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North America’s leading repertory theatre company, bringing together extraordinary artists to produce an eclectic variety of Shakespeare, large-scale musicals, newly commissioned works, classic comedy and drama, presented across four unique venues. Stratford Festival Community User Guidelines
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09/05/2026

Ever wonder what goes into creating a costume before it reaches the stage? 🧵🪡
Join Design Coordinator Lindsay Forde and members of the Stratford Festival's Wardrobe team as they pull back the curtain on the costume-making process.

Listen to the full episode of the Everyday Forum Podcast, available on Stratfest@Home, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

If you know, you know. 💅And if you don’t get the reference yet, there’s still time to catch these fantastic productions ...
09/05/2026

If you know, you know. 💅
And if you don’t get the reference yet, there’s still time to catch these fantastic productions and unforgettable lines.

📷 1) Henry Firmston as Nigel Bottom (centre) with members of the company in Something Rotten! Set and costume design by Michael Gianfrancesco. Lighting design by Bonnie Beecher. Photo: Ann Baggley.
2) From left: Agnes Tong 唐若馨 as Arabella Flynn, Nadine Villasin as Kamila and Karthik Kadam as Devan Pillay in The Tao of the World. Set design by Lorenzo Savoini. Costume design by Ming Wong 黄慧明. Lighting design by Sophie Tang 汤语菲. Photo: David Hou.
3) Dakota Jamal Wellman as Ferdinand in The Tempest. Set and costume design by Julie Fox. Lighting design by Imogen Wilson. Photo: Ann Baggley.
4) Katarina Fiallos as Giulianella Priore (left) and Graham Abbey as Giuseppe “Peppino” Priore in Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Set design by Douglas Paraschuk. Costume design by Francesca Callow. Lighting design by Michael Walton. Photo: David Hou.
5) From left: Thomas Duplessie as Demetrius, Jessica B. Hill as Helena, Viviene Endicott-Douglas as Hermia and Jordin Hall as Lysander as A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Set design by Lorenzo Savoini. Costume design by Joshua Quinlan. Lighting design by Kevin Lamotte. Photo: David Hou.
6) Evan Buliung as Iago in Othello. Set design by Brian Dudkiewicz. Costume design by Gillian Gallow. Lighting design by Siobhán Sleath. Photo: David Hou.

It's been a phenomenal "Double-O" season for André Sills.Now in his 12th season, he's bringing striking range to Shakesp...
09/04/2026

It's been a phenomenal "Double-O" season for André Sills.
Now in his 12th season, he's bringing striking range to Shakespeare's Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream and the title role in Othello, moving seamlessly between fairy mischief and heartbreaking tragedy.

In Othello, André "commands the stage with gravitas and warmth" (Postmedia) as Shakespeare's tragic hero, undone by Iago's ruthless manipulation. The Globe and Mail calls his performance "all-consuming and masterful," praising the way he "conjures a barbed, heartbroken Othello with crazed eyes and a shattered psyche." The Toronto Star further praises his work, observing how he "lays bare Othello's descent into paranoia." Opposite Evan Buliung's Iago, the pair "cook up a ragged, volatile dynamic."

A world away in A Midsummer Night's Dream, André brings "authority and a dry wit" to Oberon, king of the fairies (Postmedia). BroadwayWorld praises André's performance, noting "his hulking Oberon commands respect and is passionate in his love for his wife and in his desire for control." Critics have also remarked on his comic touch. Intermission notes that he "introduces a gentleness" to the play, while Postmedia singled out his delivery of one of the production's biggest laughs after the love potion mix-up: "Puck, how much did you use?" BroadwayWorld likewise applauds his comic flair, writing that "with a twirl, he very seriously and dramatically announces to the audience that he is invisible."

The curtain is about to fall on André Sills' "Double-O" season. With just nine performances remaining of both A Midsummer Night's Dream and Othello, now's your chance to experience his acclaimed turns as Oberon and Othello before the productions close September 26 and 27.

📷 Top) Evan Buliung as Iago (left) and André Sills as Othello in Othello. Set design by Brian Dudkiewicz. Costume design by Gillian Gallow. Lighting design by Siobhán Sleath. Photo: David Hou.
Bottom) André Sills as Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Set design by Lorenzo Savoini. Costume design by Joshua Quinlan. Lighting design by Kevin Lamotte. Photo: David Hou.

09/03/2026

Before taking his final bow as Artistic Director, Antoni Cimolino joins Kelsey McEwen on CTV Your Morning to discuss his last two Festival productions.
Under this season's theme of This Rough Magic, it's especially fitting that his farewell Shakespeare production is The Tempest, a play about a magician who chooses to set aside his powers. With Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Antoni also returns to his Italian roots through Eduardo De Filippo's beloved Neapolitan comedy, rich with humour, heart and family.

Both productions run until October 24. Come experience the magic this season: https://ow.ly/wrih50ZIXc6

Oscar Wilde certainly had a way with words.In honour of The Importance of Being Earnest, we're unpacking a handbag full ...
09/02/2026

Oscar Wilde certainly had a way with words.
In honour of The Importance of Being Earnest, we're unpacking a handbag full of witty remarks and razor-sharp observations that make this comedy an enduring favourite. 💼

This season's The Importance of Being Earnest "proves that Wilde’s wit remains as keen and relevant as ever" (Postmedia). Come see this "charming comic soufflé" (Toronto Star) at the Avon Theatre until October 23: https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/PlaysAndEvents/Production/The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest

📷 1) Carter Gulseth as Algernon (left) and Joe Perry as John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest.
2) Fiona Reid as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest.
3) Lucy Peacock as Miss Prism (left) and Marissa Orjalo as Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest.
4) Marissa Orjalo as Cecily Cardew (left) and Allison Lynch as Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest.
5) Joe Perry as John Worthing (left) and Allison Lynch as Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest.
Set design by Bretta Gerecke. Costume design by Cory Sincennes. Lighting design by Imogen Wilson. Photography by David Hou.

Same actor, by the way. That's the magic of repertory theatre. ⭐From Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream to the epic...
09/01/2026

Same actor, by the way. That's the magic of repertory theatre. ⭐
From Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream to the epic world of The Hobbit to the misbehaving billionaires of The Tao of the World, we're celebrating some of the actors that are transforming into not one, but two or more wildly different characters across these three productions this season.

⭐ Michael Man plays Dr. Wilson Wong in The Tao of the World, Robin Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and several characters in The Hobbit, including Gollum, Bard, Elrond, Tom and more.
⭐ Sara-Jeanne Hosie plays Eleanor Marwood in The Tao of the World, Snout in A Midsummer Night's Dream and the roles of the narrator Old Took and Lord Eagle in The Hobbit.
⭐ Derek Kwan plays Jackson in The Tao of the World, Limestone in A Midsummer Night's Dream and multiple roles in The Hobbit, including Balin, William and Elven King.
⭐ Tim Campbell plays Trevor Flynn in The Tao of the World, Egeus in A Midsummer Night's Dream and the roles of Gandalf and Smaug in The Hobbit.

See these extraordinary performers showcase their range and versatility, alongside many other members of the company, across all three productions.

The Tao of the World and A Midsummer Night's Dream continue at the Tom Patterson Theatre until September 26. The Hobbit runs at the Avon Theatre until October 23.

📷 Image credits in the captions.

September means back to school for many, so we're dusting off the archives and turning back the pages to productions tha...
09/01/2026

September means back to school for many, so we're dusting off the archives and turning back the pages to productions that earn top marks for academic autumn vibes. 🍂📖

The start of school also brings memories of school field trips and first visits to the Festival, moments that spark a lifelong love of theatre.

🍎 Teachers, there's still time to bring your students to the Stratford Festival in 2026!
Take advantage of special student group pricing for every show, exclusive pre‑ and post‑show chats and workshops, plus early‑start matinees of The Hobbit and The Tempest.

Plan a class trip today and give your students a theatre experience they will never forget: https://ow.ly/jUUM50ZHL3x

📷 Image credits in the captions.

Word is spreading: The King James Bible Play is "a powerful treatise on the act of translation" (The Globe and Mail). 📖🎭...
08/31/2026

Word is spreading: The King James Bible Play is "a powerful treatise on the act of translation" (The Globe and Mail). 📖🎭
A Globe and Mail Critic's Pick and "must-see world première," Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman's new play is hailed for its "career-high performances." Described as "a dense, tightly-knit beast of a play" that is "decisive, and dazzlingly bright," the production is directed by Nina Lee Aquino with "a keen eye for historical style."

The Toronto Star calls it "an intriguing look into the act of creation and gestation," praising this "stylishly" staged production with "compelling" performances. Postmedia agrees that it "finds wit and resonance in translation, history and theatre," while Intermission Magazine celebrates it as "smart, funny, and ambitious."applauding Nina Lee Aquino's direction, which “gives the play a comic charge, with plenty of physicality that lets the performances shine.

The King James Bible Play continues its limited run at the Studio Theatre until September 26.

📷 1) From left: Liz Der, Angel Lo and Sara Topham in The King James Bible Play.
2) Rylan Wilkie as George Abbot and 郝邦宇 Steven Hao as Willie in The King James Bible Play.
3) Cyrus Lane as Sir Henry Savile and Deborah Hay as Martie in The King James Bible Play.
4) From left: Gray Powell as John Bois, Steven Hao as Willie and Cyrus Lane as Sir Henry Savile in The King James Bible Play.
Set and costume design by Robin Fisher. Lighting design by Michelle Ramsay. Photography by David Hou.

In The Tempest, Prospero is not only a magician giving up his powers but also a father learning to let go as his daughte...
08/31/2026

In The Tempest, Prospero is not only a magician giving up his powers but also a father learning to let go as his daughter Miranda embraces opportunities in the wider world. To bring this relationship to life, Festival veteran Geraint Wyn Davies and Ashley Dingwell, here in her second season, forged a close creative bond built on trust, openness and vulnerability. Speaking in a recent interview with Next Magazine, both actors reflected on that process.

For Ashley, it was important that Miranda was not reduced solely to innocence or naivety. She credits her dynamic with Geraint for helping her discover the character's agency: "I feel that Ger respects me, and I also feel that his Prospero respects Miranda. That changes things because it allows me to have agency."

Establishing that sense of equality as scene partners was especially important in portraying Prospero and Miranda's relationship, given the power Prospero holds over his daughter. Yet, as Ashley points out, Miranda exerts a quiet influence of her own: "She has a sneaky power over him, which ultimately leads him to make the decisions that he does."

Geraint first encountered The Tempest in 1980, when he played Ferdinand, and has returned to the play several times since. This time, he wanted something different: "I never found Prospero vulnerable enough, or human enough. I wanted the play to be about people." He was especially interested in making the production "more humane, slightly smaller, more about family."

Ashley's inquisitive and direct portrayal of Miranda has in turn shaped Geraint's Prospero. "Ashley has such a truth and a strength and a need to know an answer," he says. "As an actor, you want to answer. You want to give something back... Ashley changes the whole thing and makes it better for me."

Read the full interview: https://ow.ly/TbOA50ZHosi

The Tempest continues performances at the Festival Theatre until October 24.

📷 1) From left: Paul Dunn, Geraint Wyn Davies and Ashley Dingwell. Photo: David Hou.
2 & 3) Geraint Wyn Davies as Prospero (left) and Ashley Dingwell as Miranda in The Tempest. Photo: Ann Baggley.
4) Geraint Wyn Davies as Prospero (left) and Ashley Dingwell as Miranda in The Tempest. Photo: David Hou.
5) Ashley Dingwell as Miranda (left) and Geraint Wyn Davies as Prospero in The Tempest. Photo: Ann Baggley.
Set and costume design by Julie Fox. Lighting design by Imogen Wilson.

Critics are savouring every bite of Saturday, Sunday, Monday. 🍝Eduardo De Filippo’s Neapolitan comedy “evokes such warmt...
08/29/2026

Critics are savouring every bite of Saturday, Sunday, Monday. 🍝
Eduardo De Filippo’s Neapolitan comedy “evokes such warmth and comfort” and is a “splendid finale” (Toronto Star) for Antoni Cimolino’s farewell production as Artistic Director. The Globe and Mail calls it a “rich drama with flavourful characters... simmer(ing) gently like its main character’s famous veal ragu, becoming richer as the night goes on.”

Postmedia praises the production as a “generous, beautifully acted comedy” as “family dinner becomes captivating theatre.” Intermission Magazine hails it as “soul-stirring enchantment,” saying that Antoni Cimolino and co-adaptor Donato Santeramo “do an impressive job of preserving its Italian flavour.”

Saturday, Sunday, Monday continues at the Avon Theatre until October 24. ““Come hungry, and chase away those Sunday blues” (The Globe and Mail)!

📷 1) Rose Napoli as Rosa Priore (centre left) and Jenna-Lee Hyde as Virginia in Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
2) From left: Jakob Ehman, Gordon S. Miller, Rose Napoli, Geraint Wyn Davies, Katarina Fiallos, Michelle Giroux, Josue Laboucane, Seana McKenna and Emilio Vieira in Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
3) Rose Napoli as Rosa Priore and Graham Abbey as Giuseppe “Peppino” Priore in Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
4) From left: Katarina Fiallos, Rose Napoli, Gordon S. Miller, Jenna-Lee Hyde and Michelle Giroux in Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
Set design by Douglas Paraschuk. Costume design by Francesca Callow. Lighting design by Michael Walton. Photography by David Hou.

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