Toronto Production Company
BEARS! In The City! Logo

Many Happy Returns
At Toronto Fringe Festival 2026

Come check out our award-winning, immersive time-travel show:

Rewrite history at this smash hit, immersive time travel adventure, Winner of No Proscenium’s 2025 Audience Award for Outstanding Immersive Work!

Tickets here
Many Happy Returns Artwork

Time Travellers, your mission: infiltrate and manipulate a 1926 New Year’s Eve speakeasy, retrieving ten historical artifacts - or stay trapped in a time loop. Dress to impress, secure a cocktail, make new friends, and team up for this thrilling escapade!

Every choice reveals novel timelines; no two missions are alike - return to uncover more secrets!

30-minute cocktail reception to meet co-operatives, 60-minute caper! 19+

Check out our trailer:

"I had such an amazing time at this production... These performers are masterful... If you're feeling like a fun and glamourous night out, Many Happy Returns is the show for you!... You definitely don't want to miss out on Many Happy Returns."

-Janine Marley, A View from the Box

"The brilliance of Many Happy Returns lies in the many branches of the story... A genuine sense of camaraderie as we unlocked pieces of the puzzle... a time loop I'd happily experience over and over and over again."

-Katrina Lat, Toronto Curator, No Proscenium

"Better than an escape room!"

-Audience Testimonial

What We Do

At BEARS!  In The City!, we strive to create a unique world of joy through play, comedy, and abandon for ourselves and our audience. Aiming to become a giant tree on the entertainment landscape.

Our mission: To enlighten, entertain, and inspire.

Our Story

BEARS!  In The City! is a Toronto-based multimedia production company.

We are proud of having Queer leadership, sharing compelling stories with integrity, and we're passionate about anti-oppression.

Now

Ongoing Work

Our journey continues with "Many Happy Returns", "Whomst've?!", and several more immersive shows, currently in development.

Thanks for joining us!

2025

No Proscenium "Immie" Award

For "Many Happy Returns", we were honoured to receive the 2025 No Proscenium "Immie" Audience Award for Outstanding Immersive Work, nominated alongside such giants as Disney, Meow Wolf, and Netflix.

2021

Immersive Collaborations

Since 2021, BEARS!  In The City! has collaborated with immersive behemoth IntrigueX, adapting a series of immersive shows for Toronto audiences, including our current show, "Many Happy Returns". We are thrilled to have founding member, Anjali Rai, back on the team as a starring cast member in "Many Happy Returns", among other fantastic performers (Programme).

2020

Whomst've?!

In 2020, Julie teamed up with longtime friend and artist, Sky Wyatt (in Vancouver), to begin development of the detective comedy TV series, "Whomst've?!", which is currently seeking co-producers and networks for development.

2014

Multi-media expansion

From 2014 onward, Julie has continued to develop our portfolio, inclduing the creation of short films, PSAs, and cabaret-style shows, featuring our ever-popular lead character, little bear.

2013

First Tour

In 2013, we toured our first devised show, "Sorry 'Bout That.", to acclaim, at Fringe festivals across Canada.

2012

Foundation

Founded in 2012 by good friends and theatre co-conspirators, Julie Cohn and Anjali Rai, BEARS!  In The City! began with a passion for conservation and bear antics.

Our bear-related works have a mandate to donate proceeds to bear conservation efforts.

Meet The Team

Julie Cohn Portrait

Julie Cohn

(she/them)

Founder, Artistic Director

Julie is an actor, director, writer, dramaturg, and devised theatre creator with over 35 years' experience in theatre, film, television, voice over, radio, and dance. She is passionate about creating immersive experiences. Julie is also the Creative Director for immersive behemoth IntrigueX, in Toronto. Previously, she has served as Artistic Director of the multidisciplinary production company Palette Collective.

Julie’s recent awards and successes include:

  • No Proscenium’s "Immie" Audience Award for Outstanding Immersive Work for "Many Happy Returns" (BEARS! In The City!/IntrigueX)
  • CanadaShorts Award of Excellence & Best Acting Ensemble for "The Last Supper" (48 Hour Film Project)
  • "The Devil Comes at Night", Blood in the Snow Festival Selection
  • The Mix’s Top 5 Vancouver Fringe Shows of 2018 for "Is That How Clowns Have Sex?" (Devising, Direction – National Fringe Tour, 2018)
  • Best of Fringe for "Meet Cute" (Direction – Toronto Fringe, 2015)
  • "The Affinity Initiative" (Acting – Edinburgh Fringe, 2021)
  • Vancouver Fringe Festival, 5 Favourite Shows for "Sorry ‘Bout That." (Devising, Direction, Acting – National Fringe Tour, 2013/BEARS! In The City!)

Julie’s prior work with IntrigueX includes co-creation and direction for "(Un)remembering", and "Stepping into the (Un)known" for Nuit Blanche 2023. Catch Julie on TV in "What We Do in the Shadows" (FX), and stay tuned for her upcoming detective comedy TV series, "Whomst’ve?!" (BEARS! In The City!).

Julie enjoys sharing compelling stories with integrity and is passionate about anti-oppression. She actively strives to support equity-seeking groups: in 2024, she was honoured to create a successful immersive benefit show for Glad Day Books, the oldest surviving Queer bookstore! Since 2022, she has served as a juror and reading committee member for outACTRAto’s annual 2SLGBTQIA+ script development workshop, Working the Scene in Rainbow. Her artistic mandate is to entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Julie holds the following degrees and educational certifications: M.Cl.Sc., Western University; BA, University of British Columbia; Certificate Program, Acting for Film and Television, Vancouver Film School; and has trained with multiple other writing academies and acting studios across Canada.

Creative Direction, Immersion: linkedin.com/in/heyjuliecohn
Acting: juliecohn.workbooklive.com

Julie also runs the largest escape room meetup in the world, in conjunction with Morty! Feel free to join us, here: meetup.com/toronto-escape-rooms

Sky Wyatt Portrait

Sky Wyatt

(he/him)

Co-Creator, "Whomst've?!"

Sky Wyatt is a Vancouver-based writer, performer, and recording artist with a creative life that spans screens, stages, and studios. Besides "Whomst’ve?!", Sky is working on a sci-fi romance series "Falling Forward," and a feature film "Lucid," about two university students who go deeper into lucid dreaming than anyone should. As a performer, Sky is a UBCP/ACTRA member with screen credits including the Lifetime film, "Sweet Mountain Christmas," and just finished playing Ray Rector in the musical production, "Singers in a Smoky Room." He is also a country recording artist signed to Twin Note Music.

Anjali Rai Portrait

Anjali Rai

(she/her)

Founder, Co-Creator, "Sorry 'Bout That."

Anjali was last seen in the Secret City Adventure’s production of "The Wedding Party" at The Doctor’s House and Sawitri Theatre Group’s production of "Pandemic Pandemonium". Before that she was seen in various theatre productions around the GTA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre from the University of British Columbia (UBC). In addition to being a theatre actor, she also does film, television and voice work.

Many Happy Returns
At Toronto Fringe Festival 2026

Come check out our award-winning, immersive time-travel show:

Rewrite history at this smash hit, immersive time travel adventure, Winner of No Proscenium’s 2025 Audience Award for Outstanding Immersive Work!

Tickets here
Many Happy Returns Artwork

Time Travellers, your mission: infiltrate and manipulate a 1926 New Year’s Eve speakeasy, retrieving ten historical artifacts - or stay trapped in a time loop. Dress to impress, secure a cocktail, make new friends, and team up for this thrilling escapade!

Every choice reveals novel timelines; no two missions are alike - return to uncover more secrets!

30-minute cocktail reception to meet co-operatives, 60-minute caper! 19+

Check out our trailer:

"I had such an amazing time at this production... These performers are masterful... If you're feeling like a fun and glamourous night out, Many Happy Returns is the show for you!... You definitely don't want to miss out on Many Happy Returns."

-Janine Marley, A View from the Box

"The brilliance of Many Happy Returns lies in the many branches of the story... A genuine sense of camaraderie as we unlocked pieces of the puzzle... a time loop I'd happily experience over and over and over again."

-Katrina Lat, Toronto Curator, No Proscenium

"Better than an escape room!"

-Audience Testimonial

Upcoming

Whomst've?!

Detective comedy TV series in development!

Whomst've?! artwork

Past Works

Stepping into the (Un)known

Immersive experience guiding self-exploration. Lineups around the block!

Nuit Blanche artwork

Goldi-un-lock-ed

little bear gets even.

Goldi-un-lock-ed artwork

Sorry 'Bout That.

The ice caps are melting. Bears must come to the city. Get into it.

Sorry About That image one
Sorry About That image two