Stratford Festival

Month : April to November
Place : Stratford (Ontario), Canada
Famous For : Theater Festival
Attractions : William Shakespeare's Plays, Greek Tragedy, Contemporary Works, Musical Play

The Stratford Shakespearean Festival is a popular theater festival held in Stratford, Ontario. This seven month long bonanza is organized every year from the month of April to November. Holding recognition as one of the first and still one of the most prominent arts festivals in Canada, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival acts as a host to a large number of theater goers, actors, and playwrights from America & Britain. This festival has actually transformed the identity of Stratford city into a city where the arts and tourism play important roles in its economy.

Major Attractions

The festival traces its start in 1952 when it was founded by Tom Patterson as the Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada. The main attraction of this festival is to present productions of William Shakespeare's plays. However, it also produces a wide variety of theater from Greek tragedy to contemporary works and at least one musical. The complete festival is held at four permanent venue, namely the Festival Theater, the Avon Theater, the Tom Patterson Theater, and the Studio Theater. British actor and director Tyrone Guthrie was the first artistic director of Stratford Shakespearean Festival. This first edition of this festival was held in a giant canvas tent on the banks of the River Avon. This six weeks long event comprised of just two plays Richard III and All's Well That Ends Well. Later in the second edition, the first non-Shakespeare play, Oedipus Rex was included to Stratford Shakespearean Festival