National Circus School graduation shows 2026

Discover the talent of the next generation of graduates from the National Circus School through three unique shows—including Macbeth, the grand finale performance—and enjoy the privileged experience of attending their final exam.

Macbeth - Graduating Students Show

The 2026 Graduating Class Show of the National Circus School marks the culmination of the cohort’s training journey. As they stand on the threshold of entering the professional world, these emerging circus artists present powerful and distinctive performances that showcase the full extent of their talent, creativity, and technical mastery.

This year, ringmaster and director Alex Trahan, together with the cohort, offers a circus reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. When a soldier is promised the crown by three witches, ambition ignites and destiny shifts. Driven by the desire for power and manipulation, he spirals into a world where betrayal, ghosts, and a troubled conscience intertwine.

Through spectacular acrobatics, haunting music, and touches of bold humour, this professional-calibre production explores the corrupting nature of power and the transformation it brings. An intense, electrifying, and unforgettable evening, offering audiences the opportunity to discover the next generation of artists before they take flight toward major stages around the world.

Dates:

• Thursday, May 28 at 8 p.m. – 2026 Benefit Evening
• Friday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m. – Premiere
• Saturday, May 30 at 2 p.m.
• Saturday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, May 31 at 2 p.m.
• Thursday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, June 6 at 2 p.m.
• Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m.

Starting at $32.80
75 min
In the circular hall at TOHU

Diptyque

DIPTYQUE takes the form of a pedagogical creation project presented on stage, made up of two distinct short pieces. It brings together second-year students in the College-level Circus Arts program for an artistic research process where experimentation, technical rigour, and personal expression intersect.

Rooted in a decidedly contemporary aesthetic, the performances are directed by professional creators from a range of artistic backgrounds. Their guidance encourages students to push their limits, refine their stage language, and explore new forms of storytelling.

With DIPTYQUE, the National Circus School creates a dialogue between training and creation, offering a unique space for the next generation of artists to develop and share their voices.

Dates:

• Thursday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m. – School performance
• Thursday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m. – Premiere
• Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, May 23 at 1:00 p.m.
• Saturday, May 23 at 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, May 24 at 1:00 p.m.

Regular price $22
75 minutes
At the National Circus School (8181 Circus Avenue, Montreal)

Preamble

Preamble is the first creative exercise for Circus Arts programs first-year students at the National Circus School (NCS). These animations, which are suitable for the whole family, allows young artists to showcase their circus prowess, to become familiar with entertaining the public. Directed by experienced directors, Preamble brings together two short creations that are presented alternately before the graduating students show presentations at TOHU. 

Dates:

• Thursday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, June 1 at 1:30 p.m.
• Thursday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, June 7 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, June 8 at 1:30 p.m.

Free admission
20 minutes
TOHU, Outdoor venue

Vertige

Students in the secondary-level Cirque-Études program will present Vertige, a show co-created by the group and guided by the expertise and professionalism of a circus director from the field.

Vertige evokes a thrilling suspension over the void, a vulnerable leap into the unknown, and the bold risk of taking artistic flight. This educational project, centred on collective creation, offers emerging circus artists a concrete opportunity to develop their stage presence and their connection with the audience. Through original circus tableaux, the students explore performing before a live audience while demonstrating mastery of their discipline.

Dates:

• Thursday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m. – School show
• Thursday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m. – Premiere
• Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, May 23 at 1:00 p.m.
• Saturday, May 23 at 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, May 24 at 1:00 p.m.

Regular price: $21
60 minutes
At the National Circus School (8181 Circus Avenue, Montreal)

Synthesis Evaluation

The synthesis evaluation represents the culmination of the training program at the National Circus School of Montreal. Presented as a professional-level performance, it marks a key milestone in the graduating students’ journey, showcasing the full range of artistic, technical, and creative skills developed throughout their studies.

Through the creation and performance of an original act, each artist is invited to assert their identity, artistic vision, and mastery of their discipline. The synthesis evaluation highlights the diversity of talent, styles, and creative worlds emerging from the School.

Guided by industry professionals, students experience the complete production process, from concept development to live performance before an audience. A true bridge to professional practice, the synthesis evaluation offers a privileged platform for discovering the next generation of contemporary circus artists and reflects the mission of the National Circus School of Montreal: to train versatile, disciplined, and creative artists ready to join the professional circus community in Canada and abroad.

Dates:

• Monday, April 13, 6:30 p.m. (full performance)
• Tuesday, April 14, 7:00 p.m. (show A)
• Wednesday, April 15, 7:00 p.m. (show B)
• Thursday, April 16, 6:30 p.m. (full performance)

Regular price $22.50 (full performance) / $17.50 (show A or B)
4 hours 30 minutes (full performance) / 2 hours 15 minutes (show A or B)
At the National Circus School

Tickets for the 2026 Synthesis Evaluation will go on sale to the general public starting February 26.

About the National Circus School

For more than 40 years, the National Circus School (NCS) has been training and developing the next generation of circus artists from Quebec and around the world. Renowned worldwide, the NCS is also dedicated to research and innovation in the field of circus arts, in addition to ensuring the conservation and enhancement of heritage, history and living memory of this age-old art. 

The National Circus School welcomes more than 150 students each year, representing approximately 25 nationalities. Over the past four decades, the NCS has trained more than eight hundred circus artists and teachers. Today, it is proud to have contributed to the birth of renowned companies, such as Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, The 7 Fingers and Cirque Alphonse.