The Shaw's 2024 Casts and Creative Teams Revealed

The cast and creative teams have been revealed for the Shaw Festival’s 62nd season.
 
“Our extraordinary acting ensemble and creative artists are already working to make unforgettable experiences out of this mixture of all-time classics and hidden gems you won’t find anywhere else,” said Tim Carroll. “Our mission is to create real human connection and rekindle the joy of shared experiences; live theatre is the best way to burst out of our isolated bubbles. We can’t wait to see you at The Shaw in 2024.”
 
FESTIVAL THEATRE
 
Lerner and Loewe's

MY FAIR LADY

Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe 
Adapted from Bernard Shaw's play and Gabriel Pascal's motion picture Pygmalion
Original production directed by Moss Hart
 
Co-directed by Kimberley Rampersad and Tim Carroll
Music direction by Paul Sportelli
Choreographed by Kimberley Rampersad
Set designed by Lorenzo Savoini
Costumes designed by Joyce Padua
Lighting designed by Mikael Kangas
Sound designed by John Lott
 
Previews May 4 • Available for review beginning May 23 • Closes December 22
 
The adored musical adaptation of Bernard Shaw's play and Gabriel Pascal's motion picture Pygmalion follows a Cockney flower girl’s transformation into a proper lady under the tutelage of a professor of phonetics and his fellow linguist.
 
The Shaw Festival’s production of Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady will feature Kristi Frankas Eliza Doolittle, Tom Rooney as Professor Henry Higgins and David Alan Anderson as Colonel Pickering.
 
The cast will also include David Adams as Alfred Doolittle, Alana Bridgewater as Mrs. Eynsford-Hill, Shane Carty as Harry, Sharry Flett as Mrs. Higgins, Patty Jamieson as Mrs. Pearce, Taurian Teelucksingh as Freddy Eynsford-Hill, with Matt Alfano, Tat Austrie, JJ Gerber, Gryphyn Karimloo, Graeme Kitagawa, Allan Louis, Tama Martin, Allison McCaughey, André Morin, Drew Plummer, Jade Repeta, Kiera Sangster, Gabriella Sundar Singh, Jeremiah Sparks and Jacqueline Thair.
 
Sponsored by Mary E. Hill.
Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady Official Hotel Sponsor Vintage Hotels.
 
Age Recommendation: 9+/Grade 4+
 
LERNER AND LOEWE’S MY FAIR LADY is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
 
 

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

By Richard Bean
Based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni
With songs by Grant Olding
 
Directed by Chris Abraham
Set and costumes designed by Julie Fox
Lighting designed by Kimberly Purtell
Original music and sound designed by Thomas Ryder Payne
Assistant Director: Tara Rosling
 
Previews June 6 • Available for review beginning June 21 • Closes October 13
 
Collecting a payout in Brighton with his current employer, petty East End criminal Roscoe Crabbe, Francis Henshall takes another job with Stanley Stubbers, an upper-class buffoon. To prevent discovery and remain dually employed, Francis must do everything to keep these “two guvnors” apart.
 
Peter Fernandes is Francis Henshall, the one man in the employment of the two guvnors – Fiona Byrne as Roscoe (a.k.a. Rachel Crabbe) and Martin Happer as Stanley Stubbers – in this commedia dell'arte-styled comedy.
 
Matt Alfano as Alfie, Patrick Galligan as Harry Dangle, Allan Louis as Lloyd Boateng, André Morin as Alan Dangle, Jade Repeta as Pauline Clench, Tom Rooney as Charlie Clench, Kiera Sangster as Dolly, Graeme Somerville as Gareth, along with Andrew Lawrie and Lawrence Libor, join in this mayhem-filled comic romp.
 
Sponsored by James and Diane King.
 
Age Recommendation: 11+/Grade 6+
 
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
 

World Premiere

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE MYSTERY OF THE HUMAN HEART

By Reginald Candy
Based on characters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
 
Directed by Craig Hall
Set designed by Ken MacKenzie
Costumes designed by Hanne Loosen
Lighting designed by Bonnie Beecher
Projections designed by Cameron Davis
Original music and sound designed by John Gzowski
Assistant Director: Peter Fernandes
 
Previews July 24 • Available for review beginning August 15 • Closes October 13
 
Damien Atkins dons the deerstalker once again as Sherlock Holmes, the master of deduction and observation, in a new work by Reginald Candy. This time round, Holmes faces off against a villain so clever, so compelling and so lethal, that he may have met his match. Ric Reid returns as his ever-faithful friend Dr. John Watson.

Playing alongside the Baker Street duo will be Deborah Castrilli as Sarah, Rais Clarke-Mendesas Amelia Lestrade, Nehassaiu deGannes as Mrs. Allstrud, Sochi Fried as Miss Mary Sutherland, Michael Man as Mr. James Ryder, Johnathan Sousa as Mr. Hall Pycroft, Sanjay Talwar as Inspector Lestrade, Sophia Walker as Mrs. Vespertine Hunter and Kelly Wong as Mr. Jabez Wilson.
 
Sponsored by Hummel Properties Inc.
 
Age Recommendation: 12+/Grade 7+


ROYAL GEORGE THEATRE
The 2024 Season at the Royal George Theatre is sponsored by 124 on Queen Hotel & Spa.
 
Agatha Christie’s

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
 

Directed by Alistair Newton
Set and Projections designed by Karyn McCallum
Costumes designed by Judith Bowden
Lighting designed by Siobhán Sleath
Original music and sound designed by Lyon Smith
Movement directed by Alexis Milligan
Assistant Director: Peter Fernandes
 
Previews April 6 • Available for review beginning April 25 • Closes October 13
 
A wealthy widow is found brutally murdered and there is only one suspect: her handsome, charming, and much younger gentleman friend. At the centre of this Christie stage whodunit is a high-stakes fight to escape the hangman’s noose.
 
Full of clever twists, shocking revelations and mounting tension, this thriller will feature Kristopher Bowman as Mr. Mayhew, Fiona Byrne as Greta, Patrick Galligan as Sir Wilfred Robarts, Martin Happer as Inspector Hearn, Andrew Lawrie as the accused Leonard Vole, Lawrence Libor as Clegg, Marla McLean as Romaine, Graeme Somerville as Mr. Myers, Q.C. and Shawn Wright as Judge.
 
Sponsored by Bruce and Wendy Gitelman.
 
Age/Grade Recommendation: 8+/ Grade 3+
 

World Premiere

THE SECRET GARDEN

A Play with Songs
Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Adapted for the stage by Jay Turvey and Paul Sportelli
 
Directed by Jay Turvey
Music direction by Ryan deSouza
Set designed by Beyata Hackborn
Costumes designed by Judith Bowden
Lighting designed by Kevin Lamotte
 
Previews May 31 • Available for review beginning June 20 • Closes October 13
 
After the death of her parents, unloved and overindulged Mary Lennox is uprooted and moved to Yorkshire to live with her reclusive uncle in his cheerless mansion. She soon meets her sickly cousin Colin, and Dickon, a boy who knows all about animals and nature. When she discovers a walled garden with a locked door on the manor grounds, her curiosity is sparked into life.
 
The cast of this new adaptation by Jay Turvey and Paul Sportelli will include David Adams as Ben, David Alan Anderson as Archibald, Sharry Flett as Mrs. Medlock, Patty Jamieson as Mrs. Sowerby, Gryphyn Karimloo as Colin, Tama Martin as Robin, Drew Plummer as Dickon,Gabriella Sundar Singh as Mary Lennox and Jacqueline Thair as Martha.
 
Children and Family Programming supported by Christopher and Jeanne Jennings.

Age Recommendation: 8+/Grade 3+

 
World Premiere

THE ORPHAN OF CHAO 

Adapted by Michael Man
Based on the classical Chinese drama,
The Great Revenge of the Zhao Orphan 
By Ji Junxiang
 
Directed by Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster
Set designed by Jareth Li
Costumes designed by Christine Ting-Huan Urquhart
Lighting designed by Jareth Li
Original music and sound designed by Heidi Wai Yee Chan
Assistant Director: Tara Rosling
 
LUNCHTIME ONE-ACT
 
Previews June 13 • Available for review beginning June 21 • Closes October 5
 
A violent palace power struggle leaves an infant – the last of the house of Chao – orphaned. A benevolent doctor sacrifices his own son to keep the child alive. Later adopted by his family’s killer as son and heir, the orphan of Chao discovers the truth about his identity and exacts vengeance for the death of his clan.
 
Eponine Lee, Richard Lee, John Ng, Jonathan Tan and Lindsay Wu are set to appear in Michael Man’s adaptation of this epic revenge tale.
 
Sponsored by the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation.
Supported by Toronto Arts Council with funding from the City of Toronto.
 
Age Recommendation: 14+/Grade

 

CANDIDA

By Bernard Shaw
​
Directed by Severn Thompson
Set designed by Michelle Tracey
Costumes designed by Ming Wong
Lighting designed by Louise Guinand
Original music and sound designed by Thomas Ryder Payne
 
Previews July 13 • Available for review beginning July 31 • Closes October 11
 
Caught in an emotional tug-of-war between her charming socialist vicar husband and her “foundling”, a young and aristocratic, but penniless poet, Candida must ultimately decide which one truly needs her most.
 
The cast of the 2024 production of Shaw’s popular and enduring romantic comedy will include Damien Atkins as Reverend Lexy Mill, Sochi Fried as Candida, Ric Reid as Mr. Burgess, Johnathan Sousa as Eugene Marchbanks and Sanjay Talwar as Reverend James Mavor Morell.
 
Sponsored by the William and Nona Macdonald Heaslip Foundation and the Gabriel Pascal Memorial Fund.
 
Age Recommendation: 14+/Grade 9+
 
 
Jackie Maxwell STUDIO THEATRE
The Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre is sponsored by Paradigm Capital Inc.
 

THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND

By Marcus Gardley
 
Directed by Philip Akin
Set and costumes designed by Sean Mulcahy
Lighting designed by Kevin Lamotte
Original music and sound designed by Jacob Lin
Movement directed by Alexis Milligan
 
Previews June 12 • Available for review beginning June 20 • Closes October 12
 
Set in early 19th century New Orleans, a wealthy free Black woman with three unwed daughters finds herself facing an uncertain future as racial divides widen and society around her begins to change.
 
The cast of this steamy family melodrama about love, rivalry, passion and one woman’s struggle for survival will include Deborah Castrilli as Agnès, Nehassaiu deGannes as La Veuve, Rais Clarke-Mendes as Maude Lynn Albans and Sophia Walker as Makeda.
 
Sponsored by Sylvia Soyka.
 
MATURE CONTENT
Age Recommendation: 14+/Grade 9+
 
THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
 
 

SNOW IN MIDSUMMER

By Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig
Based on the classical Chinese drama,
The Injustice of Dou E That Moved Heaven and Earth
By Guan Hanqing
 
Directed by Nina Lee Aquino
Set designed by Camellia Koo
Costumes designed by Joanna Yu
Lighting designed by Michelle Ramsay
 
Previews August 8 • Available for review beginning August 15 • Closes October 5
 
Young widow Dou Yi is sentenced to death for a murder she didn’t commit. She curses her town with a devastating drought, which will only end when she is proven innocent. A visiting businesswoman and her young daughter may be the key to the town’s redemption and Dou Yi’s peace in the afterlife.
 
Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster as Dou Yi, Eponine Lee as Fei-Fei, Richard Lee as Worker Zhou, Michael Man as Handsome Zhang, John Ng as Master Zhang, Travis Seetoo as Worker Fang, Jonathan Tan as Rocket Wu, Lindsay Wu as Worker Chen and Kelly Wong as Doctor Lu will be featured in this reimagined work from the 13th century Yuan Dynasty.
 
MATURE CONTENT
Age Recommendation: 14+/Grade 9+
 
Additional casting and creative team updates for the upcoming Shaw Festival season will be available at shawfest.com.
 
Tickets for the Shaw Festival’s 2024 season can be purchased through the Box Office by calling 1-800-511-SHAW (7429) or at shawfest.com. Currently on sale to Friends of The Shaw, tickets will be available to everyone else on December 2. Patrons wishing to gain early access to tickets can visit the Festival's Membership and Giving page or call 1-800-657-1106 x 2556 to become Friends of The Shaw.
 
The Shaw’s Duty of Care remains in place. While these measures include a commitment to ensuring the health and safety of audiences, company members and communities, there remains an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place where people congregate. Patrons are encouraged to take what precautions they deem necessary to protect themselves and are also requested to refrain from attending any performance or event if they are presenting any COVID-19 symptoms.

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