Talk Is Free Theatre, Barrie’s independent professional theatre company, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a new season that includes two productions now running at the Barrie By The Bay Commercial Complex at 80 Bradford Street.
Founded in 2002 by Artistic Producer Arkady Spivak (the company relocated to Barrie in 2003), Talk Is Free Theatre has staged more than 170 works in Barrie and on tour, earning a national reputation for bold, site-specific productions. The company is perhaps best known for its acclaimed stagings of Stephen Sondheim musicals, including a 2022 production of Sweeney Todd that won five Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
The first show of the milestone season, The Maids, runs from September 17 to October 3. Directed by award-winning director Jillian Keiley, the dark comedy by Jean Genet is presented by Barry Peacock and Elizabeth Anderson-Peacock.
Following on September 24, Don’t Touch The Art is an immersive experience devised and curated by Griffin Hewitt. The September 24 performance is free, funded by the City of Barrie as part of Culture Days 2026, with the production presented by Tourism Barrie. The show runs through October 3.
The company has also released its 2026-27 season lineup, which includes a world premiere by Michael Torontow, a Ukrainian play, and additional productions in Toronto.
Over 25 years, Talk Is Free Theatre has toured internationally to countries including New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Chile, Argentina, England, and Serbia. The company’s work has often been staged in unexpected locations, transforming ordinary spaces into theatrical experiences.
