Are you still driving down the 401 for a professional theatre experience? Stop. Kitchener-Waterloo has world-class theatre happening right in your backyard.
North American Premiere of The Neighbours in Downtown Kitchener
In March, you can experience the North American premiere of The Neighbours in downtown Kitchener. The best part? The creatives behind this production live right here in Waterloo Region.
I spoke with Matt White, the play’s director, who had nothing but praise for playwright Nicolas Billon.
“Nick is a brilliant Governor General Award–winning Canadian playwright, originally from Montreal and now living here in Waterloo Region. When I read The Neighbours, I knew immediately that I wanted to do it.”
Mounted in collaboration with Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, the creative heavy lifting is happening locally, with Matt White and Nicolas Billon steering the production through Green Light Arts. Matt describes the show as:
“A true-crime podcast meets a Sunday barbecue you’re invited to. There’s a lot of direct address, so the audience is fully engaged.”
About The Neighbours
Simon and Denise live in a modest house on a quiet street, their life blissfully low-key. When it appears that their next-door neighbour has been hiding a sinister secret, the couple is forced to re-examine the past.
The play builds to a surprising conclusion that asks hard questions about the bonds that unite us. Darkly funny, it explores how good people can become complicit by choosing not to disrupt the status quo. It examines what it really means to be a good neighbour and what truth looks like, timely themes given the confusing times we are living in.
Show Details:
- Venue: Conrad Centre for the Arts, 36 King Street West, Kitchener
- Parking: Twirly Garage at Duke and Ontario Streets
- Dates: March 18–29, 2026
- Tickets: Green Light Arts or search The Neighbours, March 18–29, 2026
KW Little Theatre: A Hidden Gem in Uptown Waterloo
For a different theatre experience, visit KW Little Theatre at 9 Princess Street East in Uptown Waterloo. Built in 1952, this intimate venue provides a “space to play” for the growing community of knowledge and tech workers from Waterloo Region’s thriving tech sector.
I spoke with Matt Walsh, mathematician, actor, stage technician, producer, director, and long-standing KWLT member:
“I met my spouse here, as many others have. For example, Nick Oddson, President of SkillsWave, met his wife Karen at KWLT. As a family, they went on to establish Waterloo’s Royal Medieval Faire. Nick still helps us out with fight choreography.”
Community is at the heart of KW Little Theatre.
March Madness at KW Little Theatre
For a lighthearted antidote to March’s grey days, check out KWLT’s March Madness, now in its 13th year. The concept: one ten-minute script, multiple production teams each putting their own spin on it. Results are presented back-to-back in a single evening, with prizes awarded by an adjudicator and votes from the audience. Expect creativity that tends toward the unhinged!
Event Details:
- Date: March 7, 2026
- Venue: KW Little Theatre, 9 Princess Street East, Waterloo
- Tickets: Available through Kitchener Waterloo Little Theatre
- Location Tips: Across King Street from the Huether Hotel, down the block from the Princess Cinema
Matt Walsh shares, “Sometimes people wander in and say, ‘I’m here for the movie,’ and there is always someone ready to reply, ‘Just up the street, friend.’”
Skip the 401 – Theatre Is Right Here
Whether it’s the darkly comic drama of The Neighbours or the unhinged fun of KWLT’s March Madness, you don’t need to leave Waterloo Region for world-class theatre. Theatre is right here.