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(The
lovely Festival Theatre, pictured above, is a very inviting venue in Stratford,
Ontario. Others are The Avon, The Tom Patterson and The Studio) By
Arnie Greenberg It's that time again, when the new season of the Stratford Festival is about to begin. If you head
to the festival this year, you're in for a special treat. North America's Largest Repertory Theatre It is North America's largest repertory theatre and includes concerts, lectures by celebrated writers, table talks around a dinner table, free "Meet the Festival" sessions with actors and artists, weekend packages that combine theatre and learning, tours and educational courses for young and old. There is something for everyone, and a list of plays to astound you. This year there will be two musicals. You can see Oliver! by Rogers and Hammerstein and follow Nellie Forbush as she falls in love with a lieutenant on a dangerous mission. It is a story of romance and prejudice, but tolerance and understanding rule the day. You will also follow the escapades of Oliver Twist as he falls into the hands of a gang of child pickpockets run by the sinister Fagin. It is a story of courage with music to carry home with you.
(Have a picnic by the river during your visit to Stratford)
Four
Shakespearean Productions There is also Henry IV Part I, which deals with Henry's struggle with reveling enemies in a seamy world of drunkards and the like. Directed by Richard Monette, the festival's artistic director, this play should prove entertaining in the Shakespearean tradition.
(A sculpture on the Stratford grounds depicts the raising of a tent for one of the earliest performances at the Festival) There's much more as you can select Webster's Duchess of Malfi, Boucicault's London Assurance, Tennessee William's The Glass Menagerie, Ibsen's Ghosts, two one-woman shows, an experimental staging of Corneille's The Liar, and an award winning Canadian play, Harlem Duet. If
you are there in the fall, you'll be able to take in Moliere's Don Juan
with Colm Feore as the notorious seducer who persists in pursuing every woman
who catches his eye. It has to be a winner. Much to Do in Stratford But
Stratford is more than a list of plays. It's a happening in a Victorian-era town
and a theatre company that has been nominated for a Tony. There are swans, canoe, kayak and paddleboat rentals as well as picnic areas for the family. You'll find antiques, candy manufacturers, native souvenirs, nearby golf courses and a double-decker bus tour or walking paths for those so inclined. Tour Behind the Scenes Imagine the great names and performances and the costumes created during their 53-year history. Going on a Behind the Scene Tour is a Stratford thing, which I heartily recommend. The Festival Warehouse contains 50,000 costume pieces -- and you will be encouraged to try some of them on. At the Festival Theatre, a corps of trumpeters plays a fanfare before each play and after each intermission. Stand outside just before show time. It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up -- it's truly magical. There is nothing like a summer's night at a Stratford performance with people of all ages and in all styles of dress milling around, waiting to be ushered to their seats. And inside, you are carried away with the color and magnificence of Canada's premier theatre experience. But be forewarned: there are no plays on Mondays. Even actors have to rest. However, there are music nights in July and August.
(Go on an outing along the Avon River, one of many wonderful things to do while in Stratford to see plays)
Wonderful Places to Stay in Stratford Stratford is a perfect place to spend a few days or a week. I have stayed in regular highway motels, larger hotels within walking distance of the main theatre and a whole list of B&BS from family homes with a spare room to Victorian houses with rambling lawns on the edge of the Avon River. I have met people who converted their homes 30 years ago and are still welcoming guests. I always enjoy conversing with them over their copious breakfasts. The restaurants are memorable and range from simple pizzerias to a converted church now called The Church Restaurant and Belfry. This place can be reached at www.churchrestaurant.com If you only eat one meal in Stratford, make it The Church and Belfry. But plan ahead. The restaurant is closed on Mondays. As for places to stay, there is an accommodations office that can make a reservation for you based on your specific needs. I'd plan ahead, as Stratford is a very popular place. People return year after year and often reserve rooms a year in advance. The
Accommodations Bureau can be reached at (800) 567-1600. You can fax the bureau at (519) 273-3731 or order tickets on line at order@stratfordfestival.ca Ask for the early booking discounts and group or seniors specials. For more about the festival, visit www.stratford-festival.on.ca. So
if you're looking for a holiday that combines great food, calm country scenery,
Victorian Canada and the best theatre at popular prices, Stratford is for you.
Go any time between May and late October, when the curtain comes down or when
the leaves turn red. They're waiting for you at Stratford, where "the play's the thing." (Click
below for more travel).
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