By Emily R. Zarevich, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Unsure of what to do in Burlington this upcoming weekend? Do you want to see an intriguing play, sing along to a classic Broadway musical, or take in some local art? Here are some suggestions for how to pass the time from Friday, May 15, 2026, to Monday, May 18, 2026.
On Saturday, May 16, 2026, an exciting new solo exhibition will open at the Art Gallery of Burlington, located at 1333 Lakeshore Road. This will be “A material called Earth, Volume 1: The life of corners” by artist Celine Eceiza, who is based in Argentina and has come to Burlington to share her vision for contemporary textile art. Using the comfortable and familiar fabrics that we use to adorn and decorate our homes — sheets, blankets, carpets, rugs — Eceiza builds something of an imaginative child’s fortress with a creatively mature perspective on imagery and symbolism. Her pieces will hang like banners announcing her individuality in the Lee-Chin Family Gallery and invite visitors to contemplate her wall-to-ceiling, hand-dyed memories and ideas. This exhibit is curated by Sylvia Fortin. On the exhibition’s opening day, the Art Gallery of Burlington will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets are still available to Drury Lane Theatre’s outrageous production of the Gershwins’ Prohibition-age good-time goodie Nice Work If You Can Get It. This musical depiction of the gin-swigging Roaring Twenties follows the unlikely love story between Jimmy Winter, the carefree and careless heir to a fortune, and Billie Bendix, a pull-up-the-boot-straps bootlegger whose fierce independence is called into question by the possibility of true love. In the meantime, Billie’s got to dodge the fuzz and the anti-rum regime that are on her tail. There will be performances of Nice Work If You Can Get It on: Friday, May 15, 2026, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 2 p.m.; Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.
“Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” declare Jimmy Winter (Joshua Fleming) and Billie Bendix (Kathryn Sears) in “Nice Work If You Can Get It.” Photo: Heather Pierorazio.
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre at 440 Locust Street has two shows going for nostalgia-loving music lovers. Firstly, there will be Paquette Entertainment’s The Shoop Shoop Show — The Cher Collection on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. Audience members will take a journey down pop icon Cher’s incredible career in this party-hard jukebox musical based on her life and career success. Do you believe in love after love? On Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., BNP Productions will present A Tony Bennett Salute featuring the renowned Franklin Penny Quintet. The group will honour the late American jazz star in this loving tribute to his life and work.
West Plains United Church, located at 549 Plains Road, will be putting on a dramatic production of A.R. Gurney’s The Dining Room by West End Studio Theatre. It will be directed by Yo Mustafa, who is taking on all of the West End Studio Theatre’s plays this year. This story — relatable to anyone with family drama — will depict scenes in the life of a dysfunctional and fading upper-crust family who is struggling to adapt to the times, reminiscent of the works of authors such as Virginia Woolf. The passage of time, and the precious moments that string together everyday existences, ranging from painfully mournful to full of laughter, are at the heart of this experimental play. There will be performances on May 15 and 16, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a matinee showing on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.
Readers can regularly check Local-News.ca for information, updates, and reviews of Burlington’s arts and culture sector.
