Stratford Festival Reveals Cast for 75th Season

The company for the Stratford Festival's 75th season, the first under the artistic direction of Jonathan Church, brings together celebrated Stratford veterans, returning favourites and a number of artists making their Festival debuts.

A few highlights include Thomas Duplessie – this season's Demetrius – taking on the title role in Hamlet with Ben Carlson as Claudius and Stephen Ouimette returning to play Polonius; Chilina Kennedy returning to play Judge Mistress Fowl in Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang and Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins, alongside Evan Buliung as Mr. Banks; Jonathan Goad playing Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, alongside André Sills as King Henry VIII, Marissa Orjalo as Anne Boleyn and Amelia Sargisson as Katherine of Aragon; Celeste Catena and Jennifer Rider-Shaw uniting as Roxie and Velma in Chicago; Ijeoma Emesowum playing Katharina in The Taming of the Shrew; Saul Rubinek, Marc Bendavid and Seana McKenna featuring in All in the Telling; and, as previously announced Eric McCormack in Present Laughter.

“The company is the foundation of every season, and I could not be more excited by the artists who will take to our stages in 2027,” says Church. “Together they represent an extraordinary breadth of experience, artistry and perspective. They will bring fresh insight to classic works, create new stories and help shape the first season of this Festival's next chapter."

HAMLET

Thomas Duplessie will take on the title role in Shakespeare's great tragedy Hamlet alongside Ben Carlson as Claudius, Heidi Sy 施 Damayo as Ophelia, Peter Fernandes as Horatio, Brendan McMurtry-Howlett as Laertes, Stephen Ouimette as Polonius and Irene Poole as Gertrude.

The cast also includes Helen Belay (Player Prologue), Devon Michael Brown, Dan Chameroy (Ghost, Player King), Lucinda Davis (Messenger 1), Jesse Dwyre (Guildenstern), Ijeoma Emesowum, David Patrick Flemming, Hailey Gillis (Voltemand), Carlos Gonzalez-Vio, Alex Kelly (Francisco), Aaron Krohn (Lucianus), Derek Kwan, Allison Lynch, Devin MacKinnon (Barnardo), Davinder Malhi (Rosencrantz), Gordon S. Miller (Marcellus), Alon Nashman (Osric), Tyrone Savage, Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane (Player Queen), Raymond Strachan (Reynaldo) and Rylan Wilkie (Captain).

MARY POPPINS

The spectacular musical Mary Poppins will feature Vanessa Sears in the title role, Evan Buliung as George Banks, Henry Firmston as Bert and Chilina Kennedy as Winifred Banks.

They will be joined by Eric Abel, Gabriel Antonacci (Northbrook), Alex Batycki (Valentine), Wade Pierre Buller, Jacqueline Burtney, Ryan Cunningham (Michael Banks), Aidan deSalaiz (Park Keeper), Christine Desjardins, Josh Doig (Robertson Ay), Starr Domingue (Mrs. Corry), Alexandra Gratton, Evonny Harker (Jane Banks), Sara-Jeanne Hosie (Miss Lark), Bonnie Jordan, Taran Kim, Monique Lund (Bird Woman, Miss Andrew), Amanda Lundgren, Gracie Mack, Jordan Mah, Jamie Murray, Philip Myers (Michael Banks), Ali Powell, Kylie Prouty (Jane Banks), Glynis Ranney (Mrs. Brill), Brian Ross, Steve Ross (Admiral Boom, Bank Chairman), Jason Sermonia, Julius Sermonia, Eamon Stocks (Neleus) and Liam Tobin (Von Hussler).

CHICAGO

The iconic musical Chicago, will feature Celeste Catena as Roxie Hart, Dan Chameroy as Billy Flynn and Jennifer Rider-Shaw as Velma Kelly with R. Markus as Mary Sunshine, Jamillah Ross as Matron Mama Morton and Steve Ross as Amos Hart.

Rounding out the cast are Eric Abel, George Absi, Gabriel Antonacci (Sergeant Fogerty), Alex Batycki, Christine Desjardins, Josh Doig, Alexandra Gratton, Kyra Harris, Kae Kae Lee, Amanda Lundgren, Gracie Mack, Anthony MacPherson, Jordan Mah, Allison McCaughey, Chad McFadden (Fred Casely), Jamie Murray, Ali Powell, Brian Ross, Jason Sermonia, Julian Surdi and Zachary Williams.

WOLF HALL & BRING UP THE BODIES

The sweeping, two-part epic Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies will feature Jonathan Goad as Thomas Cromwell, Marissa Orjalo as Anne Boleyn and André Sills as King Henry VIII with Graham Abbey as Thomas More, Amelia Sargisson as Katherine of Aragon and Geraint Wyn Davies as Thomas Wolsey.

The cast also includes Sean Arbuckle (Thomas Boleyn, Thomas Cranmer), Alison Beckwith (Margery Seymour), Wade Bogert-O'Brien, Jack Copland (Harry Percy, Will Brereton), Eric Craig (George Boleyn, Edward Seymour), Ashley Dingwell (Princess Mary, Jane Seymour), Landon Doak, Nick Dolan (Mark Smeaton), Jessica B. Hill (Lizzie Wykys, Mary Boleyn, Mary Shelton), Jacob James, Matthew Kabwe (Charles Brandon), David W. Keeley (Thomas Howard), Breton Lalama (Gregory Cromwell), Michael Man (Rafe Sadler), Mike Nadajewski (Stephen Gardiner, Eustache Chapuys), Anthony Palermo (Christophe, Francis Weston), Joe Perry (Thomas Wyatt) and Tom Shoshani.

JACOB TWO-TWO MEETS THE HOODED FANG

The world premiere of the musical Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang will see Jackson Graham and Kole Parks share the role of Jacob alongside Chilina Kennedy as Judge Mistress Fowl and Kale Penny as The Hooded Fang.

The cast also includes Carla Bennett, Wade Pierre Buller (Noah), Jacqueline Burtney (Marfa), EJ Candelaria (Charlie), Everleigh Coté (Theo), Elysia Cruz (Pen), Aidan deSalaiz (Jacob's Dad, Mr. Fox), Starr Domingue, Jessica Eckstadt (Keisha), Sara-Jeanne Hosie (Great Aunt Robin), Bonnie Jordan (Emma), Taran Kim (Daniel), Monique Lund (Jacob's Mom, Madam Fish), Julius Sermonia (Mr. Cyrus Cooper), Eamon Stocks (Zag), Steven Sutcliffe (Mr. Croc), Liam Tobin and Oakan Wild (Theo).

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Shakespeare's irreverent comedy The Taming of the Shrew will feature Ijeoma Emesowum as Katharina and David Patrick Flemming as Petruchio with Lucinda Davis as Baptista, Peter Fernandes as Tranio, Devin MacKinnon as Biondello and Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane as Bianca.

The cast also includes Helen Belay, Devon Michael Brown, EJ Candelaria, Ben Carlson (Gremio), Heidi Sy 施 Damayo, Jesse Dwyre, Jessica Eckstadt, Hailey Gillis, Carlos Gonzalez-Vio, Alex Kelly, Aaron Krohn (Curtis), Derek Kwan, Allison Lynch (Widow), Davinder Malhi (Lucentio), Brendan McMurtry-Howlett, Gordon S. Miller (Pedant), Kale Penny, Irene Poole, Tyrone Savage, Raymond Strachan (Hortensio), Steven Sutcliffe (Grumio) and Rylan Wilkie (Tailor).

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE | PLAYING SHYLOCK | ALL IN THE TELLING

Returning to Festival for the first time since 1969 is Saul Rubinek in a highly anticipated turn as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice with Ben Carlson as Antonio, Bethany Jillard as Portia and Tyrone Savage as Bassanio.

The cast also includes Helen Belay, Devon Michael Brown, Heidi Sy 施 Damayo, Jesse Dwyre (Lorenzo), Ijeoma Emesowum (Nerissa), Peter Fernandes (Launcelot Gobbo), David Patrick Flemming, Hailey Gillis (Jessica), Carlos Gonzalez-Vio (Prince of Arragon), Alex Kelly, Aaron Krohn (Gratiano), Derek Kwan (Salerio), Allison Lynch, Devin MacKinnon, Davinder Malhi, Gordon S. Miller (Salarino), Alon Nashman (Tubal), Stephen Ouimette (Duke of Venice), Raymond Strachan (Prince of Morocco) and Rylan Wilkie (Solanio).

Rubinek will also present the compelling one-person show Playing Shylock, which explores an actor's evolving relationship with one of Shakespeare's most debated characters.

Rubinek will be featured in his own new play, All in the Telling, as Srulek and Old Saul, alongside Marc Bendavid as Saul and Seana McKenna as Frania with Chloë Dirksen as Ann and Bethany Jillard as Rachel.

ALMIGHTY VOICE AND HIS WIFE

The Daniel David Moses play Almighty Voice and His Wife will feature Katie German as White Girl and Nolan Moberly as Almighty Voice.

PRESENT LAUGHTER

Playing larger-than-life acting legend Garry Essendine in Noël Coward's comedy Present Laughter is Eric McCormack, as previously announced. He will be joined by Jonathan Goad as Morris Dixon, Mike Nadajewski as Roland Maule, Moya O'Connell as Liz Essendine, Marissa Orjalo as Daphne Stillington, Fiona Reid as Monica Reed, André Sills as Henry Lyppiatt and Sara Topham as Joanna Lyppiatt.

The cast also includes Sean Arbuckle, Laura Condlln (Miss Erickson), Jacklyn Francis, Carter Gulseth, Krystin Pellerin and Michael Spencer-Davis (Fred).

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

Reuniting at the Avon Theatre before taking the hit Kat Sandler adaptation of Anne of Green Gables on the road are Caroline Toal as Anne Shirley, Tim Campbell as Matthew Cuthbert and Sarah Dodd as Marilla Cuthbert.