2b theatre company is turning 25, and we are throwing a special birthday concert to mark the occasion on June 25th, 2025.
2b has been representing Halifax and Canada on the world stage for 25 years. And through it all, we’ve had the privilege of collaborating with some of Canada’s most brilliant musical minds.
2b is commemorating 25 years of groundbreaking creation by presenting a unique show — 25 years: The Music and the Muses of 2b theatre company.
The event will feature a triple bill, with mini-sets from past and present 2b collaborators Aquakultre, Ben Caplan, and Hawksley Workman. Each artist will perform a selection of songs from original shows created with 2b, sharing the stories behind the creative process.
Halifax’s venerable Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 is our venue partner.
2b first collaborated with Juno award-winning singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman in 2013 with The God That Comes, an original adaptation of the ancient story of The Bacchae that premiered in March 2013 and toured the world until 2017, with stops in Edinburgh, New Zealand, Australia, and Halifax’s own Marquee Ballroom.
Halifax’s Ben Caplan’s first 2b collaboration is Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b’s biggest-ever touring hit, having been performed more than 400 times in 37 cities around the world since 2017. Old Stock won critical acclaim and awards the world-over as a New York Times Critics’ Pick and six-time Drama Desk Award nominee.
2b’s newest music-theatre hybrid collaboration is with Halifax musical phenom, Aquakultre. This new groundbreaking show will premiere in 2026.
“Music is the most direct road to the heart,” Says 2b Artistic Director, Christian Barry. “2b prides ourselves on making shows that grapple with big ideas, but connecting with the human heart comes before everything else. That’s why music is such a big part of what we do.” On the company turning 25, Barry says: “It’s kind of a shock. We started this company when we were kids, and I still feel like a kid. We are so proud to represent Canada on the world stage. And to get to make shows with my musical heroes is a dream. I hope folks can come out and celebrate 25 years of 2b with these superstars!”
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
Aquakultre is the artistic voice of Lance Sampson — an uncommonly versatile singer, rapper, composer and storyteller from Halifax, NS. Since winning the 2018 CBC Searchlight competition, Aquakultre has released two Polaris-nominated albums and a multitude of genre-diverse, multi-media collaborations, establishing him as a significant musical and cultural presence. The live show is a warm-hearted party where all are welcomed by Aquakultre’s big voice and bigger stage presence. Through all his works, via poetic lyrics and straight-up jams, Aquakultre is on a mission to share his love for his unique and beautiful corner of the culture.
Ben Caplan is both the roar of the hurricane and the eye of the storm. He has an uncanny ability to channel both wild abandon and quiet introspection. His songwriting pulls from many diverse influences but both his music and his lyrics regularly draw from his Jewish heritage. Often mixing biblical imagery and klezmer inflected melodies, Caplan re-appropriates ancient sounds and themes with a decidedly contemporary twist. Ben released his first studio album in 2011, and has spent the last ten years recording music and performing to ever growing audiences in music clubs and theatres around the world.
A uniquely enduring Canadian artist, Hawksley Workman has maintained a decades-long career while still drawing crowds worldwide and amassing new fans with every release. The JUNO Award-winning and Gold Record certified singer-songwriter had a landmark year on the road in 2024, touring across every Canadian province and the Yukon. Internationally, he also completed a successful tour across the UK and Europe. Performing over a thousand shows worldwide, Hawksley has headlined prestigious venues like Massey Hall and The Olympia in Paris. He has built loyal fan bases in the UK, France, Norway and Australia launching many successful tours, demystifying and delighting fans while drawing on an enviable catalogue of mischievous favourites, glammy stompers and heartfelt hymns to small town Canada.
