After a packed stretch of arena shows, Montreal’s date-night calendar shifts gears this week. The next ten days mix Broadway nostalgia, a symphony crossover that genuinely shouldn’t work but does, a stand-up legend, and a Quebec singer you need to know. Whether you want sequins and ABBA or something a little more unexpected, October keeps delivering.

🎭 Mamma Mia! at Place des Arts (Oct 13-18)

The touring Broadway production of the ABBA musical lands at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier for eight performances starting Tuesday the 13th. Two hours of dancing, sequins, and a soundtrack you will be humming for days. It sounds like a cliché date but it consistently sells out, and it’s one of those shows that works on everyone regardless of whether they came in convinced. Matinées on the weekend if evenings book up.

📍 Where: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts, 175 rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, downtown
🗓️ When: October 13-18. Multiple shows; check placedesarts.com for times and tickets.

🎤 Apashe x OSM at Maison symphonique (Oct 8-10)

Montreal’s own Apashe is performing his orchestral works live with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, three nights inside Maison symphonique. Apashe has spent his career layering sweeping classical arrangements into hard-hitting electronic production, and hearing that combination played by a full symphony orchestra is a genuinely different night out. This one has limited availability, so check placedesarts.com before you make other plans.

📍 Where: Maison symphonique, 1600 rue Saint-Urbain, Quartier des Spectacles
🗓️ When: October 8, 9, and 10. Tickets at placedesarts.com. Limited places remaining.

🎸 beabadoobee at Place Bell, Laval (Oct 8)

The British-Filipino indie artist brings her “Powerlines Tour” to Place Bell on Thursday night with opener Wisp. Her recordings lean dreamy and bedroom-pop, but the live show has a reputation for being considerably louder and more electric than expected. Place Bell is about 30 minutes from downtown on the Orange Line to Montmorency, easy to get to and easy to get home from.

📍 Where: Place Bell, 1950 rue Claude-Gagné, Laval (Orange Line to Montmorency, 30 min from downtown)
🗓️ When: Thursday, October 8. Tickets at evenko.ca.

👏 John Cleese at Théâtre Olympia (Oct 7-8)

The Monty Python co-creator is doing two nights at the Olympia, and it’s less a traditional stand-up set than a career-spanning evening of stories, film clips, and Q&A. Cleese is 87 and clearly not planning to slow down, and the Olympia is one of the better venues in the city for this kind of evening. Wednesday night still has availability.

📍 Where: Théâtre Olympia, 1004 rue Sainte-Catherine Est, Plateau-Mont-Royal
🗓️ When: October 7 and 8. Tickets at olympiamontreal.ca.

🎻 Engelbert Humperdinck at Théâtre Maisonneuve (Oct 8-9)

“Release Me.” “After the Lovin’.” If your partner has any fondness for the romantic pop of a certain era, these two nights at Place des Arts will land. Humperdinck is on a Celebration Tour through North America, and the Théâtre Maisonneuve is intimate enough that there’s no bad seat in the house. Two nights: Thursday and Friday.

📍 Where: Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts, 175 rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
🗓️ When: October 8 and 9. Tickets at placedesarts.com.

👻 Ghostly Kisses and the FILMharmonique Orchestra (Oct 16)

Quebec singer-songwriter Ghostly Kisses (Margaux Sauvé) collaborates with the FILMharmonique Orchestra at Maison symphonique for a symphonic evening built around her catalogue of cinematic, atmospheric pop. It’s one night only, and the combination of her voice with a full orchestra gives this a distinct autumn-evening quality that a regular concert wouldn’t have.

📍 Where: Maison symphonique, 1600 rue Saint-Urbain, Quartier des Spectacles
🗓️ When: Friday, October 16. Tickets at placedesarts.com.

🍷 Les Rendez-vous Raspipav (Oct 17-19)

A tasting showcase from Quebec’s artisan wine, craft beer, and spirits producers, running three days in the Quartier des Spectacles area. This is a proper tasting event with producers from across the province rather than a generic liquor expo, so you’ll actually learn something while you go. Low-key format, comfortable pace, and a solid few hours for anyone who likes exploring what Quebec makes beyond the obvious bottles on the SAQ shelf.

📍 Where: Quartier des Spectacles, downtown Montreal
🗓️ When: October 17-19. Hours and tickets at raspipav.com.