonists’ journey from pain and doubt to self-acceptance, new life direction, and a renewed sense of self-worth.

The project was created by the charitable movement “Second Wind” in partnership with the foundation “If Not Now, When?”. The film is directed by Mariia Kondakova, a French-Ukrainian documentary filmmaker known for her sensitive and honest exploration of war, trauma, and human resilience.

The screening will be in Ukrainian with English subtitles.

Following the screening, there will be a live discussion with members of the project team, including:

Oleksandr Pedan — producer and host of the project
Vladyslav “Shatya” Shatil — film protagonist and veteran

Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions and hear firsthand about the journey from injury to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

Sunday, May 10
Doors: 4:15 pm | Film 5:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

The Canadian screenings of the film carry a charitable mission. Proceeds from ticket sales will support the rehabilitation of Ukrainian veterans through the initiatives of the Canada–Ukraine Foundation, which provides comprehensive physical and mental health rehabilitation programs for Ukrainian heroes. By attending, you are not only taking part in a meaningful cultural event, but also contributing directly to the recovery of Ukraine’s defenders.

When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter's family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. The more they discover, the more they find themselves trying to outrun the sinister fate they seem to have inherited. Making his feature debut, writer-director Ari Aster unleashes a nightmare vision of a domestic breakdown that exhibits the craft and precision of a nascent auteur, transforming a familial tragedy into something ominous and deeply disquieting, and pushing the horror movie into chilling new terrain with its shattering portrait of heritage gone to hell. Starring Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne.

"HEREDITARY is a new horror landmark that puts a unique face on things that go bump in the night." (Rolling Stone)

"HEREDITARY, the debut feature from Ari Aster, has an ambitious energy, a sense that the creaky old machinery of horror can be adapted to new and exciting uses." (The NY Times)

Sunday, May 10
Doors 8:30 pm | Movie 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

HEREDITARY (Ari Aster, 2018 / 127 mins / 14A)  After their reclusive grandmother passes away, the Graham family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. The more they discover, the more they find themselves trying to outrun the sinister fate they seem to have inherited.

Smashed Potato Kids presents the 3rd Annual Vancouver Sketch Comedy Festival + After Party.

This year, we’re taking things to the next level.

With a stacked lineup of celebrity judges, we’ve curated a wild showcase of the best sketch comedy and video creators around. Backed by incredible sponsors, we’re awarding over $10,000 in prizes to the top creators of the night.

And when the show wraps, the night’s just getting started. Join us at the official after party at Franklin Commons’ new studio space, just down the road from the Rio Theatre, to celebrate, connect, and meet the creators behind the chaos.

Whether you're a filmmaker, performer, or just someone who loves great comedy, this is one of those nights you don’t want to miss.

Wednesday, May 13
Doors 5:00 pm | Event 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission $30 + s/c in advance | $35 + s/c at door

Start your engines!

In 2008, The Wachowskis brought the classic anime TV series to the big screen with their highly stylized and spirited take on of SPEED RACER. Critically maligned upon its initial release, the film has emerged as a cult-classic, with the shiny, brand-new 4K restoration making a pit stop on the big screen at the Park Theatre.

Fearlessly hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition in his thundering Mach 5, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) was born to race cars. But when Speed turns down a lucrative offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company's maniacal owner (Roger Allam) but uncovers a terrible secret--some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls! The only way for Speed to save his family's business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family (John Goodman, Susan Sarandon) and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed teams with his one-time rival--the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) to win the race that took his brother, Rex Racer's, life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible.

"Amid the overly earnest tone, (almost) squeaky-clean humor and familiar messages about teamwork and integrity is the rare film family that's as strong at the start as they are by the end." (Film.com)

"More than the story of the Racer family, Speed Racer is the visual autobiography of the Wachowskis and their pit crew of computer-nerd Einsteins, using the tools of their trade to transform the movie medium." (TIME Magazine)

Wednesday, May 13
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

SPEED RACER (Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, 2008 / 135 mins / PG) Born into a family business of race cars, Speed Racer is one of the track's hot stars. Sitting at the wheel of his Mach 5, he consistently deflates the competition. When Speed turns down an offer from the head of Royalton Industries, he uncovers a secret. Powerful moguls fix the races to boost profits. Hoping to beat the executive, Speed enters the same arduous cross-country race that killed his brother.

In the late 1990s, eight-year-old Sasha and her family relocate to a new home on Vancouver Island, but their fresh start is interrupted by increasingly dangerous behavior from the eldest son, Jeremy. At wit’s end, their parents are presented with a shattering choice. Award-winning director Sophy Romvari’s feature debut is a lyrical and profound testament to the things we carry with us, masterfully chronicling the haze of a languid summer and the hyaline clarity of the moments that defined it.

Long before she was making award-winning films, Ms. Romvari was popping corn, designing posters, and selling tickets in the box office of ye olde Rio Theatre. We are delighted to welcome her for a post-show Q&A following the screening of BLUE HERON on May 14.

"It’s a film that seldom comes out and tells you exactly what’s happening, but its drama is so lucid that before any real tragedy unfolds (or is even hinted at), you feel it in your bones." (Observer)

"“Blue Heron” may be the most emotionally devastating film of the year -- and also perhaps the most comforting. " (IndieWire)

Thursday, May 14
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

BLUE HERON (Sophy Romvari, 2026 / NR / 90 mins) A family of six settles into their new home on Vancouver Island as internal dynamics get revealed through the eyes of the youngest child.

This remarkable documentary offers rich insight into gender and sexuality in Japan via a candid portrait of Kazuki, Tatsu, and Gaish, three trans masc hosts working at the New Marilyn Club in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district. As the film follows them at home and on the job, all three talk frankly about their lives, revealing their views on love, sex, and identity. Alternating with these illuminating interviews are fabulous sequences shot inside the club, a place patronized largely by heterosexual women.

Thursday, May 14
Doors 8:45 pm | Movie 9:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

SHINJUKU BOYS (Kim Longinotto and Jano Williams, 1995 / 53 mins / NR)

"Listen to me! If we break quarantine, we could all die."

Join us at the Rio Theatre for a Double Creature Feature screening of one of our all-time favourite franchises! We're going into deep space with Ridley Scott's iconic 1979 ALIEN (The Director's Cut) followed by  James Cameron's 1986 sequel, ALIENS.

As one of – if not the – greatest action heroines to ever hit the silver screen, Sigourney Weaver’s unstoppable Ellen Ripley kicks all the asses and takes all the names throughout one of the most iconic sci-fi action franchises films of all time.

In this modern horror classic set in deep space, the crew of the commercial starship Nostromo is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress call from an alien vessel. The terror begins when the crew encounters a nest of eggs inside the alien ship. An organism from inside an egg leaps out and attaches itself to one of the crew, causing him to fall into a coma.... Also starring Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Harry Dean Stanton, and Veronica Cartwright.

"The first part of the movie is essentially Marx in space, and the second part of the movie is Darwin in space." (The Stranger)

"We marvel at how the filmmaker generates so much tension and sweat with a bare minimum of moving parts." (Globe and Mail)

Friday, May 15
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ALIEN (Ridley Scott, 1979 / DCP, 117 mins / 14A / Director's Cut) The commercial vessel Nostromo receives a distress call from an unexplored planet. After searching for survivors, the crew heads home only to realize that a deadly bioform has joined them.

Join us at the Rio Theatre for a Double Creature Feature screening of one of our all-time favourite franchises! We’re going into deep space with James Cameron’s 1986 sequel, ALIENS (The Director's Cut).

After floating in space for 57 years, Lt. Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) shuttle is found by a deep space salvage team. Upon arriving at LV-426, the marines find only one survivor, a nine year old girl named Newt (Carrie Henn). But even these battle-hardened marines with all the latest weaponry are no match for the hundreds of aliens that have invaded the colony.

"Cameron is a master of machinery and weaponry, a technical wizard who replaces Scott's refinement with his own kind of muscularity... But with either film, you leave the theater drained, physically exhausted, well-rewarded for all your suffering." (Newsday)

"Delivering generously on the promise he demonstrated in The Terminator, Cameron has given us a seamless motion picture that transforms its not-for-all-tastes subject matter into the stuff of across-the-board appeal." (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Friday, May 15
Movie 8:30 pm *Start time is approximate as this is a Double Bill.

Why not make it a Double Creature Feature with Ridley Scott's iconic 1979 ALIEN, at 6:00 pm for one sweet price here: https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/41610-double-bill-director-s-cut-of-alien-and-aliens

ALIENS (James Cameron, 1986 / 137 mins / 18A) Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.

Nerdy college student Columbus has survived the plague that has turned mankind into flesh-devouring zombies because he's scared of just about everything. Gun-toting, Twinkie-loving Tallahassee has no fears. Together, they are about to stare down their most horrifying challenge yet: each other's company. ZOMBIELAND is a double-hitting, head-smashing comedy - perfect for a Friday Late Night Movie screening at the Rio Theatre!  With Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin.

"Woody Harrelson has a rip-roaring time in this comic splatterfest as a redneck from hell who is out to kill zombies. It's the kind of genre acting that doesn't get much notice, but it's a gleeful rampage of a performance." (The New Yorker)

"Very funny, often thrilling and full of neat little touches that should make it entirely rewatchable, 'Zombieland 'sees [director Ruben] Fleischer join the ranks of directors - Romero, Wright, Raimi, Snyder - whose first films aren't just zombie films, but great films." (Empire Magazine)

"A very ridiculous film which is also a treat." (Guardian)

"Director Ruben Fleischer has his eyes trained on the comic jugular, and he attains an astronomical laugh count from Rhett Reese and Paul Wernickat's fizzing, pop-savvy script." (Time Out)

Friday, May 15
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!

Join us at the Rio Theatre over the long weekend with a beloved favourite programmed just for kids - and kids at heart! Before he went on to helm such animated features as THE INCREDIBLES and RATATOUILLE, Brad Bird made his stunning directorial debut in 1999 with THE IRON GIANT, adapted from British Poet Laureate Ted Hughes' science fiction fairy tale, 'The Iron Man.' This charming, gorgeously illustrated, and moving film was very well-received critically upon release but did poorly at the box office yet managed to find a devoted audience via home video; it is now considered by many to be something of a modern classic.  For its 20th Anniversary in 2019, the film was remastered as the enhanced "Signature Edition," which features two all-new scenes.

THE IRON GIANT takes place in October of 1957, when America had plenty to be worried about. Rock ’n’ roll. Television. The bomb. And on the fourth day of that month, the Soviets successfully launched the first manmade satellite, Sputnik, into orbit. The space race had officially begun. The Cold War just got colder. People were unsure about their neighbors, even questioning their friends.

In the small town of Rockwell, Maine, Annie Hughes (voice of Jennifer Aniston) is just worried about putting supper on the table for herself and her nine-year-old son, Hogarth (voice of Eli Marienthal). A single mother holding down a job at the local diner, Annie has her hands full with Hogarth—headstrong and imaginative, always on the lookout for the latest attempted takeover by mutant aliens or subversive invaders. So when a local fisherman comes into the diner with a tall tale about a huge metal man falling into the sea, the only one to pay him much attention is Hogarth, who sets out exploring to find the enormous robot. What he does find is a 50-foot giant with an insatiable appetite for metal and a childlike curiosity about its new world.

Rumors of everything from an alien invasion to a Russian secret weapon bent on destroying Rockwell soon spread through the small town, prompting the arrival of government agent Kent Mansley (voiced by Christopher McDonald). Keeping one step ahead of Mansley, Hogarth convinces his beatnik friend Dean (voiced by Harry Connick, Jr.) to hide the Iron Giant (voiced by Vin Diesel) in Dean’s junkyard. But it isn’t long before the rumors turn into paranoia—the situation escalates and the possible destruction of Rockwell looms. Hogarth turns to his friend, the Iron Giant, who ultimately finds its humanity by unselfishly saving the town’s residents from their own fears and prejudices.

"The Iron Giant's theme of fear of the unknown is craftily balanced against the power of innocent imagination." (LA Weekly)

"It doesn't try to hide its own cleverness, it's funny and pulls in references from all over the place, from 'Bambi' to 'Frankenstein'." (The Tyee)

Saturday, May 16
Doors 11:00 am | Movie 11:30 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Kids pricing in effect!

THE IRON GIANT "Signature Edition" (Brad Bird, 1999 / 86 mins / PG) Imagine you confront your enemy--a giant, scary robot from outer space--and he becomes your best pal. Nine-year-old Hogarth Hughes lives in Rockwell, Maine, a seemingly idyllic town. Hearing stories of a UFO that crashed into the sea, Hogarth, always on the lookout for mutant aliens, finds a huge, metal-eating robot with an insatiable curiosity and equally insatiable appetite. But the extraterrestrial's presence unleashes a wave of Cold War paranoia that threatens to engulf Rockwell unless Hogarth and his 50-foot friend can stop it. In times like these, you really find out what your friends are made of ... sometimes it's metal, if your best buddy's The Iron Giant.

A woman in trouble.

David Lynch's sorely under-seen, surreal psychological thriller INLAND EMPIRE is pretty impossible to describe... It’s Lynch. It’s Laura Dern. (For fans of the auteur, that may be all they need to know!) Released in 2006, this was Lynch’s first digitally shot film, and it ripe for rediscovery thanks to this 2022 remaster.

Nikki (Dern), an actress, takes on a role in a new film, and because her husband (Peter J. Lucas) is very jealous, her co-star Devon (Justin Theroux) gets a warning not to make any romantic overtures -- especially since the characters they play are having an affair. Both actors learn that the project is a remake of an unfinished film in which the stars were murdered. With Jeremy Irons, Harry Dean Stanton, Julia Ormond.

"'Inland Empire' opens and contracts in your imagination while you watch it -- and you're still watching it well after it's left the screen. It's a long but thoroughly absorbing three hours." (RogerEbert.com)

"An amazing and unshakeable experience." (Toronto Star)

Saturday, May 16
Doors 1:15 pm | Movie 1:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time

INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch, 2006 / 180 mins / 18A / English subs) As an actress begins to adopt the persona of her character in a film, her world becomes nightmarish and surreal.

Frank Zappa’s music – reimagined!

Zappostrophe’…dares to take on Zappa’s weird and wonderful world - recreating his tunes with jaw-dropping musicianship, and a wink to his irreverent humour (CHEK TV, Victoria, 2024)

Zappostrophe' is a Vancouver-based 8-piece band, playing favourites and lesser-known works from Frank Zappa's eclectic recordings.

Our shows include a variety of FZ’s music – from favourites like Don't Eat the Yellow Snow and Montana to complex compositions like Inca Roads, with some high energy instrumentals to keep things interesting. Expect virtuoso playing, tight vocals and humour!

Plus...

LUNATICS ON THE GRASS - TRIBUTE TO PINK FLOYD pays homage to the legendary Progressive Rock band Pink Floyd.

Get ready to immerse yourself in Pink Floyd’s mesmerizing music, and Lunatics on The Grass's visuals and mind-blowing original animations !

The band will perform The Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety, as well as other iconic Pink Floyd classics.

The band will transport you to another dimension where the spirit of Pink Floyd lives on.

Don't miss out on this epic experience !

Saturday, May 16
Doors 8:00 pm | Show 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early bird tickets just $45, available till midnight March 1!

Main Floor Assigned - $50
Seniors - $45
VIP Reserved (First 5 rows) - $55

Zappostrophe’ is:

Blair Fisher  - vocals / trumpet / flute / keys
Blair Lewis – guitar / synths / vocals / rubber chicken
LJ Mounteney – vocals / kazoo
Nick Apivor – percussion / vocals
Guenter Schulz – guitar
Cole Tinney– keyboards
Brent Gubbels – bass
Jason Overy - drums

Lunatics on the Grass is:

Larry Bloom - keyboards
Joady Bell - keyboards
Carol Mason - vocals
Mike Krawchuk - vocals and sax
Lisa Dunn - vocals
Victor Yong - lead guitar
Kyle Legionhq Haynes- rhythm guitar and lap steel guitar
Kerry Paulicelli- drums
Kevin Krick - bass

In the late 1990s, eight-year-old Sasha and her family relocate to a new home on Vancouver Island, but their fresh start is interrupted by increasingly dangerous behavior from the eldest son, Jeremy. At wit’s end, their parents are presented with a shattering choice. Award-winning director Sophy Romvari’s feature debut is a lyrical and profound testament to the things we carry with us, masterfully chronicling the haze of a languid summer and the hyaline clarity of the moments that defined it.

Long before she was making award-winning films, Ms. Romvari was popping corn, designing posters, and selling tickets in the box office of ye olde Rio Theatre. We are delighted to welcome her for a post-show Q&A following the screening of BLUE HERON on May 14.

"It’s a film that seldom comes out and tells you exactly what’s happening, but its drama is so lucid that before any real tragedy unfolds (or is even hinted at), you feel it in your bones." (Observer)

"“Blue Heron” may be the most emotionally devastating film of the year -- and also perhaps the most comforting. " (IndieWire)

Sunday, May 17
Doors 4:15 pm | Movie 4:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Please note this screening does not include a Q&A

BLUE HERON (Sophy Romvari, 2026 / NR / 90 mins) A family of six settles into their new home on Vancouver Island as internal dynamics get revealed through the eyes of the youngest child.

This story is the tale of two brothers: one a successful counterfeiter and the younger a fledgling graduate of the HK police academy. The plot revolves around the split when the younger brother learns the other is a criminal and the efforts of the criminal brother to reform. Along the way are plenty of heists, double-crosses, and shoot outs. With Lung Ti, Leslie Cheung, Chow Yun-Fat, Emily Chu, Waise Lee.

Sunday, May 17
Doors 6:30 pm | Movie 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

A BETTER TOMORROW (John Woo, 94 mins / 14A / Cantonese w/ English subs) An ex-gangster in Hong Kong tries to reconnect with his estranged policeman brother, but he finds that his ties to gangs are harder to break than he thought.

Mischief. Mayhem. Soap.

Toxic masculinity never looked so good! Join us at the Rio Theatre for a 25th Anniversary screening of the millennial staple, which has just been restored and meticulously remastered (by the director himself) for its anniversary. (Have we not been talking about FIGHT CLUB for 25 years...? ) Fincher's adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's blockbuster novel about a bored office worker and his soap-making friend is a gritty, noir take on millennial malaise that resulted in an equally blockbuster film, thanks to his own standout direction and memorable performances from Ed Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Jared Leto, and.... Meat Loaf.

"It is working American Beauty-Susan Faludi territory, that illiberal, impious, inarticulate fringe that threatens the smug American center with an anger that cannot explain itself, can act out its frustrations only in inexplicable violence." (Time Magazine)

"There are so many ways to read Fight Club that it's almost impossible to know where to start. Is it a fascistic call to action for a generation of dickless wonders? A homoerotic love story in which Jack is reintroduced to his nads before being carried off in Tyler's pneumatic arms? A satire on modern feminism's cartoonish views of what men are like, or...? Well, have a go yourself. It's half the fun." (Empire Magazine)

Sunday, May 17
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

FIGHT CLUB (David Fincher, 1999 / DCP / 139 mins / 18A) A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.

In the late 1990s, eight-year-old Sasha and her family relocate to a new home on Vancouver Island, but their fresh start is interrupted by increasingly dangerous behavior from the eldest son, Jeremy. At wit’s end, their parents are presented with a shattering choice. Award-winning director Sophy Romvari’s feature debut is a lyrical and profound testament to the things we carry with us, masterfully chronicling the haze of a languid summer and the hyaline clarity of the moments that defined it.

Long before she was making award-winning films, Ms. Romvari was popping corn, designing posters, and selling tickets in the box office of ye olde Rio Theatre. We are delighted to welcome her for a post-show Q&A following the screening of BLUE HERON on May 14.

"It’s a film that seldom comes out and tells you exactly what’s happening, but its drama is so lucid that before any real tragedy unfolds (or is even hinted at), you feel it in your bones." (Observer)

"“Blue Heron” may be the most emotionally devastating film of the year -- and also perhaps the most comforting. " (IndieWire)

Monday, May 18
Doors 2:00 pm | Movie 2:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Please note this screening does not include a Q&A

BLUE HERON (Sophy Romvari, 2026 / NR / 90 mins) A family of six settles into their new home on Vancouver Island as internal dynamics get revealed through the eyes of the youngest child.

Start your engines!

In 2008, The Wachowskis brought the classic anime TV series to the big screen with their highly stylized and spirited take on of SPEED RACER. Critically maligned upon its initial release, the film has emerged as a cult-classic, with the shiny, brand-new 4K restoration making a pit stop on the big screen at the Rio Theatre.

Fearlessly hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition in his thundering Mach 5, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) was born to race cars. But when Speed turns down a lucrative offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company's maniacal owner (Roger Allam) but uncovers a terrible secret--some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls! The only way for Speed to save his family's business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family (John Goodman, Susan Sarandon) and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed teams with his one-time rival--the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) to win the race that took his brother, Rex Racer's, life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible.

"Amid the overly earnest tone, (almost) squeaky-clean humor and familiar messages about teamwork and integrity is the rare film family that's as strong at the start as they are by the end." (Film.com)

"More than the story of the Racer family, Speed Racer is the visual autobiography of the Wachowskis and their pit crew of computer-nerd Einsteins, using the tools of their trade to transform the movie medium." (TIME Magazine)

Monday, May 18
Doors 4:15 pm | Movie 4:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

SPEED RACER (Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, 2008 / 135 mins / PG) Born into a family business of race cars, Speed Racer is one of the track's hot stars. Sitting at the wheel of his Mach 5, he consistently deflates the competition. When Speed turns down an offer from the head of Royalton Industries, he uncovers a secret. Powerful moguls fix the races to boost profits. Hoping to beat the executive, Speed enters the same arduous cross-country race that killed his brother.

"We've met before, haven't we?”

Like so many movie-lovers around the world, we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of filmmaker David Lynch, whose contribution to arts and culture is immeasurable. His monumentally beloved catalogue is its own impressive, cinematic legacy rich with old friends and oddball characters who make regular visits upon our silver screen. In the wake of his passing, there is no better way for us to pay tribute to his enigmatic career than by raising a glass, dimming the lights, and firing up the projector in his honour with a selection of some of his best loved works on the big screen, as he undoubtedly intended.

From an inventory of imagery, master filmmaker David Lynch fashions a thrilling neo-noir of two separate but intersecting stories, one about a jazz musician (Bill Pullman), tortured by the notion that his wife is having an affair, who suddenly finds himself accused of her murder. The other is a young mechanic (Balthazar Getty) drawn into a web of deceit by a temptress who is cheating on her gangster boyfriend. These two tales are linked by the fact that the women in both are played by the same actress (Patricia Arquette). With Robert Blake, Henry Rollins.

Originally released in 1997, LOST HIGHWAY was beautifully restored and remastered (under Lynch's direct supervision) as part of the film's 25th Anniversary in 2022.

"It looks fantastic, it has a wildly eclectic cast, and most of all, its pure, unadulterated Lynch." (Tilt Magazine)

"Marking a further escalation in David Lynch's surrealist style, Lost Highway is a foreboding mystery that arguably leads to a dead end, although it is signposted throughout with some of the director's most haunting images yet." (Rotten Tomatoes)

Monday, May 18
Doors 7:15 pm | Movie 7:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

LOST HIGHWAY (David Lynch, 1997 / 137 mins / 18A) Anonymous videotapes presage a musician's murder conviction, and a gangster's girlfriend leads a mechanic astray.

He's back... And looking better than ever!

Join us at the Rio Theatre for of one of our all-time favourite double bills, James Cameron's original 1984 dystopian masterpiece THE TERMINATOR followed by its 1991 sequel, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY.

Join us at the Rio Theatre for one of the most requested dystopian double header blockbusters that we get – James Cameron’s TERMINATOR 1 & 2 – on silver screen, (big and loud) where it belongs. 2026 marks the 35th Anniversary of  one of the greatest science fiction action films of all time, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, and to mark the occasion Rialto Pictures has made available an all-new restoration of this iconic sequel starring starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton.

Beautifully restored and remastered for its 40th Anniversary in 2024, THE TERMINATOR made a star of Schwarzenegger in the titular role as a seemingly indestructible cyborg assassin, who, disguised as a human known as a Terminator, travels from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Hamilton). Sent to protect Sarah is Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), who divulges the coming of Skynet, an artificial intelligence system that will spark a nuclear holocaust. Sarah is targeted because Skynet knows that her unborn son will lead the fight against them. With the virtually unstoppable Terminator in hot pursuit, she and Kyle attempt to escape.

"As chillingly efficient in exacting thrills from its audience as its titular character is in executing its targets."
(Empire Magazine)

Friday, May 22
THE TERMINATOR
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time

TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
Movie 8:20 pm *As this film is screening as part of a double feature, the start time is subject to change.
Single Film Tickets here:

See them both for one sweet price!

THE TERMINATOR (James Cameron, 1984 / 108 mins / PG) In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?

He's back... And looking better than ever!

Join us at the Rio Theatre for one of the most requested double header blockbusters that we get – James Cameron’s TERMINATOR 1 & 2 – on silver screen, (big and loud) where it belongs. 2026 marks the 35th Anniversary of  one of the greatest science fiction action films of all time, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, and to mark the occasion Rialto Pictures has made available an all-new restoration of this iconic sequel starring starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton.

Reprising the role that cemented his film career as a larger-than-life action hero, Schwarzenegger is the titular cyborg killer, now reprogrammed and sent to present day (1995) Los Angeles to protect Sarah Connor (Hamilton) and her son (Edward Furlong) from a more advanced and deadlier android (Robert Patrick).

A milestone in computer generated special effects, “T2” set a new standard for science fiction and action movies in general. “Ahhnold's” persona, a mightily body sculpted “alien” who can dispense wise-cracks as quickly as ammo clips, became a model for many '80s muscle men as action stars. Brad Fiedel's electronic score has been hailed as one of the genre’s greatest and was performed live with the film last month at London's Eventim Apollo.

Set eleven years after the original THE TERMINATOR, young John Connor (the key to civilization's victory over a future robot uprising) is the target of the shape-shifting T-1000, a Terminator sent from the future to kill him. Another Terminator, the revamped T-800, has been sent back to protect the boy. As John and his mother go on the run with the T-800, the boy forms an unexpected bond with the robot. With Robert Patrick.

"T2 features thrilling action sequences and eye-popping visual effects, but what takes this sci-fi/ action landmark to the next level is the depth of the human (and cyborg) characters." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"A pop epiphany, marking that commercially creative point where the power of Hollywood meets the purity of myth." (Globe and Mail)

Friday, May 22
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
Movie 8:20 pm *As this film is screening as part of a double feature, the start time is subject to change.

See them both for one sweet price! Here: https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/41651-the-terminator

TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY (James Cameron, 1991 / 137 mins / 18A) A decade has passed since Sarah Connor was targeted for termination by a cyborg from the future. Now her son, John, the future leader of the resistance, is the target for a newer, more deadly terminator. Once again, the resistance has managed to send a protector back to attempt to save John and his mother Sarah.

A copious cavalcade of top notch talent and captivating cabaret await at The Rio Theatre Burlesque & Variety Show on Saturday, May 23!

Local luminary April O’Peel has curated a show full of wonder sure to dazzle and delight our fun loving audience! The theme is NO THEME! That’s right! These talented performers will each be performing one act of their choosing! What act will they decide to bring to The Rio Theatre Burlesque & Variety Show!? Find out on Saturday, May 23 as these stars align for one night only!

Saturday, May 23
Doors 8:00 pm | Show 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Save $10 with Early Bird tickets available till midnight May 8!

General Admission $30 + s/c | $35 + s/c at the door
VIP tickets (Rows 1-3, centre section) $40 + s/c
Squad Pass $100 + s/c

Featuring

Amnesia Haze
Benny GoGo & Lizzie Tush
Backdoor Breena
Homo Hardware & Violet Fiori
Jules Santana
Maria Sample
Maverick
Mx Black Ice
The Neighbours
Priscilla Cybn
Tryst Dance Collective
Yoshi Chladny
Zella Bones

Hosted by Dandy!

CAFTCAD Presents: The Art of Costume Design
In partnership with the Rio Theatre 

Join us for a special afternoon celebrating the artistry, storytelling, and craft behind costume design for film and television. This in-depth panel and Q&A bringing together three internationally acclaimed, award-winning designers whose work has shaped some of today’s most iconic characters and cinematic worlds.

Whether you're an industry professional, student, or simply passionate about film, art, fashion, and storytelling, this is a rare opportunity to hear directly from some of the most celebrated costume designers working today.

Join us to talk to the people behind the characters you love.

Learn more about CAFTCAD - The Canadian Alliance of Film and Television Costume Arts and Design here:
www.caftcad.com

Proudly Sponsored by IATSE 891

Sunday, May 24
Doors 1:30 pm | Event 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Featuring:

Rebekka Sørensen-Kjelstrup // An Emmy Award–winning costume designer with over two decades of experience across theatre and film. Best known for her work on Riverdale, School spirits and the upcoming Coven Academy, Rebekka is a two-time Leo Award winner (2020, 2023) for Best Costume Design in a Dramatic Series and a multi-time CAFTCAD nominee. Her work has also earned her Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards and widespread acclaim for creating distinctive, character-driven visual worlds across both stage and screen.

Rafaella Rabinovich // An internationally trained, multi-award-winning costume designer whose work spans film, television, and live performance. Rafaella is an Emmy Award winner and momanee, Costume Designers Guild Award winner (2026), and recipient of multiple Leo Awards, CAFTCAD Awards, and the Costume Society of America Design Award. Her credits include To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Project MC2, Kung Fu, Stranger in Town, Dandyland, and the upcoming feature Harmonia. Known for her bold, character-first approach, her work blends emotional storytelling with striking visual design.

Ann Foley // A Los Angeles–based costume designer working across Emmy-winning television and global blockbuster films. Her work on The Last of Us earned her the CAFTCAD Award for Best International Costume Design for TV, and her projects have been recognized by Clothes on Film and featured in the FIDM Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design exhibitions. With credits including She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Godzilla vs. Kong, Skyscraper, and the upcoming Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, Ann is a defining voice in genre and superhero storytelling. She is currently in production on Season 3 of The Last of Us.

Through conversation and behind-the-scenes insights, this panel will explore the full creative process - from initial concept and character development to execution on set. Discover how costume design shapes narrative, builds worlds, and brings characters to life in ways both subtle and transformative with this panel and Q&A.

He's back... And looking better than ever!

Join us at the Rio Theatre for one of the most requested double header blockbusters that we get – James Cameron’s TERMINATOR 1 & 2 – on silver screen, (big and loud) where it belongs. 2026 marks the 35th Anniversary of  one of the greatest science fiction action films of all time, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, and to mark the occasion Rialto Pictures has made available an all-new restoration of this iconic sequel starring starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton.

Reprising the role that cemented his film career as a larger-than-life action hero, Schwarzenegger is the titular cyborg killer, now reprogrammed and sent to present day (1995) Los Angeles to protect Sarah Connor (Hamilton) and her son (Edward Furlong) from a more advanced and deadlier android (Robert Patrick).

A milestone in computer generated special effects, “T2” set a new standard for science fiction and action movies in general. “Ahhnold's” persona, a mightily body sculpted “alien” who can dispense wise-cracks as quickly as ammo clips, became a model for many '80s muscle men as action stars. Brad Fiedel's electronic score has been hailed as one of the genre’s greatest and was performed live with the film last month at London's Eventim Apollo.

Set eleven years after the original THE TERMINATOR, young John Connor (the key to civilization's victory over a future robot uprising) is the target of the shape-shifting T-1000, a Terminator sent from the future to kill him. Another Terminator, the revamped T-800, has been sent back to protect the boy. As John and his mother go on the run with the T-800, the boy forms an unexpected bond with the robot. With Robert Patrick.

"T2 features thrilling action sequences and eye-popping visual effects, but what takes this sci-fi/ action landmark to the next level is the depth of the human (and cyborg) characters." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"A pop epiphany, marking that commercially creative point where the power of Hollywood meets the purity of myth." (Globe and Mail)

Sunday, May 24
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY (James Cameron, 1991 / 137 mins / 18A) A decade has passed since Sarah Connor was targeted for termination by a cyborg from the future. Now her son, John, the future leader of the resistance, is the target for a newer, more deadly terminator. Once again, the resistance has managed to send a protector back to attempt to save John and his mother Sarah.

Ahoy, rogues and rascals alike!

BENEATH CRIMSON SAILS (Steven Kammerer, 2026 / 95 minutes / Rating TBD) Fiercely independent Catherine will stop at nothing to find the missing half of a cursed treasure map and avenge her father’s death. But when she crosses paths with the mysterious—and dashingly handsome—Rob, a young pirate captain with secrets of his own, buried truths come to light, and they come face to face with a hidden link to her past that could either unite them… or destroy them both.

Join us at the Rio Theatre for the premiere of award winning documentarian, Saturnin's, 4th feature film, American Troll. Stay in your seats for a live (sure to be controversial) comedy show from four funny fellas, Brett Forte, Sergei Putinski, Uncle Hack & Uncle Lazer. One night only!!!

American Troll is the bold new film from Polish-Canadian director Saturnin. This gripping documentary dives into one of the most controversial freedom of speech cases in Canadian history. When comedian Mike Ward made a joke about Jeremy Gabriel—a young singer with a disability—it ignited a decade-long legal battle that climbed all the way to the Supreme Court.

Provocative, unflinching, and darkly humorous, American Troll explores the cost of standing your ground. In the face of relentless adversity, it reveals how conviction can lead not only to personal growth, but also to public backlash, online cruelty, personal struggles, and very expensive lawyer bills.

Performing live!!! Four comics. One unforgettable night. As part of the American Troll premiere, the stage heats up with a killer lineup: CBC darling Brett Forte, Russia’s only living comic Sergei Putinski, the Alberta rattlesnake Uncle Hack, and Uncle Lazer—fresh off Kill Tony.

Expect sharp takes, fearless punchlines, and a no-holds-barred set that hits just as hard as the film itself. This isn’t just a premiere—it’s a comedy event you won’t want to miss.

Tuesday, May 26
Doors 6:15 pm | Event 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $40 + s/c

If there is time, there will be a director Q&A.  Get your questions ready, or not :)
Also maybe a few surprises!!!  See you at the show.

AMERICAN TROLL (Saturnin, 2025 / 80 mins / NR) American Troll is a story about sticking to your convictions, and the willingness to suffer for them. It is a tale of a decade long, legal battle between the Gabriel family with a deaf, singing child and comedian Mike Ward from Montreal, Canada. A monumental free speech case in Canadian history!

After being photographed at a protest in Vancouver, Sahar (Pegah Gahfoori) faces dire consequences from Iranian authorities, resulting in the loss of financial support and a forced choice between staying in Canada or returning home.

Filmed in Vancouver, ONE MUST WASH EYES is an impactful debut feature by writer, director Sepideh Yadegar. The film also features a very personal connection for many of the cast and crew who are Iranian Canadians and particularly Sepideh, who became a refugee in Canada under similar circumstances to Sahar, her lead character.

Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography at GEM Festival 2025
Best Canadian Feature Regina International Film Festival 2024
Best Feature Screenplay at Hamilton Film Festival 2024
Best Debut Director, Best Actress, and Best Feature Film at Luleå International Film Festival 2025
Best Feature Film at Paris Women Cinefest 2025

Thursday, May 28
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Director Sepideh Yadegar in attendance for Q&A.

ONE MUST WASH EYES (Sepideh Yadegar, 2026 / 88 mins / NR / English and Persian w.EST) A timely drama about Sahar, an international student from Iran who struggles to stay in Canada after her visa is compromised.

Join us May 29-30 at the Rio Theatre for "Desert Films," a bold, live stage work starring Academy Award–nominated actor and filmmaker James Franco and Blaine Kern in a cinematic storytelling series exploring the nature and cost of fame. Written, directed, and starring Franco—who also created the artwork for the production’s poster—the piece blends theatre and cinema in a striking exploration of fame, identity, and the shifting boundary between performance and reality.

The Rio Theatre is excited to host a work that sits at the intersection of film and theatre... It’s exactly the kind of bold, boundary-pushing storytelling our audiences connect with. With its intimate setting and legacy of cult cinema and live performance, the Rio Theatre offers the ideal backdrop for this evolving piece—an experience that invites audiences not just to watch, but to step inside the story.

Friday, May 29
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ABOUT THE PLAY

"Desert Films" revisits the Robert Blake–inspired character from LOST HIGHWAY, appearing as a mysterious manifestation who confronts a young actor—kidnapped and tied up—and delivers a haunting monologue about the seduction and traps of celebrity. The performance intentionally blurs the line between film and theater, reality and fiction, creating an intimate, unsettling experience where audiences feel they are witnessing something raw and immediate—almost as if a film scene has come alive on stage.

The Rio holds a special place in Franco’s creative history; it was here at the venue that he first experienced Tommy Wiseau's pop-culture phenomenon THE ROOM, and met author, actor, and long-time Rio friend Greg Sestero—a moment that ultimately led to the making of Franco's 2017 film, THE DISASTER ARTIST.

“Coming back to the Rio feels full circle,” Franco said. “It’s one of those rare places where discovery happens—where something unexpected can shape what you create next.”

Unfolding in a distinctly Lynchian world—where reality fractures and identity blurs—imagining Robert Blake as a manifestation of his own character, the Mystery Man from LOST HIGHWAY. The piece operates as a dark comedy layered with historical references, drawing from Blake’s life and Hollywood’s shadowy mythology. The result is an unsettling yet compelling experience that doesn’t just entertain, but provokes curiosity—leaving audiences wanting to dig deeper into the story, the history, and the strange overlap between them.

While THE DISASTER ARTIST explored the relentless pursuit of fame, "Desert Films" turns inward—examining the psychological weight and personal cost of living inside that pursuit.

“This is one of the most intimate, close-up experiences you can have with artists of this caliber,” said producer Ashton Ramsey. “Seeing James workshop something this raw—blurring film and theater in real time—creates a rare kind of connection between the audience and the story. It’s not just a show, it’s an experience.”

“Desert Films' is a firing squad of dark humor with plenty of exploratory banter about the psyche of the actor, the motives of those running the “Hollywood machine,” and the curated reality seen in movies, on TV, and in social media." (Maggie Yates, Santa Barbara Magazine)

Join us May 29-30 at the Rio Theatre for "Desert Films," a bold, live stage work starring Academy Award–nominated actor and filmmaker James Franco and Blaine Kern in a cinematic storytelling series exploring the nature and cost of fame. Written, directed, and starring Franco—who also created the artwork for the production’s poster—the piece blends theatre and cinema in a striking exploration of fame, identity, and the shifting boundary between performance and reality.

The Rio Theatre is excited to host a work that sits at the intersection of film and theatre... It’s exactly the kind of bold, boundary-pushing storytelling our audiences connect with. With its intimate setting and legacy of cult cinema and live performance, the Rio Theatre offers the ideal backdrop for this evolving piece—an experience that invites audiences not just to watch, but to step inside the story.

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

ABOUT THE PLAY

"Desert Films" revisits the Robert Blake–inspired character from LOST HIGHWAY, appearing as a mysterious manifestation who confronts a young actor—kidnapped and tied up—and delivers a haunting monologue about the seduction and traps of celebrity. The performance intentionally blurs the line between film and theater, reality and fiction, creating an intimate, unsettling experience where audiences feel they are witnessing something raw and immediate—almost as if a film scene has come alive on stage.

The Rio holds a special place in Franco’s creative history; it was here at the venue that he first experienced Tommy Wiseau's pop-culture phenomenon THE ROOM, and met author, actor, and long-time Rio friend Greg Sestero—a moment that ultimately led to the making of Franco's 2017 film, THE DISASTER ARTIST.

“Coming back to the Rio feels full circle,” Franco said. “It’s one of those rare places where discovery happens—where something unexpected can shape what you create next.”

Unfolding in a distinctly Lynchian world—where reality fractures and identity blurs—imagining Robert Blake as a manifestation of his own character, the Mystery Man from LOST HIGHWAY. The piece operates as a dark comedy layered with historical references, drawing from Blake’s life and Hollywood’s shadowy mythology. The result is an unsettling yet compelling experience that doesn’t just entertain, but provokes curiosity—leaving audiences wanting to dig deeper into the story, the history, and the strange overlap between them.

While THE DISASTER ARTIST explored the relentless pursuit of fame, "Desert Films" turns inward—examining the psychological weight and personal cost of living inside that pursuit.

“This is one of the most intimate, close-up experiences you can have with artists of this caliber,” said producer Ashton Ramsey. “Seeing James workshop something this raw—blurring film and theater in real time—creates a rare kind of connection between the audience and the story. It’s not just a show, it’s an experience.”

“Desert Films' is a firing squad of dark humor with plenty of exploratory banter about the psyche of the actor, the motives of those running the “Hollywood machine,” and the curated reality seen in movies, on TV, and in social media." (Maggie Yates, Santa Barbara Magazine)

Vancouver Sex Work Community Alliance presents:

Join us on June 2, International Sex Workers Day, for a special screening of HOOKERS ON DAVIE at the Rio Theatre at 7:30 PM. This landmark documentary explores the history, resilience, and activism of Vancouver’s sex work community, an important part of our city’s story.

All proceeds from the event will support Living in Community and PACE Society, helping advance the safety, rights, and well-being of sex workers. Join us to learn, reflect, and stand in solidarity.

"Before they were purged from the area in advance of Expo 86, sex workers strolled Davie Street in droves, turning Vancouver’s West End into ​“the prostitution capital of Canada.” Collectively organized, and working without pimps, they would meet regularly to discuss safety and self-defence, distribute ​“bad trick” sheets, and debate health controls and procedures. Based on eight months of advance research by the filmmakers, and another two months spent gaining the trust of their subjects, this Genie Award-winning documentary is less lurid exposé than activist ethnography. Tender and frank, compassionate and confrontational, Hookers on Davie is not just a major contribution to the direct cinema tradition in Canada; it also emerges, in retrospect, as a poignant portrait of a vibrant community that would soon be decimated by drugs, police harassment, and serial sexual violence when forcibly relocated to the Downtown Eastside." The Cinematheque

“A vital time capsule, capturing a pre-internet period when sex workers walked the street … The film’s many revelations are matched by the inescapable sense that Cole and Dale cared deeply about the people whose lives they were reflecting.” POV Magazine

Tuesday, June 2
Doors 7:00 pm | Film 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

$10 - Pay it Forward - Purchase a Ticket For a Community Member in Need
$15 - Single Event Ticket (Main Floor - Assigned, Balcony - General Admission)
$20 - Community Solidarity Ticket (Includes admission + donation)

HOOKERS ON DAVIE (Janis Cole & Holly Dale, 1984 / 88 mins / NR) Filmmakers Holly Dale and Janis Cole explore the culture of Davie Street, located in the underbelly of Vancouver, where dozens of prostitutes work and live every day. Surprisingly, they find that the sex trade there is stable and largely non-violent, and that the women who work on Davie Street meet daily to discuss safety and health issues and don't use pimps. The film also includes candid interviews with the prostitutes and footage of negotiations with potential clients.

The viral internet sensation THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS comes to its long-awaited conclusion in a feature-length theatrical release!Discover the fates of Pomni and the gang as they unravel the true secret & history of the Digital Circus as this show finally arrives at its last act.

 This “Last Act” combines episode 8 with the all new, hour long episode 9 for fans to see before anyone else in the world. With Caine gone and the circus dark, the cast are left with only the mistakes and traumas of their pasts to keep them company. As the prospect of eternity closes in around them, they discover the truth about the Digital Circus and its history. Will they come to terms with what they uncover, or will they make… the other choice? Also, presumably at some point someone says something funny, because this ending can’t be THAT depressing, can it? This film experience includes an exclusive intro animation packed with exciting details about the movie and other fun surprises. There will also be a special entertaining recap of the series narrated by one of the characters!

THE LAST ACT features the voices of Lizzie Freeman (Pokémon Horizons) as Pomni, Alex Rochon (Poppy’s Playtime) as Caine, Michael Kovach (Murder Drones, Lackadaisy) as Jax, Amanda Hufford (Genshin Impact) as Ragatha, Marissa Lenti (Borderlands 3) as Gangle, Sean Chiplock (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) as Kinger, Ashley Nichols (Lackadaisy) as Zooble, and more. The finale also features music composed by series’ veteran Evan Alderete (Hazbin Hotel) and art direction from Gobo3D.

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

THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS: THE LAST ACT (Gooseworx, 2026 / 93 mins / Rating TBD)

Following its world premiere at this years SXSW Festival, the highly anticipated new NOFX documentary 40 YEARS' OF FUCKIN' UP, which chronicles the chaotic four-decade history of the iconic punk band, is headed to the Rio Theatre.

Produced by NOFX frontman Fat Mike, the film features archival footage, candid interviews, and explores how the band became a successful independent act despite a history of self-destruction and controversy. The documentary covers the band’s 40-year journey from "drug-addled teenage punks" to influential rock icons. Like a real-life SPINAL TAP, the film features intimate, often shocking footage, including backstage chaos, drug use, and personal stories.

Limited edition and exclusive merch will be available for purchase!

Thursday, June 4
Doors 8:30 pm | Movie 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $30 + s/c

NOFX: 40 YEARS OF FUCKIN' UP (James Buddy Day, 2026 / 90 mins / NR) A documentary portrait of iconic punk rock legends NOFX.

The viral internet sensation THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS comes to its long-awaited conclusion in a feature-length theatrical release!Discover the fates of Pomni and the gang as they unravel the true secret & history of the Digital Circus as this show finally arrives at its last act.

 This “Last Act” combines episode 8 with the all new, hour long episode 9 for fans to see before anyone else in the world. With Caine gone and the circus dark, the cast are left with only the mistakes and traumas of their pasts to keep them company. As the prospect of eternity closes in around them, they discover the truth about the Digital Circus and its history. Will they come to terms with what they uncover, or will they make… the other choice? Also, presumably at some point someone says something funny, because this ending can’t be THAT depressing, can it? This film experience includes an exclusive intro animation packed with exciting details about the movie and other fun surprises. There will also be a special entertaining recap of the series narrated by one of the characters!

THE LAST ACT features the voices of Lizzie Freeman (Pokémon Horizons) as Pomni, Alex Rochon (Poppy’s Playtime) as Caine, Michael Kovach (Murder Drones, Lackadaisy) as Jax, Amanda Hufford (Genshin Impact) as Ragatha, Marissa Lenti (Borderlands 3) as Gangle, Sean Chiplock (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) as Kinger, Ashley Nichols (Lackadaisy) as Zooble, and more. The finale also features music composed by series’ veteran Evan Alderete (Hazbin Hotel) and art direction from Gobo3D.

Saturday, June 6
Doors 2:30 pm | Movie 3:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS: THE LAST ACT (Gooseworx, 2026 / 93 mins / Rating TBD)

Join us at the Rio Theatre for an East Van Laugh RioT night of live comedy featuring a trio of standup comedy courtesy of Luke Severeid, Scott Losse and Andrew Rivers

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

Early Bird Tickets $30+ s/c (Until April 20)
Main Floor, Assigned and Balcony, General Admission - $35 + s/c
VIP (Rows A & B, Centre Section) $40+ s/c

About:

SCOTT LOSSE is a stand-up comedian and content creator from Burien, Washington. He has been featured on Dry Bar Comedy, Outside Magazine, and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Scott has become well known for his short-form content and observational humor about the outdoors and living in the Pacific Northwest. His stand-up is absurd and relatable. People like it. His album "Popular Donuts" is now available on Spotify and his Dry Bar Special "Okay" in on YouTube and has a billion billion views. He's also known as "I live in the Pacific Northwest" guy on instagram ranting about the Weather or Costco or Sheds.

LUKE SEVEREID is a Hill-Hiking, Metal-Music-Loving, Chrome-Dome-Having Stand-UP Comedian from Seattle, WA. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest with the plaids and IPA-fueled husk to prove it.

Luke’s comedic style has been described as insightfully idiotic, aggressively absurd, and most accurately, unmedicated ADHD in action. Besides looking identical to your favorite bouncer and or bass player, Luke was also recently in the Big Sky Comedy Festival, a semifinalist in both the Seattle and San Francisco International Comedy Competition, and a winner of Best Comedy Film at HUMP! Film Festival.

He also just got back from a sold out Australian tour as a part of the Heavy Metal Music Festival KNOTFEST. Millions have enjoyed his stand-up videos online and we’re sure he’ll be able to get a giggle or two out of you.

ANDREW RIVERS' very personal and fun storytelling comedy, combined with his exemplary work ethic, has earned him high praise from some of the best comedians in the business.

Andrew’s comedy specials with Dry Bar Comedy and others – including Gun Enthusiasts Aren’t Funny (Dry Bar Comedy, 2018), The Second Wave of Covid Jokes (2020) For The Wrong Reasons (800 Pound Gorilla, 2021) and Hello, Beautiful (800 Pound Gorilla, 2024) – have earned millions of views online. His joke about a dentist got so many views, the dentist gave Andrew fake teeth for free but he’s still not getting matches on Tinder.

Andrew also recently appeared on the Joy Podcast with Craig Ferguson and would like to take the opportunity to name drop his Dad, Seattle Radio Hall of Famer Bob Rivers as well as comedians Christopher Titus, and Steve Hofstetter for giving him regular road work in theaters in North America and Europe.

VLACC is proud to once again present Canto Vivo in Concert with TROVADORAS: A Celebration of Women Songwriters of Latin America, an afternoon honouring the powerful and poetic women whose songs have helped shape the musical soul of Latin America.

Before renowned divas and crooners delighted international audiences with their renditions of Gracias a la Vida and Bésame Mucho, the creators of these iconic songs had been invisible to the world. Not anymore. Violeta Parra's and Consuelo Velásquez's compositions have finally found their rightful place among the most beautiful to ever come out of Latin America. In the last few years, contemporary singer-songwriters like Natalia Lafourcade and Marta Gómez have also captivated and continue to inspire music lovers worldwide. But there are still many more trovadoras, young and old, who remain in the shadows.

In this, its third annual concert, Canto Vivo, led by Musical Director Sérgio Pires, will showcase the work of both acclaimed and little-known Latin American women. The choir will take you on a journey across the continent and along more than one hundred years, starting at the beginning of the 20th century in Brazil and ending in contemporary Guatemala, with stops in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico.

Join us in this celebration of the melodies, rhythms and words interwoven by the hearts and minds of gifted trovadoras latinoamericanas.

Sunday, June 7
Doors 2:00 pm | Event 3:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird $23 + s/c (Limited quantity available)

General Admission $28.75 + s/c
Canto Vivo Supporter $34.50 + s/c
Canto Vivo Sustainer $46 + s/c

About Canto Vivo Choir

Founded by VLACC in 2017 under the direction of Sérgio Pires, Canto Vivo brings together singers from across Latin America, Canada, and beyond. Today, the choir has 37 members from 15 different countries. Over the years, Canto Vivo has performed at a variety of events and venues, including the Waterfront Theatre, the York Theatre and the Vancouver Playhouse. This June marks the choir's third solo concert, featuring a lively repertoire of beloved Latin American songs in Spanish and Portuguese, many of which were specially arranged for the group by Sérgio himself.

About the Music Director

Sérgio Pires holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from Boston University and degrees in Musicology and Music Education from Brazilian institutions. Before moving to Canada, he was a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Mr. Pires' previous conducting engagements include the early music ensemble Brasil Barroco, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Chamber Choir and the Concordia Choir, Vancouver.

Guest Artists and Musicians

Caro Selva (Vocals)

Sheila Minatti (Vocals)

Baltazar Aguilera (Keyboard)

Carlos Cortes (Guitar)

Marcos Uribe (Guitar, Charango and Percussion)

Paula Faustino (Zabumba)

Creative Team

Carla Alcántara (Projection Designer)

Caro Selva (Graphic Designer)

Juliana Silva (Costume Designer)

THE LAST ANNIVERSARY will make its theatrical debut in Toronto May 22, and then open across Canada May 29, from indie distributor Tiny Cabin Pictures. Following its world-premiere at the 2025 Macabro Film Festival in Mexico, and  U.S. premiere at the 2026 Julien Dubuque International Film Festival

Written, directed and edited by Brett Butler and Jason Butler, a.k.a. The Butler Brothers, THE LAST ANNIVERSARY stars Jesse McQueen, Kenneth Northfield, Ry Barrett (IN A VIOLENT NATURE), Kevin Courtney, Manon Ens-Lapointe, Honor Spencer, Jenna Vittoria, Michael Masurkevitch and Jessica Vano.

The story follows Tom (Northfield) and Aubrey (McQueen) as they return to the abandoned hotel where they were married 10 years earlier, inviting their original wedding party for one final night of celebration. But beneath the surface of nostalgia lies a darker purpose: confronting the group about the mysterious disappearance of their Maid of Honor on that long-ago wedding night. As tensions rise and the world edges toward collapse, buried truths begin to surface with devastating consequences.

Wednesday, June 10
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE LAST ANNIVERSARY (Jason Butler & Brett Butler, 2026 / NR / 90 mins) On the eve of the apocalypse, a couple lure their former wedding party back to the abandoned hotel where they were married, intent on finally uncovering the truth behind their Maid of Honor’s disappearance, no matter the cost.

Now in its 14th year,  the smash hit epic comedy THE CRITICAL HIT SHOW returns to the Rio Theatre's stage on Wednesday, April 29 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.

June, 17
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

Join The Vancouver Burlesque Co. as we kick off summer with our outstanding students and alumni! Get ready for large group acts and fantastic solos to make your heart fill with sunshine and your eyes sparkle with joy. We're ready to give you a show that will make you squeal so grab someone cute and let's have a night to remember.

These shows are pure magic, sparkle and fun, and we can't wait to share the evening with friends, family and fans.

Thursday, June 25
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission $30+ s/c | $35+ s/c at the door

Please note: These shows tend to sell out well in advance - buy tickets sooner than later to avoid disappointment!

Hosted by Miss Kiss

CJ The X
Philosophy Lecture: Optimized Grass Touching

How to lock in, optimize your grindset and work harder than anyone else at living a wholesome balanced meaningful life.

CJ The X a Toronto based independent artist and philosopher that began making YouTube videos in 2021. Since then they’ve amassed over 350 thousand subscribers, 15 million views, a robust crowdfunding base on Patreon, a loyal personal mailing list, and sold out lectures across the world. Their breathless interdisciplinary approach makes them one of the most unique cultural voices in the internet age, blending irreverent humour, sharp intellectualism, and earnest spirituality.

They speak passionately on an eclectic array of subjects, blending together art, religion, technology, community, and beauty in their singular style. They have developed 7 different lectures so far, each completely distinct from the rest while fitting into a cohesive whole.

When not philosophizing, CJ is a rapper and a writer, always most comfortable working on multiple things at once.

Saturday, June 27
Doors 6:30 pm | Lecture 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets $45+ s/c

For first access to tickets subscribe to their mailing list @ cjthex.com/subscribe

cjthex.com
youtube.com/cjthex
patreon.com/cjthex

The East Van Laugh RioT welcomes comedian Jeff Dye to the Rio Theatre's stage on Saturday, July 4.

Saturday, July 4
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP (First 5 rows / Centre Section) $55+ s/c
Adult Entry $45 + s/c

Meet n' Greet add on $35 (Limited availability).

About Jeff Dye

Jeff Dye isn't here to play nice, he's here to wreck polite conversation and leave audiences howling. A regular on Gutfeld! and The Joe Rogan Experience, he delivers comedy that's loud, sharp, and hilariously inappropriate. He conned America on MTV's Money From Strangers, globe-hopped with legends on NBC's Better Late Than Never, and somehow kept a straight face while cracking jokes on The Tonight Show. Jeff's not chasing clout - he's chasing truth, mic in hand, and not looking back.

Connect with Jeff:
FACEBOOK: @JeffDye
TWITTER: @JeffDye
INSTAGRAM: @JeffDye
YOUTUBE: Jeff Dye

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.

Early Bird Pricing (Until May 31) $35+ s/c

--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)

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
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.

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.

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 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

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
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

Tickets on sale Friday, March 27 at 10:00 am PST!

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
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

Brixxhouse Arts in partnership with The Rio Theatre present:

Come celebrate the music, lyrics and visual artistry of one of Canada’s national treasures, Joni Mitchell. It's also her 83rd birthday!

The evening features many of Ms. Mitchell’s most iconic songs performed live by a full band and vocalists, set against a visual backdrop of her extraordinary artwork. Interspersed with video clips of interviews with the artist across her vast and storied career, the show is a heartfelt homage to the remarkable legacy of this truly multifaceted artist.

The band includes musical veterans Doug Thoms (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Big Brown Beaver, Final Cut), Mark Richardson (Ophelia Falling), Paul LeBlanc (SHAG The Band, The Tabloids) and Colin Furness (Anthem, Them Bones, The Def Leppard Thing) and vocals by Kyrst Hogan (Singer: Norwegian Cruise Lines, Radio City Rockettes Show, CTORA Prod’s) who will also be curating the multimedia elements of the show. All members have performed together in various live band tributes with Brixxhouse Arts (Formerly Kitty Nights), selling out The Rio Theatre on many occasions.

With special guest, Neil Young tribute artist Roger Potter.

Saturday, November 7
Doors: 7:00 pm | Event: 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird tickets just $25. Available till July 1, midnight.

Main Floor, Assigned ; Balcony, General Admission - $30 + s/c in advance | $35 + s/c at the door

This Rio Theatre gift certificate is good for entry to any single regular screening and includes two medium drinks, and one large popcorn. If you prefer a physical card, this gift certificate is also available for purchase from our conession stand during open business hours.

This Rio Theatre gift certificate is good for entry to any single regular screening and includes one medium popcorn, one medium fountain beverage, and one small candy. If you prefer a physical card, this gift certificate is also available for purchase from our conession stand during open business hours.

Travis Holp Live is an unforgettable evening of connection, healing, and hope.

Join internationally known medium and author Travis Holp as he delivers powerful, evidential messages from loved ones in spirit to members of the audience. Blending heart and insight, Travis reminds audiences that love never dies, and that our connections to those who’ve passed are closer than we think.

Each show is a one-of-a-kind experience filled with evidential messages, heart-opening moments, and laughter that lifts the whole room. While not everyone will receive a reading, every person leaves feeling renewed, connected, and reminded that love doesn’t end — it only transforms.

Saturday, January 9
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets on sale May 8

Artists Circle VIP (Rows A-E) $47.25+ s/c
Tickets $36.75 + s/c
After Show Meet 'n Greet Add-on (Limited Quantity Available -) $45