Stratford, Ontario is in Perth region and is located on the Avon river (yes, sounds like England, doesn't it). The Festival began in 1952 with players such as British actor Alec Guinness. The prices then varied from 1$-6$, then again, it was performed in a tent. It was performed in a tent for the first four seasons. In 1956, they took the tent down for the last time and began construction for the Festival theatre. The Cornerstone was placed in January 1957, by Governor General His Excellency, The Right Honourable Vincent Massey. The Festival Theatre's first play, played out on July 1st 1957, was Hamlet. In 1963, The Festival purchased the Avon Theatre, formerly the Theatre Albert (1910), that they had been renting for music an film as early as 1956. They remodelled the theatre and began showing plays there as well as the Festival theatre. In the 1971 season, it was decided to have a third theatre, The Third Stage. Plays were viewed in this theatre except during the 1976, 1977, 1981 seasons when it was used solely for workshops. In 1991, this theatre was renamed Tom Patterson Theatre in honour of the Festival's founder. The Stratford Festival has seen mostly Shakespearean Plays although there are often exceptions and, more and more, plays by other playwrights are produced. In the 2000 season, only three of Shakespeare's plays are shown, one in each theatre.
The Festival Theatre's first play this season is Hamlet staring "Due South's" Paul Gross as Hamlet. Olso performed at the Festival Theatre is Peter Raby's adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers, staring Graham Abbey (D'Artagnan), Benedict Campbell (Athos), Thom Marriott (Porthos) and Andy Velasquez (Aramis). The musical, the Fiddler on the Roof about the traditional way oflife of a tiny village, stars Brent Carver as Tevye. France's Equivalent of Shakespeare, Moliere, plays with Tartuffe, the story of a hypocritical priest who pretends to be holy. Brian Bedford plays Tartuffe. The Fetival theatre prices vary from 38.50$ to 74.50$ (wow, Alec Guiness for 1-6$, Paul Gross for 38,50-74,50$).
At the Avon Theatre: As you Like it, a William Shakespeare comedy, staring Lucy Peacock as Rosalind; The Diary of Anne Frank, the play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, about the hiding of a Jewish Family during WWII. Maggie Blake plays Anne; Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest shows its first major North American production at Stratford's Avon Theatre; Gilbert and Sullivan's Paticence in Concert is a musical satire of Oscar Wilde and his circle.
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