What The Festival is BACK!

The 3rd annual What The Festival returns from September 24-27 with three feature shows and two cabarets. Plus a puppeteering workshop and community discussion event with special guests, Jamie Shannon!

New this year: save money with multi-show passes!

Interested in attending multiple shows? Grab yourself a pass!

See 3 shows for $75 ($15 savings)
See 5 shows for $110 ($40 savings!)

Passes are on sale from August 31st - September 15th.

Get Your Pass Here!

YOUR 2026 WTF LINEUP:

STRANGE MAKER SHOWCASE

Hosted by Harold the Sasquatch (Bobby Knauff), the Strange Maker Showcase is what WTF is all about - keeping it weird, wild and wonderful! Enjoy a variety of Clown, Puppetry, Drag and Burlesque acts from some of Toronto's most imaginative strange-makers!

Featuring Performances by: Alien Toronto, CHR1S-L1Z, Mark Terrett, Honeyball Puppetry (Robin Polfuss & Chae Aitchison), Ruy Nieves, She-wee Herman, Shishitzu, and Sweets

Get Tickets Here!

DRAG ME TO THE OPERA

Toronto Premiere!
Drag Me to the Opera tells the story of a young man who loves to sing - even when people question his talent. Parts of the story are told through arias written for women (hence the drag) and fun opera facts. In the end, his experiences, his passion, —and a little luck—help him discover his true voice and follow his heart.

Written and Performed by Steven Morton with Music by Bizet, Donizetti, Gounod, Mozart, Bizet, Puccini, & Purcell

Get Tickets Here!

BUBKUS

Bubkus is an adventure of epic proportions. A battle of one manʼs will to defeat the monsters of his own creation. One Clown, five props. No set. No sound. No words! Bubkus toured extensively in the US and Canada and enjoyed runs in Nanjing, China and St. Petersburg, Russia.

Get Tickets Here!

HANSAL
& GEETAL

With Two.2.Mango's signature physical comedy, this show assumes the audience as co-actors, blurring the line between who’s watching and who’s playing. Performed in more than two languages (including clownspeak), Hansal & Geetal is playful, tender, and warmly nostalgic - a gentle reminder that getting a little lost is sometimes part of finding your way home.

Get Tickets Here!

WHAT THE
FABULOUS CABARET

We're turning it up a notch at WTF's first-ever WHAT THE FABULOUS Cabaret! Hosted by Dank Sinatra!

Enjoy a variety of Drag and Burlesque acts with a unique approach to being FABULOUS!

Featuring performances by: Herbie Hind, Hot Honey Ham, Kuya Atay, Marzipan, Nonna Gina, Princess Sparkle Penny, and Randy Boots and Sizzle Disco

Get Tickets Here!

ADVENTURES IN PUPPETRY

WHAT THE FESTIVAL is so pleased to welcome Jamie Shannon as this year’s special guest for our Adventures in Puppetry community discussion event happening on Saturday Sept 26th at 4:00pm - 5:30pm.

Save Your Spot Here!

IT’S ALIVE!

After three decades of puppetry, Jamie is focussing on sharing his knowledge and skills to keep the craft alive. This workshop will provide instruction on the basics of puppeteering and bringing a character to life, as well as a technique that applies to any inanimate object on stage — a feather boa, a hat, a paper bag, or a fully built puppet.

Cost: $125, limited to 20 students

Register Here!