Promotional artwork for Shadow Theatre’s Edmonton production of Kat Sandler’s Yaga, directed by Lana Michelle Hughes and running October 14 to November 1, 2026, at the Varscona Theatre.
Photo credit: Shadow Theatre
Shadow Theatre is opening its 2026–27 season with Kat Sandler’s Yaga, a mystery-comedy that begins at Edmonton’s Varscona Theatre on October 14. The first performance is a preview, with the official opening on October 15 and performances continuing through November 1. Lana Michelle Hughes directs the production as she begins her first season as the company’s artistic director.
In Sandler’s play, a detective arrives in an isolated town to investigate the disappearance of the young heir to a yogurt empire. An apprehensive sheriff, a university professor and stories about Baba Yaga all figure in the investigation. Shadow Theatre describes the play as a blend of comedy, folklore and whodunit, with the figure from Slavic folklore reimagined for a contemporary setting.
The Edmonton production has a three-person cast: N Girgis is billed as Woman A, Emily Howard as Woman B and Maxwell Vesely as Man. The set is designed by cm zuby, with costumes by Kat Evans, lighting by Even Gilchrist and sound by Chris Scott. Morgan Yamada is the intimacy and fight director, Tim Yakimec is stage manager and Tiana Maclean is production manager.
Hughes has chosen Yaga to begin her first season leading Shadow Theatre, following the retirement of longtime artistic director and co-founder John Hudson. In a June interview with Edmonton theatre critic Liz Nicholls for 12thNight.ca, Hughes called the play “scary, yes, but really funny” and said she had wanted to stage it for some time.
Sandler wrote and directed the original Yaga, which played Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre from September 17 to October 27, 2019. That production featured Claire Armstrong, Will Greenblatt and Seana McKenna. The play was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play.
The Edmonton run also coincides with the arrival of Sandler’s television adaptation. Crave’s eight-episode YAGA premieres on October 23, while Shadow Theatre’s production is still onstage. Sandler wrote the series and serves as its showrunner and an executive producer; its principal cast includes Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, Clark Backo and Hudson Williams.
The published premises already establish one difference between the two versions. In Shadow Theatre’s description of the stage play, the missing heir belongs to a yogurt empire. Bell Media’s synopsis of the television series identifies the missing man as Henry Park, heir to a fishery. Beyond those official descriptions, the Edmonton production can be approached on its own terms without anticipating the series’ plot.
Shadow Theatre lists a free student preview for October 14, pay-what-you-will matinees on October 17 and 24, and two-for-one Tuesday performances on October 20 and 27. Tickets are offered through the theatre’s website. The company estimates a running time of two hours plus a 15-minute intermission and recommends the play for audiences aged 16 and older.
The Varscona Theatre, in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighbourhood, has wheelchair-accessible seating and washrooms. Shadow Theatre advises patrons with specific access needs to contact the company in advance. Audience members seeking details of the production’s content advisories can consult the theatre directly at info@shadowtheatre.org or 780-434-5564.
