NEWS RELEASE
STRATFORD FESTIVAL
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July delivers a buzzing Meighen Forum to the Stratford Festival, offering diverse experiences such as the Season Deep Dive week which features leaders and artists of the Festival, CBC Ideas Week: Brave New Worlds which will welcome back host Nahlah Ayed for a week of exploration. The month will also bring events hosted by The New York Times and Chicago Tribune.
Season Deep Dive Week (July 8 – 14) brings together leaders and artists of the Stratford Festival to converse about the development of the 2024 season, from planning the playbill and writing the plays all the way to executing onstage design and action. The week will feature discussions on accessibility in theatre, fight and intimacy work and writing new plays.
Our Forum Academy Series returns with “The Process of a Theatre Designer.” Set, costume and lighting serve as storytelling devices to understand who the characters are and how they fit into the narrative. Lighting designer Kaileigh Krysztofiak, set designer Joanna Yu and costume designer Francesca Callow discuss the artistry of how design helps tell the story of a play.
As the Meighen Forum’s 2024 season progresses, the Stratford Festival will welcome the return of host Nahlah Ayed for CBC Ideas Week: Brave New Worlds (July 15 – 21), which will explore efforts throughout history to imagine new possibilities and make them real – by focusing on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Meighen Forum will also see the return of many special visitors. Among these, Jesse Green, chief theatre critic for The New York Times, returns for a couple of events including “Same-Sex Parenting IRL vs. La Cage aux Folles,” in which he and his husband, Andy Mirer, are joined by award-winning author Ann-Marie MacDonald and her wife, theatre director Alisa Palmer, as they draw parallels between their own experiences and what is depicted in the iconic musical La Cage aux Folles.
Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones appears later in the month for events including “Who is Sylvia? Two Theatre Critics on their Favourite Play,” in which he is joined by theatre critic Peter Marks for a lively exploration of Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?, the play that they consider to be Albee’s greatest work.
The Meighen Forum also includes crowd favourites such as Peer into the Playbill, Monday Night Music, Funny Forum Friday’s and exclusive backstage tours and workshops. Visit https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/TheForum for details.
Season Deep Dive Week
July 8 to July 14
Join Stratford Festival leaders and artists for conversations about developing the 2024 season, from planning the playbill and writing the plays to executing onstage design and action.
Events include:
Monday Night Music: The Philip Seguin Quartet: Songs the Theatre Taught Me, Vol. 2
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Monday, July 8
7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Following last season’s triumphant debut at the Forum, Festival trumpeter Philip Seguin brings his Quartet back for their second installment of songs. Sharing his love and interpretations of the classics from the Great American Songbook, Phil gives you a glimpse into the life of a theatre musician, some career highlights, and the occasional anecdote from a 40-year career in show business.
Featuring Brian Dickinson (piano), Dave Young (bass), and David Campion (drums).
Raising the Curtain and Lowering Barriers: Accessible Theatre
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Thursday, July 11
10:30 a.m. - noon
What are theatres doing to welcome audiences (and artists) who have barriers to participating in performance arts? Join Stratford Festival’s Accessibility Coordinator Kayla Besse, Disability Dramaturgy scholar Dr. Jessica Watkin and Theatre Passe Muraille Artistic Director Marjorie Chan in a panel discussion moderated by Maev Beaty, discussing how theatres have been making their work and their spaces more accessible, and the goals they continue to work towards in service of greater inclusion.
Up Close with Antoni Cimolino and Anita Gaffney
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, July 12
10:30 a.m. – noon
Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino and Executive Director Anita Gaffney answer your questions about the 2024 season and plans for the future.
The Other Directors: Intimacy and Fight Directors
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, July 12
5:30 – 7 p.m.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a fight or intimacy director? Join us for a conversation with Fight and Intimacy Director, Anita Nittoly and her associate David Chinchilla about what their job entails. Discover the behind-the-scenes activities of those who ensure the safety of our actors throughout their performances, encompassing everything from kissing to punching and everything in between.
Funny Forum Fridays: Don Kelly
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, July 12
9:00 - 10:30 p.m.
Don Kelly is an Anishinaabe comedian from Treaty #3 region whose mix of observational comedy and issues-driven materials sometimes draws on his First Nations heritage, and he is bringing his comedic skill and insight to the Meighen Forum! Join him for an evening that is definitely not one to be missed!
Opener: Janelle Niles
The History of the Stratford Festival
Festival Theatre Stage
Saturday, July 13
10:30 a.m. – noon
Stratford was not always the bustling theatre town that it is today. Travel back in time with us on the Festival Theatre stage as we revisit the history of the beloved Stratford Festival. In this conversation, moderated by Maev Beaty, learn about Tom Patterson, Tanya Moiseiwitsch and Tyrone Guthrie, and hear how the Festival went from a tent to four remarkable theatres. You will also hear from Stratford veteran and 2023 Legacy Gala Award recipient, Lucy Peacock and Birmingham Conservatory Director Janine Pearson about the joys and challenges of performing on that stage they have come to know over a collective 70 seasons of creating theatre and training artists at the Festival.
Stratford Festival Anniversary Dinner
Festival Marquee
Saturday, July 13
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
On the anniversary of the Festival's first performance, join us for a celebratory meal curated by Kendrick Prins, the Festival's Executive Chef. This meal will be a journey for your taste buds, taking you to the 1950s culinary scene with a modern twist, showcasing how the Festival has evolved. This event features a complimentary welcome cocktail or mocktail and a cash bar.
Diners will be joined by speaker Ross Stuart who, after completing his Ph.D. thesis which analyzed productions on the Stratford open stage, joined the theatre faculty at York University where he served for 43 years as teacher, administrator and researcher. The evening's host is David Prosser, who spent 26 years defining the Festival as its Literary and Editorial Director prior to his retirement in 2020.
Note: Tickets for the dinner ended sales as of Saturday, July 6.
Developing New Plays at The Stratford Festival
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Sunday, July 14
10:30 a.m. – noon
Did you know that at any given time there are dozens projects in active development at the Stratford Festival? Join Keith Barker and Bob White, current and former directors of the Foerster Bernstein New Play Development Program, Leanna Brodie, co-playwright of Salesman in China, and Andrea Scott, playwright of Get That Hope in a conversation charting the path of a play from concept to production.
Forum Academy Series: Process of a Theatre Designer
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Sunday, July 14
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Set, costume and lighting serve as storytelling devices to understand who the characters are and how they fit into the narrative. They immerse the audience in the world of the drama often propelling it forward with innovative staging, lighting and costumes. Hedda Gabler and The Goat... lighting designer, Kaileigh Krysztofiak, Salesman in China set designer, Joanna Yu, and London Assurance costume designer, Francesca Callow discuss the artistry of how design helps tell the story of a play.
CBC Ideas Week: Brave New Worlds
How do we create a better world? How do we articulate the kind of future we want to live in, something that has never been tried before? This five-part series, moderated by CBC Ideas host Nahlah Ayed, explores efforts throughout history to imagine new possibilities and make them real by focusing on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Events include:
The Right to Security: Article 3
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Wednesday, July 17
10:30 a.m. – noon
The right to “life, liberty and security of person” is one of the most important, but most contested, rights we have. In this panel, Nahlah Ayed is joined by University of Toronto Assistant Professor Cindy Ewing, Global Director Leilani Farha and Journalist Azeezah Kanji. They explore what the right to security could mean and how it could transform our world.
The Right to Security: Article 12
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Thursday, July 18
10:30 a.m. – noon
“No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation,” states Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Host Nahlah Ayed is joined by Professor of Political Science and the founder and Director of the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy Ron Deibert, Lawyer Lex Gill and Professor and author Michael Lynk. It’s a right with profound implications for our lives in the 21st century, from digital surveillance to sexuality and autonomy.
The Rights to Leave, to Return, and to Seek Asylum: Articles 13 and 14
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, July 19
10:30 a.m. – noon
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.” One also has the right to seek “asylum from persecution” in other countries. At a time when record numbers of people are forcibly displaced, Nahlah Ayed is joined by UNHCF Representative to Canada Rema Jamous Imseis, Lawyer and Anthropologist Petra Molnar and Writer, Lawyer and Professor Jamie Chai Yun Liew. They explore where these rights came from and the impact they have today.
The Rights to Freedom of Thought and Expression: Articles 18 and 19
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Saturday, July 20
10:30 a.m. – noon
The guarantee of freedom of thought, as well as the freedom to express those thoughts, is especially relevant in today’s society. In Orwell’s novel 1984, he proposed a future of “thought-crime,” and in many places that day has arrived; freedom of opinion is under even greater threat with the dominance of opining on social media. Nahlah Ayed is joined by Senior Researcher Noura Aljizawi, Novelist and Playwright Kagiso Lesego Molope and Director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto MET James Turk.
Rights for the Future
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Sunday, July 21
10:30 a.m. – noon
If the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were rewritten today, what rights would we add to strive for a more just world? The right to a healthy environment? The right to communicate? In the final panel, Nahlah Ayed is joined by Lawyer, Author and Professor Lindsay Borrows, Global Human Rights Activist Ketty Nivyabandi and Filmmaker Astra Taylor to look beyond our fractured present and try to imagine what new rights we need for our own millennium.
The New York Times at Stratford
The New York Times returns for a series of engaging and thought-provoking conversations with chief theatre critic Jesse Green.
Events include:
Same-Sex Parenting IRL vs. La Cage aux Folles
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, July 19
5:30 – 7 p.m.
Embark on a captivating exploration of same-sex parenting with New York Times chief theatre critic Jesse Green and his husband Andy Mirer, award-winning author Ann-Marie MacDonald and her wife, theatre director Alisa Palmer, as they draw parallels between their own experiences and what is depicted in the iconic musical La Cage aux Folles. Delving into the challenges, stigma and rewards faced by same-sex couples, from societal expectations to the joyous rewards of unconventional families, this talk promises a dynamic discussion that intertwines theatre and reality.
Donna Feore: Let’s Talk Theatre
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Saturday, July 20
5:30 – 7 p.m.
Award-winning director Donna Feore sits down with New York Times chief theatre critic Jesse Green for a candid conversation about musicals, Shakespeare and everything in between.
Chicago Tribune at Stratford
Award-winning journalist and chief theatre critic for the Chicago Tribune Chris Jones returns to the Meighen Forum to discuss the themes and ideas resonating in our 2024 season.
Who is Sylvia? Two Theatre Critics on their Favourite Play
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, July 26
10:30 a.m. – noon
Join celebrated theatre critics Chris Jones and Peter Marks in a lively exploration of Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?. These friends and colleagues explore the play they consider to be Albee’s greatest work, from its roots in Greek mythology to its reception by 21st century audiences.
Albee, Miller and Ibsen: Playwrights of Their Time
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Saturday, July 27
10:30 a.m. – noon
Playwrights Edward Albee, Arthur Miller and Henrik Ibsen made unique and significant contributions to the world of theatre. Though each had a profound effect and influence on the theatre world in different periods, their individual upbringings and connections are shockingly similar. Award-winning journalist Chris Jones moderates this intriguing and fascinating conversation with theatre historians and scholars.
Other Events Coming this Month
Forum Academy: Exploring the World of the Stratford Festival Archives
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Sunday, July 21
2 – 3:30 p.m.
In this session, led by Stephanie Vaillant, Interim Archives Manager at the Stratford Festival, learn the unique role of a theatre archivist and the particular intricacies and challenges of managing the Festival’s Archives. Gain insight into the diverse multimedia archival holdings dating back to 1952.
Peer Into The Playbill: Tiger Lily: Past, Present and Future
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Thursday, July 25
10:30 a.m. – noon
Since preparations for our production of Wendy and Peter Pan began, the creative teams partnered with several consultants from different communities to consider how to approach Tiger Lily, a character whose history is fraught with racist stereotypes, in a forward-thinking way. Join Keith Barker, Dramaturg and Director of the Foerster Bernstein New Play Development Program, Professor Jill Carter from the University of Toronto, Director Thomas Morgan Jones and this production's Tiger Lily, Tara Sky, for a conversation about Tiger Lily's history, present, and future.
Please Note: Thomas Morgan Jones will be joining us virtually for this event.
The Great Fire
by Roland Schimmelpfennig and translated by David Tushingham
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Thursday, July 25 – Saturday, September 14
Varying Times
A Necessary Angel Theatre Company presentation
Produced as an immersive audio experience, this five-part drama conceived and directed by Alan Dilworth, is narrated by Dora Award-winner Maev Beaty with original sound design and mix by Dora Award-winner Debashis Sinha. The Great Fire evokes a world both everyday and otherworldly. Within a familiar folk setting of competing rural villages, Roland Schimmelpfennig conjures a magical yet modern world beset by prejudice, misunderstanding, plague and climate catastrophe. And as we so often find in times of trauma, there remains friendship, and wonder, and even love.
Note: Shows in July are almost sold out, find best availability throughout August and September.
Funny Forum Fridays: Wolves of Glendale
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, July 26
9 – 10:30 p.m.
Wolves of Glendale is a comedy band born from the minds and talents of Ethan Edenburg (vocals/guitar), Eric Jackowitz (vocals/drums) and Tom McGovern (vocals/keyboards), with a keen eye for life’s absurdities along with amazing musical abilities. Their live performance, equally enthralling and often enriched with clever parodies of popular songs is coming to the Meighen Forum this summer!
Opener: Olivia Benaroche
The Artist’s Life with Bob White: Interview with Andrea Scott
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Sunday, July 28
10:30 a.m. – noon
Veteran director, dramaturg, Artistic Director and theatre practitioner Bob White sits down with legendary Canadian artists, directors and playwrights for in-depth and personal conversations about their chosen path, untold stories and what it takes to be a theatre maker in the 21st century.
Andrea Scott is an award-winning playwright and producer who grew up in London, Ontario and is currently part of the Los Angeles writers room on a new ABC signature series called High Potential. Bob and Andrea will talk about playwrighting in Canada, getting your first "break" and all of the moments in between.
Monday Night Music: Gimlet’s Fine
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Monday, July 29
7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
For the last ten years Festival musicians Ian Harper, Graham Hargrove, Michael McClennan, and George Meanwell have been getting together recreationally in coffee shops, on riverbanks, and in rehearsal halls to play music on their other instruments: Uillean pipes, penny whistle, bones, bodhran, banjo, bouzouki, fiddle, and concertina. Performing as Gimlet's Fine they present an evening of music and song, traditional and original, centred on the Celtic tradition.
Join us at The Meighen Forum throughout the season for discussions, speakers, performances and events that will leave you laughing, crying and reflecting.
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