Paul Sportelli News

The Shaw's 2022 season comes to a merry close with Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol and Irving Berlin's White Christmas – two classic holiday tales guaranteed to thaw the frostiest of hearts and make spirits bright in young and old alike.

Eclipse Theatre Company has announced the live presentation of 'TIL THEN, an original Canadian song cycle of 3 stories and 18 new songs by 24 writers including, Chantal Kreviazuk, Leslie Arden, Britta Johnson, Colleen & Akiva, Richard Ouzounian and many more.

Americana and the Golden Age of the Broadway musical has happily landed at the Shaw Festival in their knock it out of the park production of DAMN YANKEES. After years without a staged musical at the Festival Theatre and repeated cancellations of it's production of GYPSY (thanks Covid!), the magic of the American musical comedy can be seen once again.

The Shaw Festival will once again go al fresco with a series of specially produced performances, concert series and curated experiences throughout the summer and fall. Popular Outdoors @ The Shaw events return with new enchanting and imaginative encounters at various locations in and around the Festival grounds and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

The Shaw Festival’s 60th season will continue with performances of the romantic musical comedy Damn Yankees, psychological thriller Gaslight and surreal tour de force Too True to Be Good. All three shows will begin welcoming audiences to preview performances in the coming days and weeks.

Artistic Director Tim Carroll has announced casting and creative teams for the Shaw Festival’s 60th anniversary season.

The Shaw Festival's 2021 season continues into fall and winter with the American classic Desire Under the Elms, the beloved Irving Berlin musical Holiday Inn and perennial Yuletide favourite A Christmas Carol.

Over 90 concerts in uniquely curated series, including Quiet Please There's a Lady on Stage and TD Jazz Concerts: Jazz From Around the World to piano, vocal, chamber, and string concerts, featuring the world's top musicians, are planned for 2021.22.

Dr. Peter Simon, Michael and Sonja Koerner President & CEO of The Royal Conservatory of Music, Mervon Mehta, Executive Director of Performing Arts, and James Anagnoson, Dean of The Glenn Gould School, today revealed details of the diverse concerts that will make up the 13th concert season at The Royal Conservatory of Music.

Artistic Director Tim Carroll and the Shaw Festival have announced Outdoors @ The Shaw, a series of concerts and events scheduled to take place from July 10 to October 9, 2021 on the grounds of the Festival Theatre and Royal George Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

Artistic Director Tim Carroll has announced casting for the Shaw Festival’s upcoming productions of Charley’s Aunt, Flush, The Devil’s Disciple, Sherlock Holmes and the Raven’s Curse, A Short History of Niagara and Trouble in Mind.

In addition to realizing a financial gain, the Shaw Festival also made strides in cultivating new funding partnerships, while supporting surrounding businesses, during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

New COVID-19 restrictions, along with the recent decision to continue the Niagara Region’s placement in the Grey-Lockdown Zone, has made it clear the Shaw Festival is unable to produce Gypsy: A Musical Fable in 2021.

The Shaw Festival is adding a festive twist to its popular concert series. Running December 5 through December 19 in the Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre (10 Queen's Parade), Songs for a Winter's Night features favourite melodies from the holiday season.

As of October 28, the Shaw Festival's concert series will move indoors to the Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre with a limit of 50 guests and safety protocols in place. Featuring the music of Duke Ellington, Dorothy Fields and Cole Porter, the performances run Wednesdays to Fridays at 6 p.m.​ and Saturdays at 2 p.m. from October 28 through November 20.

The Shaw Festival is set to animate Niagara-on-the-Lake with live music and song throughout September and October with approximately 40 bespoke concerts.

The Shaw Festival is set to animate Niagara-on-the-Lake with live music and song throughout September and October with approximately 40 bespoke concerts.

Dr. Peter Simon, Michael and Sonja Koerner President & CEO of The Royal Conservatory of Music, Mervon Mehta, Executive Director of Performing Arts, and James Anagnoson, Dean of The Glenn Gould School, today revealed details of the diverse concerts that will make up the 12th concert season at The Royal Conservatory of Music.

A frothy holiday confection playing out in Hollywood inspired Technicolor-come-to-life is the best way to describe the Shaw Festival's jubilant production of Irving Berlin's HOLIDAY INN now onstage at their Festival Theatre. Based on the 1942 movie of the same name starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, HOLIDAY INN has been overshadowed a bit by the later Berlin hit WHITE CHRISTMAS. But thanks to some crackerjack casting and a huge budget, The Shaw has breathed new life into the 2014 stage version written by Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge.

Just in time to kick-off the festive season, Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn begins previews November 16 on The Shaw's Festival Theatre stage. Directed by Associate Artistic Director Kate Hennig, this fresh take on the 1942 award-winning film features some of Irving Berlin's best-loved songs under the music direction of Paul Sportelli and with choreography by Allison Plamondon. Holiday Inn, along with The Shaw's evergreen sell-out A Christmas Carol, are just two of the highlights celebrating the spirit of the season in picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake.