By William Shakespeare
Directed by Antoni Cimolino
On an enchanted island, a deposed duke uses his magical powers to conjure a storm at sea, bringing him face to face with the brother who betrayed him. As old quarrels are resolved, love blossoms for a new generation.
For the performances of The Tempest on Friday, June 26 and Tuesday, August 11, the role of Prospero will be played by Ben Carlson.
The 2026 Season is supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.
Support for the 2026 season of the Festival Theatre is generously provided by Daniel Bernstein & Claire Foerster.
Production Underwriters:
Laurie J. ScottCarol Stephenson, OCThe Whiteside Foundation
Production Co-Sponsors:
Dr. Dennis & Dorothea HackerDr. M. Lee MyersPeggy PtasznikCathy Wilkes in memory of David
Birmingham Conservatory, 2025/2026
2026: Miranda in The Tempest, appears in The Importance of Being Earnest and understudy in Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Second season. Stratford: Cécile in Dangerous Liaisons, Gossip in Sense and Sensibility and Hysperia in As You Like It. Elsewhere: Hedda in Hedda Gabler, May in Bedlam, Des-Neiges in Les Belles Soeurs, Jocasta in Oedipus Rex (TAG); Silvia in Two Gentlemen of Verona (New Brood); Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Dartmouth Players); Melissa in Out of It (Rising Tide Theatre). TV: Son of a Critch; This Hour Has 22 Minutes; Diggstown; Sugar Highs; Surreal Estate; Astrid and Lilly Save the World; Hudson & Rex; Sullivan's Crossing; Alaska Triangle. Training: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Grenfell, 2023 (BFA). Awards: Michael Mawson Award. Online: @ashleyjdingwell. Et cetera: For Janine, and for my dear fellows-Nadine, Dakota, Ani, Katarina, Silvae, and Joe-in case I can't find the perfect place: thank you, thank you.
Birmingham Conservatory, 1999
2026: Caliban in The Tempest and Pozzo in Waiting for Godot. 19th season. Stratford: Directing - The Crucible. Acting - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Diviners, Spamalot, Henry VIII, To Kill a Mockingbird, Hamlet, The Alchemist, King Lear, A Midsummer…, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Pentecost, Phèdre, The Music Man, King John, Pericles, Orpheus Descending, Henry IV, Henry VI, Fiddler…, Fuente Ovejuna, Julius Caesar, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Bartholomew Fair, The Brothers Karamazov. Elsewhere: Public Enemy (Canadian Stage); The Drawer Boy (Blyth); A Whistle in the Dark, Speaking in Tongues (Company Theatre); Our Class, The Laramie Project (Studio 180); King Lear (Soulpepper). Directing: 100 Words for Snow (Here for Now); John (Company Theatre). Film/TV: Law and Order: Toronto, Reign, Alias Grace, Dorsal, Nikita, Republic of Doyle, Heartland, Murdoch Mysteries, Othello. Training: NTS, Birmingham Conservatory, U. Waterloo, Banff Centre. Teaching: NTS, Fanshawe. Et cetera: Dedicated to Joe Ziegler and Pam Kelly.
Birmingham Conservatory 2012/2013
2026: Trinculo in The Tempest, Attilio in Saturday, Sunday, Monday and understudy in The Importance of Being Earnest. 13th season. Josue is a Métis actor, teaching artist and mask maker from the traditional lands of the Dane-zaa, Treaty 8, Fort St. John, B.C. Stratford: Nick in The Art of War, Lazarus in The Diviners, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Anne of Green Gables, Cymbeline, King Lear, Hamlet, Death and the King's Horseman, Merry Wives of Windsor, Front Page, Comedy of Errors, Napoli Milionaria!, Tempest, Timon of Athens, Madwoman of Chaillot, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Aeneid, Taming of the Shrew, Love's Labour's Lost, Beaux' Stratagem, Mary Stuart, Measure for Measure, Othello. Vancouver: Four seasons at Bard on the Beach; The Exquisite Hour (Relephant); Wizard of Oz, Seussical (Carousel); Emperor's New Threads (Axis). Training: Birmingham Conservatory, director Martha Henry; Studio 58; Canadian National Voice Intensive. Instagram: @laboucanej.
Birmingham Conservatory, 2002
2026: Antonio in The Tempest, Luigi Ianniello in Saturday, Sunday, Monday and understudy in Waiting for Godot. 16th season. Stratford (selected): George Tesman (Hedda Gabler), Anthony Calderon (Salesman in China), Calogero Di Spelta (Grand Magic), Don Armado (Love's Labour's Lost), Iago (Othello), Dr. Caius (The Merry Wives of Windsor), James Tyrone Jr. (Long Day's Journey Into Night), God the Son (Paradise Lost), Pentheus (Bakkhai), Laurent (Tartuffe), Biondello (The Taming of the Shrew), Scrub (The Beaux' Stratagem), Andrei (Three Sisters), Apollodorus (Caesar and Cleopatra), Roderigo (Othello), Flaminius (Timon of Athens). Elsewhere: Ruby and the Reindeer (Here For Now); A&R Angels (Crow's Theatre); Pride and Prejudice, Robin Hood (Globe Theatre); A Doll's House (Montgomery/TNB). Film/TV: Fargo, Suits, Republic of Doyle, Murdoch Mysteries, BOTS. Training: National Theatre School of Canada; Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre. Awards: Tyrone Guthrie Award, John Hirsch Award, and the Richard Monette Travel Grant.
Birmingham Conservatory, 2024
2026: Ariel in The Tempest, Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest and understudy in Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Fourth season. Stratford: Perdita in The Winter's Tale, Hermione in Ransacking Troy, Grace Harkaway in London Assurance, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Les Belles-Soeurs, King Lear. Elsewhere: Lucky in FEARLESS by David Yee (fu-GEN Theatre); Shakespeare's Hermia (Driftwood Theatre) and Olivia (Theatre Erindale). Film/TV: Eli Roth's Be Mine, 13: The Musical, Titans, ReGenesis. Audio/voiceover: Anne of Green Gables. Writing: twice blessed (fu-GEN Theatre), Filipinx-Canadian Theatre Methodologies (UofT). Awards: Joseph-Armand Bombardier SSHRC Award (UofT), Douglas Campbell Award (Stratford Festival); Dora Mavor Moore Award (Stratford Festival). Training: Theatre and Drama Studies with Sheridan College; University of Toronto (MA). Online: marissaorjalo.com, @MarissaOrjalo. Et cetera: Marissa is the managing producer at fu-GEN Theatre in Toronto and sends her gratitude always to fu-GEN Theatre and Carlos Bulosan Theatre.
2026: Ferdinand in The Tempest and understudy in The Importance of Being Ernest and Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Second season. Stratford: The Winter's Tale, Macbeth. Elsewhere: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Segal Centre/RMTC), Fall On Your Knees (Canadian Stage/Neptune Theatre/NAC/Grand Theatre), Simone: Half and Half (Black Theatre Workshop), Pool: No Water (Persephone Productions), Much Ado About Nothing (Repercussion Theatre). Film/TV: Witchboard, The Dachshund Wears Prada, Terror Train, The Christmas Checklist, About Sex, le 23 décembre, Matthias et Maxime. Training: Bishop's University, Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre. Awards: Peter Donaldson Award, META for Outstanding Supporting Actor. Online: @airbnbeyonce. Et cetera: Thank you to the audiences and everyone at the Festival. Thanks to my agent Marc, and endless love to my family, friends, and Kevin!
Birmingham Conservatory, 2022/2023
2026: Maria in Saturday, Sunday, Monday and appears in The Tempest. Fifth season. Stratford: La Presidente de Tourvel in Dangerous Liaisons, Gossip in Sense and Sensibility, Rachel Whyte in Get That Hope, Princess of France in Love's Labour's Lost, Richard II, Player Queen in Hamlet and Olabisi in Death and the King's Horseman. Elsewhere: Corinna and 15 other characters in Primary Trust, 16 characters in No Child (Arts Club); Ann Atwater in The Best of Enemies, Novelette in 'da Kink in My Hair (Pacific Theatre); Same Difference (Theatre Conspiracy); Catherine in The Numbers Game (Storefront Theatre). Film/TV: American Wasteland, Corrective Measures, Swan Song, Voir, The Baby-Sitters Club, Detour, Song Bird, Scared Lies, Sirens. Radio/recordings: Aisha in Redbone Coonhound (Arts Club); Mama in Rishi & d Douen (Rumble Theatre and Carousel Theatre). Training: York University. Awards: Two-time Jesse Nominee.
(she/her)
2026: Swing in Guys and Dolls and understudy in The Tempest. Fourth season. Stratford: Wendy and Peter Pan (Mrs. Darling), Carousel (Louise), Monty Python's Spamalot, Pericles, Camelot, Jesus Christ Superstar. Broadway: Jesus Christ Superstar. First national tours: Matilda, Anything Goes (Purity). La Jolla Playhouse: Jesus Christ Superstar. Stratford Festival/Mirvish: A Funny Thing Happened...Elsewhere: White Christmas, Kiss Me Kate (Drayton Entertainment); Something Bubbled, Something Blue (TIFT); Beauty and the Beast (Globe Theatre); Never Swim Alone (GDTP); Cinderella, The Little Mermaid (Ross Petty Productions). Online: jacksonben.com @jacksonbendesigns. Et cetera: Being an actor and having a toddler is virtually impossible without the support and sacrifices from our loved ones. My husband sacrificed it all to care for our daughter so that I could be in this season and I will never be able to thank him enough. Eric, thank you for helping make these three dreams come true. You are it.
2026: Giulianella in Saturday, Sunday, Monday, appears in The Tempest and understudy in The Importance of Being Earnest. Second season. Stratford: Mopsa in The Winter's Tale and understudy in Ransacking Troy. Elsewhere: Mia in Gringas (First Born Theatre), Dorine in La Bête (Talk is Free Theatre), Lisa in Wakey Wakey (County Players), Chloe in Hookman (TMU), Bianca in Untamed (TMU). Directing: Morning After (a front company/Toronto Fringe Festival), ECHO (associate director - a front company), The Zoo Story (co-director - a front company). Writing: Morning After. Training: Toronto Metropolitan University School of Performance. Online: katarinafiallos.com, @katarinafiallos. Et cetera: Thank you for coming :) Love to my family and friends and all those who have given me a helping hand along the way.
2026: Elena Ianniello in Saturday, Sunday, Monday, appears in The Tempest and understudy in The Importance of Being Earnest. 15th season. Stratford (selected): Elise in The Miser, Lady Teazle in The School for Scandal, Nina in The Seagull, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Jean-Louise in To Kill a Mockingbird, Isabella in Edward II, Katerina in Brothers Karamazov, Joan of Arc in Henry VI, Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest, Elvira in Blithe Spirit, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost and Althia in Front Page. Michelle has also performed in plays at the New York City Center, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Tarragon Theatre, Factory Theatre, Crow's Theatre, Segal Centre, GCTC, Theatre Aquarius and with Groundling Theatre. Film: Blackberry, Delia's Gone, Blood Pressure and Life in a Year. TV: The Hardy Boys, The Hot Zone, Mockingbird, Suits, See, L.A Complex, Accused, Black Mirror, King, The Good Doctor, Flashpoint, Anne, Saving Hope and The Listener.
Birmingham Conservatory, 2013/2014
2026: Boatswain in The Tempest and understudy in Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Ninth season. Stratford: Gregorio (Grand Magic), Father (Wrinkle in Time), Richmond (Richard III), Victor (The Miser), Slender (Merry Wives…), Kruger (Front Page), Benvolio (Romeo & Juliet), Allardyce (Treasure Island), Wickers (Breathing Hole), Lennox (Macbeth), Silvius (As You…), Kastril (Alchemist). Elsewhere: Les Jervis, Farm Show (Blyth); Jack, Gaslight (Magnus); Petruchio (St. Lawrence); Jacob, Salt-Water Moon (NAC); Laurie, Vimy (GCTC); Clown, 39 Steps (StageWest); David, Rockbound (Two Planks); Michael, Elephant Song (Beothuk Street); Dromio Ephesus, Comedy of Errors (SBTS); Jerry, Zoo Story (Reid Theatre). Film/TV: Frankenstein, On the Count of Three, Pain Killer, Titans, What We Do in the Shadows, Murdoch Mysteries, Played, Beauty and the Beast, Republic of Doyle, Covert Affairs, Life with Derek. Training: Birmingham Conservatory; Ryerson, BFA Acting. Awards: Peter Donaldson Award; Amelia Hall Award; Elephant Song: Chambers & Matthews Scholarships. Et cetera: Proud Newfoundlander.
(he/him)
2026: Adrian in The Tempest, appears in The Importance of Being Earnest and understudy in Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Young man 4/Young Walter in The Inheritance (Canadian Stage); Jamie in This Feels like the End (Toronto Fringe Next Stage Festival); Zack in Boys, Girls, and Other Mythological Creatures (Theatre Orangeville), Clay in The Miser (Odyssey Theatre); Devon in TomorrowLove (TMU); Andrew Kushnir in The Division (TMU); Edward II in Edward II (TMU); Duncan in Punch Up (Theatre on the Ridge). Film/TV: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (CBS). Training: Toronto Metropolitan University's School of Performance, Citadel Theatre Young Acting Company Online: @Landonnesbitt26. Et cetera: A giant thank you to my friends, family and the TH team.
(they/he)
2026: Federico in Saturday, Sunday, Monday and appears in The Tempest. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Val/Solyoni in Three Sisters (Howland Company/Harthouse); Ahmed in No Gays in Chechnya (MT Space); Zidan/Fifi in Green Line (In Arms); Rebirth of Leila & Kays (Soulpepper, QueerCab); Richard's Consort in Richard II (Dauntless City); Crossing Gibraltar & Rubble (Cahoots); Abe in 76 Centimeters (TODOS); Lightning in Gods of Jericho (Factory workshop); Louis in Angels in America (Troubadours). Film/TV: The Drop-off (Lead), Still Time (Lead), Twins' Love Trap (recurring), Tout Sexplique (guest). Training: LAMDA (classical acting), Art of Acting Studio, University of Toronto. Awards: Queer Emerging Artist/Buddies (Winner, 2020); Sterling Award - The Green Line team (Nominee); Juror's Choice - The Drop-off (Nominee). Online: @mahersinnomore. Et cetera: To my community, Stratford, and a season full of "this rough magic."
Birmingham Conservatory, 2015/2016
2026: Assistant director and Rocco in Saturday, Sunday, Monday, appears in The Tempest and understudy in Waiting for Godot. Ninth season. Stratford (selected): Macbeth, The Winter's Tale, London Assurance, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Richard II, Grand Magic, Love's Labour's Lost, Richard III, The Miser, The Tempest, Coriolanus, Napoli Milionaria!, A School for Scandal, Tartuffe, Macbeth, All My Sons, Bunny. Elsewhere: Fulfilment Center (Coal Mine Theatre); HEIST (Grand Theatre); The Three Musketeers (RMTC); february: a love story (Globus Theatre); Two Noble Kinsmen and Cymbeline (Shakespeare BASH'd); Towards Youth: a play on Radical Hope (Crow's Theatre); Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare in High Park); Tartuffe (Canadian Stage); Coriolanus (Dartmouth, New Hampshire). Training: Emilio trained under the direction of Martha Henry and Stephen Ouimette in the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre. Thank you for supporting live theatre. Online: @emiliovieira.
2026: Francisco in The Tempest and Dr. Cefercola in Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Second season. Stratford: Guiderius in Cymbeline and Curly in Wendy and Peter Pan. Elsewhere: The Spectator's Odyssey - o'dell'Inferno (DLT/Luminato); Is God Is (Obsidian/Necessary Angel/Canadian Stage); Is God Is (National Arts Centre). Film/TV: Children Ruin Everything (CTV); On The Rox (Warner Bros); Wake (Last Frame Pictures); Counterfeit (CF Productions). Training: Toronto Metropolitan University: School of Performance. Online: @michaelwamara. Et cetera: It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves, cheers to the final hoorah with our AD Antoni. Dedicating the magic created this season to my three little nephews.
2026: Artistic director of the Stratford Festival. Director of The Tempest and Saturday, Sunday, Monday. 39th season. Stratford: Directing credits include The Winter's Tale; London Assurance; Grand Magic; Richard III; The Miser; Birds of a Kind; The Merry Wives of Windsor; The Tempest; Napoli Milionaria!; The School for Scandal; Macbeth; The Hypochondriac; Hamlet; The Alchemist; King Lear; The Beaux' Stratagem; Mary Stuart; The Merchant of Venice; Cymbeline; The Grapes of Wrath; Bartholomew Fair; Coriolanus; As You Like It, featuring original music by Barenaked Ladies; King John; Love's Labour's Lost, with Brian Bedford; Twelfth Night, with William Hutt; The Night of the Iguana; and Filumena, with Richard Monette. A crowning achievement of his tenure as artistic director is the building of the new Tom Patterson Theatre, which opened in 2022, winning a number of architectural awards. He was also instrumental in establishing the Festival's Endowment Foundation, which now stands in excess of $120 million, as well as in the renovation of the Avon Theatre and the creation of the Studio Theatre. Elsewhere: The Canadian première of ENRON (Theatre Calgary); Twelfth Night (Attic Theatre, Detroit); A Woman of No Importance (Hilberry Theater, Detroit). A champion of the arts and culture, Mr. Cimolino served as the founding chair of Culture Days, a nationwide celebration of arts and culture in Canada. He has initiated collaborations with several prestigious theatre companies, including Montreal's Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, Ottawa's National Arts Centre, New York's Lincoln Center and City Center, San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater and Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
2026: Set and costume designer of The Tempest. 16th season.
2026: Lighting designer of The Tempest and The Importance of Being Earnest. Seventh season. Stratford: Lighting designer of As You Like It. Assistant lighting designer of Chicago, Serving Elizabeth, I Am William, The Rez Sisters, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Billy Elliot, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Front Page, Long Day's Journey into Night, Brontë: The World Without. Elsewhere: Recent credits include Fifteen Dogs (Mirvish/NAC); Octet, Rogers v. Rogers, Rosmersholm, Wights (Crow's Theatre); Primary Trust (The Grand); Old Times (Soulpepper); Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Ghost! The Musical (Chemainus); How to Fail as a Popstar World Tour (Canadian Stage). She has assistant lighting designed for Mirvish, The Canadian Opera Company and many incredible designers. Awards: Dora Nominee. Et cetera: Imogen is a proud member of ADC 659 and avid sunset canoer.
2026: Composer of The Tempest. 45th season.
2026: Sound designer of The Tempest and Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Fourth season.
2026: Fight and intimacy director of the 2026 season. Ninth season. Fight and intimacy director (selected): Moonlight Schooner, Robin Hood, Slave Play, Fat Ham, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Hamlet, Fairview (CanStage); The Comeuppance, The Welkin, WildWoman, Three Sisters (Soulpepper); Groundhog Day (YES); CRAZE (Tarragon); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Perchance); The Bidding War, Wights, Bad Roads, Prodigal (Crow's); The Green Line, Roberto Zucco, Angels in America (Buddies in Bad Times); Jesus Christ Superstar (Here for Now); Hamlet (The Rose); Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (TIP); Fall on Your Knees (CanStage/NAC). Stunt performer/actor credits (selected): Copenhagen, Twisted Metal S2, Law & Order: Toronto, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, The Boys, Handmaid's Tale. Upcoming theatre projects: Witch (Soulpepper). Online: anitanittoly.com.
2026: Movement director of The Tempest. 18th season.
Langham Directors' Workshop, 2026
2026: Assistant director of The Tempest. Stratford debut.
2026: Assistant set and costume designer of The Tempest. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Costume designer of Murder-on-the-Lake (Shaw Festival); costume and prop designer of A Christmas Carol (Three Ships Collective); associate set and costume designer of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Shaw Festival); costume designer of Antigonick (Shaw Festival 2023 Neil Monroe Director's Project); assistant costume designer of My Fair Lady (Shaw Festival). Training: BFA Concordia University, DEC Professional Theatre Design John Abbott College. Online: rosetavorminadesign.com, @rosebudsewingroom
(she/they)
2026: Assistant lighting designer of The Tempest, Guys and Dolls, Something Rotten! and Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Second season. Stratford: Assistant lighting designer of Annie, As You Like It, Ransacking Troy. Elsewhere: Lighting designer: Killing Time: A Game Show Musical (Mixtape Projects), Cymatix (Citadel + Compagnie), Ursa: A Folk Musical (The Uncommon Folk Collective), Uncovered: Fleetwood Mac & The Eagles (Musical Stage Company), Insert Clown Here (Parlous Theatre), Concord Floral (Puckers Theatre Co.), IRIS (says goodbye) (Mixtape Projects). Assistant/associate lighting designer: Fall For Dance North (2024, 2025), PUS (Road Trip Collective), Spring Mix 2024 (Citadel + Compagnie). Training: BFA from Toronto Metropolitan University for Performance Production and Design. Canadian Green Alliance 2024 Green Mentorship Recipient. Awards: Tyrone Guthrie Award Recipient 2025. Online: mathildakane.com. Et cetera: Love to Laur and Juno.
2026: Associate sound designer of The Tempest and assistant sound designer of Guys and Dolls and Something Rotten! Fifth season.
2026: Magic consultant for The Tempest. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Performer and principal creator MacBeth- A Tale Told by an Idiot, Doc Wuthergloom's Little Lib'ary of the Damed, The Harrowing of Brimstone McReedy, Space Opera Zero!, Requiem for a Gumshoe, The House at Poe Corner (Eldritch Theatre); Touchstone in As You Like It (Canadian Stage); Frank in Fight On! (Infinitheatre). Film/TV: George A. Romero'sSurvival of the Dead, Fatman, Murdoch Mysteries, Guillermo del Toro'sCabinets of Curiosities. Awards: Dora Awards - 25 nominations. 0 wins. Online: eldritchtheatre.ca.
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