2025 Stratford Festival Visitors' Guide (Macbeth Cover)

STRATFORD

63. ARTHUR C. BROOKS ON THE THEATRE OF HAPPINESS

9. INTRODUCING THE 2025 PRODUCTIONS

A SEASON OF harmONY, LOVE ANd WAr

Putting together a playbill is rather like planning a banquet. In each case, there must be a variety of dishes, both savoury and sweet. Each must be uniquely delicious, yet the courses should not clash on the palate but complement each other. Finally, to be nourishing, a banquet must have substance. A feast consisting solely of confectionery or canapés, however delectable, would quickly cloy and leave us deeply unsatisfied.

Offering a full menu of choices, from Shakespearean comedy, romance and tragedy to musicals and world premières, our 2025 playbill presents you with stories of love and amity, of hardship and war, of the fundamental tension between discord and harmony. Conflict and passion are the stuff of theatre and while they might seem polar opposites, they are intimately linked. Most conflict is driven not by random hatred but by some passionately held vision of how we believe the world should be and our own places in it—a vision we feel impelled to defend against whatever we perceive, rightly or wrongly, as a threat, particularly if that threat is close to home. Passion is not necessarily a positive force.

ANTONI CIMOLINO ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Thus brothers are pitted against brothers in As You Like It, warm bonds of friendship and love breed fatal jealousy in The Winter’s Tale and the child-deprived title character of Macbeth seeks to eliminate the lineages of those who would otherwise populate a future he claims for himself.

To an orphan bereft of parental love, the world must seem a lonely battleground—but the indomitable spirits of orphaned youth emerge triumphant in our new dramatic adaptation of the Canadian classic Anne of Green Gables and in the beloved Broadway musical Annie

The con men of this season’s other musical, the hilariously witty Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, try to prey on seemingly vulnerable female hearts, while in the 19th-century world of Sense and Sensibility, hearts are held hostage to social and economic insecurity. Meanwhile, in a selfdeclared “war” between the two amoral aristocrats of Dangerous Liaisons, desire is weaponized to hurt and harm.

WE LOOK TO THEATRE TO INSPIRE AND INVIGORATE US.

Literal wars have inspired three contemporary dramas on this year’s playbill. The Art of War’s visceral description of the realities of combat brought me to tears when I first read it, while the new play Ransacking Troy delights us with an unexpectedly comic take on Greek mythology’s classic conflict. But the title that brings together the many threads that run through this season’s playbill—love, war, hardship, parents and children—is that of Forgiveness

This is a play about families finding a way to reconcile themselves to their bitter wartime experiences—not to diminish those experiences but to advance beyond them to a place of resolution and healing.

This is what I mean by a playbill of substance: one that celebrates the joys of human life without shying away from its ills. In a theatre, we bear witness to intense experiences without risk to ourselves and we are made better for it. We may laugh, we may cry, but in either case we look to theatre to inspire and invigorate us, to make us more fully alive, more in harmony with our fellow human beings.

A great feast of language, ideas and emotions awaits you here in 2025; I hope it may leave you nourished and fortified in heart and soul.

ST rAT FEST ONSIT

AN INVITATION FROm VENUS

Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino has put together a season whose theme invokes three Roman deities: Venus, the goddess of love; Mars, the god of war; and Apollo, the god of music, healing and harmony. All three of these aspects of humanity offer rich potential for spellbinding drama in the theatre but, speaking for myself, I tend to lean into love. As the words of the old Skeeter Davis song put it, “I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

When it comes to the Stratford Festival, here are some of the things I love: ONE: Artists pushing themselves to new heights of achievement. TWO: Newcomers encountering the Festival for the first time and discovering the charms of Stratford and its surrounding countryside. THREE: Surprising long-time patrons with new works and hitherto overlooked classics. FOUR: Observing how the Stratford experience forges connections among audience members—connections that often reach across generations. FIVE: Witnessing the worldviews of young people being expanded as they are exposed to timeless truths and challenging new ideas brought vividly to life on our stages. SIX: Watching the swans cruise along the Avon River. SEVEN: The downtown streets bustling with visitors and residents. EIGHT: Sunny summer days on downtown patios and crisp fall days at local farmers’ markets. NINE: Lively conversations around dining tables about the productions and the issues that emerge from them. TEN: Gaining new insights into the plays and the historical and cultural contexts that surround them at the Meighen Forum. ELEVEN: Being part of the Festival team—numbering more than 1,000 artists, staff and crew—as we work in harmony (mostly!) to create and support the work on our stages.

On those occasions when I do fight, I do so for the health of the Festival, for the enrichment of the broader cultural landscape and for the stability of the local economy. Those are fights that I will never forgo, for they too are driven by love: my deep and abiding love of the Festival and the community that gave it birth, and the immense pride I take in both. Though no warrior by temperament, I will defend their interests as fiercely as any mama bear defends her cubs.

I believe that our world—riven by wars and yearning for harmony as we strive to affirm the importance of love amid so much confusion—needs the work of the Festival now more than ever. We are a safe harbour, a place where ideas are explored and new possibilities imaginatively brought to life, a place committed to excellence in all things. We are a place that celebrates the human spirit, a place where all are welcome.

The countless pleasures to be found in Stratford—the fun, the joy, the sheer entertainment—aren’t limited to our theatres. Ours is a community that punches far above its weight when it comes to restaurants, accommodation, shopping, all the amenities that make for an unforgettable mini-break or extended vacation. Both on stage and off, experiences await you here that just might change your life—because you never know when you’re going to encounter that magical moment that captures your heart forever. If harmony is to be found anywhere these days, I’d say it’s right here in my hometown. So don’t fight it any longer: I invite you to heed the call of Venus and fall in love with Stratford in 2025!

2025 AT A GLANCE

Welcome to the Stratford Festival. It is a great privilege to gather and share stories on this beautiful territory, which has been the site of human activity—and therefore storytelling— for many thousands of years. We wish to honour the ancestral guardians of this land and its waterways: the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Wendat and the Attiwonderonk. Today many Indigenous peoples continue to call this land home and act as its stewards; this responsibility extends to all peoples, to share and care for this land for generations to come.

Welcome.

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

MICHAEL ADAMS

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, CONTENT AND EDITORIAL

JENNIFER LEE

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

SHELBY BOYD

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ERIN EDWARDS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

STUDIO MANAGER

MELINDA TIMMINS

COPY EDITOR

CHERYL HAWLEY

MARKETING ADMINISTRATOR

KATIE GILSON CLARK

ON THE COVERS

Visitors’ Guide

Tom McCamus, Lucy Peacock. Tattoo art by Kris Sharon.

Photography by Ted Belton

Photography Assistant, Nigel Tang

Harper Rae Asch.

Vanessa Sears and Jonathan Mason in Romeo and Juliet, 2024. Photography by Lucia Remedios. Set and Costume Designer Sue LePage, Lighting Designer Louise Guinand, Composer and Sound Designer Debashis Sinha, Fight Director and Intimacy Director Anita Nittoly, Choreographer Adrienne Gould.

THEMED WEEKS

JUNE 9–15

PRIDE WEEK

JUNE 30–JULY 6

SEASON DEEP DIVE WEEK

JULY 7–13

AUGUST 4–10 CBC IDEAS WEEK

GLOBAL THEATRE WEEK

AUGUST 18–24

READERS AND WRITERS WEEK

SEPTEMBER 15–21

SCHOLARS AND EXPERTS WEEK

OCTOBER 20–26

EDUCATION WEEK

A meeting place for artists, thought leaders and experts spanning industries. See the return of Themed Weeks, Peer into the Playbill and Monday Night Music.

DIRECTOR OF MAKEUP VIKTOR PETERS WORDS AND INTERVIEWS BY JAMES

THE 2025 SEA ON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TED BELTON STYLING BY JOYCE PADUA

GRAINGER AND JENNIFER LEE

AS YOU LIKE IT

AS YOU LIKE IT

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Love is abound in the Forest of Arden … it just takes time and exploration to uncover. Deep in its shadowed groves, the banished Duchess Senior and a cast of courtiers, fools and rustics find refuge and renewal. Soon they are joined by other refugees from the cutthroat world of court politics, including the Duchess’s own daughter, Rosalind, disguised as the handsome lad Ganymede, and her faithful cousin Celia. When Orlando—cheated out of his inheritance by his cruel older brother—retreats to the Forest of Arden with a maiden he’s met at court on his mind, he is too heartsick to recognize the object of his affection,

Christopher Allen Orlando

Sean Arbuckle Duke Frederick

Steve Ross Touchstone

Makambe K. Simamba Celia

Aaron Krohn Jaques

Sara Farb Rosalind

Seana McKenna Duchess Senior

“All the world’s a StAGE, And all the men and women merely pLAYErS. ”

Rosalind, hidden beneath her fabricated mask. A playful Rosalind, eager to school her young suitor in the ways of love as appreciated by a woman, offers him lessons as Ganymede and spins a web delightfully sticky enough to entangle even her own heart. Love in its all-knowing beauty here works to prove there’s plenty of room beneath Arden’s Arcadian boughs for a wedding—perhaps more than one.

As You Like It remains one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated comedies, a play as enjoyable as it is quotable with a story that has become an archetype in the realm of romantic comedies. For director Chris Abraham, who first directed the play two decades ago, As You Like It sparked a lifelong connection with Shakespeare’s work. “The play’s humour, its warmth

and its resilience feel especially relevant right now,” says Abraham while speaking about his excitement around returning to the play once more as director. “It invites us to reflect on how we, too, can draw from the past, from nature and from our connections with one another to navigate the uncertainty around us.”

“It’s the hard-KNOCK life for us!”

ANNIE

BOOK BY THOMAS MEEHAN

MUSIC BY CHARLES STROUSE

LYRICS BY MARTIN CHARNIN

ORIGINAL BROADWAY PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY MARTIN CHARNIN

BASED ON LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE® BY PERMISSION OF TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC

Annie Bennett is a mop-topped orphan determined to find her happily ever after: a family. In pursuit of this dream, she escapes her orphanage and its dreadful caretaker, Miss Hannigan, only to be brought back again. Not long after, the kind secretary of billionaire Oliver Warbucks arrives and chooses Annie to bring along to holiday festivities happening at the mansion. Once the pair learn of Annie’s lifelong search to find her birth parents, they aid the young girl in her hunt, setting off a chain of wacky—and rocky—adventures.

Annie—a Broadway hit with seven Tony Awards—is one of the most popular musicals ever written. The iconic family show has been a ray of sunshine in the lives of audiences since its original six-year run. And it’s no wonder, given the musical is chock-a-block with memorable (and oh-so-hummable) songs like “Tomorrow,” “Hard-Knock Life” and “Fully Dressed.”

“Annie and her message are hard to resist,” says director and choreographer Donna Feore. “Annie is the story of an optimist— one who has very little reason to be so.” Set in New York during the 1930s, the title character’s outlook on life “defies the Great Depression” period setting and nudges those around her to break out and dare to follow her lead. Feore notes, “There is no one Annie meets who is not moved to action by her passionate belief in the future.”

Like the magnetism of Annie’s cheery demeanour, a Feore production, too, has the keen allure of irresistible glee. The director/choreographer’s list of critically acclaimed musicals grows longer with every passing season and includes Chicago, Billy Elliot the Musical, The Rocky Horror Show, The Sound of Music, Oliver! and last year’s spectacular crowd-pleaser Something Rotten! As for what Feore has planned for Annie, a fresh take is to be expected from this director/choreographer. “Whatever version of Annie our audience may have seen before,” she says, “I can assure them that ours will be both familiar and wonderfully new.”

DIRECTED BY DONNA FEORE

CHOREOGRAPHED BY DONNA FEORE

MUSIC DIRECTION BY LAURA BURTON

SET AND COSTUME DESIGN BY MICHAEL GIANFRANCESCO

LIGHTING DESIGN BY KIMBERLY PURTELL

PROJECTION DESIGN BY SEAN NIEUWENHUIS

SOUND DESIGN BY HALEY PARCHER

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS: ROBERT & MARY ANN GORLIN, RIKI TUROFSKY & CHARLES PETERSEN AND PETER & CAROL WALTERS

Harper Rae Asch

Annie

Amanda Lundgren

Lily St. Regis

Mark Uhre

Rooster

Dan

Chameroy

Oliver

Warbucks

Laura

Condlln Miss Hannigan

Jennifer Rider-Shaw

Grace Farrell

“What hasWEALTH or FAmE to do with being happY?”

SENSE ANd SENSIbILITY

DIRECTED BY DARYL CLORAN

SET AND COSTUME DESIGN BY DANA OSBORNE

LIGHTING DESIGN BY JARETH LI

ORIGINAL MUSIC AND SOUND DESIGN BY JONATHAN LEWIS

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS:

THE WILLIAM AND NONA HEASLIP FOUNDATION AND THE TREMAIN FAMILY

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

BY KATE HAMILL

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY JANE AUSTEN

When country squire Henry Dashwood dies unexpectedly, his three daughters are left dependent on their half-brother, the man who has inherited the family fortune. Unfortunately, he and his scheming wife, Fanny, are not keen on sharing, and the Dashwood sisters and their mother are forced to beg lodgings at a rich cousin’s estate. There, in the beautiful English countryside, the two elder Dashwood sisters—sensible, subdued Elinor and passionate Marianne—are courted by a train of suitors, including the dashing Willoughby, whose charisma induces heart-palpitations. Matches are made. Matches are broken. Soon all the local busybodies are chit-chatting, anxiously guessing at happy endings.

Playwright Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Sense and Sensibility captures the keen wit and sharp social commentary of Jane Austen’s iconic novel. For director Daryl Cloran, adapting the book for the stage has offered the unique opportunity to introduce theatre audiences to the full breadth of the author’s vision for her characters. “Sense and Sensibility often gets reduced to just a romance or a love story. But there’s so much more to it than that. At its heart, the story is about two young women finding their own voices and the autonomy to choose their own path in the midst of societal pressures.” Hamill’s adaptation works to highlight these elements. Summarized as “playful, romantic and filled with joy” by the director, Austen’s voice is ever present in the play. He affirms, “It remains true to the novel while continuously finding fun, innovative ways to tell the story.”

Hill

DIRECTED BY ESTHER JUN SET DESIGN BY TERESA PRZYBYLSKI

COSTUME DESIGN BY NADINE GRANT

LIGHTING DESIGN BY ARUN SRINIVASAN

ORIGINAL MUSIC AND SOUND DESIGN BY RICHARD FEREN

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS:

CATHY & PAUL COTTON AND DOUG KENNEDY

“I want the ExcITemENt of watching her betray everything that’s

dANGErOUS LIAISONS

DANGEROUS LIAISONS

BY CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON

CHODERLOS DE LACLOS

In pre-revolutionary France, ex-lovers the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont—revelling in their own privilege and decadence—initiate a menacing game of manipulation, seduction and blackmail. Their victims: the pious Madame de Tourvel and the naive Cécile Volanges, along with her young music teacher with whom she is infatuated. A tale of rich people behaving badly straight out of binge-worthy contemporary dramas, the play takes a gloriously messy turn when Valmont breaks the rules of his own game and dares to fall in love with his mark, Madame de Tourvel.

Based on the 18th-century novel that scandalized the courts of Louis XVI, Christopher Hampton’s 1985 stage adaptation of Les Liaisons dangereuses was an instant hit with critics and audiences when it premièred in Stratford-upon-Avon. Director Esther Jun confesses that she has wanted to direct Dangerous Liaisons since she saw the 1988 movie adaptation (based on Hampton’s play), as a high school student. “At the time I was dazzled by these sophisticated, confident and powerful characters,” she recalls. “Thirty years later, I realize how deeply flawed these characters are, but yet still so human. These characters are just playing the game society has created for them.” For proof, audiences need only watch the actions of the Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont. Expert manipulators, the pair cunningly wield their charm, preying on the vulnerabilities of fellow aristocrats—at times to seduce, at others to degrade and always for the simple reason: because they can. But even with depravity and heartache abound, Jun is clear on her role as the director unpacking this story. “I am not here to pass moral judgement on characters. They may be challenged but I am more interested in why. Why do they behave that way? What led them to their choices?” Questions sure to prove as tantalizing for audiences to ponder as the actions precipitating them are to watch on stage.

FROM LEFT: JESSE GERVAIS, JESSICA B. HILL, CELIA ALOMA

Celia Aloma Mme de Tourvel

Nadine Villasin Mme de Volanges

Leon Qin Le Chevalier Danceny

Ashley Dingwell Cécile Volanges

Jesse Gervais Le Vicomte de Valmont

Jessica B. Hill La Marquise de Merteuil

Seana McKenna Mme de Rosemonde

MACBETH

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH EX MACHINA

Amesmerizing prophecy. Unchecked political ambition. Tyranny and civil war. In Macbeth, Shakespeare dramatized the consequences of individual evil with a stark clarity that continues to shock audiences centuries later. Are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth victims of fate, dangled before them in the form of three guileful witches? Or do the witches merely grant the couple permission to act out their power-starved will?

Visionary director Robert Lepage returns to Stratford for the first time since his internationally praised 2018 production of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. In Lepage’s new boundary-smashing production, the clan loyalties and blood feuds of medieval Scotland are cast in parallel with biker gang wars. It is as Shakespeare prohpesized, “Blood will have blood,” no matter where the time and place.

The reason for this, in Lepage’s opinion, is clear. “Macbeth is always timely because whatever the political system or the moment in history, there is always a Macbeth somewhere … an ambitious person who transforms a society into a dictatorship.” Tyrannical murder aside, the director would like audiences to consider the passionate love story between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth at the play’s bloody heart. “Yes, it’s a very violent play with apparitions and witches, but it’s also a great love story about a man and his lady and how incredibly close they are,” says Lepage. “You feel that there is a past to their relationship, and they are incredibly faithful to each other.”

A complex cautionary tale of succumbing to human nature’s fatal flaws, the Scottish play is a mythical confrontation befitting contemporary audiences and their readily fed ambition.

“What’s dOne cannot be UNdOne. ”

DIRECTED BY ROBERT LEPAGE

SET DESIGN BY ARIANE SAUVÉ

COSTUME DESIGN BY MICHAEL GIANFRANCESCO

LIGHTING DESIGN BY KIMBERLY PURTELL

ORIGINAL MUSIC AND SOUND DESIGN BY JOHN GZOWSKI

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS: THE FABIO MASCARIN FOUNDATION AND LAURIE J. SCOTT

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS: SYLVIA SOYKA, CAROL STEPHENSON, O.C. AND CATHERINE WILKES IN MEMORY OF DAVID

FROM LEFT: LUCY PEACOCK, TOM McCAMUS

mAcbetH

Tom Rooney Macduff

Graham Abbey Banquo

Tom McCamus Macbeth

Lucy Peacock Lady Macbeth

“At the crUx of every game is knowing when it’s time tO LEAVE the table.”

SHAKURA DICKSON, LIAM TOBIN, JONATHAN GOAD

DIRTY

ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

BOOK BY JEFFREY LANE

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY DAVID YAZBEK

BASED ON THE FILM DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS WRITTEN BY DALE LAUNER AND STANLEY SHAPIRO & PAUL HENNING

ORIGINAL BROADWAY PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY JACK O’BRIEN

Money. Women. A gorgeous house by the sea. Lawrence Jameson—the most charming and ruthless con-man on the French Riviera—has it all. But Lawrence’s reign as the top cad in town is challenged by the arrival of a mysterious swindler known only as “The Jackal.” A case of mistaken identity sends Lawrence on a rollercoaster ride when he takes small-time American con-man Freddy Benson for The Jackal. Wanting him o his turf, Jameson wagers a bet with his new rival to see who can swindle a naïve heiress out of her fortune; loser will be exiled while winner reaps the benefits of the Riviera’s access to the rich and gullible. Little do the scoundrels know that Christine, the heiress their bet centres on, may not be as susceptible to trickery as first impressions suggest.

Inspired by the hit 1988 film starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a musical

THIS SHOW IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF BOBBY GARCIA. TRACEY FLYE

WILL DIRECT THE 2025 PRODUCTION OF DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

DIRECTED BY BOBBY GARCIA

CHOREOGRAPHED BY STEPHANIE GRAHAM

MUSIC DIRECTION BY FRANKLIN BRASZ

SET DESIGN BY LORENZO SAVOINI

COSTUME DESIGN BY SUE LEPAGE

LIGHTING DESIGN BY MICHAEL WALTON

SOUND DESIGN BY RANIL SONNADARA

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS: SYLVIA D. CHROMINSKA AND THE WHITESIDE FOUNDATION

comedy extravaganza with 11 Tony Award nominations to its name. Director Bobby Garcia—a fan of the show since its original Broadway run—is overjoyed to be bringing the madcap musical to Stratford and promises audiences that while di erent than the original movie, it will hit the same high notes and then some. “Audiences will be delighted by several new characters, some new plot twists and an incredibly funny book by Je rey Lane,” says Garcia. “It’s contemporary, sometimes crude, sometimes classy, but always delightful.”

With all the laughs in the show comes meaning, too. The director points out what he hopes audiences will walk away with after seeing a performance of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: “Music and comedy foster healing,” he says. “They are essential to our survival. They are essential to theatre’s survival. They create harmony in these confusing times that we live in.”

Shakura Dickson Christine Colgate

Michele Shuster Jolene

Sara-Jeanne Hoise Muriel

Jonathan Goad Lawrence Jameson

Liam Tobin Freddy Benson

Derek Kwan

Andre Thibault

ANNE OF GrEEN GAbLES

CAROLINE TOAL

SCHULICH CHILDREN’S PLAYS ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

A NEW ADAPTATION BY KAT SANDLER BASED ON THE NOVEL BY LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY A STRATFORD FESTIVAL COMMISSION WORLD PREMIÈRE

Generations of readers have fallen in love with Anne Shirley, the unstoppable orphan with a vivid imagination and an unyielding spirit. The heroine of a coming-of-age saga set in Prince Edward Island, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne is a name known across the world, with the Anne of Green Gables series of novels translated into dozens of languages, selling an estimated 50 million copies globally, as well as being adapted for stage and screen multiple times across the decades.

In this playful retelling of the literary classic, commissioned by the Stratford Festival, Anne bursts onto the stage in all her irrepressible glory. While this stranger to Avonlea arrives in town with no material riches, Anne’s luxuriant imagination and golden spirit soon prove her to be a priceless treasure in the lives of her adoptive parents, local residents and schoolmates—including her arch nemesis/would-be soulmate, Gilbert Blythe.

Director and writer Kat Sandler was overjoyed when asked to introduce Anne and Avonlea to a new generation of fans. A Green Gables devotee herself—“I’ve never stopped identifying with Anne”—Sandler wanted to stay true to the heart of Montgomery’s novel. Feeling like the “epic” tale extended itself naturally to the stage, Sandler simply leaned into the idea of storytelling—a nod to Anne’s own author aspirations—as a tool to reimagine Anne’s tale for Stratford audiences. “There’s a wildly exciting energy, comedy and rhythm to Montgomery’s original text that meshes so well with the kind of theatre I love to create,” she gushes. “Although it was written well over a hundred years ago, so many of its themes apply to our lives today … chosen family, the need to belong, celebrating our differences, women’s rights, the power of education.”

“As relevant as ever,” for Sandler Anne of Green Gables is a gem to cherish and share. It’s with this in mind that the writer/director adapted the beloved tale, moving through her creative process with a mandate to let the world Montgomery created speak for itself. The outcome is primed for an audience of Anne enthusiasts who are eager to pass on their love of the literary classic to the young people in their lives—further sowing what Sandler perceives as the story’s inherent timelessness. “It spans years and generations and, above all, it’s accessible, entertaining and a great story!”

don’t often come true, but tOday , I think they could.”

THE WINtEr'S

THE WINTER’S TALE

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

As popular books, film and music remind us time and again, a jealous heart can conspire against reason. But no narrative convinces its audiences of this fact quite as spectacularly as The Winter’s Tale manages to do.

In this late play by Shakespeare, jealousy stirs the plot. When King Leontes is suddenly struck by suspicion, he accuses his pregnant wife Hermione and his best friend Polixenes of an affair. What follows is devastation personified with the innocent Hermione put on trial, a son lost and a daughter banished after only her first breath. When the king finally comes to his senses, he finds the cost of his unfounded actions may be too great to recover fully. As one of Shakespeare’s final romances, The Winter’s Tale is a bittersweet drama, culminating in a reunion that ranks among literature’s greatest ever written. Overflowing with fantastical surprises, sprightly

comedy and heartwarming serendipity, this magical story of love and redemption speaks to our deepest fears and brightest hopes.

“The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s most beautiful plays. I have always wanted to direct it,” says Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino of his decision to take on directing the play for the 2025 season. “When I was younger and read The Winter’s Tale, the gripping drama of a disturbingly jealous husband tightly held my focus,” shares Cimolino. “Now I see both the horror of Leontes’ disease but also his extraordinary move toward selfrecognition and contrition.” A fable that explores the intense power of human emotions and their ability to unite and divide, The Winter’s Tale leaves one marvelling after Shakespeare’s adeptness at making sense out of tumultuous change. The director notes, “The journey to finding harmony in the play is also the journey our world

is currently trying to navigate.” Breathing in tandem with its audience, this play will unearth “profound truths that are not naturalistic,” promises Cimolino, and insofar send individuals home altered by witnessing change come into itself.

“The SILENCE often of pure innocence pErSUAdES when speaking fails.”

DIRECTED BY ANTONI CIMOLINO

SET DESIGN BY DOUGLAS PARASCHUK

COSTUME DESIGN BY FRANCESCA CALLOW

LIGHTING DESIGN BY MICHAEL WALTON

ORIGINAL MUSIC BY WAYNE KELSO

SOUND DESIGN BY RANIL SONNADARA

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS: DAVID & AMY FULTON FOUNDATION

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS: DR. DENNIS & DOROTHEA HACKER, DR. DESTA LEAVINE IN MEMORY OF PAULINE LEAVINE, DR. M.L. MYERS AND PEGGY PTASZNIK IN MEMORY OF VIC PTASZNIK

FROM LEFT: ANDRÉ SILLS, SARA TOPHAM, GRAHAM ABBEY

Graham Abbey Leontes

Marissa Orjalo Perdita

Austin Eckert Florizel

Geraint Wyn Davies Autolycus

Yanna McIntosh Paulina

Tom Rooney Camillo

Sara Topham Hermione

André Sills Polixenes

Tom McCamus Old Shepherd

TOM PATTERSON THEATRE

MAY 23—SEPT 27

OPENS JUNE 18

FORGIVENESS

BY HIRO KANAGAWA

ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK

FORGIVENESS: A GIFT FROM MY GRANDPARENTS BY

MARK SAKAMOTO

Adapted from the acclaimed 2014 memoir by Mark Sakamoto, Forgiveness is a story of the human heart and its capacity for love, recounted through the harrowing experiences of Sakamoto’s grandparents during the Second World War.

Mitsue Sakamoto and her family are sent to a civilian internment camp in the Canadian interior after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. On the other side of a gaping cultural divide is Ralph MacLean, a young man who joins the Canadian army and endures years of privation in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. When the war ends, the two individuals are forced to confront their long-buried anger and grief when Mitsue’s son and Ralph’s daughter fall in love.

Director Stafford Arima was moved by the play’s frank portrayal of the collective and personal traumas that war leaves in its wake. “War is the catalyst that sets the events of the play in motion. Its brutality manifests in the suffering experienced by all the characters. War in this context isn’t just about battles, it’s also about the loss, trauma and deep-seated prejudices that arise between nations and communities.” Still, it is love that centres the story’s narrative and its characters. The emotion is embraced as a “transformative power to bridge divides between people who were once enemies.” As the director explains, “Love connects family members across generational trauma.” It’s the unseen force inspiring the play’s characters to overcome “even the most deeply rooted animosities.” Forgiveness is a tale that spans two generations and two families in British Columbia, who, in their union, live as a testament to the power of choosing forgiveness over hatred.

DIRECTED BY STAFFORD ARIMA

SET AND COSTUME DESIGN BY LORENZO SAVOINI

LIGHTING DESIGN BY KAILEIGH KRYSZTOFIAK

ORIGINAL ANIMATIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY CINDY MOCHIZUKI

PROJECTION DESIGN BY SAMMY CHIEN (CHIMERIK 似不像)

ORIGINAL MUSIC BY ALLISON LYNCH

SOUND DESIGN BY OLIVIA WHEELER

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS: JODY & DEBORAH HAMADE AND THREE GENERATIONS OF THE SCHUBERT FAMILY

FO rGIVEne SS

Yoshie Bancroft Mitsue Jeff Lillico Ralph

“I WON't live in AN GEr. ”

FROM LEFT: JEFF LILLICO, YOSHIE BANCROFT

“We are tHE OneS who will usher in a neW AGE of prosperity.”

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RANSACKING TROY

BY ERIN SHIELDS A STRATFORD FESTIVAL COMMISSION WORLD PREMIÈRE

The Iliad and Odyssey, which together chronicle the 10-year Trojan War and its aftermath, rank among world literature’s greatest epics. Before the walls of Troy, heroes were born and died. Survivors of the war would eventually make the long journey home to their wives and children, carrying with them stories of violent victory. But what if a storyteller were to reverse the roles? What if those wives who once only heard tales of their husband’s glorious battlefields had been in the action themselves and able to intervene in the bloodbath? What if they’d collectively cried, “Enough already!” Then what of Greek mythology’s epic war?

In Ransacking Troy, playwright Erin Shields imagines such an intervention, as Penelope and the wives of the Greek heroes sail to

Troy to write a new ending to the story we all think we know.

Ransacking Troy reunites Erin Shields with Jackie Maxwell, the director of Shields’ Paradise Lost, an audience favourite during Stratford’s 2018 season. For Maxwell, the opportunity to work with Shields again was too good to pass up: “Erin’s work has a distinct mix of politics and humour that I really appreciate,” she says. “I was especially fascinated when she told me that the women of Greece were going to take us on a new journey through the Iliad and the Odyssey.”

Just as it did for Maxwell upon reading, the play’s subversive comedy and witty wordplay will have audiences standing readily by the sides of the valiant women of Troy. Alala!

DIRECTED BY JACKIE MAXWELL

CHOREOGRAPHED BY ESIE MENSAH

SET AND COSTUME DESIGN BY JUDITH BOWDEN

LIGHTING DESIGN BY MICHAEL WALTON

ORIGINAL MUSIC BY DEANNA CHOI

SOUND DESIGN BY THOMAS RYDER PAYNE

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS: MARILYN GROPP, JANE FRYMAN LAIRD, DR. ROBERT J. & ROBERTA SOKOL AND AN ANONYMOUS DONOR

rANSAcKING tROY

Yanna McIntosh Hecuba

Irene Poole Clytemnestra

Sara Topham Helen

Maev Beaty Penelope

THE ART OF WAR

BY YVETTE NOLAN

What comes to mind when you think of “war artists?” Likely, the imagery the title conjures is similar to thoughts about a war correspondent—someone dodging bullets and shrapnel as they record their frontline combat experiences. Now picture that same person walking away from this carnage to a canvas where they paint the scene they just lived through.

Nick is a young Canadian painter who arrives in war-torn Europe to serve his country, armed not with only a gun but with paintbrushes. His role as chronicler of the young nation’s war efforts sets Nick apart from the other soldiers—men whose hopes and fears he must decipher to paint a true picture of the war. In documenting this fight between nations, Nick memorializes firsthand experience through paintings destined to transform Canada’s idea of itself in the emerging postwar world.

In The Art of War, playwright Yvette Nolan dramatizes the lesser known role of embedded painters who served in the battlefield of World War II. Director Keith Barker himself admits to having had no knowledge of Canada sending painters to World Wars I and II until reading Nolan’s play. Once pulled into Nick’s world, the director immediately connected with the character’s struggle to find a place in a world torn apart by conflict. Barker explains, “In a time when the world is grappling with wars on so many fronts, this play asks us, what is the responsibility of the artist in these times of chaos?” Understanding that it’s not enough to merely witness and record, audiences are asked to contemplate what comes after the fighting ceases: “What can art offer in a time of conflict? Can creativity provide some form of healing or harmony in the aftermath of great violence?” It is important questions like these that the director hopes people will take home with them after leaving the theatre.

DIRECTED BY KEITH BARKER

SET DESIGN BY TERESA PRZYBYLSKI

COSTUME DESIGN BY PATRICIA REILLY

LIGHTING DESIGN BY LOGAN RAJU CRACKNELL

SOUND DESIGN BY ADAM CAMPBELL

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS:

THE HARKINS-MANNING FAMILY IN MEMORY OF JIM & SUSAN HARKINS

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS:

KARON C. BALES & CHARLES E. BEALL, BRYAN BLENKIN & ALAN ROWE,

CATHERINE ELLIOT SHAW AND ESTHER SARICK

“You think people back home want to see the mUd and the bLOOd and the HOrROr?”

Josue

Laboucane Nick

Julie Lumsden Heather/Eva

Jordin Hall Newman

Jenna-Lee Hyde Magda

Rylan Wilkie Dennis/ Mattheus

OF WAr

2025ACTING COMPANY

ALL ROWS LEFT TO RIGHT

Graham Abbey

Cydnee Abbott

Eric Abel

Christopher Allen

Celia Aloma

Gabriel Antonacci

Sean Arbuckle

Harper Rae Asch

Yoshie Bancroft

Maev Beaty

Helen Belay

Carla Bennett

Devon Michael Brown

Tim Campbell

Shane Carty

Dan Chameroy

Andrew Chown

Jarret Cody

David Collins

Laura Condlln

Aidan deSalaiz

Christine Desjardins

Shakura Dickson

Ashley Dingwell

Sarah Dodd

Thomas Duplessie

Austin Eckert

Justin Eddy

Ijeoma Emesowum

Sara Farb

Katarina Fiallos

Henry Firmston

Jacklyn Francis

June Fukumura

Jesse Gervais

Michelle Giroux

Jonathan Goad

Jordan Goodridge

Christo Graham

Jordin Hall

Steven Hao

Manami Hara

Evonny Harker

Hazel Heaney

Jessica B. Hill

Harmony Holder

Isla Horner

Sara-Jeanne Hosie

Jenna-Lee Hyde

Aisha Jarvis

Josh Johnston

Bonnie Jordan

Matthew Kabwe

Hiro Kanagawa

Alex Kelly

John Kirkpatrick

Bethany Kovarik

Aaron Krohn

Derek Kwan

Josue Laboucane

Kelsey Lacombe

Fae Lewis

Tarique Lewis

Jeff Lillico

Julie Lumsden

Amanda Lundgren

Allison Lynch

Caitlyn MacInnis

Gracie Mack

Anthony MacPherson

Jordan Mah

Michael Man

Tom McCamus

Yanna McIntosh

Seana McKenna

Silvae Mercedes

Evan Mercer

Jamie Murray

John Ng

Marissa Orjalo

Sofia Otta

Douglas Oyama

Olivia Padfield

Anthony Palermo

Stephen Patterson

Lucy Peacock

Krystin Pellerin

Joe Perry

Irene Poole

Ali Powell

Leon Qin

Glynis Ranney

Jessica Reddy

Jennifer Rider-Shaw

Jade V. Robinson

Tom Rooney

Steve Ross

Jason Sermonia

Michele Shuster

André Sills

Makambe K. Simamba

Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane

Caroline Toal

Liam Tobin

Sara Topham

Mark Uhre

Maria Vacratsis

Emilio Vieira

Nadine Villasin

Jennifer Villaverde

Addison Wagman

Dakota Jamal Wellman

Rylan Wilkie

Geraint Wyn Davies

Norman Yeung

As You Like It actors Christopher Allen and Sara Farb are out to show audiences why love is about so much more than first sight.

AND JUST LIKE THAT

by Jennifer Lee

“FOREVER AND A DAY” is the length of time a love-sick Orlando vows to hold on to Rosalind in As You Like It, a stretch comparable to the duration Shakespeare’s play—and its many romantic articulations—has been clasped to the hearts of its audiences.

The story begins with turmoil and quickly shifts to opportunity as characters move from the prickle and prattle of the royal court to the serene seclusion of the Forest of Arden. Here in the woods, Orlando—who has already been struck by love at first sight—and Rosalind—his love, now disguised as another, unbeknownst to him—ponder the various angles of love as they amble down the path toward the earlier mentioned “forever.”

Orlando and Rosalind are a favourite among Shakespeare’s romantic pairings. Theirs is a love boasting glittery destiny, honest affection and that ever-elusive relationship-rendering solvent: substance. To portray such a connection between two people, one akin to a pair of rare-earth magnets inextricably pulled toward one another, is no small feat but As You Like It director Chris Abraham is up to the task. “A great challenge in Shakespeare’s plays is to kind of really get inside all of the things that set somebody up for the perfect moment when they see a character, and you understand and know why they are the right person for the other character,” he says. In the director’s view, the audience must, above all else, “understand why” the world would crack in two if these two individuals could not be together for the payout of their union to land like the force of nature that it should.

In this season’s production of As You Like It, this tremendous lift lies in the trust of actors Christopher Allen and Sara Farb, who respectively play the roles of the earnest Orlando and impish Rosalind. With Abraham as their guide, the actors will endeavour to embody what it means to seemingly divine attachment—also affectionately known as love at first sight. Abraham’s cryptic explanation as to how they plan to stage the ethereal makes the play and its promise of heartskipping romance all the more enticing. “It’s about the circumstances of the moment,” he says. “Puzzling out how all of these chance encounters sort of feel meant to be.”

Caught between heavy burdens part and parcel with their birth and the happiness they both see climbing into grasp, Orlando and Rosalind are not just two players in a game of love, as the director points out, they are each a testament to the optimistic possibility for change. “A fundamental thing that’s going on in this play is that it celebrates and uplifts individuals willing to undergo transformations around their point of view and their expectations,” asserts Abraham. And by doing so, they “make the world as they like it.”

In preparation for their roles as unforgettable sweethearts, Allen and Farb chat with each other about early career starts, Shakespeare and finding their way into a character.

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Christopher (laughing): So, Sara, how did you get into theatre?

Sara: I’ve been doing theatre my whole godly life. (Laughing.) I got my first professional job at age nine, and from there I was sort of doing something or other in acting—whether it was professional or community—pretty much my entire youth. Basically, throughout my life, acting has been sort of a mainstay. It was one of those things that just kind of made sense to me. And I do not come from a family of performers at all.

Christopher: Nobody else in my family is in the arts, either.

Sara: I’m the only person, really for miles, in my family who does anything like this. My mother, just retired, was an English teacher for like 40-something years, so my exposure to Shakespeare was pretty consistent throughout my life. It’s just always, like, existed … in my periphery and also main focus … which kind of feels a little bit boring, like there’s not a special thing that happened. It just sort of feels like it’s always been my reality. What about you, how did you get into acting?

Christopher: Well (laughing), let me choose the story I want to tell. I grew up Anglican, and we would go to the church all the time. And so my very first time on stage was when I was four years old, probably not paying attention at all. And then in middle school I started to do some school plays, and then in high school I did plays, and it was actually my high school drama teacher who asked, “What are you doing for post-secondary?” I was like, “I have no idea,” and he said, “You have to do this … act.”

Sara: And that was it?

Christopher: Yeah, then I started to pursue it, and my parents were extremely supportive. My mom’s brothers were football players. They were in the CFL, and my aunt was in the RCMP for a bit and also did some basketball, so people in my family haven’t done “traditional” sort of jobs, and maybe that’s why my parents were more open to me pursuing theatre and being an actor. They supported me throughout the process.

Sara: And you studied theatre and performance in school, right?

Christopher: Yes, York University. My ego was so huge! I remember thinking, “I’m going to be so amazing as soon as I graduate. The world’s my oyster.” And then I graduated and I was like, “Where are my agents? Why isn’t everybody lining up to sign me?” And you know … I got humbled real quick (laughing). I found my love for it then, though … because in school I was engrossed in art and in creativity the entire time, but when I left it was the real world. And I had to make money so that I could act. Yeah, that’s kind of how I got into it.

Sara: What about Shakespeare? When did you get into those plays?

Christopher: University. I mean, we learned in high school (laughing), but I didn’t understand anything.

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Sara: No, it’s so hard. I did Shakespeare for the first time when I was 15. I did A Midsummer Night’s Dream in High Park, I played a fairy, and then I didn’t do it again until Stratford. Then I did a lot of Shakespeare.

Christopher: I did love doing Shakespeare in university, when I finally started to understand what was on the page because the professors had a love for it, and so they shared that love with us. And then I taught with Shakespeare in Action [now Crossroad Theatre] for a year, or maybe a couple years.

Sara: Nice.

Christopher: I guess that was about eight years ago. But yeah, last year was the first time I’ve done Shakespeare since then, in Cymbeline.

Sara: It is so nice to know what you’re saying. It just makes it so much more enjoyable, I find (laughing). Doing Shakespeare is like being given the opportunity to study and dive into it.

Christopher: It’s a different way of reading it.

Sara: You get to experience it from the inside, in a way … it feels a bit rare.

Christopher: And you’re helping the audience understand it.

Sara: It’s sort of like there’s a barrier between the full understanding. I have to actively fight against trying to make it clearer for them because I find what happens when I do that is it makes it muddier in the caretaking … it strips the line of the truer meaning, the truer experience of the character delivering the line. We’ve all seen many attempts at sort of layering on relevance and meaning to Shakespeare as opposed to—

Christopher: Speaking.

Sara: Exactly, yeah. I think it’s just about knowing the words deeply enough and precisely knowing the many angles of what you’re saying.

Christopher: I agree. And it’s beautiful. Shakespeare can feel like it’s another language. It’s so old (laughing). But if I can understand what I’m saying and my intention behind it, then I will trust that the audience will understand that, too.

Sara: What about As You Like It, do you know the intention behind your character’s words yet?

Christopher: I don’t know yet. I find things out mostly in rehearsals.

Sara: Of course.

Christopher: I can sit with the text by myself, but two heads are always better than one, I think. My way into a play and my character is through the help of others, you know?

Sara: Yeah, absolutely. It’s like that for me, too. The prep for our play is really just in its infancy. I’ve known As You Like It but not like, deeply. And so there’s a lot to get to know, not just about my own character but about everybody. It’s a very ensemble feeling cast, as far as character, size and presence. So many things inform the other, too much decision-making about a person feels premature. But there is an obvious attractive quality certainly about Rosalind.

Christopher: What about her stands out?

Sara: I have a general understanding and admire who she is and what she does in the play, how she expresses herself. She has a genuinely recognizable wit and ease with language. She’s the kind of person who, if written 500 years later, still would feel like an appealing kind of person.

Christopher: You’re a fan!

Sara: It’s certainly an exciting prospect to engage with a character that doesn’t really come along a lot in Shakespeare. I think she’s quite singular in Shakespeare … which is daunting, but also really exciting.

Christopher: When I am working on a play, I read it every day leading up to opening. I’ll read it a few times before rehearsals, too. I read it once, just to read it, and then the second time to understand it and then the third time to look for specific things throughout the script. Then during rehearsal, I’m reading it all the time, over and over and over again, and then I put it down once we open.

Sara: So do I. Right after opening.

Christopher: I will go back to it sometimes for inspiration, or if I’m losing thoughts in places. But after opening, I’m like, “This is me now: this character.”

Sara: I relate to that a lot. It’s hard to memorize. It’s very hard. And the older I get, when people ask me “How did you do that?” I’m like, “I don’t know” (laughs) … it happens eventually. But my comprehension of what I’m saying is improved by speaking it.

Christopher: And then there’s the fear of “Oh, no, it’s gone. It’s gone.”

Sara: Of course.

Christopher: It’s happened to me before… it’s kind of thrilling (laughing).

Sara: What happened?

Christopher: It’s like two sides of the same coin, you’re on stage and the next thing you’re about to say is gone, and it’s just, like, never going to come back to you—it’s not … never. But you know the storyline. You know your character arc, the circumstances— everything. And so, I mean, sometimes you have to improvise (laughing).

Sara: Figure it out, land somewhere, get on with it.

Christopher: The good thing about an ensemble piece is that there will be people there to help you through it.

Sara: We sure will.

Christopher: But it is a fear, of course, making a mistake … especially something that you’ve fallen in love with and that you care about, too. You want to get it perfect. But the thing about acting is that it can’t be perfect because you’re portraying humanity, which is imperfect.

Sara: And then there’s the nerves before a show. Those never, ever, ever go away, never! It’s like, suddenly a curtain goes up and you realize you’re on stage.

Christopher: And then the sweats happen to you and it’s like, “I’ve never sweated like this before!”

Sara: Like it’s ice cold and then fire (laughing). It’s really something.

Christopher: But then, at the same time, it’s so fun. Which is why I think I keep going back.

Sara: Yeah, we’re junkies. We’re adrenaline junkies.

Christopher: Yes.

Sara: And now our next fix, As You Like It with Chris Abraham.

Christopher: I love that man. I think we’re in really good hands.

Sara: I’ve never worked with Chris before this, really. I was a non-appearing understudy in a production of A Midsummer’s Night Dream he did in my second season. I admire everything that I see of his. He’s so sensitive to the whole picture. He has trust in the actors that he’s working with. I feel like he was really intentional about the people he chose to play the parts, and I think it’s because he trusts the things that we bring. And Rosalind and Orlando are quite famous roles to be tackling and opinions come with that …

Christopher: Yeah. And it’s also technically difficult. It’s poetry being performed as people speaking regularly in their day-to-day life, you know? It’s a challenge.

Sara: It’s a challenge. Yeah.

Christopher: And I don’t go watch what’s been done before, because I will be coloured by it in my opinion, my approach, everything. Then it’s like, “Oh, am I trying to be like this person?” The more of myself I can bring to a part, the better it’s going to be, I think, for everybody.

Sara: It’ll be great to have Chris share where he thinks our relationship moves and starts, and to add in our own ideas. Part of our job is to collaborate with him in that sense.

Christopher: I’m excited for it.

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by Katie Hewitt

TSo show the spectrum of our humanity, the Festival’s 2025 season turns to the gods. The theme Apollo, Venus, Mars: Reflections on Harmony, Love and War bonds the playbill with a reminder that these are not three isolated states, in life or in art.

Shakespeare didn’t hesitate to tangle up the trio. In The Winter’s Tale, helmed this season by Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino, love is grounds for war. When a jealous king suspects his wife is having an affair, paranoia consumes him with a fury that shatters all harmony. The play changes tone midway, from drama to romance and comedy, with divine intervention from Apollo—god of music, dance, truth and healing—who helps the story’s fraught characters restore balance.

Apollo, like Venus and Mars, was a source of inspiration for Cimolino this season, as he contemplated creating a playbill reflective of a world he describes as feeling “torn between loyalties and loves.” The artistic director expands, “We as a society have trouble understanding each other’s points of view. Our feelings run deep. So deep that at times we refuse to see reason. This, of course, is the kindling for war.”

From Shakespeare’s genre experiments in The Winter’s Tale to more such crisscrossing in contemporary dramas and knee-slapping musicals, the insights of the 2025 lineup are bound by common threads. Each production, explains the director, “explores seemingly intractable divisions and their journey to harmony.” That and “most end happily.”

We could use a few happy endings. The 2025 season announces itself on the cusp of a “connection recession.” According to Psychology Today, the number of close friends people report having declined 22 percent from 1990 to 2024, while most of the global workforce—72 percent—feel lonely at least monthly.

Our media consumption habits echo this trend; algorithmic streaming is displacing living, breathing art, including theatre. Postpandemic, theatregoers are still sluggish to return, marked pointedly by Broadway’s audiences, still down years later. At a time of peak remote work, close friendships are on the decline as declarations of loneliness rise to “epidemic” levels. Under the weight of all this, theatre opens itself up to audiences as a sanctuary. It offers space to play with the best and worst sides of human nature, all through shared experience. Sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers, we feel something together as a community, inching humanity a little closer to harmony.

This season’s Forgiveness understands that endeavour well. Directed by Stafford Arima, Forgiveness—adapted from Mark Sakamoto’s

acclaimed memoir following two families on either side of the Second World War—is a story of would-be enemies who find harmony in their shared experience. Mitsue, a Japanese Canadian woman, is interned on a sugar beet farm in Alberta. Ralph is a Canadian POW held in Japan. Years later, Mitsue’s son and Ralph’s daughter fall in love.

Forgiveness deals with war, racism and PTSD—prodigious level conflicts. Still, the play is full of hope and “delivers a powerful message about the possibility of finding peace in the most unexpected places,” says Arima. “True harmony is not just about the absence of conflict but also about acknowledging past wounds and choosing to heal from them.” Even horrific beginnings originating from war can evolve into happy endings.

“True harmony is not just about the absence of conflict but also about acknowledging past wounds and choosing to heal from them.”

Mars, god of war, oversees more than battling nations. War is also marital strife. Political rebellion. Murder. Inner demons. And that’s just the plot of Macbeth. Multidisciplinary artist Robert Lepage returns to Stratford to direct the tragedy, exploring the nature of kinship in subcultures. In his production, Shakespeare’s antihero lives among rival biker gangs. The director was drawn to gangs as “factions [of society] that are patrolling, ambitious, at war constantly,” like the Bard’s storied royal courts. As he points out, these groups also share similar positive characteristics. “There are family values. The sense that you belong.” In the director’s perspective, this thread of belonging is crucial, as the play hinges on creating empathy for Macbeth. He is “a villainous, bloody assassin,” says Lepage; this identity alone attests to his innate need to be part of a clan.

Macbeth’s desire to belong is a trait shown to be both redeeming and dangerous. For Lepage, this feeds contemplation of “what drives a human being to become a monster?” Lepage considers the human first. “You cannot play Macbeth if you judge him, if you hate him, if you don’t try to understand him. That’s the big challenge.”

Triggering mixed feelings about conniving story characters is the essence of Dangerous Liaisons. Under the direction of Festival veteran Esther Jun—in her sixth season with the Festival—the play delights in navigating the human psyche of both its characters and its audience. “Why do we love to watch rich, well-dressed people behave badly?” asks Jun. It’s a timeless habit, really. Before The Real Housewives, there was Dangerous Liaisons

Apollo Exposing Mars and Venus to the Ridicule of the Olympians, from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Place Aubusson, 1640–1660, Wool and silk, tapestry weave, Art Institute of Chicago.

and the Marquise de Merteuil, a French aristocrat plotting revenge against her ex in pre-Revolution Paris.

First an 18th-century French novel, then a play, followed by a 1988 film with Glenn Close, who earned a Best Actress nomination at the Academy Awards that year for her portrayal of the devilish Merteuil, Dangerous Liaisons—in all its variations—sees Venus, god of love and beauty, looming large while Mars introduces war as “a battle of the sexes,” according to Jun. “The Marquise de Merteuil navigates her own power in a patriarchy.”

Like love and war, harmony is a delicate matter, often contrived and sometimes superficial. Staging Dangerous Liaisons now offers a chance to address a growing resentment for false perfection in our virtual lives. “Vanity and happiness are incompatible,” Jun muses,

the individual audience member. “Theatre is a state of communion,” says Lepage of the art. It’s a collective experience in which the audience has agency over the outcome. We might laugh. We might cry. We might be silent. Our energy is contagious.

Lepage, who directs for both the stage and film, notes the unique power that theatre transfers to its audience. “You have the power to change what you see,” he says. “Film is a great form of art, but it doesn’t change whether the room is full or empty. It’s just light dancing on a screen.”

The Festival often mounts plays and musicals with film adaptations in their past. This year, Annie, the iconic musical made famous among cinema audiences by Carol Burnett’s turn as the story’s [redeemable] villain, is the vision of acclaimed director/choreographer Donna Feore. Shakespeare’s comedy,

“We might laugh. We might cry. We might be silent. Our energy is contagious.”

quoting the play. “I can’t help but think in this world of social media that this is true. There’s such a veneer that people have to behave a certain way on the outside.” If dramatic allure rises in tandem with characters seen defying social conventions, as reality-TV ratings suggests, then here’s predicting Dangerous Liaisons audiences fall head over heels for its story of prototypical veneer cracking.

Appearances are fragile by nature. In Sense and Sensibility, the Dashwood sisters, left destitute after their father’s death, grip tight to a thin upper crust. “Everything is bubbling below the façade of a proper, mannered society,” says director Daryl Cloran. “The stakes are so high in this world that love and war are almost interchangeable.” A staple Jane Austen text, cinephiles will recall the domestic satire as the 1995 film directed by Ang Lee, starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet as the Dashwood sisters. Between them, there is war and harmony as they struggle to find love. “Love is at the heart of the story,” says Cloran, “romantic love, familial love and lost love.”

What forms of love we relate to most and lift learnings from is wholly the choice of

As You Like It, is directed by Chris Abraham, preceded by several film versions, like the one directed by Shakespeare superfan Sir Kenneth Branagh. Whatever films might precede it, though, no stage production can be compared to its cinematic cousin; live theatre simply hits different.

Theatre is a living thing to Lepage. Every night brings a new one-of-a-kind performance, as the actors connect with a new audience. Jun shares the Macbeth director’s thinking. “That, to me, is what theatre is for,” she says, “to find meaning in our humanity.”

A harbinger of connection, theatre is a place to find community and deeper meaning, meaning discovered through the very act of being with others. Speaking about the connection recession, a neuroscientist told Psychology Today: “Without social networks, our brain doesn’t work.”

With this in mind, Cimolino’s vision for the 2025 season rings clear and true: “All the plays should speak to our hearts first and our minds second.” Theatre is here to evoke emotion and emotions are meant to be shared. Ticket please.

dIArY

by Ann Swerdfager

WHERE THERE’S THEATRE , THERE’S MUSIC .

tHEAtrE KId OF A

When I heard that multi-Juno award-winning singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith had signed on to write music for the Festival’s new production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, I was swept down memory lane.

In my childhood, I heard time and again about Duke Ellington coming to Stratford to write the music for the 1963 production of Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens. Stories about him circulated for years—people thrilled to have met the jazz great; people who loved not just the show but the music in it. (There was even a bit of juicy gossip, of course.)

By the time he composed for the play, Ellington was already something of a Stratford fixture, having played concerts at the Festival for several years in the 1950s, including for Princess Margaret’s visit in 1958. He even wrote a Shakespearean suite, “Such Sweet Thunder,” which was broadcast on the CBC. He wasn’t the only jazz great inspired by Stratford. Oscar Peterson performed a number of concerts at the Festival and famously did a live recording of one titled, At the Stratford Shakespearean Festival. I recently rediscovered this one on Google Music and now play it regularly—highly recommend. Billie Holiday was another to perform and record here at the Festival. Check out The Billie Holiday Set: A Midsummer Night’s Jazz at Stratford ’57

Concerts at Stratford continued for decades, and remain today as part of the Meighen Forum. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band came from New Orleans to play in some of the most memorable concerts—in my memory at least. Mom and Dad, the executive director at the Festival at the time, entertained them afterward at our house on Elizabeth Street. My eyes were wide with wonderment the entire time; I was so fortunate to meet them.

After their second or third concert here, we went down to New Orleans to hear them on their home turf. New Orleans in those days was unlike any place on Earth. And Preservation Hall was unlike any music hall I’d ever seen. It was a small room with about 40 people. We sat on cushions, sprawled across the floor, or on benches.

Beyond the concerts, the Festival has always attracted the finest musical talent for its productions, a true point of pride for us here. Louis Applebaum, of course, came first, and it was he who wrote the Fanfare you hear before performances at the Festival Theatre. Listen closely next time and you’ll hear how he cleverly constructed the opening chord to echo the sound of the train whistle, a nod to the industry that the Festival replaced. Lou made an indelible mark on the Festival, composing the music for 67 productions here, and also serving as director of music, sound designer or conductor on another 18. His prolificness is only outshone by the great Berthold Carrière, the Festival’s director of music emeritus, who composed for 60 productions and served as musical director, conductor, orchestrator or arranger on 80 more shows.

Another notable contribution came with the appointment of pianist Glenn Gould to replace Applebaum as director of music in 1961. He served in a triumvirate with cellist Leonard Rose and violinist Oscar Shumsky, who himself succeeded Gould. In addition to their leadership roles, the three performed a number of concerts here, both individually and together. My father spoke of a sweltering drive he had with Gould one summer day, when Gould, wearing sweater, scarf and gloves, refused to have a window opened. CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

“THE FESTIVAL HAS ALWAYS ATTRACTED THE FINEST MUSICAL TALENT FOR ITS PRODUCTIONS, A TRUE POINT OF PRIDE FOR US HERE.”

Billie Holiday and her band rehearsing in the Festival Concert Hall before her performance in 1957. Photograph by Peter Smith. Duke Ellington rehearsing before his performance at the Festival Concert Hall in 1956. Photograph by Peter Smith. Stratford Festival Archives Images.

The theatre director’s role cannot be defined by an inventory of their duties; no matter how many you list— choosing the cast, selecting production and design teams, leading rehearsals, managing schedules—the role is allencompassing. The word “director” itself does get us closer to the many facets of the position, for the director is tirelessly giving “direction” on everything happening within a play or musical, to everyone in it.

IT MAKING

By James Grainger

2025 SEASON DIRECTORS ON THE JOURNEY FROM PAGE TO STAGE

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But a director is more than a manager of tasks and people. The director is the chief interpreter of the play, the lead translator of the playwright’s written words into sight, sound and action. That translation begins with a deep immersion in the play itself. For this reason, Stratford’s Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino believes that the journey to the stage always begins on the page. “I try to learn everything I can about the script, the playwright and the issues of the play as they matter to our world today. Then I follow my heart and the talents of those I work alongside.”

Photography by Ted Belton

Robert Lepage, who brings his bold reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth to the Avon Theatre, compares the director’s role to the playwright’s. “Directing is also a way of writing, even when a play exists and has been produced in all its different versions. The play only has something new to say if the director rewrites it with his or her directing and staging. The director tries to make the play shine and bring out its ideas.”

The same can be said about every cast and crew member: they are all cocreators of a unique version of the play. The director is there to guide and unify their efforts. “My job is to create a clear vision and context for the actors and designers to create within,” says Daryl Cloran, director of Sense and Sensibility. “The more I can impart to my collaborators about the world and style we’re playing in, the more it empowers them to make informed and exciting choices and contributions, which makes all of our work better.”

For Kat Sandler, the writer and director of this season’s Anne of Green Gables retelling, rehearsals are especially magical. “I take great joy in being able to give artists some agency over the characters and world we’re creating … and to make space for discoveries, magic and comedy that arise out of rehearsal.” With their keen eye for detail, directors don’t overlook the audience’s contribution in a live performance. To them, the sheer presence of figures in the audience and the beautiful exchange between this collective body and the bodies on stage extend an honorary ensemble member title to each audience member. As veteran director Jackie Maxwell of Ransacking Troy knows, the character of an audience colours the entire production. “The Stratford audience is a very smart audience, a very sophisticated audience. They are not flummoxed by complex language, which is delightful because our company can really play with the language and the physicality.”

A cohesive unit of artists working with and off each other, the Festival’s directors have been gathered here to paint a picture of the 2025 season, its unique storytelling and its connection to its audience.

CHRIS ABRAHAM

An Edenic forest under threat from encroaching civilization. Men and women of honour forced to flee the injustice of autocratic rulers. In As You Like It, Shakespeare conjured a world both out of time and perennially of the moment. That sense of contemporary relevance and timelessness are at the heart of director Chris Abraham’s approach to the production. “In our Arden, the forest is alive with tension, populated by people on the move, each with their

own reasons for seeking refuge there,” he explains. “This production holds onto the humour and warmth that people love about the play, but there’s an urgency here that gives the familiar scenes a fresh intensity.” Abraham couldn’t help but feel the resonance between Shakespeare’s turbulent times and our own. “As You Like It presents a world that feels just a little more precarious, a little more reflective of the challenges we face today, and that brings a new richness to every relationship, every interaction,” says the director. “I think audiences will be surprised by how the play speaks to this moment.”

DONNA FEORE

Annie is one of those musicals that has claimed such a hold on the hearts of fans that it feels like it’s always been on stage. Familiar though audiences are with the story, Donna Feore—who has directed, choregraphed and performed in dozens of musicals at the Festival before taking on this one—knows that iconic shows like Annie always have something new to say. Feore asserts, “Every production is unique by virtue of its cast and creative team and

the space in which it’s mounted.” Case in point, take Stratford’s iconic Festival Theatre; its physical design alone opens the musical up to new ways of presenting the orphan girl’s unforgettable odyssey to its audience. “The Festival’s thrust stage imposes very particular challenges and demands, so that any show mounted here is re-imagined from the ground up,” says the director, before moving on to narrative theme. “Harmony is our journey and our end. A journey of hope seen through the eyes of innocents."

DARYL CLORAN

Like many devotees of Jane Austen’s fiction, director Daryl Cloran came to the author through the stage and film adaptations of her work. “I have seen quite a number of Austen re-imaginings on stage and screen and read many script adaptations,” he shares. “Those adaptations are what got me excited about Austen’s original texts and drove

D.C.

D.F.

Portrait by

Eluvier

Acosta

me to read the novels to gain a deeper connection with her incredible characters.” Directing Kate Hamill’s stage version of Sense and Sensibility offers Cloran an opportunity to share the magic of witnessing a beloved work of literature come to life live on stage. “What I love most about Kate’s adaptation is how thoroughly she embraces theatricality in her storytelling,” gushes the director. “We are creating a really energetic, physical production that celebrates the magic of theatre and the power of an acting ensemble.”

ESTHER JUN

in the play that I think will speak to audiences at this time. Looking at the popularity of ‘eat the rich media,’ movies and shows like Saltburn and White Lotus,” starts the director. “Dangerous Liaisons seems to be quite timely.” The storyline is equally well fitted for the season’s theme and the three gods at its centre: Venus, Apollo and Mars. “The play seems made for this theme,” declares Jun. “All these characters are aspects of these gods and they are all searching for love and harmony and willing to create war for it.”

ROBERT LEPAGE

Robert Lepage’s stunning multimedia productions have garnered acclaim around the world. His vision of Macbeth promises to be unlike any other. “Of all of Shakespeare’s plays,” Lepage notes, “Macbeth has the most action. It’s a very cinematic play, way before its time. The setting with its witches and magical elements creates many moments of surrealism.” The director goes on to highlight the “hyper realistic” layers of his staging and the way theatre magic will be used to create the “different apparitions” and Macbeth’s various “states of mind.” Lepage’s inspired choice to set Macbeth amidst biker gang wars should not surprise audiences. “It was very natural and organic to imagine Macbeth as the head of a biker gang because Macbeth is, of course, a Scottish play,” he points out. “The Scottish setting relies on the rivalry between clans and the clan system of the time. The biker gangs follow the same rules and moral codes as those clans, and the wars between the gangs are like the clan wars you find in Macbeth.”

BOBBY GARCIA

medium built on precision,” he explains. “It’s a challenging medium because it requires the collaboration of so many departments.” Garcia thinks of theatre as a “true definition of a collaborative effort,” but is careful to note that the artists are working together with a director guiding them. In Garcia’s opinion such guidance requires knowing the show’s words and music by heart. “We all have to travel down the same path together, so a full understanding of the music, lyrics and book is crucial or we’ll be lost,” the director affirms. “Only when I have conquered the text and music am I able to enter the rehearsal room with a cast and company and say, ‘OK, now let’s play!’ And then we rediscover the show together.”

When Kat Sandler began work on a new stage adaptation of Anne of Green Gables for the Stratford Festival, she dove deep into the heart of a story all but memorized by millions of fans. That familiarity was the starting point for her vision of Anne, the headstrong orphan who wins over the hearts of Avonlea. “My approach to writing and directing a play adapted from a famous work of fiction has to focus on hitting as many of the ‘greatest hits’ story beats as I can, the scenes and themes that made audiences fall in love with it in the first place.” Those greatest hits, Sandler says, are the product of a heroine gifted with the power of imagination and fearless love. “Anne is a startlingly intelligent and bold child who sees the world through rose-coloured glasses. She is unafraid to stand up for herself and her values and loves with her whole heart,” affirms the director. “Anne’s powerful imagination is a wonderful playground for theatricality, and the medium of theatre allows us to really drill down to the emotional heart of these incredibly well-known scenes and revel E.J. R.L.

Choderlos de Laclos’s novel Les Liaisons dangereuses scandalized the reading public when it was published in 1782 with its unsentimental depiction of the sexually and morally decadent upper classes. Though the story’s risqué content may not be shocking to our modern sensibilities, director Esther Jun insists that the world it depicts is even more relevant now than in pre-Revolutionary France, if we use what’s popular on TV as a barometer. Eager to unfurl the parallels for audiences, Jun is confident Christopher Hampton’s celebrated stage adaptation of Les Liaisons dangereuses will captivate. “There are several aspects

With over 50 international directing credits to his name, Bobby Garcia knows the challenges of bringing a Broadway musical like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to the stage: “Musical theatre is a theatrical

KAT SANDLER

Portrait by Laura Baldwinson

TRACEY FLYE WILL DIRECT THE 2025 PRODUCTION.

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF BOBBY GARCIA.

YOUR WORK IS MET BY AN AUDIENCE THAT LOVES THEATRE. HEAVEN.

— Antoni Cimolino, director of The Winter’s Tale

in the comedy of the situations she finds herself in.”

ANTONI CIMOLINO

Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino is not shy about sharing his inspiration for the Festival’s 2025 theme, Apollo, Venus, Mars: Reflections on Harmony, Love and War. “The Winter’s Tale is the play from which this theme arose in my mind,” he says of the play he’s set to direct this season. “Apollo is central to the story. His oracle, usually enigmatic, is definitive in this story. But it takes time for his words to be heeded and to unfold to harmony.” Cimolino is entering his 38th season at Stratford, 13th as artistic director, and throughout all that time he’s wanted to direct The Winter’s Tale. For him, there’s no other place he’d rather finally live out that dream. “The Stratford Festival is very close to heaven for theatre folk. You get to work on great plays alongside the most gifted artists and craftspeople of the age,” he says. “You are given time and resources. And your work is met by an audience that loves theatre. Heaven.”

STAFFORD ARIMA

Director Sta ord Arima brings a very personal connection to Forgiveness, Hiro Kanagawa’s dramatization of the Canada Reads-winning memoir by Mark Sakamoto. “I was drawn to directing Forgiveness because my family, like many other Canadian families, was profoundly impacted by the Second World War. My uncle, Bruce McDonald, served in the Royal Canadian Air Force and, like Ralph MacLean in Forgiveness, lied about his age so that he could enlist with his three older brothers,” shares Arima. “And similar to Mitsue Sakamoto’s story in the memoir, on September 24, 1942, my father, grandmother, two aunts and an uncle were taken from their home in Vancouver and brought to the city’s Hastings Park to begin their journey as internees.” Directing the play in Stratford only deepens the director’s bond to

Forgiveness. “Beginning in the 1980s, my mother and her best friend drove to Stratford from Toronto to see some shows,” o ers Arima. “My mom is no longer with us, so directing at Stratford is very special to me. I know my mom would be so proud of her son.”

JACKIE MAXWELL

Even after decades of experience as a director, dramaturg and artistic director, Jackie Maxwell is still hesitant to pin down her particular directing style. “I don’t really have a single style of directing,” she declares. “I love to immerse myself in the play and then with my design team decide: what is the style of the play and how does this play work.” Everything falls into place from there. For Erin Shields’ Ransacking Troy, much of which takes place on a crowded boat sailing toward Troy, Maxwell knew she wanted to stage the play at Stratford’s Tom Patterson Theatre. “It’s perfect: the women in the play are on a ship and the Tom Patterson, with its thrust stage, is very much like a ship,” she says. “The actors feel like they’re walking onto the deck of a ship and the audience feels like they’re watching a ship.” What happens on the long voyage is the stu of theatre magic. Out to create an “adventure story,” the director assures the play will be a fun experience for audiences—a goal reliant on the play’s brilliant comedic core. “Absurdity is turned around so that you come to admire the women for setting out to do what they do,” Maxwell explains. “What kind of world do the women want to build? What should their role be? Erin gives a very di erent way into the story than Homer.”

KEITH BARKER

Keith Barker’s experiences as a director, dramaturg, actor and artistic director have brought home for him a central question posed by The Art of War: What is the role of an artist in times of conflict

and upheaval? The answer, like art itself, is complicated, but it necessitates more than passive spectatorship. “For me personally, it is far more di cult to understand something from a distance,” says the director. “In The Art of War, the artist has to place himself in the environment to better understand and capture the chaotic and unfamiliar human experience of war.” Barker wants the audience to do the same. “I am hoping our audiences will feel embedded in this story, which has such a tender heart to it. If people talk about and debate the play on the car ride home or bring it up over co ee the next morning, I will have done my job as a director.”

K.B.

Portrait by Eluvier Acosta

In the ’70s, the Festival appointed its first female director of music, Andrée Gingras, who introduced a music festival called Music for a Summer Day. I remember being particularly mortified as a nine-year-old at having to present a bouquet to a child-prodigy pianist. I had never heard the expression “child prodigy” before. I was not impressed. (Probably because I was not one.) Also, the responsibility blighted my excitement over the boxed lunch we all received as part of the “summer day” theme.

Beyond the concerts hosted by the Festival with artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Roberta Flack, Ella Fitzgerald, Liona Boyd and Bruce Cockburn, the music of the stage showcased a vast array of talent: Allan Laing, Harry Somers, Godfrey Ridout, André Gagnon, Loreena McKennitt, Barenaked Ladies, Steven Page and many more.

A stand-out composer for me was Gabriel Charpentier. I adored the sound of his name when my father would say it—it was in itself so musical. I reached out to Gabriel when I joined the Festival in the early 2000s and had a few wonderful phone calls with him before his death prior to the pandemic. On one of the calls, he reminisced about looking at some of his scores and said: “I know I will not make theatre again, but these are the symbols of what I did in my life. In the reading of my score, I sense the reality of being alive once more.”

Indeed, music makes us all feel alive, whether we are composer, performer or listener. A few years ago—and by few I probably mean 10—there was something going around Facebook asking you to list the soundtrack to your life. People were writing about Queen or The Tragically Hip, Bowie or The Beatles, and since none of that was ringing true to me, I thought, “I guess I don’t really have a soundtrack to my life.”

Then, a few months later, the Festival celebrated the work of composer Stanley Silverman, who has 20 Stratford credits to his name. As I sat in the audience and listened to that wonderful concert, led by Laura Burton, it dawned on me: this is the soundtrack of my life—the beautiful incidental music of the stage.

While I thought this made me a bit of an odd duck, the mood of the crowd at the concert told me differently. In the audience

were long-time attendees, many of them Members of the Stratford Festival, alongside other artists who had performed here for decades, and all of them—I realized—were having a similar, though no less unique, experience to me.

Though you hear it only fleetingly as part of the ephemerality of theatre, the music of the stage lives within you … like all theatre memories. A few notes, a photograph, a video clip and instantly you’re transported back to a long-ago-experienced production. The particular joy of Stratford is that those moments are shared by so many. We are not alone in our memories: there inside of them are the hundreds of people who watched and listened during that particular season, on that particular day, in this most special of theatre spaces. And when we see each other in the lobby, we know we share a history—and we are very fortunate to do so.

Membership in the Stratford Festival makes memories like the ones shared here possible. In a typical year, Members contribute more than $7 million to the Festival, directly supporting the work on stage and making unique, unforgettable moments possible. This support is vital, exceeding government funding and serving to augment revenue raised through ticket sales.

100 YEARS OF OSCAR PETERSON

Join us as we mark the global celebration of legendary performer Oscar Peterson’s life and career. This experiential event blends intimate home movies, performance video clips and personal stories, with special guest Kelly Peterson.

TICKETS FROM $39 | JULY 18

Antoni Cimolino (centre) with the Barenaked Ladies, during preparations for the 2005 production of As You Like It. Photograph by Patti Gower. Composer Stanley Silverman with Festival musicians, c. 1981-1985. Photographer unknown. Stratford Festival Archives Images.

dANtE'S INFErNO:

A FUSION OF TEXT, MUSIC AND THOUGHT PRESENTED BY DOPOLAVORO TEATRALE (DLT)

In a dynamic work of language, music and insight, commissioned by the Stratford Festival, you will be transported to the heart of The Divine Comedy and into the Inferno where Dante Alighieri–the Everyman–descends into hell. You will be immersed in this creation by DLT, guided through the experience by Dr. Donato Santeramo of Queen’s University as you revel in the musicality of medieval Italian spoken by Florentine artist Daniele Bartolini, beautifully enhanced with original music by renowned composer Andrea Gozzi.

JUNE AUGUST SEPTEMBER

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OPENING ANNIE

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OPENING THE WINTER’S TALE

OPENING ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

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MICHIGAN MEMBERS WEEKEND

10:30 Michigan Members Event

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10:30 The Guardian 2:00 Macbeth (S) 8:00 Annie (R) 8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

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National Indigenous Peoples Day

MICHIGAN MEMBERS WEEKEND

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1:15 Member Insights

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2:00 Winter’s Tale (R) 7:30 Monday Night Music

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CBC IDEAS WEEK

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7:30 The Words of War

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10:30 Song and Dance: Annie

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10:30 Origins of the Orphan Literary Trope

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10:30 Composers and Sound Designers for the Stage

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10:30 History and Design of Shakespearean Gardens

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10:30 CBC Ideas

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10:30 PWC Member Friday Chat

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9:30 Meet the Festival

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7:30 Dayna Manning Album Release Concert

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10:30 The Art of Movement and Choreography for the Stage

7:30 Celebrating Oscar Peterson at 100

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10:30 PWC Member Director’s Day

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2:00 Winter’s Tale (R) 7:30 Monday Night Music

2:00 As You Like It (R) 2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2-FOR-1 8:00 Annie (R) 8:00 Macbeth (R)

9:30 Meet the Festival

2:00 Green Gables (R) 2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R) 2:00 Forgiveness (R)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R) 10:30 PWC Member Friday Chat

10:30 Chicago Tribune

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

9:30 Meet the Festival

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Forgiveness (R)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Green Gables (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

10:30 Chicago Tribune

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Forgiveness (R)

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Green Gables (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

AUGUST

GLOBAL THEATRE WEEK

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Sensibility (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

9:30 Meet the Festival

2:00 Liaisons (P)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Troy (P)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

10:30 Song and Dance: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

5:00 Mem Post Show Chat

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R) 8:00 Troy (P)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Art of War (P)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

10:30 PWC Member Friday Chat

10:30 All Together Now: Ensemble Work

2:00 Annie

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Forgiveness (R)

8:00 Liaisons (P)

8:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Forgiveness (R)

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Art of War (P)

10:30 Anne of Green Gables in Japan and Beyond

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

10:30 Canadian Culture on the Global Stage

2:00 Liaisons (P)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Troy (P)

2:00 Liaisons (P)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Troy (P)

7:30 Monday Night Music

READERS AND WRITERS WEEK Civic Holiday

8:00 Forgiveness (R)

8:00 Art of War (PWYC)

8:00 Art of War (P)

10:30 Song and Dance: Annie

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

5:00 Mem Post Show Chat

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Forgiveness (R)

9:30 Meet the Festival 1:15 Member Insights

2:00 Liaisons (PWYC)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Art of War (P)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Troy (P)

OPENING THE ART OF WAR

10:30 PWC & Prospero Event

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

5:00 Mem Post Show Chat

2-FOR-1

8:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Art of War (P) 7:30 Monday Night Music

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Forgiveness (R)

9:30 Meet the Festival

2:00 Liaisons (P)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Troy (P)

5:00 Mem Post Show Chat

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Art of War (R)

10:30 Storytelling and the Oral Tradition 2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R) 2:00 Troy (P)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Sensibility (R) 8:00 Scoundrels (R)

OPENING RANSACKING TROY

10:30 Epistolary Novels

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

5:00 U.S./PWC Member Opening Night Dinner 8:00 Troy (R)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R) 8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Art of War (P)

10:30 When Veterans Return Home

10:30 PWC Member Friday Chat 2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R) 2:00 Winter’s Tale (R) 8:00 Liaisons (P)

8:00 Macbeth (R) 8:00 Troy (PWYC)

OPENING DANGEROUS LIAISONS

10:30 On Jane Austen and Lucy Maud Montgomery

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Liaisons (R) 8:00 Macbeth (R) 8:00 Art of War (R)

2:00 Annie (R) 2:00 Macbeth (R) 2:00 Forgiveness (R)

2:00 Art of War (P)

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

23

10:30 Stephen Greenblatt

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Forgiveness (R)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Troy (R)

8:00 Art of War (R) 24 25

10:30 Mark Sakamoto

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

2:00 Liaisons (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Forgiveness (R)

2-FOR-1

8:00 As You Like It (R)

9:30 Meet the Festival

2:00 Liaisons (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R) 2:00 Winter’s Tale (R) 8:00 Dante’s Inferno

2-FOR-1

8:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R) 2:00 Troy (R)

2:00 Art of War (R)

8:00 Annie (R)

30

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Sensibility (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Dante’s Inferno 31

2:00 Art of War (R)

7:30 Monday Night Music

8:00 Scoundrels (R) 8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Troy (R) 8:00 Art of War (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R) 8:00 Troy (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R) 8:00 Dante’s Inferno

8:00 Forgiveness (R)

SEPTEMBER

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Forgiveness (R)

2:00 Sensibility (S)

2:00 Scoundrels (S)

2:00 Forgiveness (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Art of War (R)

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Troy (S)

2:00 Art of War (S)

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Sensibility (S)

2:00 Macbeth (S)

2:00 Forgiveness (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Green Gables (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

10:30 In Pursuit of Bears

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Green Gables (S)

9:30 Meet the Festival

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Green Gables (S)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (S)

8:00 Liaisons (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Art of War (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (S)

8:00 Dante’s Inferno

2-FOR-1

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Troy (R)

10:30 PWC Member Friday Chat

2:00 Liaisons (S)

2:00 Scoundrels (S)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (S)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Troy (R)

10:30 PWC Member Friday Chat

2:00 Sensibility (S)

2:00 Scoundrels (S)

2:00 Forgiveness (S)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Troy (R)

8:00 Dante’s Inferno

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Troy (R)

8:00 Art of War (R)

10:30 New York Post

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Troy (R)

8:00 Liaisons (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Art of War (R)

8:00 Dante’s Inferno

SCHOLARS AND EXPERTS WEEK

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Green Gables (S)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R) 8:00 Art of War (R)

2:00 As You Like It (S)

10:30 What Does it Take to Train a Great Actor?

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

2:00 Art of War (R)

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Troy (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (S)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (S)

2:00 Art of War (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Troy (R)

9:30 Meet the Festival 2:00 Sensibility (S) 2:00 Forgiveness (S) 8:00 Annie (R) 8:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Annie (S) 2:00 Macbeth (S) 2:00 Troy (S) 2:00 Art of War (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Liaisons (R)

8:00 Green Gables (R) 8:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

10:30 Creating Art During War

2:00 Liaisons (S)

2:00 Scoundrels (S)

9:30 Meet the Festival

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Green Gables (S)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (S)

8:00 Sensibility (R)

8:00 Forgiveness (R)

2:00 Troy (S)

2:00 Art of War (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

10:30 The Woman’s Voice 2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Macbeth (S)

2:00 Troy (S)

8:00 Sensibility (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R) 8:00 Forgiveness (R)

10:30 The Woman’s Body

2:00 Liaisons (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R) 8:00 Troy (R)

2:00 As You Like It (R)

10:30 PWC Member Friday Chat

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (S)

2:00 Art of War (S)

8:00 Liaisons (R)

8:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Winter’s Tale (R)

2:00 Art of War (R)

8:00 Sensibility (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Forgiveness (R)

OCTOBER

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Macbeth (S)

8:00 Liaisons (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

12:30 Green Gables (S)

2:00 As You Like It (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Sensibility (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Liaisons (S) 2:00 Scoundrels (S) 8:00 Annie (R) 8:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Annie (R) 2:00 Macbeth (R) 8:00 Sensibility (R) 8:00 Scoundrels (R) 5 67 8 9 10 11

2:00 Liaisons (S)

2:00 Scoundrels (S)

5:00 Mem Post Show Chat

2-FOR-1

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Annie (R) 8:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Macbeth (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Liaisons (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

12:30 Green Gables (S)

2:00 As You Like It (S) 8:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 As You Like It (S)

2:00 Green Gables (S)

5:00 Mem Post Show Chat

8:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Sensibility (S)

2:00 Scoundrels (S)

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Annie (S)

2:00 Macbeth (S)

2-FOR-1 8:00 Sensibility (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

12:30 Macbeth (S)

2:00 Annie (S)

8:00 Liaisons (R)

8:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Liaisons (S)

2:00 Green Gables (S)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

2:00 As You Like It (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Sensibility (R)

2:00 Scoundrels (R)

2:00 Goblin:Oedipus

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

EDUCATION WEEK

1:15 Member Insights

2:00 Sensibility (S)

2:00 Scoundrels (S)

8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

2-FOR-1

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

8:00 Liaisons (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

2:00 Annie (S) 8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

12:30 Annie (S)

2:00 Macbeth (S)

2:00 Goblin:Oedipus

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

2:00 Macbeth (S)

2:00 Goblin:Oedipus 8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

NOVEMBER

10:30 Social Prescription for the Arts

12:30 As You Like It (S)

12:30 Green Gables (S) 2:00 Goblin:Oedipus

2-FOR-1

8:00 Annie (R)

8:00 Macbeth (R)

12:30 Annie (S) 2:00 Goblin:Oedipus

12:30 Annie (S)

12:30 Macbeth (S)

4:30 What the Theatre Taught Me

8:00 As You Like It (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R)

8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

2:00 Macbeth (S) 8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

10:30 The Critical Role of Arts in Education

2:00 Liaisons (R)

2:00 Green Gables (R)

2:00 Goblin:Oedipus

8:00 Sensibility (R)

8:00 Scoundrels (R) 8:00 Goblin:Oedipus

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Goblin:Oedipus

8:00 Macbeth (R) 8:00 Goblin:Oedipus 2 3 4

2:00 Annie (R)

2:00 Macbeth (R)

OUr tHEAT rES

FESTIVAL THEATRE 55 QUEEN ST.

Built in 1953, the Festival Theatre’s revolutionary thrust stage provides a theatrical experience so profound, it has inspired look-alikes around the world. Originally housed in a tent, the stage now sits in an iconic example of Modernist architecture. | Access to all seating is by stepped aisles leading down from the rear of the auditorium.

STUDIO THEATRE

34 GEORGE ST. E.

Opened in 2002, the Studio Theatre offers a smaller, modified version of the Festival’s thrust stage. Situated downtown, at the rear of the Avon Theatre complex, the Studio is wonderfully intimate and well suited to both new and classical work. | Entry to all seating (except front row) is by steps leading upward from stage level. The auditorium is steeply inclined, and reaching the back rows may be challenging for those with restricted mobility.

AVON THEATRE 99 DOWNIE ST.

A Stratford landmark since 1900, the city’s downtown Avon Theatre offers audiences the Festival’s only traditional proscenium arch stage. The theatre is known for its lavish sets and is also home to family-friendly shows, among other productions. | Entry to orchestra seating is by aisles from the rear of the auditorium. Balcony seating is accessible by stairs only.

TOM PATTERSON THEATRE

DR.

Our newest venue is also our most celebrated, taking home five major architectural awards since opening in spring 2022.

A LEED Gold-registered building, constructed with sustainable and natural materials, the auditorium—bespoke in every way— offers a unique elongated thrust stage and an exceptional viewing experience that brings the action into the audience.

| Accessible seating in front row is reached via elevator. All other seating in rows A through G is reached by stepped aisles leading down from the rear of the auditorium.

SEATS ON A BUDGET

Our Bravo Zone has over 90,000 seats available for just $39 each all season long! Not available at the Studio Theatre.

STUDENTS AND SENIORS SAVE

Students and guests 65 years of age and older enjoy special savings. Ticket prices start at $31 for performances marked “S” on our calendar.

2-FOR-1

PRICES

STANDARD PRICES

Get two tickets for the price of one! Applies to most 8 p.m. performances on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the season.

UNDER 30? PLAY ON!

Aged 16 to 29? Register for our Play On program and get tickets starting at $25.

PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN*

Choose the price you’d like to pay from as little as $18. Able to pay more? Consider paying more in support of our artists and their work. Eligible performances are marked PWYC on the calendar.

*Limit of six tickets per person. Offer is not available to groups and schools. Pricing may expire without notice.

FAMILIES PAY LESS

Purchase an adult-priced ticket and get up to four additional tickets for young theatregoers 18 and under for as little as $15.50 each. Discount unavailable in Globe Ring, Founders’ Row and Spotlight Seating zones.

GROUPS & SCHOOLS SPECIAL

Groups of 10 or more save up to 25%! Flexible payment terms. Book now, then pay later. Student tickets from $19 all year long.

MEMBER DISCOUNTS

Become a Stratford Festival Member and receive early access to special discounts on multiple performances throughout the season. Learn about the benefits of membership on our website.

A premium applies to aisle zone seats and to weekend matinée performances.

Festival and Avon Theratre exterior: Photography by Christine Teeple. Festival and Avon Theatre interior: Photography by Lucia Rememdios. Studio Theatre exterior: photography by Lucia Rememdios. Studio Theatre interior: photography by Terry Manzo. Tom Patterson Theatre exterior photography by Scott Wishart. Tom Patterson Theatre interior: photography by doublespsace photography.

THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL INTRODUCES EDUCATION WEEK, MAKING ACCESS TO ARTS EDUCATION A CENTRAL PRIORITY.

by Katie Gilson Clark

Did you know that arts education has been proven to enhance empathy, as well as historical knowledge, by nurturing a profound awareness of what it means to live in different periods and locations? It’s true, and organizations like the Stratford Festival can help. According to a 2020 study by the American Educational Research Association, “schools searching for innovative ways to offer arts experiences while reinforcing learning in the humanities can benefit from partnering with arts and cultural organizations that offer arts-integrated programs.”

Enter Education Week. This year, the Festival launches a week-long series of events filled with celebrations and learnings, highlighting the importance of arts education. The week includes workshops, speaker events, tours and performances that focus on the viewpoints of young people and supporters involved in their education—teachers, parents and policymakers.

The rewards gained from integrating arts education at an early age are clear. Additional 2020 data from the American Educational Research Association indicates, exposure to the arts not only encourages creativity and innovation, it also improves an array of general life skills such as communication, teamwork, time management, critical thinking, emotional intelligence and self-confidence. Why not, then, immerse yourself in a week dedicated to arts education? From behind-the-scenes tours to experiential learning, Education Week is where the lessons are at. At the Festival, the list of one-of-a-kind learning experiences to share with students is as long as the mustdo list for any individual looking to build on their artistic and cultural knowledge. Here are six experiences every curious Festival-goer should try during Education Week and beyond.

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Add some behind-the-scenes charm to your Festival field trip with an InterACTive preshow led by teaching artists appearing in the matinée. These interactive workshops bring students from different schools together to examine show themes and explore character paths, among other topics. Other preshow active engagements include workshops offering hands-on experience to deepen students’ Stratford experience. Learn to speak Shakespeare’s poetry with the cast of As You Like It or learn choreography from Annie—the choice is yours!

fo ur

PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN

After seeing Macbeth’s chopper, we dare you not to be curious to learn how it was made. Or perhaps you and your class are more likely to ponder how our production team transformed the Festival stage into 1930’s New York City. Either way, backstage tours are your chance to get the inside scoop. Led by members of the Festival production team, these are the keepers of all knowledge pertaining to the magic audiences see on stage. Once in their company, just sit back and absorb all the hidden secrets divulged as you learn what it takes to make a Stratford Festival show.

Designed with school-day schedules in mind, these 12:30 p.m. start times for the 2025 season include shows perfect for students, such as Shakespeare’s loveable romantic comedy As You Like It, fan favourite musical Annie, the biker gang-inspired Macbeth and a newly imagined play of the Canadian classic Anne of Green Gables!

EARLY START PERFORMANCES three

Are you curious about how Sense and Sensibility’s actors perform multiple roles seamlessly? Or how Forgiveness, the memoir, evolved from page to stage? Dive into our production with a 30-minute post-show chat featuring cast and creative team members immediately following the performance. Keep your students’ tastes in mind and select based on interest (raise those hands!), as well as curriculum focus.

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Can an orphan’s optimism and dreams of a better future inspire young audiences to be more hopeful? Can Macbeth illustrate how unchecked ambition for power is damaging to the community around you? The Meighen Forum and the Education team have organized events especially for this unique week of education. Participate in conversations with education policymakers, scholars, advocates, artists and special guests as they discuss issues spanning promoting arts education in schools, inspiring young people to pursue their dreams through art engagements and the demonstrated benefits of the arts for social, physical and community wellbeing. Details: stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/TheForum

BUS FUNDING & STUDENT TICKET PRICES

Not an event per se, but … wow, bus funding assistance, what an event?! Bus funding is critical and here at the Festival, we understand that. That is why we offer it to all elementary and secondary schools that wish to visit Stratford and need support to get to us. FYI: The Festival offers a special rate for many 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. weekday performances for student matinée savings.

Support for bus funding is generously provided by Nancy Cobban & Allan Walkinshaw, The William and Nona Heaslip Foundation and The Schulich Foundation.

WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG, YOUR DREAM JOB CAN FEEL OUT OF REACH. COULD CAMP BE THE ANSWER TO GETTING YOUR TOES WET?

by Katie Gilson Clark

OH, CAMP! What do you think of when you hear the phrase overnight camp? Do you see a tent, a twig of marshmallows roasting over a fire, friends wrapped in flannel blankets telling ghost stories? For some, this sounds as nightmarish as a poorly told tale from the crypt. For those in that lot, or the parents of kids who cherish their earmarked copy of As You Like It, what if I told you the Festival has been hosting an overnight Theatre Arts Camp for two decades now?

True story … take a moment to be surprised.

What’s this camp all about? Well, in the words of Kerri-Lee Funk, former camper and current Stratford Festival employee, it’s a place where you “become curious about onstage and behind-the-scenes aspects of live theatre.” Working in the Education Department of the Festival, Funk is reminded of the “profound impact” camp has had on her professional career—“camps helped me to get where I am now!”—when working with visiting schools. She credits her time at camp for equipping her with “many lifelong and transferrable skills,” including the hard task of becoming more confident in oneself. “The camp helped me find my voice and increased my self-confidence,” she shares. “I learned how to take risks and step out of my comfort zone.” Shell officially cracked, Funk continues to use the tricks picked up at camp in her everyday life. She asserts, “Camp taught me how to be an effective team player.”

For me, an introvert who never went to camp (sad face), listening to camp alumni reminisce about all the ways the Festival’s overnight Theatre Arts Camp has helped them grow as people and professionals incites, admittedly, some pains of FOMO. Prevent the aspiring artist in your family from feeling the same, trust in the words of camper-turned-actor Marissa Orjalo—a fellow “shy” kid—when she says camp was an “invaluable experience, and I truly cannot compare it to anything else.” Trust and then act on that trust by learning more about enrollment! Need more info before you’re convinced? Below, Orjalo takes a break from preparing to play the role of Perdita in this season’s The Winter’s Tale to detail why she would declare “camp was singlehandedly one of the greatest tools to help me prepare for theatre school and for life as an artist,” and the reasons why parents of budding stage stars should take note.

IN CONVERSATION

How do you remember feeling at the beginning of your Stratford Festival Theatre Arts Camp experience?

MARISSA: I was 14 years old and quite nervous to spend the week away from home, but I quickly bonded with the people in my camp and explored all that the City of Stratford had to offer! I believe our residence facilitators created a city scavenger hunt for us, and it was a fantastic opportunity to get to know each other and the city!

Good way of touring the city! What was your favourite part of the camp?

MARISSA: The most enriching part for me was having class in the mornings and afternoons with guest artists, then getting to see those artists in professional theatre that same night. It allowed us to feel that much closer to the Festival as students invested in the arts, and really helped us understand the versatility needed to be a Stratford artist in repertory theatre.

Sounds like there are some unique benefits based on the camp being connected to a professional theatre.

MARISSA: You will not find classical theatre of this calibre anywhere else in North America, and because of this, we had students coming from all over the globe. That alone was uniquely beneficial. I have friends from across the globe that I still keep in contact with because of the artist camps.

It’s wonderful that you’re still in touch!

MARISSA: A lot of my friends from those days have come to see my work at the Stratford Festival. It becomes a special place for us as kids, and that sentiment continues into adulthood.

Aside from the relationships you’ve been able to make, what are some of the other benefits of the camp being at the Stratford Festival?

MARISSA: Resources, resources, resources! You want a mask workshop in the morning with an artist who dedicated their study to Commedia dell’Arte in Northern Italy, then a ballet class with a Broadway dancer after lunch, with a deep dive into Shakespeare’s text with the actor who plays Hamlet in the evening? Done. And done with some of the world’s leading artists in those fields. The resources available are just incredible.

In your experience, what did the Stratford Festival camp offer you as a young artist that you didn’t find anywhere else?

MARISSA: It taught me how to bring rigour and passion to my schoolwork and extracurriculars, and the value of discipline and excellence in my studies. It taught me how the life of an artist can be lucrative and fulfilling, that being an artist is possible and very doable in the Canadian theatre landscape.

I guess, though, not all of the campers would go on to working in the arts, right?

MARISSA: For some of my friends who didn’t go into the arts and who became successful in their own careers, they value the arts in a way that truly enriches their lives and their own children’s lives. There’s something beautiful,

fulfilling and relaxed about a society that consumes theatre, opera, ballet and art regularly. What do we do when we travel to new countries? We consume their food and witness their traditions in theatre, singing and dance … and witness art and history in their museums. Usually in buildings dedicated to their creation and curation.

That’s very true. It’s very much grounded in the arts.

MARISSA: The arts are how we create and understand culture. And every culture deems art important in some respect, hence our desire to vacation to different countries. These camps show the value of theatre within a cultural context and allow students to be immersed within these cultural wonders early on in their development.

How would you describe an education camp to someone who is hearing about it for the first time?

MARISSA: I would describe an education camp as an integral learning opportunity for all young minds. To be out of the day-to-day classroom and to meet new kids your age interested in something you are also interested in allows students to flourish in their schoolwork and in their personal development. An education camp isn’t just a week of fun theatre workshops and theatre-going … it’s lifelong friendships, and memories, it’s teaching value in creative development and it’s allowing students to be themselves in an unfamiliar setting.

And being in a different setting can really change a person’s perspective on things.

MARISSA: I was an extremely shy kid—great student, but very shy. These camps allowed me to take up space, ask questions and benefit from some of Stratford’s greatest minds. It taught me passion for the work you do. It helped me feel important during a time in a young person’s development where you perhaps don’t feel very significant.

Opposite page: Marissa Orjalo as Grace Harkaway in London Assurance, 2024.

Photography by David Hou. Set and Lighting Designer Lorenzo Savoini, Costume Designer Francesca Callow, Composer Wayne Kelso, Sound Designer Ranil Sonnadara,

Intimacy

Anita Nittoly, Choreographer Adrienne Gould,

What did you learn about yourself while participating in the camp and how did the camp prepare you for your future career goals?

MARISSA: Well, I learned that I was definitely an artist, and that it was something I wanted to do as a career! Other kids I went to camp with became successful entrepreneurs, lawyers, photographers and cinematographers, writers, a physicist and leaders in organizations with mandates that are important to them and their communities. The camps prepare you to be who you are meant to be, in a career that you are passionate about.

It’s clear the camps mean something special to you.

MARISSA: I could go on forever! My last education camp was when I was 17 years old, and if you had told me at 17 that I would be performing on the Festival stage in less than a decade, I would probably have cried tears of joy. The Festival is a career highlight for a lot of artists, and to be here so young when it meant so much to me as an adolescent makes it all the more special. Stratford is home, it has always felt like home thanks to the Theatre Arts Camp opportunities.

Now that you’re a part of the Festival’s acting company, what advice would you give a student entering the camp who aspires to be a working artist like you?

MARISSA: Ask all the questions, meet all the artists and be generous to the other students around you with your ideas, with your time and with your care. The artists you meet may one day be your colleagues. Deborah Hay, Adrienne Gould and Sara Topham were some of the artists I met and looked up to and now, in my third season, I will have worked with each of them.

ARTISTIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The Stratford Festival is committed to strengthening and enhancing every aspect of its art. Key programs include:

THE FOERSTER BERNSTEIN NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Commissioning, developing and premièring new works, as well as contemporary adaptations and translations, by Canadian playwrights.

THE LANGHAM DIRECTORS’ WORKSHOP

Providing resources, mentorship and space for emerging and midcareer directors to explore, play and hone their craft.

Participants this season: Steven Conde, William Dao, Aaron Jan, Lianna Makuch, Luke Reece.

We extend our thanks to The Philip and Berthe Morton Foundation. Supporter of the Langham Directors’ Workshop

Our thanks to RBC Foundation

THE BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATORY

An individually curated intensive training program for the next generation of theatre artists.

Participants this season: Ashley Dingwell, Justin Eddy, Katarina Fiallos, Silvae Mercedes, Anthony Palermo, Joe Perry, Nadine Villasin, Dakota Jamal Wellman.

Made possible by the support of the Birmingham family, the Stratford Festival Endowment Foundation and our generous donors.

The Langham Directors’ Workshop and the Birmingham Conservatory is funded in part by the Government of Canada

happiness is

[FILL IN THE BLANK]

SOCIAL SCIENTIST, HARVARD PROFESSOR AND NEW YORK TIMES

BESTSELLING WRITER ARTHUR C. BROOKS ON THEATRE’S HOME WITHIN HAPPINESS.

by Jennifer Lee

What do you think when a person tells you they have tickets to the theatre? Do you imagine a pleasant diversion? Perhaps envy them for having the time to “spare”? Or do you assume they are deep and contemplative for seeking out such entertainment?

Your answer may be a telltale giveaway of your perspective on happiness.

Happiness is complex—oftentimes frustratingly so. The emotion is anchored to different ideals for different individuals.

If you kneel at the altar of love, happiness is a cherished space between people overflowing with purpose.

If you bow to the Dow Jones and live to work, happiness is the satisfaction of goals reached and pockets lined.

If you hail freedom to pursue blessed hobbies and unrolling interests, happiness is the enjoyment of relaxation.

Complicated entity that it is, happiness is not comprised of one single thing. It cannot chase after satisfaction and abandon purpose or bask in enjoyment with no mind for satisfaction. Happiness is more mathematical than that. As Euclid’s Axioms states: “The whole is greater than the part.”

Arthur C. Brooks is an expert in the pieces making up the happiness puzzle. The author of multiple New York Times bestsellers, including 2023’s Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, Brooks is a Harvard professor and PhD social scientist with firm footing in pop-culture as a happiness expert. His status as a self-help guru is evident from the popularity of his podcast The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks, his Atlantic Monthly column (a dedicated source of how-to-be-happy advice) and, of course, having his life story celebrated in a 2019 documentary titled The Pursuit. Similarly, his influence as a thought-leader is the stuff of icons, with appearances on stage alongside Barack Obama and working relationships with organizations spanning from cool kids at SXSW to tech titans the likes of Google through to international think tanks, when not lecturing at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School.

Shifting between efforts to improve public policy for human welfare and time spent deciphering happiness by way of neuroscience combined with philosophy traditions may seem an odd choice. Really, though, both are a matter of service, and service is grounded in community. For Brooks, the idea of community plays deep into his happiness equation: Happiness = Enjoyment + Satisfaction + Purpose. The trio equating the big “H” in this formula—enjoyment, purpose and satisfaction—are what Brooks categorizes as the macronutrients of happiness.

Given you can’t subtract people from this formula, it comes as no surprise that Brooks is an advocate of “time spent interacting with people,” advice directly challenged by the advent of social media.

Today, talk of “happiness” unavoidably triggers debate around social media, nemesis to the aforementioned big “H.” Brooks, like many other social scientists, has thoughts on this rocky relationship. His ideas for remedying the effects of social media on our emotional lives look to finding meaning in the company of others. “A great remedy to the loneliness of social media is communal activities, to be sure,” says Brooks. “Getting away from screens and having more social experiences, like the theatre, is key in becoming happier.”

In an age of Facetune, social media is a manufacturer of Baudrillard’s hyperreal, replacing what is genuine with a more appealing, i.e., fake, interpretation of its subject matter— inclusive of human connection. This, as Brooks indicates, is where the threat to our emotional wellbeing comes in. “Lots of science proves that this is terrible for our happiness—the longer we spend on social media, we literally have less neurophysiological capacity to connect with and love others,” he explains. “As such, it is important to decrease your time on social media and simultaneously increase your time spent interacting with people.”

The domino surge of connection that charges a theatre is everything to Bobby Garcia. A stage director and producer, Garcia makes his debut in Stratford this year with the musical comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Garcia is passionate when speaking about how he sees his chosen art form bringing happiness to its audience. He declares, “Musical theatre operates on joy.” Garcia evidently gravitates toward stories that can attest to as much; the last show he produced, Here Lies Love, created by David Byrne of Talking Heads and musician Fatboy Slim, was a Broadway hit with four Tony nominations, heralded by Vogue as “a life-giving, roof-raising, blast of pure joy.”

Joyful narratives bring their audience enjoyment as they watch. That’s precisely why Garcia is excited to stage Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in Stratford. “It’s wickedly funny,” he says of the musical. First seen on Broadway with 3rd Rock from the Sun–funnyman John Lithgow leading the laughs, Garcia’s production casts Jonathan Goad (Stratford’s hilarious King Arthur from Monty Python’s Spamalot back in 2023) in the role of a hustler ready to cheat and break hearts on his way to getting a dime.

Enjoyment, like the kind Garcia hopes to deliver to his audience, is first on Brooks’s list of happiness macronutrients—not to be “confused with pleasure,” he warns. “Enjoyment takes elements

happiness is

of pleasure, but it adds two important components: people and memory,” clarifies Brooks. “Happily, theatre does just that. By being part of the theatre community, you’re not, say, watching YouTube videos of theatre in bed. On the contrary, you are creating lasting memories with others in the spirit of love.”

Garcia couldn’t agree more. While he suggests his show is a good source of levity for anyone who feels the weight of an overwhelming world, he perceives the urge to “seek refuge in comedy” to offer more than an escape. Theatre surrounds one with people and fosters a space for interaction, particularly with a comedy like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. “Humour works better when it’s communal. When you watch a movie in the theatre, it’s funnier than when you watch it at home by yourself in your pajamas. Humour is contagious.” And that is wondrous to Garcia: “It’s just so great to feel that there’s something that connects us.”

Outside of the theatre, the larger reality that connects us as citizens of the globe is an ebb and flow of peace and unrest, varying in degrees according to our pin on the map. As the oracle of this reality, the news media can feel like a conductor, orchestrating our society’s happiness; we swing from comfort to uncertainty with its every breaking update. Most would agree, uncertainty feels rotten. For some, the desire to avoid this feeling switches on flight mode and kicks up willful ignorance. This, though, says Brooks is no way about happiness—a view reflected in director/choreographer Donna Feore’s reason for wanting to stage Annie this year. “Annie is a wonderful show with a great message for right now,” she says. “Set in a time of great trouble, it offers great hope.”

For Annie, life in 1930s New York ain’t grand. Growing up in the Great Depression, between WWI and WWII, the fact that Annie is an orphan under the care of a woman better fit tending to steel dolls is just the icing on a Bundt cake made up of crummy chances. The little girl’s approach to her circumstances is the takeaway at the heart of this family classic. “Annie has a message for all of us,” says Feore. “Believe in the future, in your future, and work to make it happen.” Tackling problems head on with optimism—but more importantly, tenacity—is what has inspired audiences to root for this underdog character since the musical’s Tony-winning original Broadway run in the late ’70s. Coincidentally, Annie’s general approach to life is interchangeable with Brooks’s advice on navigating happiness. In both instances, bad things are not something to run away from. Brooks explains, “Getting happier in the deepest sense often requires becoming comfortable with and understanding one’s suffering, which is a boon for meaning.”

Feore, who promises the musical to be “thought provoking for everyone,” can’t say enough about the emotional pathway to meaning Annie will lead audiences down, as she searches for “love and belonging.” With firm footing in joy and purpose, Annie falls squarely into Brooks’s happiness diet. Still, even when hearing Brooks say “we should all aim to have balance and abundance of all three macronutrients of happiness,” one can foresee the struggles ravelled in with adherence, specifically the evasiveness of time.

The difficult task of finding time for in-person live events is the reason streaming reigns supreme these days. For busy families, stay-at-home movie nights are a go-to for bonding— they’re easy—and affordable. Leisure activities are an added expense whether paid with time or money. The question then becomes, when it comes to spending your weekends playing with a sports club or buying tickets to the theatre, is the cost worth the spend?

“Scholars have put a lot of thought into this. As it happens, you can do five things with your money: buy stuff, buy time, buy experiences, give it away or save it,” says Brooks. “In pursuit of leisure, people overwhelmingly use their money for the first option—buying stuff—but this option is also associated with the unhappiest use of money.” Brooks suggests skipping the purchase of that new car or the trending pair of sneakers and advises one to “not buy stuff to

complex a cherished space

different things for different people the satisfaction of goals reached

the enjoyment of relaxation

bring about enjoyment” but instead invest in something built to share. For the highest return on investment, Brooks’s recommendation is to “buy experiences with your loved ones.” He explains, “It’s nearly always ‘worth the spend’ when you buy experiences with others, [like] tickets to the theatre or to watch your team play.”

Toronto-based playwright and director Kat Sandler is counting on parents siding with her production of Anne of Green Gables when choosing between a new toy or introducing their children to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s iconic young heroine. Commissioned to adapt the novel for the Festival’s Schulich Children’s Play this season, Sandler is confident when speaking about the importance of Montgomery’s story, depicting a tenacious orphan girl who builds a family and a community around her through kindness and perseverance. “It’s a story you’re able to bond over.”

Finding purpose in the things we do and choose to expose ourselves to is part of Brooks’s nutritious happiness diet. And while Sandler describes her play’s protagonist as an “inherently funny character,” this doesn’t take away from the fact that we can all extract meaning from Anne’s journey. A fan of Montgomery’s novel since she was a young girl, the director has become ever closer with her fictional hero since working on the script for Stratford’s new stage adaptation and feels strongly when specifying Anne of Green Gables is “not just lighthearted.” There’s infinitely more revelations to be derived from the coming-of-age tale than such a description permits. To Sandler, Anne of Green Gables is “incredibly poignant and sensitive”—and also timeless.

The story’s contemporary relevance acted as a compass during the playwright’s work reimaging the novel for stage. “It’s such a beautiful story that sometimes you want to get out of its way.” Having come back to the novel in her adult years for this project, Sandler has experienced firsthand its perennial wisdom. “The story gains meaning depending on what stage in your life you’re in.” Sandler emphasizes

on a path to ‘happierness’

how Anne models a “willingness to laugh and smile in the face of adversity”—a long-lasting life lesson. She goes on to point to insightful narrative themes of “acceptance, coming home, belonging and changing a community” preserved in her script. The director passionately endorses seeing the play with family and friends; hands folded over her chest, she says knowingly, “You want to be with someone when you experience those emotional beats.”

The conviction Sandler speaks with quickly convinces one of both the connection theatre forges among audiences finding collective enjoyment in a story unfolding before them, and the meaning found in enlivening children’s minds with early exposure to a live theatre experience. “You don’t need these fantastical, expensive sets,” argues Sandler. “You just have to believe in magic.”

The spectacular draw of theatre magic is something Jackie Maxwell knows well. The former artistic director of the Shaw Festival from 2002 to 2016, Maxwell is a Festival regular who returns this season to direct Ransacking Troy, a howl of a Trojan War reboot that dares to ask how this legend would alter if the all-but-invisible women of Troy (Helen, aka “the face that launched a thousand ships,” doesn’t count) were to step out of their homes and into the unknown.

A director with a penchant for stories that are “brave and mixed,” Maxwell’s Ransacking Troy is a comedy, “a great adventure story,” and a play with something to say. Different in makeup than Anne of Green Gables or even Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Ransacking Troy hands out as many laughs as conversation starters. Maxwell’s understanding of the balance between the play’s funny moments and the significance of its female protagonist’s story arc speaks to the way the play is infused with meaning.“The humour is always sort of absurd,” she comments. But like all good comedy, therein lies the genius. As Maxwell explains, the absurdity is a cloak and dagger slight-of-mind meant to reveal the story’s characters to audience esteem. “You really get to admire what these women set out to do.”

One might think that the happiness derived from lighthearted content verses content disguising topics of the day under comedy would be higher, but Brooks doesn’t see it that way. “Both have the potential to make you happier, but most likely in different ways,” he says. “A lighthearted musical will likely elicit enjoyment. This type of musical is simple, fun and a great bonding experience with friends and family. On the other hand, an intense socio-political play may not bring about much enjoyment—especially if it is triggering your anger and fear—but, in the best cases, it can bring about something else: meaning, another macronutrient of happiness.”

Written by Erin Shields, Ransacking Troy is a feast of meaning, sitting firmly in the playwrights’ wheelhouse of recontextualizing classical texts by filtering them through a feminist lens for a modern audience. The result, in this case, is what Maxwell describes as “an amended, newly looked at” journey through the Iliad andthe Odyssey. Like her previous

collaboration with Shields for the Festival, Paradise Lost, which earned high praise from critics including The Globe and Mail—“the emotional impact and complexity of this most wellknown of stories grows”—Ransacking Troy promises a hearty helping of food for thought. After awaiting the return of their husbands for nearly a decade, the wives of Troy’s soldiers embark on a mission to retrieve their spouses and put an end to the Trojan War. The journey, Maxwell guarantees, will be “a lot of fun” to watch, as these would-be Trojan heroes toss around ideas, modern in their questioning. The director shares, “Very often through the play [the women] talk about ‘what is the world that we want?’”

With plays like Ransacking Troy, a theatre ticket can act as a crack in the doorway to self-discovery and even societal change. Brooks touches on this phenomenon. “The cathartic experience derived from watching a thought-provoking play might motivate you to make a real difference in the world,” he postulates. “You might, for the first time, understand what you’ve been put on Earth to do. A socio-political play could be the ignition for deeper meaning in your life.”

Just as happiness is different things for different people, so is theatre. For example, take Brooks. As a young man, he was a professional French hornist; now as an adult, live entertainment is something personal and nostalgic. “I cherish my memories of playing in front of an audience,” he says. “Specifically because I had a community around me who shared my interest.” Today, he likes to “sit on the sidelines and enjoy the music” of any given performance. It brings him happiness. This is his unique reason for choosing to watch a live performance, which would be different than mine and mine would be different than yours. Maybe you are looking for a chance to bond over a good story. Or, you could want to immerse yourself in a narrative that feels different than your own. Perhaps instead—possibly also—you seek a mirror or window to encourage contemplative thought. Whatever the reason, happiness, or more specifically being happier, can be a part of the outcome if one adapts Brooks’s advice to “focus on the macronutrient in which you’re deficient,” turning it, even, into a reason to visit the theatre. Low on enjoyment? Try reconnecting with a friend, seated beside them at a musical. In want of purpose? See what ideas percolate in your head after watching a story about your own community on stage. It may seem like a small step, but what feel like minor choices do add up, as Brooks’s happiness formula theorizes. And, hopefully, they also become habit-forming. The advantage of this is in Brooks’s answer to his most commonly asked question: Can we learn to be happy? “No,” maintains Brooks. “But we can learn to be happier.” Happiness, he stresses, is not a final destination—“this state, of course, doesn’t exist”—we can only do as he recommends and “practice superb habits to put us on a path to ‘happierness.’” Follow the breadcrumbs … they may just lead you to the theatre.

Members of the company in Something Rotten!, 2024.

Photography by Lucia Remedios.

Michael Gianfrancesco,

FOR THE YOUNG AND YOUNG AT HEART , STRATFORD IS A PLACE OF ADVENTURE AND DISCOVERY HERE’S WHAT MOM AND EDUCATOR LOIS ADAMSON LIKES TO DO WITH HER KIDS DURING DOWNTIME IN THE CITY

CHILD’SPL AY

Growing up in Hamilton, there was plenty of arts and entertainment for children. Theatre Aquarius and the Art Gallery of Hamilton were right downtown, while Toronto and its cultural experiences were a bus ride away.

Despite the abundance of arts and culture close to home, there was nothing like a road trip to Stratford. The short journey from Hamilton to scenic Stratford became an annual tradition for our family basically as soon as it started, on my 10th birthday—almost 30 years ago—when my grandfather gifted Stratford Festival tickets to me, my mom and grandmother. I got to choose the show (it was my birthday, after all!), a perk that continued for years into the

tradition, though really, we all always gravitated toward the same productions. In the early years, we would usually go for the Schulich Children’s Play or one of the musicals. As I got older, we would choose some of the Shakespeare productions or literary adaptations. If pre-teen Lois could choose her birthday show for this year, it would be The Winter’s Tale or Sense and Sensibility!

Now I work at the Stratford Festival (a childhood dream come true!) but still live out of town, meaning I continue to experience the city the way a tourist might. A wellseasoned one, considering I’ve been “visiting” Stratford for nearly my whole life now! And I can honestly say southwestern Ontario’s Stratford should be your family destination of choice. To help get you started, allow me to share with you some of my go-to experiences for exploring this tucked-away paradise on the Avon River.

A bit about me: I am a trained teacher and mom of two, so I know firsthand the impact that experiences outside of our usual surroundings can have, especially for children. Since my kids are still pretty little, I often look for daytrips or excursions away—but not too far—from home. Like so many, I am also always seeking out treasured experiences in lieu of material gifts to give them. I am also a lover of seasonal, annual traditions and am keen to bestow on my children what my grandparents gave me: Hello, Stratford!

My two littles know the city well. They have been to see Festival shows and have made their way around the city, delighting in everything Stratford has to offer families. These visits, like my own as a kid, have shifted our perspectives on each other and the world. Until you experience it yourself, maybe this sounds unbelievable, but visiting Stratford as a kid really does change you, in a way that—I think—only theatre and a trip out of town can do.

The farmland of Perth County is beautiful. For my kids and me, the slight shift in landscape gives us a sense of travelling a world away when, really, this whole new place is just a skip away from home.

So far we’ve only seen Schulich Children’s Plays and musicals. Every show is an opportunity for dress-up … not to be confused with dressing up. When we saw Wendy and Peter Pan, it was their pink and shimmery best in honour of Tink. Never did we say they needed to dress up; they seemed to intuit the sense of occasion! Kids just get it.

Family Fair in the Square; Cynthia Jimenez-Hicks and Tara Sky, photography by Ann Baggley. Festival Theatre photography by Scott Wishart.

ABOUT TOWN MUST-DO LIST

Honestly, our kids love getting popcorn from The Little Prince Micro-Cinema! We’ve yet to see a movie there, but they love their popcorn.

Adam, dad of 5-year-old twins

For ice cream, it has to be Jenn and Larry’s soft serve down by the river!

Asha, mom of 9-year-old, 13-year-old and 17-year-old

Downtown Market Square! Especially for the August Family Fair! So much great free programming.

Eliana, mom of 3-year-old and 7-year-old

The river! Our grandkids could watch the ducks for hours. We recently discovered Tom Patterson Island and now it’s always a stop on our Stratford Day.

Alice, too many grandkids to list!

Be sure to bring coins, including a penny with you and visit The Boathouse Riverside Patio, where the kids can roll their penny into a Stratford souvenir coin!

Jennifer, mom of 6-year-old and 4-year-old

Now, gearing up for Annie, the kids are already contemplating what they’ll wear.

For me as a parent, seeing how captivated my kids are not just by the action onstage, but also by the reactions of the people in the seats next to them is part of the thrill of being in the audience. I love seeing them notice when others laugh—the way they want to get in on the joke. There’s always something new to fascinate them at the theatre. Last time we came, they were enthralled with the house programs, pouring over the photos and bios of all the cast and crew, trying to figure out what wizard was responsible for the magic behind the lights and sounds surrounding them.

And it doesn’t end after you leave the theatre. I find certain characters or lines stick with the kids and come out in their imaginary play for weeks and months after seeing a show. Here’s hoping they won’t ask for a dog after we see Annie!

Whenever we come to the theatre, we try to make a day of it. Stratford is so walkable, meaning it’s especially good for high-energy kids! Before the show, we love to walk Ontario Street and spend time popping into all of the unique shops. Our favourite is Fanfare Books with great reads for adults as well as both classic and new kids’ books. We always make sure to walk through the Art in the Park displays, before or after enjoying time around the Avon River, where we watch the swans, ducks and geese. During the warmer months, we do our best to catch the Stratford Summer MusicBarge free outdoor concert series. Picture a floating dock with musicians playing and dancing on it, and then imagine how much your kids would love that.

And then there’s the food—yummy treats that give the visit a sense of occasion. There’s the self-guided Chocolate Trail, a tasty way to introduce kids (or really anyone!) to the Stratford sights with a famed Mint Smoothie chocolate from Rhéo Thompson Candies melting in their mouth. Or, my personal favourite, a stop to grab a cone. In my mind, ice cream and Stratford are synonymous, whether it’s getting it downtown before a show or hastily enjoying an ice cream bar at intermission. Another food memory I have is picnicking with my cousins by the river before a show at the Festival Theatre where you might catch a musical or one of the Shakespeare plays. I haven’t done this with the kids yet, but it’s something I am really looking forward to trying. It’s a good way to get food in their tummies while giving them the space to shake out some beans, if needed.

On the way home from Stratford, we like to make a stop to pick up a seasonal pie at Shakespeare Pies (try the strawberry rhubarb in June!) or, depending on the time of your visit, you could end or begin with afternoon tea at Henry Ten Shilling, also in Shakespeare. We’ve done it on our way into town before and we all loved it.

Whatever spot you visit on your way out of town, be sure to really soak in and enjoy the ride home; it’s one of my favourite parts of visiting Stratford with the kids. In the car together, without any distractions, we talk about the show we just saw, giggle over the inside jokes from the day, recall the scenes we took in during our walk by the river and savour the perfect bites we enjoyed while there—usually sweet and sticky ones. The post-visit chat is something my mom has always said she’s loved about our visits to Stratford together and now, while still early in making this a tradition with my kids, I have to say … I wholeheartedly agree.

A VIBRANT CULTURAL HEARTBEAT, DELICIOUS CULINARY OFFERINGS, ECLECTIC SHOPPING—STRATFORD HAS IT ALL, AND IT ALL LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING YOU’VE SEEN BEFORE.

WHAT DO YOU look for in your perfect city? Is it the scenery that pulls you closer to its hiking trails and riverside picnic spots? Does food tempt you to visit with thoughts of scrumptious fare at local restaurants, cafes and pubs? Or are you drawn to a city through its culture and the immersive experiences awaiting you in a one-of-a-kind locale?

Our reasons for falling in love with a city alter and evolve as we progress through life’s stages. We move from activities that excited us as kids to exploring pastimes that fulfill us as adults, only to find interest in both if we have children of our own. No matter the shifts, one thing remains constant—Stratford is a place where a bounty of joyful discovery exists for all.

Stratford feels like a town born out of an artist’s imagination. Between its idyllic rural setting and the heritage architecture of its downtown core, your camera roll may just reach its limit by the end of a short stay. And then there are the multitude of events (Google “Swan Release”) and distinct experiences that the city welcomes visitors to engage in year-round.

Spring brings with it rain, feeding the expansive greenery in Upper Queens Park and the Shakespearean Gardens. With their blooms begin the Stratford Festival’s previews, prelude to the official start of the theatre season come June. For those unfamiliar with what a preview is, think of it like being on the level just above ground floor (rehearsals) and watching perfection transform into magic.

When the shows officially open in May, the city vibrates with the energy of North America’s largest repertory theatre festival, a pulse that enlivens Stratford on through November, sometimes with extensions when prompted by popular demand. (This was the case with last year’s sold-out Something Rotten! directed by Donna Feore, who sits at the helm of this year’s production of Annie.) In the winter months, Lights on Stratford brightens the landscape of this Ontario snowbelt town, filling it with the heartbeat of tourists from near and far coming to see the city’s spectacular light installations and the accompanying festivities while sipping on some Bailey’s and hot chocolate. (Al fresco options are available 365 days of the year here.) All the while, artists inhabit Stratford, imbuing it with a sense of creativity, culture and liveliness you have to experience to believe.

With the look of a romantic Hallmark town (there’s a reason why film location scouts know this place well!) and the spirit of the most kinetic cosmopolitan, Stratford is a place to plunge into wonderment. Lying in wait are new and long-beloved experiences cast to become cherished memories of visiting your perfect city.

The abundance of experiential choices here can make planning an itinerary daunting; to help with the task, below is a roundup of places to check out when in Stratford for a theatre performance or an exploratory visit.

WILD HOG ONE STOP WONDER

For anyone who owns French linens and considers their happy place to be the prepared food section at a grocery store, this is where you will find the next gourmet jam concoctions for your cupboard—elderflower and raspberry tickle your fancy? Wild Hog is a foodie’s dream come true and a kitchen décor addict’s fix. Reminiscent of the type of mom-andpop super shops that New England is famed for, like Stonewall Kitchen, this culinary cabinet of curiosities will take up hours of your day as you partake in their casual lunch offerings (the Italian cold-cut sandwich is a must), before perusing the shelves of fine foods—a virtual buffet of pasta sauces! Those in the market for groceries to bring back to their Airbnb will want to spend some time in the produce and butcher sections. With beautiful cuts of local meats plus fresh fruits and veg, at-home chefs will find a bounty of ingredients to inspire their next culinary vision.

OTHER TOP PICKS:

BRADSHAWS | Luxe is the best description of this store’s stock. Rifle Paper fans with Everlane in their closet will rejoice at the sight of refined closet staples made with 100% Turkish cotton, and household splurges like throws from the Swedish brand Klippan.

RESONANCE | If baubles are your thing, this spot will help you further bedazzle your jewelry box. Finds from designer Hailey Gerrits Marlow here will excite the magpie in you with their mix of aged reclaimed metals like brass, mixed with gemstones for an ultra-romantic look.

GOT IT MADE | Dedicated to local artisans, this shop has a little bit of everything, from flower cloches to handmade jewelry. With something for everyone, this is the perfect place to grab a Stratford-centric gift to bring home.

From left: Actors Angus Yam, Caitlyn MacInnis & Thomas Duplessie.

ASHBORNE CAFE COFFEE DREAMS

This is the type of coffee shop you wish was around the corner from your house, because if it was you would be a regular and ritually treat yourself to chia bowls and expresso frappes on the weekend. The minimalism embraced by the décor here calls to mind bakeries in Japan. The room is characterized by clean lines and a beautiful

sparseness that makes the pastries in the display case stand out all the more. Selective coffee connoisseurs will not be disappointed by the café’s java flex here, superb simple or decadent as a sweet affogato. While seating space is limited, its central location makes it easy to find a nearby park bench to enjoy a takeout order.

THE STARLIGHT LOCAL HANGOUT

The owners of this bar moved to Stratford from Toronto and have opened the kind of place that feels like it’s always been there. The clientele here is a mix of visitors and locals, with the latter group including a good chunk of the artists who work on and off stage at the Festival. Given the likelihood of standing at the bar next to someone you just watched on stage earlier that day, this is a great venue for thirsty theatregoers to strike up a conversation about the last show they saw over a refreshing made in-house canned cocktail. Hungry tummies won’t be left unsatisfied either. As an enRoute magazine top-30 best new restaurant last year, The Starlight and its bite-sized bar menu are a main draw. A charcuterie board is a smart choice for a larger group, or try the mini mac with an order of fries if more than a little peckish yourself. On Saturdays, drop in for some live music, a melodic accompaniment to a smooth, chilled beverage.

OTHER TOP PICKS:

REVEL | A favourite among the Festival’s acting company, the chances of spotting an actor here, pouring over a script with coffee in hand, are high. Aside from delicious brew, the doughnuts here will haunt you—take note, they sell fast and are only available on the weekend!

LIVERY YARD | The large windows here let in plenty of natural light and afford a great view to people watch. If you're lucky, you will have a chance to catch one of the many live music performances hosted here—a fitting musical break for those on their way or returning from the theatre.

CAFÉ BOUFFON | Like the iconic Café de Flore in Paris, this tribute to French culture in Stratford shows off its corner real estate in style. Busy from opening till close, this bustling bistro thankfully has coffee and pastries (try the cardamom buns) to go for those who can’t get a table to try the delicious weekend brunch menu.

Actors Rylan Wilkie & Jennifer Rider-Shaw.

From left: Actors Wahsontí:io Kirby & Amanda Lundgren.

OTHER TOP PICKS:

REVIVAL HOUSE | Drinks in a converted church sound post-worthy to you? The sky-high ceilings and stainedglass windows in the space make for the perfect photo op with friends, while the cocktails are equally camera ready. Try the Revival Bloody Caesar for a photogenic classic. ELIZABETH. | With its cozy corner bar and long banquette lined tables, this dining room is the intimate setting all first dates deserve. Food here is divine, but if wanting drinks only, the wine and bubbles menu is well curated, while the daily feature cocktail is always a dependable win.

JOBSITE BREWING CO. | Truly a place where everyone knows your name, don’t let the open space fool you, this is the sort of place where the bartender recites your order by the second round, plus there’s complimentary popcorn. The selection of craft beers have charm and credentials—the white stout boasts a silver Ontario Brewing Award.

LOVAGE SEASONAL DELIGHT

The perfect bite can be an elusive thing, unless you are dining at Lovage. Chef Jamie Crosby is the culinary expert behind this downtown hot spot, a creative mind who understands how modern technique and quality ingredients can create simple wonders unforgettable to the palate. The seasonal menu here draws a crowd that makes a reservation a necessity, especially on days with multiple evening performances across the city’s theatres. Give yourself enough time to soak in the experience; begin with a cocktail and some oysters before sampling multiple plates from the menu, excellent for sharing. Stark in design, the restaurant’s décor is the ideal setting for the “honest food” served up here. While the menu changes with the seasons, dishes like smoked trout with potato paillasson, cucumber and dill are reflective of the general selection diners can expect. Enjoy an early dinner and walk over to the theatre afterward—you won’t leave without being tempted to have dessert, so a little walk may feel in order.

OTHER TOP PICKS:

RAJA | The pre-theatre special here speaks to its popularity as top pick for dinner before an evening performance. The restaurant’s menu is made up of traditional Indian dishes like cheesy saag paneer and a crowd-pleasing chicken tikka masala. Guests rave about the service here.

FELLINI’S | A classic Italian cucina—ideal for families—the food here is all about warmth, hence the inclusion of Nonna’s Meaty Lasagna on the menu. Aside from all of your fave pastas, diners can go with a hand-stretched stone-baked pizza or calzone of their own creation, a choice the kiddos can appreciate.

THE BRUCE | The dining room here is grand, with a crisp and spacious feel to it. Fine dining through and through—hey, amuse bouche—the service here is flawless and attentive. Make an occasion out of your theatre tickets with an indulgent meal here to begin the evening.

From left: Actors Tarique Lewis & Marissa Orjalo.

GETTING HERE

STRATFORD DIRECT

Coach service from Toronto–$34 return. See details on pg 89. stratfordfestival.ca/bus | 1.800.567.1600

STRATFORD AIRPORTER

Service between Stratford and Toronto Pearson Airport

P.O. Box 368 | Stratford N5A 6T3

519.273.0057 | Toll Free: 1.888.549.8602

Since 1985, Stratford Airporter has provided economical shuttle service between Stratford and Toronto airport. Formal Limousine provides first-class sedan service to all points in Ontario. stratfordairporter.com | stratfordairporter@cyg.net

ONEXBUS

Bus service with stops connecting Toronto and Southwestern Ontario. onexbus.com | 647.477.5500

PC CONNECT

Community bus service within Perth County and surrounding areas including Stratford, St. Marys, Kitchener-Waterloo and London. perthcounty.ca | 1.888.465.0783

REGION OF WATERLOO

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (YKF)

1-4881 Fountain Street North | Breslau N0B 1M0 519.648.2256 | Toll Free: 1.866.648.2256

YKF is located 45 minutes east of Stratford. Simplify your travel with Flair, Sunwing, WestJet and Air Canada. Connect with us @FlyYKF. waterlooairport.ca | airport@regionofwaterloo.ca

TORONTO PEARSON

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (YYZ) torontopearson.com | 1.866.207.1690

LONDON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (YXU) flylondon.ca | 519.452.4015

DRIVING TIMES TO STRATFORD

Approximate driving times to Stratford from:

Toronto 2 Hours

Detroit 3 Hours

Ottawa 6 Hours

Buffalo 3 Hours

VIA RAIL viarail.ca | 1.888.842.7245

U.S.A. RAIL, AMTRAK

Connect in Toronto for Via Rail to Stratford amtrak.com | 1.800.USA.RAIL

EAT | Visit the Festival or Tom Patterson Theatre Café for a light lunch, sweet treat, drink or dinner. Try one of our picnics, pre-order for pickup.

DRINK | Enjoy a hot or cold refreshment prior to a performance and also during the interval. Skip the line, download the Stratfest Onsite App!

SHOP | Get souvenirs and more at the Festival and Avon shops, as well as the Tom Patterson Theatre kiosk. Open before and after each performance.

ACCOMMODATION AT A GLANCE

All listings are paid advertisements and details are supplied by advertisers. Prices quoted are subject to change.

Bentley’s Inn Bar and Restaurant 99 Ontario Street, Stratford N5A 3H1

Best Western Plus

The Arden Park Hotel 552 Ontario Street, Stratford N5A 3J3

Best Western Premier Collection Mercer Hotel Downtown 104-108 Ontario Street, Stratford N5A 3H2

Foster’s Inn 111 Downie Street, Stratford N5A 1X2

Hoco Hotels Collection, The Stratford Hotel 107 Erie Street, Stratford N5A 2M5

Hoco Hotels Collection, The Windsor Hotel 23 Albert Street, Stratford N5A 3K2

Majer’s Motel

2970 Ontario Street East, Stratford N5A 6S5

Perth County Inn 4 Huron Street, Stratford N5A 5S8

Quality Inn & Conference Centre 1144 Ontario Street, Stratford N5A 6Z3

Suburban Motel

2808 Ontario Street East, Line 34, Stratford N5A 6S5

The Parlour Inn 101 Wellington Street, Stratford N5A 2L4

Travellers Motel

784 Ontario Street, Stratford N5A 3K1

519.271.1121 or 1.800.361.5322 info@bentleysbarinn.com bentleysbarinn.com

519.275.2936 or 1.877.788.8818 reservations@ardenpark.ca ardenpark.ca

519.271.9202 or 1.188.881.6401 mercer@mercerhallinn.com mercerhall.ca

519.271.1119 or 1.888.728.5555 info@fostersinn.com fostersinn.com

519.272.2581 reservations.wh@hocohotels.com thestratfordhotel.ca

519.272.2581 reservations.wh@hocohotels.com thewindsorstratford.com

519.271.2010 or 1.800.561.4483 info@majersmotel.com majersmotel.com

519.305.5005 booking@innstratford.com innstratford.com

519.273.1150 cnb51@stayatchoice.com choicehotels.com/en-ca/ontario/stratford/ quality-inn-hotels/cnb51

519.271.9650 or 1.800.387.1070 suburbanmotel@rogers.com  suburbanmotel.com

519.271.2772 or 1.877.728.4036 pifd@vintage-hotels.com theparlour.ca

519.271.3830 or 1.800.465.4106 info@travellers-motel.com travellers-motel.com

$199-$24912

$149-$299144

$199-$39914

$225-$3259

$120-$40012

$150-$45035

$99-$16031

$179- $33910

$175-$299180

$159-$20925

$225-$29928

$105-$15524

FAMILY SPECIALS

This symbol identifies advertisers offering specials (e.g., room rates, menus, etc.) for families with children under 18.

WHEELCHAIR

This symbol identifies advertisers who are Wheelchair Accessible. For all other mobility concerns, please confirm your requirements with any advertisers prior to your arrival.

ACCOMMODATION PRICING

Average price per room, per night.

$ = under $175

$$ = $175 to $224

$$$ = $225 to $299

$$$$ = $300 or more

DINING PRICING

Average price per entrée, per person

$ = under $20

$$ = $20 to $25

$$$ = $25 to $35

$$$$ = $35 +

A Garden Stroll B&B

HOMES, APARTMENTS & SUITES

325 Devon Street, Stratford N5A 3A2

Caledonia House 20 Caledonia Street, Stratford N5A 5W5

Crown House Bed & Breakfast 61 Douglas Street, Stratford N5A 5P3

Hughson Hall

220 Hibernia Street, Stratford N5A 5V7

Limelight Bed and Breakfast 161 Front Street, Stratford N5A 4H5

North of Avon B&B Suites 36 Waterloo Street North, Stratford N5A 5H5

River Merchant Inn & Illume Spa 31-35 York Street, Stratford N5A 3G8

Sally's Place

295 & 299 Ontario Street, Stratford N5A 7X6

Starlings and Roses Bed & Breakfast 54 Henry Street, Mitchell N0K 1N0

The Chisholms in Stratford B&B 310 Ontario Street, Stratford N5A 3H5

The Penrose Suites 725 Queen Street East, St. Marys N4X 1G2

519.271.1713 info@agardenstroll.ca agardenstroll.ca

519.271.0377 caledoniahousestratford@gmail.com caledoniahouse.com

519.271.7146 crownhousebb@gmail.com bbcanada.com/crownhousebb

519.305.0780 info@hughsonhall.com hughsonhall.com

519.273.1672 limelightbedandbreakfast@gmail.com limelightbedandbreakfast.com

519.400.9819 northofavon@gmail.com northofavon.com

647.607.1030 sales@kressleygroup.com rivermerchantinn.com

519.272.2383 sally@sallysplace.com sallysplace.com

647.993.7331 staying@starlingsandroses.ca starlingsandroses.ca

519.273.6813 info@thechisholmsinstratford.com thechisholmsinstratford.com

519.301.7673 info@thepenrose.ca thepenrose.ca

$170-$2403

$255-$2804

$150-$1991

$360-$3752

$210-$245 2

$240-$280 4

$249-$3492

$215-$3905

$129-$179 2

$249-$3454

$245-$645 9

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodator license numbers at the time of printing are included for short-term rentals as per city by-law #130-2022, for more information visit stratfordfestival.ca/Visit/Accommodation.

BED & BREAKFAST

A GARDEN STROLL BED & BREAKFAST

Barbara, Hal & Corinne Montgomery | 325 Devon Street Stratford N5A 3A2 | 519.271.1713

Join us for our 36th season. Get behind-the-scenes theatrical insights. Discover waterfalls, a gazebo, and picnic spots as you stroll the garden pathways. Enjoy spacious ensuite rooms and handcrafted oak furnishings. A/C, TV, fridge. Engage in lively breakfast conversations. Indulge in our indoor hot tub. $$ 2024-40 info@agardenstroll.ca | agardenstroll.ca

ALLISON’S BRUNSWICK HOUSE

Gay Allison and Geoff Hancock | 109 Brunswick Street Stratford N5A 3L9 | 519.271.4546 | Toll Free: 1.866.929.9910

Unique downtown literary B&B in 1857 home. Photo-gallery of writers, books, piano, art and antiques. Full breakfast, large verandah and parking. Central air. Shared baths. Twins, doubles, large family room. Hosts: published writers and poet. $-$$$ 2024-25 brunswik@cyg.net | brunswickhouse.ca

AMBASSADOR B&B AND INN NEXT DOOR

266 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H5 | 519.279.6108

Twin houses built in 1923 in the heart of Stratford. Each house has four spacious rooms and four luxurious suites with ensuite bathrooms, A/C, WIFI and free parking. $$-$$$ 2024-010 pengfuyang@gmail.com | ambassadorbbstratford.com

ARIEL’S BOUTIQUE B&B

289 Cobourg Street | Stratford N5A 3G6 | 519.272.2961

5 STAR-RANKED #3. Elegant Heritage property steps from Festival Theatre. King, Queen, Twin — ensuites. Gourmet breakfast. TV/WIFI/AC/ Fans. Porch, deck, parking. Stay where the little things count! $$$$ 2024-7 info@ariels.ca | ariels.ca

BIRMINGHAM MANOR BED AND BREAKFAST

Elena and Dom Tassielli | 240 Birmingham Street | Stratford N5A 2T5

519.273.6545

Luxury Victorian mansion. Spacious & elegant rooms with modern amenities, parlour, verandah & gardens. Exquisite breakfast with vegan & GF options. WiFi, A/C, parking, smoke/pet free. #1 B&B on Tripadvisor & Hall of Fame award winner. $$$ 2024-5 info@birminghammanor.com | birminghammanor.com

CALEDONIA HOUSE

20 Caledonia Street | Stratford N5A 5W5 | 519.271.0377

1872 mansion, park-like setting, 10-minute walk downtown. We have a large guest lounge, central air, wireless internet and pool. All bedrooms have ensuite baths. Enjoy a full-service breakfast. Non-smoking. $$$ caledoniahousestratford@gmail.com | caledoniahouse.com

CHISHOLM HOUSE/THE CHISHOLMS IN STRATFORD B&B

310 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H5 | 519.273.6813

5 STARS. Delight in a Classic Stratford Victorian, welcoming Verandah, tasteful Bed-sitting rooms & Ensuites (in-rm A/C control/tv/wifi/parking, 1st flr avail). A short walk to All Theatres. ‘Scrumptious’ & ‘Gourmet’ 3 course Breakfast. $$$-$$$$ 2024-42 info@thechisholmsinstratford.com | thechisholmsinstratford.com

CROWN HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST

Lykke Brandemark | 61 Douglas Street | Stratford N5A 5P3 | 519.271.7146

Crown House is located 3 blocks from downtown/Avon Theatre and 3 blocks from the Tom Patterson Theatre. Three upstairs ensuite rooms, each with king or twin beds, ensuite bath, A/C and fridge. One groundfloor ensuite room with private entrance, barrier free. Three common rooms upstairs: a fully equipped guest kitchen, a dining/relaxing/TV room and a quiet reading/work room. Extended continental breakfast buffet. On-site parking. Wi-Fi. Two persons $197.00 plus HST & MAT Tax. Pay by Credit, Debit, Cash or Cheque. $$ 2024-44 crownhousebb@gmail.com | bbcanada.com/crownhousebb

HAMILTON HALL B

& B

115 Brunswick Street | Stratford N5A 3L9 | 519.273.7082

An elegant 1870 Italianate home ideally located one block from Stratford’s charming downtown. Our smoke-free home offers twin/king beds, air-conditioned ensuite rooms. Enjoy a delicious breakfast in our guest dining room and relax in the living room or on the large front verandah. $$ 2024-2 bbhamiltonhall@gmail.com | hamiltonhallbandb.ca

HUGHSON HALL

Debra and George Mackie | 220 Hibernia Street | Stratford N5A 5V7 519.305.0780

1875 Victorian-Italianate mansion. Rated 5 STAR Tripadvisor #1 awardwinning Luxury B&B. Walkable to downtown & theatres. Large elegant guest rooms/ensuites/2 parlours/Juliet balcony/butler’s pantry/parking/ Victorian gardens/personal AC & Heat/WiFi/smart TV/smoke & pet free. Arrival wine & cheese, 3 course gourmet breakfast. $$$$ 2024-14 info@hughsonhall.com | hughsonhall.com

NORTH OF AVON B&B SUITES

A.J. Ashley | 36 Waterloo Street North | Stratford N5A 5H5 | 519.400.9819

Unwind in a lovely two-room suite in our century home! Steps from theatres and downtown, each suite features an ensuite bathroom, den and kitchenette. Enjoy a scrumptious breakfast each morning, prepared by our friendly host. $$$ 2024-8 northofavon@gmail.com | northofavon.com

COURTESY OF NORTH OF AVON B&B SUITES

RIVERWALK BED & BREAKFAST

176 Elizabeth Street | Stratford N5A 4Z3 | 519.273.2166

Riverwalk is a recently renovated 1905, 3-storey Dutch colonial home, located near downtown. It has kept its turn-of-the-century charm as well as providing modern conveniences. All guest rooms are located on the second floor. $$ general@riverwalkbb.ca | riverwalkbb.ca

STAMP HOUSE

136 Hibernia Street | Stratford N5A 5V4 | 519.271.9184

Welcome to our stately, 1894 home, where family have lived since 1903! Our chef-created, locally sourced breakfasts build a wonderful camaraderie around the dining room table. The house has a warm ambience with ensuite rooms. We are located within walking distance to all theatres. $$ 2024-34 stay@stamphouse.ca | stamphouse.ca

HOMES, APARTMENTS & SUITES

BRU GARDEN SUITES

156 Waterloo Street South | Stratford N5A 4B4 | 519.801.7303

Location, Location, Location. Welcome to our beautiful apartments, finished luxuriously with all amenities required. Conveniently located within walking distance of all theatres and local restaurants. Free parking. $$-$$$$ suites.brugardenstratford@gmail.com | brugarden.ca

GRAND TRUNK GUEST HOUSE & GALLERY

Marilyn Price | 116 Centre Street | Stratford N5A 1E6 | 519.590.4442

Avant-garde & elegant style is creatively captured in our fully renovated 1920s home. Indulge in luxury, original art & history, your private 2 bedroom/2-bathroom retreat awaits! A short walk to theatres, restaurants and shops. TV/WIFI/AC/parking, smoke/pet free. $$$$ 2024-18 info@grandtrunkguesthouse.com | grandtrunkguesthouse.com

RIVER MERCHANT INN & ILLUME SPA

31-35 York Street | Stratford N5A 3G8 | 647.607.1030

Romance meets history in your beautifully decorated private retreat on the bank of the picturesque Avon River. A one-of-a-kind experience using archival photos and memorabilia from the original uses of this unique downtown heritage building. $$$-$$$$ sales@kressleygroup.com | rivermerchantinn.com

SALLY’S PLACE

Barb Spears | 295 & 299 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 7X6

519.272.2383

Lavishly furnished apartment units, two locations, all amenities, self-serve breakfast, walk to theatres and downtown, on-site parking, very private. Your home in Stratford is open all year round. $$-$$$$ 2024-001 / 2024-012 sally@sallysplace.com | sallysplace.com

PERFECTLY SITUATED

in the heart of downtown Stratford.

The Windsor has evolved into a historical Stratford hotel where the modern traveller's desires are fulfilled, but the charm and refined elegance remain unchanged.

Past and present come together with effortless elegance at The Windsor. Suites and rooms have been beautifully refurbished in early 2025. The resulting spaces pair contemporary comfort with elements evoking the building’s classical heritage. Setting the scene for a truly memorable stay.

Amazing complimentary perks May 1-Nov 15, 2025

- Daily continental breakfast box

- One-time minibar with soft drinks

- Snack & candy bar in our Nook

THEWINDSORSTRATFORD.COM

519-272-2581 | reservations.wh@hocohotels.com 23 Albert Street, Stratford, N5A 3K2

HOTELS, MOTELS & INNS

BENTLEY’S INN BAR AND RESTAURANT

99 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H1 | 519.271.1121

Toll Free: 1.800.361.5322

Enjoy Bentley’s Inn newly renovated two-storey executive suites. Each suite is designed with a Scandinavian flair, combining sleek, modern aesthetics with cozy, inviting touches. Wet bar, fridge, microwave, fireplace, free Wi-Fi & free parking just steps from the city centre and all theatres. $$-$$$ info@bentleysbarinn.com | bentleysbarinn.com

BEST WESTERN PLUS THE ARDEN PARK HOTEL

552 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3J3 | 519.275.2936

Toll Free: 1.877.788.8818

Offering large newly renovated guest rooms & suites. Indoor pool, hot tub & fitness centre. Enjoy a fresh new dining experience with daily features & Sunday brunch. Free ample parking. Located just minutes from the Festival Theatre, downtown core & Stratford’s east end. $$-$$$ reservations@ardenpark.ca | ardenpark.ca

BEST WESTERN PREMIER COLLECTION MERCER HOTEL DOWNTOWN

104-108 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H2 | 519.271.9202

Toll Free: 1.888.816.4011

A 14-room boutique hotel in the downtown core. Newly renovated rooms. Located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of a historic building. No elevator. Street level boasts one of Stratford’s trendiest restaurants. On-site parking. $$-$$$$ mercer@mercerhallinn.com | mercerhall.ca

FOSTER’S INN

111 Downie Street | Stratford N5A 1X2 | 519.271.1119

Toll Free: 888.728.5555

In the heart of Stratford’s uptown, our nine rooms offer ¼ cut solid oak Shaker furnishings in a soothing environment. This turn-of-the-century building boasts private baths, patio, steakhouse and elevator, all in a prime location. Personal service and excellent breakfast are our specialties! STA, SHMA. $$$-$$$$ info@fostersinn.com | fostersinn.com

HOCO HOTELS COLLECTION,

THE STRATFORD HOTEL

107 Erie Street | Stratford N5A 2M5 | 519.272.2581

Refreshed in 2025, our downtown 12-room boutique hotel built in 1875 is a 5-minute walk to the Avon and Studio Theatre. Blending classic design with modern touches, enjoy Italian toiletries, Nespresso, a onetime welcome amenity with soft drinks, and a daily continental breakfast box. $-$$$$ reservations.wh@hocohotels.com | thestratfordhotel.ca

HOCO HOTELS COLLECTION, THE WINDSOR HOTEL

23 Albert Street | Stratford N5A 3K2 | 519.272.2581

Blending Victorian charm with a modern style, our 19th-century downtown hotel is a short walk to the Avon, Studio, and Tom Patterson Theatre. Enjoy refurbished rooms, Italian toiletries, Nespresso, a one-time welcome amenity with soft drinks, and a daily continental breakfast box. $-$$$$ reservations.wh@hocohotels.com | thewindsorstratford.com

MAJER’S MOTEL

2970 Ontario Street, East | Stratford N5A 6S5 | 519.271.2010

Toll Free: 1.800.561.4483

Thirty-one tastefully well-appointed non-smoking rooms with fridge, flatscreen TV, hair dryers, A/C, free WiFi, free parking and EV charger on site. Enjoy quiet atmosphere, outdoor pool and gazebo in private country setting with spacious grounds. No pets. $ info@majersmotel.com | majersmotel.com

Known for our charming guestrooms, modern amenities and impeccable service, you’ll also love our popular patio and courtesy shuttle to the theatre.

Before or after the show, enjoy a delightful dinner at The Parlour Inn Restaurant. Leave room for our famous pavlova, a must-try treat! Book

today.

PERTH COUNTY INN

4 Huron Street | Stratford N5A 3G8 | 519.305.5005

Perth County Inn is Stratford’s boutique hotel in the centre of the city. No two rooms are alike, each with character and modern comforts. The Inn has a Cuban cocktail bar, cafe and food shop, and a yummy bakery. Downtown. Parking included. $$$-$$$$ booking@innstratford.com | innstratford.com

QUALITY INN & CONFERENCE CENTRE

1144 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 6Z3 | 519.273.1150

Toll Free: 1.877.424.6423

Offering 180 spacious rooms and meeting facilities in a quiet, peaceful environment, within walking distance to Stratford Mall. Rooms feature a TV, air conditioning, hair dryer, coffee maker with complimentary coffee, fridge, microwave, and fast, free WiFi. Enjoy our heated indoor pool, dry heat sauna, fitness center, and ample free parking, with onsite EV charging stations. Pets welcome (dogs only). Just a short drive from all the theatres. We also have designated accessible parking and spaces for buses and large trucks. $$-$$$$ cnb51@stayatchoice.com choicehotels.com/en-ca/ontario/stratford/quality-inn-hotels/cnb51

SUBURBAN

MOTEL

2808 Ontario Street East | Stratford N5A 6S5 | 519.271.9650

Toll Free: 800.387.1070

Located on the edge of town in a lovely country setting a short drive from the theatres. We offer 25 well appointed rooms in a quiet, mature atmosphere. Scenic farmland provides a backdrop to the property, pool and gardens. Best rates and inventory by reserving directly. $-$$$ suburbanmotel@rogers.com | suburbanmotel.com

THE PARLOUR INN

101 Wellington Street | Stratford N5A 2L4 | 519.271.2772

Toll Free: 1.877.728.4036

Built in 1871, The Parlour Inn is located one block from the Avon Theatre. 28 warm and contemporary guestrooms and the 240-seat dining room create a historic oasis in beautiful downtown Stratford. $-$$ pifd@vintage-hotels.com | theparlour.ca

TRAVELLERS MOTEL

784 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3K1 | 519.271.3830

Toll Free: 800.465.4106

Twenty-four rooms with A/C, fridge, TV, microwave and phone. Walking distance to theatres, restaurants, shopping mall, golf and country club. Coffee Percolators available upon request in room. Special rates for groups and seniors. No pets. OAA. $ info@travellers-motel.com | travellers-motel.com

FOOD & DRINK

ANNIE’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

698 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3J7 | 519.271.8100

The region’s finest in fish & chips since 1997, with an East Coast and UK influence. Colossal onion rings, signature poutines, seafood dinners and a full gluten-free menu (GFFP certification per National Celiac Association). $$-$$$

anniesseafoodstratford@gmail.com | anniesseafood.ca

BENTLEY’S INN BAR AND RESTAURANT

99 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H1 | 519.271.1121

Toll Free: 800.361.5322

Bentley’s is the place for beer, house-made food and a casual atmosphere. Relax in a booth or meet up with some friends at the bar. Enjoy peoplewatching on our main-street patio or drop by after theatre for dessert. Open daily! $-$$$

info@bentleysbarinn.com | bentleysbarinn.com

BLUEBIRD RESTAURANT & BAR

30 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3G8 | 519.271.2255

A bustling neighbourhood spot for lunch or dinner in the heart of downtown Stratford. Bistronomy inspired menu, cool cocktails, great patio, approachable wines and hospitality focused. $$-$$$ bluebirdstratford@gmail.com | bluebirdrestaurant.ca

COURTESY OF BLUEBIRD RESTAURANT & BAR

BOSTON PIZZA STRATFORD

729 Erie Street | Stratford N4Z 1A1 | 519.271.0074

Casual Dining and Sports Bar. Come in and enjoy our gourmet pizza, pasta, wings, or sandwiches. $$ bostonpizza.com/stratford

CAFE BOUFFON

70 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H2 | 519.273.6666

Toll Free: 1.877.440.9666

Join us at our charming French café, the go-to spot for brunch lovers in Stratford! Our à la carte menu features delightful eggs Benedict with signature crispy poached eggs, fresh salads, and irresistible pastries every Saturday and Sunday. Lunch available throughout the week. Experience the best of French café culture in a vibrant atmosphere that captures the heart of our city. As evening falls, our space transforms into one of Stratford’s most refined dining rooms, featuring our unique take on classic French cuisine with a curated selection of cocktails and wines, housed in Stratford’s oldest wine cellar. Formerly Pazzo Taverna. Visit our website to explore our menus and seasonal offerings! $-$$ cafebouffon.ca

FELLINI’S - CLASSIC ITALIAN CUCINA

107 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H1 | 519.271.3333

Stratford’s favourite Italian restaurant is celebrating our 32nd season. Serving lunch and dinner daily with classic Italian dishes! Daily menus of stone-oven pizzas and calzones, fresh pastas and salads, Italian entrées such as chicken parmigiana and grilled salmon. In a cucina-style friendly, casual service and atmosphere. Salute! $-$$$ info@fellinisstratford.com | fellinisstratford.com

FOSTER’S INN

111 Downie Street | Stratford N5A 1X2 | 519.271.1119

Toll Free: 888.728.5555

A perfectly placed restaurant steps from the Avon Theatre, Foster’s has a friendly, efficient environment where our chefs expand our focus on great steaks with refreshing touches to classical dishes made with local ingredients. Open seven days a week, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Drop by our patio after theatre. STA. $-$$$ info@fostersinn.com | fostersinn.com

MERCER KITCHEN BEER HALL & HOTEL 104-108 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H2 519.271.1888 | Toll Free: 1.888.816.4011

One of Stratford’s trendiest culinary hot spots! A made from scratch, Izakaya style menu plus a twist on all your comfort favourites. Diverse craft beer list, curated wine list and on point cocktails. Amazing patio scene. $$-$$$$ mercer@mercerhallinn.com | mercer.beer

PAZZO PIZZERIA

70 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H2 | 519.273.6666

Toll Free: 1.877.440.9666

Welcome to Pazzo Pizzeria, nestled in Stratford's oldest cellar, where our cozy, family-friendly restaurant offers delicious thin-crust pizzas, pasta, antipasti, and fresh salads, all prepared with care and quality ingredients. Enjoy quick and friendly service in a welcoming atmosphere that’s perfect for everyone. As a beloved family-owned and operated restaurant for over 25 years, we take pride in being a mainstay in the community. Our spacious dining room easily accommodates groups, making it an ideal spot for any occasion. Join us for a memorable dining experience! $$ pazzo.ca

COURTESY OF FELLINI'S

THE COMMON

80 Wellington Street | Stratford N5A 2L2 | 519.271.0999

An eclectic restaurant in the heart of Stratford Ontario, with a great hidden patio to wine and dine. From Chef Tim Otsuki, a fresh focus on elevated comfort food from his travels around the world. #EATWITHOUTBORDERS $$$ commonrestaurant@gmail.com | thecommonstratford.com

THE MILKY WHEY FINE CHEESE SHOP

118 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H2 | 519.814.9439

An extensive choice of cheeses, local, Canadian artisanal and international; with a great selection of crackers, olives, chutneys and charcuterie. Come in for a taste—don’t forget to bring a cooler. Take out only. $$-$$$ eapayne167@gmail.com |themilkywhey.ca

THE PARLOUR INN RESTAURANT

101 Wellington Street | Stratford N5A 2L4 | 519.271.2772

Toll Free: 1.877.728.4036

Exceptional cuisine and award-winning customer service located in the heart of downtown. Creative and innovative twists on classic fare with quality and freshness. A casual lounge and patio complement our dining experience. $$-$$$ pifd@vintage-hotels.com | theparlour.ca

THE PRUNE RESTAURANT

136 Ontario Street, Downtown | Stratford N5A 7Y4 | 519.271.5052

Creative and seasonally inspired menus prepared by gifted chefs and served by professional staff. Stratford’s culinary fine dining stalwart. Carefully curated wine and cocktail lists. A must visit to enhance your Stratford foodie experience. $$$$ reservations@theprune.com | theprune.com

THE RELIC LOBBY BAR

6 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3G8 | 519.273.4763

A friendly neighborhood cocktail bar with a classic feel and Cuban inspired design serving expertly prepared cocktails. Open door policy, no resos. Tue-Sat 4p-12/1a. Also host of The Lost Key Speakeasy Fri/ Sat 8p-12a, follow the red light. @thereliclobbybar $-$$ therelic@therelicbar.ca | therelicbar.ca

THE STARLIGHT

64 Wellington Street | Stratford N5A 2L2

One of Air Canada’s 2024 Best New Restaurants, our menu is perfect for sharing pre/post theatre paired with a cocktail or local brew from our playful drinks list. Located steps away from Avon Theatre, here motel chic meets mid-century modern & dinner turns into late nights. Live music on weekends. Reservations and walk ins welcome. $-$$$

meganjones@thestarlightstratford.com | thestarlightstratford.com

STRATFORD FESTIVAL DINING & CATERING

55 Queen Street and 111 Lakeside Drive | Stratford N5A 6V2 519.271.4040

Avoid the line-up! Pre-order your refreshments for any of our theatre venues by contacting our box office or booking online. We also offer house-made food for all to enjoy–drop by the Festival for a sandwich & salad or the Tom Patterson Theatre Café for a light meal or drink on the Alonzo Terrace overlooking the Avon River. Pre-order a picnic to pick up at the Festival or Tom Patterson Theatres and enjoy at your leisure, or reach out to learn about our private events for groups small and large. Our chefs look forward to welcoming you! $-$$ events@stratfordfestival.ca stratfordfestival.ca/Visit/OnSiteAmenities/

OUT OF TOWN

ANNA MAE’S BAKERY & RESTAURANT

4060 Line 72 | Millbank N0K 1L0 | 519.595.4407

As seen on the Food Network’s You Gotta Eat Here! Famous for our homestyle Mennonite food & baking. We’re family-owned & offer a variety of 19+ homemade desserts. Come try our famous Broasted Chicken! Homestyle gluten-conscious baking. Enjoy the scenic 20min. drive! $ customerservice@annamaes.ca | annamaes.ca

TUTTCO QUEEN STREET EATERY ST. MARYS

159 Queen Street East | St. Marys N4X 1C5 | 226.301.4919

Worth the short drive to St. Marys! Executive chef/owner Andrew Tutt uses an abundance of local ingredients to create worldly flavours. Lunch specials, live music and more. Reservations recommended. $-$$$$ atutt@tuttco.ca | tuttco.ca

Following their acclaimed performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth in 2023, the goblins return to the Meighen Forum with Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex.

glorious drama with unearthly charm and surprising comedy.

@StratfordON@VisitStratfordON

STRATFORD DIRECT

LUXURY COACH SERVICES BETWEEN DOWNTOWN TORONTO AND OUR THEATRES. $39 RETURN

Available on performance days throughout the season, with some exceptions.

TUESDAY TO THURSDAY AND SUNDAYS

Departs Toronto 10 a.m.

Stratford Pickup Begins 5 p.m.

FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS

Departs Toronto 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Stratford Pickup Begins 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Departs from downtown Toronto. Drop offs at and return trips from all our theatres.

Photography by

SHOPPING & LEISURE

ATTRACTIONS & EXCURSIONS

AGORA GALLERY

100 Downie Street | Stratford N5A 1W9 | 519.272.1221

AGORA GALLERY is Stratford’s fine art gallery specializing in work by professional regional artists since 2014! Don't miss our popular Summer Exhibition featuring a diverse and exciting range of art by more than 20 talented visual artists, including Ruth Abernethy, Patsy Berton, Tom Campbell, Candida Girling, Gloria Kagawa, Chris Klein, Tanya Lyons, Eva McCauley, Edward (Teddy) Payne, John Pennoyer, Kathi Posliff, Lesley Walker-Fitzpatrick, Kim Wilkie and Anna Yuschuk to name just a few! art@agoragallery.ca | agoragallery.ca

ART IN THE PARK ASSOCIATION OF STRATFORD

Between Front Street and North Street, along the Avon River Stratford N4Z 1J2 | 519.508.0988

Stratford Art in the Park. For 50+ years and counting, located between two of the Festival’s famous theatres, our premier art show runs 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. every Wed, Sat, and Sun, weather permitting, from late May until end of Sept. advertising@artintheparkstratford.ca | artintheparkstratford.ca

SPRINGWORKS - PUPPETWORKS! AND MORE

217 Wellington Street | Stratford N5A 2L7

Puppets! & Multi-disciplinary Arts! Live performances, interactive play, workshops; acclaimed international & national artists showcased in Stratford. Young’uns, their grownups and the adventurous of all ages can discover the magic at the 4th annual World in a Weekend: International Puppet Festival, July 31–August 4 and our programming throughout the year. Follow SpringWorksFestival for all the exciting details. email@springworksfestival.ca | springworksfestival.ca

STRATFORD-PERTH ARCHIVES

4273 Line 34 (Highway 8 West) | R.R. # 5 | Stratford N5A 6S6 519.271.0531 ext 259 | Toll Free: 800.463.8275

Welcome to Stratford-Perth Archives! Explore exhibits celebrating Stratford and Perth County’s heritage. Book an appointment to work with treasures from our collections, curated just for your research interests! archives@perthcounty.ca | perthcounty.ca/stratfordpertharchives

STRATFORD PERTH MUSEUM

4275 Huron Road | Stratford N5A 6S6 | 519.393.5311

Just west of Stratford. Open 10–4 daily. Don’t miss To Thine Own Self costume & audio exhibit. 10 historic performances exploring gender, including Martha Henry’s Prospero & S. Jackman-Torkoff ’s Richard II. Also home to the world’s only Justin Bieber Exhibit! stratfordperthmuseum.ca

THEATRE VACATIONS

6710 Drummond Road Unit 4 | Niagara Falls L2G 4P1

905.356.0884 | Toll Free: 877.356.8365

2025 Packages! As the Stratford Festival’s Official Package Partner, we provide customized travel planning. Combine theatre, meals, rooms, airport transfers and more. Call us for easy one-stop shopping and competitive pricing! sales@theatrevacations.com | theatrevacations.com

FASHION

DANIELLE O’CONNOR JEWELLERY

96 Downie Street | Stratford N5A 1W8 | 548.585.0007

Canadian jewellery designer located across from the Avon Theatre. Specializing in hand-made, one-of-a-kind jewellery, custom jewellery design, repairs, luxurious bath and body product and unique giftware. A popular destination for Stratford visitors. danielleoconnorjewellery@yahoo.ca | danielleoconnorjewellery.com

DISTILL GALLERY

53 Market Place | Stratford N5A 1A4 | 519.814.9600

Established in 2003, Distill proudly shows well-crafted handmade Canadian designs. The collection includes ethically made and artistic fashions, imaginative jewellery, unique curated home décor, pottery, and textiles. info@distillgallery.com | distillgallery.com

GIFTS & CULINARY

CHOCOLATE BARR’S CANDIES

Derek Barr | 55 George Street West | Stratford N5A 1A6 | 519.272.2828

Handmade chocolates and candies. Our 22nd year in business and we have over 170 creations to wow you! Truffles, Creams, Caramels, Minties, and gelato in the summer! SWEET! Mon. to Sat. 9am to 530pm. Sun 11am to 4pm. info@chocolatebarrs.com | chocolatebarrs.com

LITTLE GREEN GROCERY

129 Downie Street | Stratford N5A 1X2 | 519.305.8544

Welcome to our boutique local grocery store in the heart of Stratford. We offer a wide variety of house made meals, baked goods, local products and produce. Browse our many culinary delights and gluten free / vegan products. We are so much more than a grocery store! Come discover our little store with a big passion for all things food. Mon – Sat 9am – 7pm Sun 10am – 4pm thelittlegreengrocery.com

COURTESY OF LITTLE GREEN GROCERY

COURTESY OF THE WINDSOR HOTEL

MACLEODS SCOTTISH SHOP

80 Ontario Street | Stratford N5A 3H2

519.873.5850 | Toll Free: 1.888.771.0302

Come in to discover unique, high-quality clothing, giftware, and food from all over Scotland, Ireland, and England. Find us in the heart of beautiful downtown Stratford, or online at scottishshop.com. info@scottishshop.com | scottishshop.com

POPPIN KETTLE CORN

164 Downie Street | Stratford N5A 1X1 | 226.888.8850

Pop in today to find your favourite flavour of gourmet popcorn. We offer a wide variety of sweet and savoury gourmet popcorn hand popped in small batches. We have the perfect snacks to satisfy your cravings! poppinkettlecorn@hotmail.com | poppinkettlecorn.ca

RHÉO THOMPSON CANDIES

55 Albert Street | Stratford N5A 3K2 | 519.271.6910

Toll Free: 1.888.271.6910

You've seen the theatrics on stage, now discover the delicious drama of handcrafted confections at Rhéo Thompson Candies. With 152 varieties of sweets, including our infamous Mint Smoothies®, you may come for the theatre, but you will stay for the chocolate. Sample the show at Rheothompon.com. Monday to Saturday 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm (seasonal). info@rheothompson.com | rheothompson.com

D ISCOVER DISCOVER

Experience the charm & beauty of historic St. Marys.

Enhance your visit with a trip to St. Marys. Discover historic sites, vibrant arts, and memorable dining experiences.

STRATFORD FESTIVAL SHOPS

55 Queen Street and 99 Downie Street | Stratford 519.271.4040 ext. 2320 (Festival Store), ext. 5580 (Avon Theatre Shop)

A Theatrical Shopping Experience Indeed! Pick up Festival and show souvenirs, one of a kind clothing and jewellery, local art works, DVD’s, books, journals and much more. We have original custom sketches for sale! All available at two convenient locations; across from the Festival Theatre and beside the Avon Theatre – or shop online. store@stratfordfestival.ca | stratfordfestival.ca/store

THE BARKERY! THE HEALTHY BAKERY FOR DOGS

130 Downie Street | Stratford N5A 1X1 | 519.273.6311

Welcome to Stratford! Be sure to drop by the store and pick up some tasty handmade, all natural, human grade treats for your dog! We only use spices and natural colours for our treats! We’ve been the Bark of the Town since 2001!

stratfordbarkery@gmail.com | thebarkery.ca

ZENFIRE POTTERY & MERCANTILE

114 Queen Street East | St. Marys N4X 1A5 | 519.615.6347

Welcome to Southwestern Ontario’s pottery destination, Downtown St Marys! We sell an array of gorgeous handmade pottery, much of it fired in-house. As well as locally made, unique gifts. Come tour our inviting studio and, yes, we offer classes too! zenfirepottery@gmail.com | zenfirepottery.ca

OUT OF TOWN ART & MUSEUMS

CANADIAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM

386 Church Street South | St. Marys N4X 1C2 | 519.284.1838

Our renovated and expanded 3500 sq. ft. Hall of Fame & Museum is situated on our beautiful 32 acre site that also contains baseball fields and walking trails. We are also home to the Centre for Canadian Baseball Research.

scott@baseballhalloffame.ca | baseballhalloffame.ca

KEN SEILING WATERLOO REGION MUSEUM AND DOON HERITAGE VILLAGE

10 Huron Road | Kitchener N2P 2R7 | 519.748.1914

Visit Ontario’s largest community museum. Explore 12,000 years of Waterloo Region, past to present. Enjoy hands-on activities, camps, gardens, historic buildings, indoor/outdoor exhibits, special events, walking trails and more! Available for private events. Connect with us @RWMuseumArchive waterlooregionmuseum@regionofwaterloo.ca waterlooregionmuseum.ca

MCDOUGALL COTTAGE HISTORIC SITE

89 Grand Ave South | Cambridge N1S 2L7 | 519.624.8250

Downtown Cambridge’s hidden gem! McDougall Cottage circa 1858, is a unique space to explore, with stunning murals, heritage gardens, engaging exhibits and activities for all. Connect across generations at this riverside haven. Available for private events. Connect with us @RWMuseumArchive

mcdougall@regionofwaterloo.ca | mcdougallcottage.ca

SCHNEIDER HAUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

466 Queen Street South | Kitchener N2G 1W7 | 519.742.7752

Nestled in the heart of downtown Kitchener, this vibrant public gathering space connects the past and present. Enjoy camps, gardens, handson activities, indoor/outdoor exhibits, special events and more! Old Haus, new stories. Available for private events. Connect with us @RWMuseumArchive.

schneiderhaus@regionofwaterloo.ca | schneiderhaus.ca

ST. MARYS MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

177 Church Street South | St. Marys N4X 1B6 | 519.284.3556

Beautiful 1850s home built from St. Marys limestone. Twelve exhibit areas, changing displays and seasonal activities. Excellent resources for local history research. Open daily June, July, August; weekdays year-round. museum@town.stmarys.on.ca | stmarysmuseum.ca

EXPLORE

CANADA’S PREMIER CULTURAL RETREAT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUCIA REMEDIOS

ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

AUDIO DESCRIPTION

Audio-described performances are designed for guests who are Blind or have low vision. Delivered via headset, the live audio description gives details of costumes, sets and on-stage action without interfering with spoken dialogue. Magnifying sheets are available from the house manager.

Upon request, the Festival offers copies of house programs and visitors’ guides in Braille to patrons who are Blind or have low vision. Please ask ushers for assistance.

HEARING ASSISTANCE, OPEN CAPTION AND AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL)

Our theatres offer wireless radiofrequency hearing-assistance receivers (HARs), compatible with t-coil hearing aids and cochlear implants. For optimal performance, guests are encouraged to bring their own headphones; however, we do have a number of headphones to lend. Reserve your hearing-assistance device when booking your ticket.

At our open captioned performances, the dialogue and sound effects of the play will be shown as text on a screen in front of a reserved section of seating. These captions will be displayed in sync with the actors’ spoken lines. Designated seating has been reserved for best viewing of the stage and the screen.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances will be available on selected dates throughout the season.

RELAXED PERFORMANCES

Relaxed performances (RPs) aim to meet the needs of autistic and other neurodiverse people and people with disabilities. It is also suitable for families or first-time theatregoers.

RPs foster a casual approach to the traditional theatre experience, rethinking expectations for all audience members in a performance space. Within this relaxed space, people are welcome to move around, make noise or step out to a quiet area. RP modifies lighting and sound, in addition to consulting people with disabilities, to ensure everyone feels welcome and safe.

Support for Relaxed Performances is generously provided by the S.M. Blair Family Foundation.

MOBILITY INFORMATION

We offer accessible and mobilityfriendly seating in all our theatres. Accessible seating is available for wheelchair users, while mobility seating is fixed in place but can be accessed without stepping up, and is reserved for those with reduced mobility. Guests can remain in their wheelchairs in accessible seating areas. Canes can be brought to your seat, while large devices such as walkers must be stored outside the auditorium during performances. While all theatres are equipped with handrails, please note that regular seating areas at the Studio and Tom Patterson Theatre and in the Avon Theatre balcony are steeply inclined. Our theatres feature accessible washrooms, motorized door controls and elevators.

Pre-paid accessible parking is available with a disability parking permit at the Festival and Tom Patterson Theatres. Spaces are limited, so please reserve when booking tickets. The City of Stratford also provides unreserved accessible parking in Upper Queen’s Park, adjacent to the Festival Theatre, and near our other theatres. Metered parking is free throughout Stratford in designated spaces with a disability parking permit.

FOR GUESTS WHO REQUIRE A SUPPORT PERSON OR ANIMAL

We welcome support persons who provide services or assistance with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or access to our facilities. Support persons must have their own tickets for performances and events. Complimentary admission for one support person will be granted with a CNIB card or Access 2 card. Other requests for complimentary admission for support persons will be considered case-by-case. Please call the Box Office prior to the performance.

Service animals are always welcome. Please call our Box Office if you have any questions or concerns regarding the best seating locations when visiting with a service animal.

FOR GUESTS WITH SCENT ALLERGIES OR SENSITIVITIES

We encourage patrons to refrain from wearing scented products. While we cannot guarantee a scent-free environment, should you have an allergy to scented products and need to be moved from your original seating location, please see the House Manager.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional open caption, audio-described and ASL-interpreted performance dates may be available to groups of 20 or more for performances after July 1. For more information contact groups@stratfordfestival.ca.

The new StratFest OnSite App is here to help with your accessibility needs. Containing specific information on each of the venue’s amenities, 360° pictures inside Front of House areas and more, the app is a great tool for anyone looking for information about attending the Stratford Festival! Download now: stratfordfestival.ca/SFOnSite

FOR MORE DETAILS

Visit stratfordfestival.ca/Accessibility or email accessibility@stratfordfestival.ca.

STAY IN TOUCH

SPONSORS

Our thanks to the following for their generous support:

SEASON SPONSOR

The 2025 season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.

PROUD SEASON PARTNERS

THEATRE SPONSORS

Support for the 2025 season of the Festival Theatre is generously provided by Daniel Bernstein & Claire Foerster.

CORPORATE SPONSOR

Support for the 2025 season at the Tom Patterson Theatre

NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT

Support is generously provided by The Foerster Bernstein New Play Development Program.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY PARTNER

EDUCATION SPONSORS

Tools for Teachers includes InterACTive Preshows, Study Guides and Stratford Shorts Sponsored by

Support for education initiatives is generously provided by the Martin Family, the Estate of Noelle Saville and Laurie J. Scott. Teaching Stratford is generously provided by The M.E.H. Foundation and the Joan and Clifford Hatch Foundation. Theatre Arts Camp financial assistance is generously provided by The Nancy and George Taylor Theatre Arts Camp Financial Assistance Program.

The Stratford Festival gratefully acknowledges the generous support of these contributors to our success:

thaNK YOU tO OUr VOLUNtEErS

The Stratford Festival acknowledges the members of The Friends of the Festival for their continued contributions for more than 40 years! This dedicated group of volunteers provides thousands of hours of support annually. They can be found everywhere—welcoming audiences to the theatre, answering questions, working on special projects, assisting at Meighen Forum events and so much more. We are so grateful for all they contribute to making each season possible.