Trent University’s Catharine Parr Traill College is pleased to announce the lineup for the new William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival, a free, weekly music and theatre series running from June through August at Traill’s outdoor Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre (315 Dublin Street) in downtown Peterborough. 

Thanks to a dynamic new partnership with New Stages Theatre, the 2025 season expands beyond music to include a curated selection of four theatrical performances by one of the region’s leading professional theatre companies. 

“The Summer Festival is a dynamic new addition to Traill College’s seasonal programming,” said Dr. Michael Eamon, principal of Catharine Parr Traill College. “Our collaboration with New Stages Theatre opens up new possibilities to engage the larger Peterborough community in exciting ways. This year’s diverse lineup reflects the richness of our local arts scene, and we cannot wait to welcome friends and families to share in this experience at one of the most distinctive outdoor venues in the city.” 

The performances begin on June 5 and run nearly every Thursday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. until August 28. In the event of inclement weather, performances will be moved indoors to Bagnani Hall. All performances are open to the public and free of charge. Refreshments will be available on-site for purchase.  

The Summer 2025 lineup is as follows: 

June 5
Fireside Munsch, presented by New Stages Theatre
Stories by Robert Munsch, adapted and performed by M. John Kennedy
For the young and young at heart! Experience this highly acclaimed (nominated for eight Dora Mavor Moore Awards) theatrical re-telling of classic Robert Munsch stories like Paperbag Princess and Mortimer, presented by Peterborough’s M. John Kennedy. 

June 12
Story Slam, presented by New Stages Theatre
Megan Murphy
An open invitation to all to take the stage and share a true, personal story that connects, inspires, makes us laugh, and moves us forward. Each storyteller will have five minutes to present, based on the theme “Great Escapes”. No advance sign-up required. 

June 19
Portraits of Peterborough 1825 to 2024, presented by Folk Music
Glen Caradus
An innovative audio-visual experience blending story, historic images of Peterborough, and folk music. 

June 26
Peterborough Concert Band
Marches, Big Band, Pops
Always a crowd pleaser, for over 150 years the Peterborough Concert Band has delighted audiences with their mix of big band music, marches, movie soundtracks, and pop. 

July 3
An Evening of Jazz 
Victoria Yeh and Special Guests
See Peterborough’s premier jazz violinist in action. Classically trained, Victoria combines the purity of her musical heritage with the edginess of progressive fusion. 

July 10
Exploring Agamemnon
The Electric City Players  
Watch Trent English Professor Andrew Loeb’s company take on traditional Greek theatre for contemporary audiences. 

July 24
I, The Mountain
Folk-Rock
Don’t miss what will be a feel-good show of folk-rock musicians playing a mix of their own music and some familiar toe-tapping tunes. 

July 31
Dueling Disciplines: Music & Poetry
David Newberry ('02) & Justin Million
A songwriter and a poet share the stage for a one-of-a-kind performance that will be collaborative, competitive, and creative.

August 7
Clarintella and the Peterborough Dixieland Septet
Clarinet Quintet and Dixieland
Half the show will be an innovative and crowd-pleasing clarinet ensemble followed by one of Peterborough’s favourite Dixieland groups.  

August 21
Kash & Kerry: A Night at the Improv, presented by New Stages Theatre
Linda Kash and Kerry Griffin
The two stars of New Stages’ Christmas Carol Comedy in December 2024 reunite for an evening of inspired improvisation. With no scripts or rehearsals, improvisers and comedians Linda Kash and Kerry Griffin, along with special guests, will have you laughing and marveling at how they do it. 

August 28
Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell, presented by New Stages Theatre
Orm and Barbara Mitchell
A staged reading featuring Martin Julien and the music of Rob Phillips. Written by long-time Peterborough residents, authors, and former Trent faculty, Orm and Barbara Mitchell, this play is a fond remembrance of the life and brilliant work of beloved Canadian writer W.O. Mitchell – Orm’s father. 

Many of the acts feature performers from the Peterborough community, Trent alumni and even some Trent staff and faculty. Funding for the series was provided by the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation, which supports the arts and education. 

Since 2023 the Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre at Traill College has been a hub for community arts and culture programming. 

For more information about the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival, and other performances at Traill College, visit trentu.ca/amphitheatre.