What The Festival, an active celebration of all things Drag, Clown and Puppetry, is proud to announce programming for their second annual festival taking place September 25-27, 2025 in Youngplace at Sweet Action Theatre, Small World Music Centre, and Social Arts Studio Space. What The Festival is Toronto's wildest live theatre festival here to promote, produce and present the best in 'strange-making' live entertainment.

What The Festival will present work from notable strange makers in wonderful and award winning feature shows, two cabarets designed to delight, plus a workshop, a panel, and lovely lobby surprises. Audiences can expect endearing, eyebrow raising spectacles from the most creative minds in drag, clown, puppetry, circus, burlesque and beyond with unforgettable ideas, costumes, and DIY stagecraft.

On Saturday, September 27 What The Festival will host: Get Bent: A Balloon Twisting Workshop with Ginger Blossom; and the Clown & Bouffon: Despair & Hope panel moderated by Pearle Harbour featuring Karen Hines, John Beale, and Heather Marie Annis.

WHAT THE FESTIVAL SHOWS:

JUICE BREAK

September 25 at Small World Music Centre

Created and Performed by Morgan Brie Johnson and Alexandra Simpson

With prankish charm and unsettling nostalgia from the Dora Award winning Animacy Theatre Collective, JUICE BREAK goes behind the scenes with two hot-girl-dweebs and their relentless pursuit to be well.

Peggy’s Place

September 25 at Sweet Action Theatre

Created by Morgan Joy (Sweet and Sultry Burlesque)

Performed by Morgan Joy, Dani Zimmer and Bobby Knauff

Peggy’s Place is a soon-to-be-classic after school special, puppet sit-com, filmed in front of a live-studio audience. This slice-of-life romp is an interactive lesson in friendship starring Peggy Plummer and her puppet roommates Hobart and Lenor.

The Shiniest Piece Trailer Trash

September 26 at Sweet Action Theatre

Written and Performed by Meegan Sweet (Edmonton)

In the crummiest small town, in the crummiest trailer park lives the crummiest little raccoon. This turd has one dream: to become a HUMAN BEING!

Milk Milk Lemonade

September 27 at Sweet Action Theatre

Created and Performed by Emma Nelles and Jonas Trottier

Fresh from winning What the Festival!’s Strange Maker Award, and The Second City Award for Best Comedy at the 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival, Milk Milk Lemonade returns! The (class) clowns of Mallowmarsh P.S. navigate the rough-and-tumble world of elementary school to answer the age-old question: I know you are but what am I?

WHAT THE FESTIVAL CABARETS:

Strange Maker Showcase

September 26 at Small World Music Centre

Hosted by Toronto’s premiere tragicomedienne Pearle Harbour, the Strange Maker Showcase is fueled by the best in clown, puppetry, and drag acts including Dyce 2 Watch Out 4 (Drag King), Christine Moynihan (Clown), Glinda Mercury (Burlesque), Kanna Worm (Drag/Cosplay), Jayden Gigliotti (Circus), Pinkity Twinkity (Drag Queen) and Jesse Buck (Clown).

The [Im]possible Cabaret

September 27 at Small World Music Centre

Hosted by drag thing Anne Alien, The [Im]possible Cabaret will feature Cherry Bomb (Cosplay), Fox C Shanty (Drag Thing), Eric Cinnsealach (Clown), Conjunctivisis (Drag Queen), Carly Rae Stepson (Drag Thing), Jupiter Lightningstorm (Circus), and SPLAT (Drag Creature) with Joshua Bonnici and Goldy Yason (Burlesque).

Founded by Alicia DiStefano and Byron Laviolette, WTF is dedicated to the promotion, production and presentation of Toronto’s best in Drag, Clown and Puppetry. We are committed to creating a space for artists to play, audiences to laugh and the community to celebrate.

What The Festival

September 25-27, 2025

Youngplace, 180 Shaw Street

Appropriate for audiences 18+

Featured Shows and Cabaret Tickets are $15-35

• Thursday September 25 •

7:30pm - Juice Break - Small World Music Centre

9pm - Peggy’s Place - Sweet Action Theatre

• Friday September 26 •

7:30pm - The Shiniest Piece of Trailer Trash - Sweet Action Theatre

9pm - Strange Maker Showcase - Small World Music Centre

• Saturday September 27 •

3pm - Get Bent: A Balloon Twisting Workshop - Social Arts Studio Space

5pm - Clown & Bouffon: Despair & Hope Panel - Small World Music Centre

7:30pm - Milk Milk Lemonade - Sweet Action Theatre

9pm - The (Im)possible Cabaret - Small World Music Centre

For tickets and the complete festival schedule, visit www.wtfestival.ca.