After a dazzling opening week, Stratford extends three productions, adds two weeks to season

June 10, 2016… After a hugely successful opening week, the Stratford Festival is delighted to announce it is extending three productions: Macbeth, All My Sons and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

“I’m delighted that our opening week productions have been met with such a positive response. Demand for our tickets has surged and in many cases we are struggling to meet that demand,” says Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino, who directed Macbeth. “I want to thank our artists for their beautiful work and our Festival audiences for their loyalty and support.”

“The season has been selling extremely well,” says Executive Director Anita Gaffney, “and it has been so rewarding to see such a variety of genres meeting with such lively reaction. The three productions we are extending today are perfect examples of our range of offerings – a Shakespeare tragedy, a modern classic and a family adventure.”

 

Macbeth was described by J. Kelly Nestruck in The Globe and Mail as “the first truly satisfying large-scale Macbeth I’ve ever seen – taut, thrilling and terrifying.” In the Toronto Star, Carly Maga called it “a bold and brutal take on the Scottish king’s tragic tale.”

Featuring Ian Lake in the title role, Macbeth will play for an additional two weeks, from Monday, October 24, to Saturday, November 5, with performances as follows:

·         Monday, October 24, at 2 p.m.

·         Thursday, October 27, at 8 p.m.

·         Friday, October 28, at 2 p.m.

·         Saturday, October 29, at 8 p.m.

·         Tuesday, November 1, at 2 p.m.

·         Wednesday, November 2, at 2 p.m.

·         Thursday, November 3, at 2 p.m.

·         Thursday, November 3, at 8 p.m.

·         Saturday, November 5, at 2 p.m.

All My Sons, directed by Martha Henry, was called “dazzling” (National Post) and “a spellbinding production across the board” (Globe and Mail). The production, featuring Lucy Peacock and Joseph Ziegler, will run for an additional week, as follows:

·         Thursday, September 29, at 2 p.m.

·         Friday, September 30, at 2 p.m.

·         Saturday, October 1, at 8 p.m.

·         Sunday, October 2, at 2 p.m.

“Go and be dazzled,” the London Free Press said of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a “magical production” (Toronto Star) directed by Tim Carroll, featuring Sara Farb, Ruby Joy, André Morin and Gareth Potter. This family classic had already been extended to October 29, and will now run until November 5, with new performances on the following dates:

·         Tuesday, November 1, at 2 p.m.

·         Wednesday, November 2, at 2 p.m.

·         Thursday, November 3, at 2 p.m.

·         Saturday, November 5, at 2 p.m.

Tickets for all of these additional performances go on sale to Members of the Stratford Festival on Saturday, June 11, and to the public on Monday, June 13.

Production support for Macbeth is generously provided by Jane Peterson Burfield & family, by Barbara & John Schubert, by the Tremain Family, and by Chip & Barbara Vallis.

Production support for All My Sons is generously provided by Larry Enkin & family in memory of Sharon Enkin, by Dr. Desta Leavine in memory of Pauline Leavine, by Esther & Sam Sarick in honour of Martha Henry and by Jack Whiteside. The sponsor for the 2016 season of the Tom Patterson Theatre is BMO Financial Group.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the 2016 Schulich Children’s play.

The 2016 season runs until November 5, featuring Macbeth, As You Like It, A Chorus Line, Shakespeare in Love, A Little Night Music, All My Sons, Breath of Kings, John Gabriel Borkman, The Hypochondriac, The Aeneid, Bunny and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit stratfordfestival.ca or call 1.800.567.1600.

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Stratford Festival
55 Queen Street | PO Box 520 | Stratford ON | N5A 6V2

519.271.4040 x2297

Box Office: Toll Free 1.800.567.1600 | Local 519.273.1600

stratfordfestival.ca

2016 Season|April to October

Macbeth | As You Like It | Breath of Kings: Rebellion| Breath of Kings: Redemption
A Chorus Line | A Little Night Music | Shakespeare in Love| The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

All My Sons|John Gabriel Borkman|Bunny |The Aeneid| The Hypochondriac