By admin Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Classical, Contemporary, Fringe & More – Summer Theatre for All!

We’re a talented bunch, here in Ontario.  All summer long, our amazing artistic abilities are on full display at the many theatrical festivals, events & productions all across Ontario.  Whether you’re looking for a unique outdoor theatre experience, an informal performing arts festival or a visit to a grand theatre, no matter where you are, there is a fabulous show to see!

Classic Theatre:

Lovers of classical theatre (think Shaw & Shakespeare) will have plenty to see this summer.  Plan to spend a whole weekend at Niagara-on-the-Lake, where you can take in plays at the Shaw Festival, enjoy the wineries of the region & explore the quaint town of NOTL. In Prescott (Eastern Ontario), there’s the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival where the beautiful amphitheatre overlooks the St. Lawrence River, adding to the magic of this theatrical experience.   In Stratford, Ontario, (Southwestern Ontario) there’s the famous Stratford Festival where all summer long, you can see Shakespearean classics as well some contemporary productions. For a unique outdoor experience, there’s also Shakespeare in the Park in Toronto’s High Park

Theatre Tours

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the curtains at the theatre? Take a backstage tour at many local theatres & opera houses and find out how the magic works. At the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, your hour-long tour will take you through the costume workshop, rehearsal hall & trap room. At the Stratford Festival, choose from a variety of tours & explore anything from the backstage to the costume warehouse – you can even watch the crew transform the set from one production’s set to another. A tour of the beautiful Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto reveals the secrets of the Centre’s incredible acoustics, takes you behind the curtain & shows you costume & wig rooms, dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms & more

Contemporary

For more of a contemporary theatre experience, there are theatres throughout Ontario to visit. In the GTA, Mirvish Productions is the “go-to” for a grand theatre experience in one of its 4 magnificent theatres. For a more intimate visit to the theatre in Toronto, try Soulpepper, but note – the theatre takes a hiatus during July & August. All over Central Ontario, enjoy theatre’s magic at Theatre Collingwood or head to Bobcaygeon, where the Globus Theatre at the Lakeview Art Barns offers a diverse selection of summer plays in the charming theatre, which was once a working cattle barn. Westben Arts Festival Theatre is also a former barn converted into a unique venue for plays & musical performances.  SW Ontario has unique venues for contemporary productions too, such as the Port Stanley Festival Theatre where unique Canadian productions are housed in the former Port Stanley Town Hall. In Eastern Ontario, experience the arts at the 1000 Islands Playhouse in Gananoque or with the Festival Players of Prince Edward County. Thunder Bay, in Northern Ontario, is home to the Cambrian Players where you can experience “theatre for the love of it.”

Fringe

For a completely different theatre experience, there’s Fringe Theatre, which is experimental in nature & usually much smaller, independent productions.  During the summer, there are many Fringe Festivals throughout Ontario.  In Ottawa, there’s the Ottawa Fringe Festival running from June 17-28, 2015.  For the kids, in addition to many family friendly performances, there’s also the Mini Fringers Weekend Drama Camp on June 21 & 28 for kids ages 4-12. In Toronto, there’s the Toronto Fringe Festival, which runs from July 1-12, 2015. There are over 150 shows of different types of performances, adult tickets are $12 or less & you can even attend an underground dance party – Fun!!  Following the Toronto Festival, there’s the Hamilton Fringe Festival running from July 16-26, 2015. This 10 day event is in its 11th year & like all Fringe Festivals, the event is unjuried & participants are admitted to the festival on a “first come, first served” basis, making it accessible to all.  Don’t rule out Fringe experiences  – many great performers & writers got their start at one of Ontario’s Fringe festivals.

With summertime comes some amazing theatre all around Ontario.  Whether your taste leans towards contemporary, or fringe or if you like to take in a classical production, you will be sure to find something to entertain & inspire you