The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival Reveals 2025 Season

The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival's 2025 season brings Sherlock Holmes to the river in a new adaptation created exclusively for the Festival.

Starring a cast recently seen in leading roles at the Stratford Festival and Mirvish stages, the 2025 season brings the beloved character of Sherlock Holmes to Canada, in a new story set on the St. Lawrence River. With an intriguing mystery to solve, plenty of laughs, and music, this new play will receive an all-star production in the hands of these world class artists.

This phenomenal team will also be bringing their Shakespearean prowess to a hilarious production of Much Ado About Nothing, showing audiences why the Festival is known for accessible, intelligent, high energy Shakespeare. The season culminates with a hit cabaret, originally presented at the Stratford Festival, returning to St. Lawrence for a second year, with new additions!

The 23rd season of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival features stories set right on the St. Lawrence, bringing world-class theatre to Eastern Ontario. A magical night under stars awaits audiences of all ages.

Performing in repertory, as the mainstage season, is Shakespeare's farcical comedy Much Ado About Nothing and a new mystery, set on the St. Lawrence Sherlock Holmes and the Vanishing Hour, by Deivan Steele. These productions will run July 18 to August 9, 2025 at The Kinsmen Amphitheatre.

Join us for a trip back to the 1980's with Shakespeare's uproarious tale of society, gossip, and mistaken love: Much Ado About Nothing. A story where the plots of a small community are exposed, exploded, and ultimately resolved - to hilarious and heartfelt ends. Featuring music, comedy, and intrigue, this production will have you smiling from start to finish.

Starring Beck Lloyd (Stratford Festival, Dream in High Park) and Festival favourite Quincy Armorer (Stratford Festival, NAC, Centaur) as sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick, under the direction of Co-Artistic Director Julia Nish-Lapidus.

Sherlock Holmes and the Vanishing Hour, created exclusively for the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, sees the beloved character Sherlock Holmes venturing to Canada and helping his new friend Joan Watson solve a mystery on the St. Lawrence River. This comic mystery features conspiracy, music, and plenty of fun for the whole family!

Featuring Dora nominee Daniel Briere (Stratford Festival, Shakespeare BASH'd, Citadel) as the titular Holmes, opposite Dora Award Winner Andrea Massoud (Company of Fools, GCTC) as Nurse Joan Watson, under the direction of Co-Artistic Director James Wallis.

Rounding out the cast is Tyrone Savage (Stratford Festival, Mirvish) as the foolish Dogberry and the villainous Don John in Much Ado, as well as politician Lysander Stark in Sherlock; Dora Award Winner Deivan Steele (MTYP, Shakespeare BASH'd) as Claudio in Much Ado, and not only the playwright of Sherlock, but also taking on the role of Dublin; and Dora nominee Breanne Tice (Shakespeare BASH'd, Theatre By the Bay) as Hero in Much Ado, and opera star Irene Adler in Sherlock. Both productions feature costumes designed by Prix Rideau Award winner Hannah Ferguson.

The season will close with a one-week run of Play On! A Shakespeare Inspired Mixtape, created by Robert Markus, Julia Nish-Lapidus, and James Wallis, running August 12 to 16, 2025 at The Kinsmen Amphitheatre.

Originally created for, and receiving a sold-out run in, the Stratford Festival's 2021 season, and a hit run at St. Lawrence Shakespeare last summer, this cabaret is an entertaining mash-up of pop music and Shakespearean text, bringing together a wide-range of songs from all different eras and genres, including The Beatles, Taylor Swift, Prince, Elton John, and more. It's a celebratory event for all-ages! This year's version has been revamped to include a few new songs, alongside the ones you loved from last year. A celebratory end to the season, with music for all!