In keeping with the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake's municipal order limiting organized mass gatherings, the Shaw Festival is now forced to cancel all public events and performances throughout July. The Festival will continue to follow the guidance and directives of Canadian public health agencies, all levels of government and the organization's insurer to determine when The Shaw will be able to safely return to stage.
In light of the current recommendations and directives from the government and public health agencies, Why Not Theatre and the Shaw Festival regret to announce that the 2020 production of Mahabharata is impossible to realize in the current circumstances and must therefore be postponed. Why Not Theatre and The Shaw are committed to bringing Mahabharata to a future Festival season and are exploring a number of scheduling options.
In an effort to help lessen the spread of COVID-19, the Shaw Festival is cancelling all public events with the intention of resuming performances on May 1.
At today's Shaw Festival Annual General Meeting, Board Chair Peter E.S. Jewett welcomed new members - Thomas R. Hyde, senior counsel at Hodgson Russ LLP and Nicole R. Tzetzo, partner at Hodgson Russ LLP - to the Shaw Festival Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is invested with fiduciary oversight to support and further the mission and longevity of the Shaw Festival.
During the Annual General Meeting held earlier today, the Shaw Festival announced positive financial results for the 2019 season. Kevin Patterson, Treasurer of the Board of Directors, shared with an audience of patrons, donors and company members that both sales and fundraising revenues achieved all-time highs, resulting in a $519,000 season surplus.
Toronto's innovative Why Not Theatre (Founding Artistic Director Ravi Jain; Managing Director Owais Lightwala; Executive Producer Kelly Read) will produce a new stage adaptation of the epic Sanskrit poem, Mahabharata, commissioned and presented by the prestigious Shaw Festival.
Molly Atkinson once again directs the Tim Carroll-adapted A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens's beloved tale of redemption and hope. Returning to the Shaw Festival's Royal George Theatre from November 13 to December 22, the holiday classic hits the stage just in time to herald Niagara-on-the-Lake's historic main street's transformation into the ultimate Christmas village.
The Shaw has once again programmed a play known by few. After their success at rediscovering Mae West's SEX this season, I was hoping that THE LADYKILLERS would produce yet another unearthed gem. This comedy, mostly unknown outside of the UK, was briefly revived on the West End in 2011,but it's humor may best be served in a different era.
Due to huge popular demand for tickets to Stephen Fry's first UK tour in over 40 years - Mythos: A Trilogy - Gods. Heroes. Men. - an extra performance of 'Gods' will take place at London's Palladium on Tuesday 17 September. This trilogy of plays will see one of the country's most loved national treasures telling some of the world's greatest stories about Greek Gods, Heroes and Men whose gripping tales still echo today. Tickets are on sale now.
An extreme exploration of the power of words, Howard Barker's Victory is not for the squeamish. A tale of survival set against the violent aftermath of the English civil war, Victory uses language as a weapon, challenging a modern audience's expectations of what theatre should be. Directed by Artistic Director Tim Carroll, Victory features an all-star ensemble cast led by Martha Burns, Sara Topham, Patrick Galligan, Gray Powell, Tom Rooney and Tom McCamus. The Shaw Festival's production begins previews on Sunday, July 14 at the Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre.
According to the Guardian, three-time Tony winner Mark Rylance has resigned as an associate artist with the UK's Royal Shakespeare Company due to a sponsorship deal with BP. He explained: "I do not wish to be associated with BP any more than I would with an arms dealer, a tobacco salesman or anyone who wilfully destroys the lives of others alive and unborn. Nor, I believe, would William Shakespeare."
After taking London's West End by storm, comedy thriller The Ladykillers makes its North American premiere under the direction of Artistic Director Tim Carroll. The Shaw Festival's production of Graham Linehan's stage adaptation - based on one of the best-loved British films of all time - begins previews tomorrow at the Festival Theatre.
Stephen Fry - one of the world's greatest storytellers - will embark on his first UK tour for nearly 40 years this summer in Mythos: A Trilogy - Gods. Heroes. Men. Opening at the Edinburgh International Festival on 19 August, this trilogy of plays will see one of the country's most loved national treasures telling some of the world's greatest stories about Greek Gods, Heroes and Men whose gripping tales still echo today. The tour continues across the UK until 23 September in Gateshead.
Given the current political climate in this country you have to ask if there is any such thing as a truly honest politician. Today's subject, Nehassaiu deGannes, is currently living her theatre life onstage at Studio Theatre portraying just that type, Rep. Sydney Millsap, in local playwright Sarah Burgess' Kings. The production runs through January 13th in Studio's fourth floor space.
Heralding the Old Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake's transformation into the ultimate Christmas village, the Shaw Festival's production Artistic Director Tim Carroll's adaptation of A Christmas Carol hits the stage November 14 to December 23 at the Royal George Theatre.