Two weeks ago, in the grand hall of the Monument-National — the very stage where so many of them first learned to truly inhabit a space — the graduating students of the National Theatre School of Canada received their diplomas, surrounded by loved ones, teachers, and the entire community that walked alongside them throughout their training. 

A ceremony that felt just like the people it was honouring: alive, colourful, and deeply personal. The evening opened with a presentation by Soleil Launière (Indigenous Residency, 2020), followed by an awards ceremony recognizing excellence and outstanding journeys across each program, before program directors took to the microphone to say a few words about each of their students — every single one. 

Nine programs, one school 

This year, graduating cohorts from all nine of the School’s programs are crossing the threshold together — in both French and English sections. Performers trained in the precision of acting and the mastery of the stage. Directors who have learned to lead, to listen, to take risks. Playwrights who have found their voice and begun writing for the theatre of today. Production and technical arts professionals ready to run the behind-the-scenes machinery of the industry. Designers whose vision can transform a bare stage into an entire world. And the artists completing their journeys through the Independent Residencies and the Indigenous Residency — two vital presences that continue to enrich and expand what Canadian theatre can be and say. 

And now, what comes next. 

The professional world is demanding, ever-changing, and often unpredictable. But that is precisely what these artists were trained for — in French and in English, at a school that carries the word “national” as a genuine responsibility toward theatre across Canada. 

Congratulations to the entire Class of 2026. We cannot wait to see you on stages across the country — and to follow wherever those first steps in the profession take you.