The Stratford Festival Reveals Participants of 2026 Langham Directors' Workshop

The Langham Directors’ Workshop will return to the Stratford Festival for the 2026 season with five new participants. Led by Esther Jun, the program offers selected artists the opportunity to work as assistant directors on Festival productions, take part in panel discussions and workshops, and develop a final presentation that showcases their artistic vision.

Dedicated to nurturing exciting directorial talent, the Langham Directors’ Workshop provides emerging and mid-career directors with the resources and support to explore and grow at the Festival. Participants engage with innovative approaches to Shakespeare and other classical works, contribute to large-scale productions at one of the country’s leading theatres, and help bring new plays to life alongside some of Canada’s most celebrated playwrights.

The festival will welcome Patricia Allison, Drew Douris-O’Hara, Alexandra Rizkallah, Murdoch Schon and Eris Thomas. The Stratford Festival looks forward to working with these exceptional artists during what promises to be an inspiring year of creativity. Learn more about these remarkable individuals below.

Patricia Allison (she/her)

2026: Assistant director of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Director of Tiff’ny of Athens (Shakespeare in the Ruff), choreographer of Waitress (Capitol Theatre Port Hope), playwright & director of Richard Three (Shakespeare in the Ruff). Radio/recordings: Producer & host of Ruff Radio Podcast (Shakespeare in the Ruff), Producer of The Generator Podcast (Generator). Training: École de danse contemporaine de Montréal; York University, Master of Fine Arts in Dance Awards: Dora Award, Outstanding Direction – Pool (No Water), Cue6 Theatre. Online: patriciaallison.ca, @instapatzi. Et cetera: Patricia lives in a body that has Multiple Sclerosis and is a passionate advocate for artists with Disabilities. She is a member of the Shakespeare in the Ruff Leadership collective and co-leader of Generator running the largest open resource for artist-producers ArtistProducerResource.com

Drew Douris-O’Hara (he/him)

2026: Assistant director of The Tempest. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Drew is the associate artistic director for Shakespeare by the Sea in Halifax, N.S. Director: Hamlet, As You Like It: The Walkabout Experience, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night (SBTS); As You Like It (Shakespeare BASH’d). Actor: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Neptune/Mirvish); Rabbit Hole (Neptune); Richard III, Measure for Measure, Merry Wives of Windsor, Hamlet (Shakespeare BASH’d); Boys, Girls, and Other Mythological Creatures (Carousel Players); Romeo and Juliet (Humber River Shakespeare); Taming of the Shrew (Driftwood Theatre); and over 50 productions for SBTS. Film/TV: Diggstown (CBC), The Girlfriend Experience (STARZ) and the cult classic Hobo with a Shotgun. Training: Toronto Metropolitan University, BFA Acting. Et cetera: What a dream to be here. Thanks to Jade for making it all worth it.

Alexandra Rizkallah (she/her)                                        

2026: Assistant director of Othello. Second season. Stratford: Intern director of Love’s Labour’s Lost. Elsewhere: Heist (Grand Theatre/Citadel Theatre); Daughter, Innocence (Corbett Theatre); Houses Apart (Cockpit Theatre); Homes: A Refugee Story (Grand Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (Summer Shakespeare); Good Old Days (141 Collective); Jealousy, My Brother (Theatre of the Beat); Boundaries, Hopscotch (First Steps Theatre); Sticky Fingers: A Musical (OKTC). Film: Director/writer of All I See (official selection of Lift-Off Global). Training: MFA Theatre Directing, East 15 Acting School. Awards: Jean Gascon Director’s Award, 2024 Guthrie. Online: @alexandra.riz_. Et cetera: Rizkallah is a director and dramaturg who has worked and trained internationally across Canada, England, Poland and France. Thanks to Peter, MJ and Haysam. She dedicates this season to her mom.

Murdoch Schon                                                             

2026: Assistant director of The Importance of Being Earnest. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Associate Artistic Director: Imago Theatre. Directing: Scorpio Moon (Imago Theatre); Two Birds One Stone (Teesri Duniya Theatre); Boys, Girls, and Other Mythological Creatures (Theatre Orangeville); Queen Meave (Here for Now Theatre); The Covenant (Theatre Ouest End). Apprentice director: The Inheritance (Canadian Stage); All I Want for Christmas (Centaur Theatre). Murdoch is the founding Artistic Director of Revolution They Wrote. Training: National Theatre School Directing Program, Concordia University. Online: @murdochschon. Et cetera: I would like to thank my mentors, family and friends for their love and support.

Eris Thomas (they/she)                                                   

2026: Assistant director of The Hobbit. Second season. Stratford: Praxis consultant on The Goat (2024), Edward III in Edward II (2004). Elsewhere (director/creator, selected): ORTOLAN (Rhubarb Festival/Other Hearts), On What Ground: Urban Variations (Winterworks/Other Hearts), Quartet (Other Hearts in association w Video Cabaret), Invisible Artist Carnival (Nocturne Festival/Eyelevel Gallery/Other Hearts), One Night (Caminos Festival/ Other Hearts), Dream Play, Orlando (Fanshawe College), Entwined/Distilled (Sto Union/Nuit Blanche 2024), Too Dirty to Clean (Summerworks Lab), Mad Ones (Tangled Arts + Disability), Lot and His God (Desiderata Theatre Co.). Awards: 2024 Dora nominee – Quartet. Training: National Theatre School of Canada Directing Program. Online: otherhearts.ca, erismakesthings.ca. Et cetera: Eris is a Trans/Nonbinary artist director and performance maker. They are a founding member of Other Hearts Collective. A million thanks to their family, the Other Hearts, and most importantly, Silvae.