Welcome | Stratford Festival Official Website

Michigan fans of the Stratford Festival gather at the Detroit Public Theatre for a preview of the season to come, including some very special live performances.

Photograph by Marvin Shaouni.

Welcome Michigan!

For almost 75 years the people of Michigan have been avid fans of the Stratford Festival, crucial to the success of our theatre. They have spread the word far and wide, sharing that the very best theatre in the world is just a short drive away in the picturesque city of Stratford, Ontario.

In our community, people from Michigan are known for their kindness and generosity, as well as their unfailing support of the Festival and the town.

We welcome you with open arms and are thrilled to see our Michigan family expand.

Getting Here

SEE YOU SOON!

Travel Times by Car

Port Huron/Sarnia: 1 hour, 45 minutes*

Detroit/Windsor: 2 hours, 45 minutes*

To assist you in making your travel plans, most performances run approximately 2.5-3 hours. Please check your ticket carefully for start times and theater locations as these do vary.

*Drive times are approximate and are dependent on traffic, border wait times and road conditions. Please plan on arriving well in advance of your performance time to allow for unforeseen delays as shows begin promptly.

Border Wait Times

More Transportation Options

StratFest OnSite

Parking

At the Festival

Michigan Members Weekend

An Intimate Conversation with Antoni Cimolino

Antoni Cimolino, in his penultimate season as artistic director, will join the Michigan Members to look back at his legacy as an actor, director, general director and artistic director.

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The Art of Coaching

Join us for this interactive session with the Festival’s Co-Heads of Coaching Paul de Jong and Cathy MacKinnon, along with members of the coaching team, as we delve into the areas of movement, voice, dialect, speech and text training.

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In the Media

Canada's Stratford Festival has a message for Michigan theater lovers: Please come back.

– Detroit Free Press

Stratford Festival Welcomes Michigan Visitors to 71st Season

"The Stratford Festival, renowned as North America's leading repertory theatre company, welcomes visitors from Michigan to immerse themselves in the spectacular 71st season."

– Michigan Chronical

Detroit Native Breaks Ground at Ontario Shakespeare Festival

"Sam White has made art and theater essential in her life, too. It's taken her from being a local kid from Seven Mile and Evergreen to becoming the first African American woman to direct a play at the Stratford Festival in Ontario, one of the most prestigious theater institutions in North America."

– Hour Detroit

Created Equal: Shakespeare in Detroit founder on equity in the arts, new Stratford Festival production

"One of Detroit's very own will return to the acclaimed Stratford Festival in Ontario this year to lead a production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

This is the third season at Stratford for Sam White, founding artistic and executive director of Shakespeare in Detroit. The nonprofit stages professional productions of Shakespeare's works at sites throughout the city, in both traditional and non-traditional spaces."

– WDET 101.9 FM

Michigan Residency

For more than 15 years, the Stratford Festival has led an annual residency in Michigan with an emphasis on innovative pedagogical strategies and supporting educators at all levels in integrating these practices in their own contexts across the state.

Participating teachers and students work with Stratford Festival staff and teaching artists to tie state academic standards for English Language Arts and Theatre to the study of Shakespeare.

"The workshop increased my conviction that Shakespeare is a vital language experience, especially when brought to life physically by the students in the classroom. Using the real elements of theatre-voice, movement, embodied imagination-students are far more likely to connect with the spirit and value of Shakespeare. Silent reading just doesn't work."

– Michigan Residency participant

LEARN MORE

Michigan Events

Michigan Members Weekend

An Intimate Conversation with Antoni Cimolino

Antoni Cimolino, in his penultimate season as artistic director, will join the Michigan Members to look back at his legacy as an actor, director, general director and artistic director.

BUY TICKETS

The Art of Coaching

BUY TICKETS

In the Media

Canada's Stratford Festival has a message for Michigan theater lovers: Please come back.

– Detroit Free Press

Stratford Festival Welcomes Michigan Visitors to 71st Season

"The Stratford Festival, renowned as North America's leading repertory theatre company, welcomes visitors from Michigan to immerse themselves in the spectacular 71st season."

– Michigan Chronical

Detroit Native Breaks Ground at Ontario Shakespeare Festival

– Hour Detroit

Created Equal: Shakespeare in Detroit founder on equity in the arts, new Stratford Festival production

"One of Detroit's very own will return to the acclaimed Stratford Festival in Ontario this year to lead a production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

– WDET 101.9 FM

Michigan Residency

Participating teachers and students work with Stratford Festival staff and teaching artists to tie state academic standards for English Language Arts and Theatre to the study of Shakespeare.

– Michigan Residency participant

LEARN MORE

In Rehearsals

⁠Ten young girls stand together, smiling at the camera, with four dogs.

Scenes from the first rehearsal of Annie. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠Laura, Harper and Dan embrace each other as they look, smiling, towards the camera.

From left: Laura Condlln, Harper Rae Asch and Dan Chameroy at the first rehearsal of Annie. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠Kat Sandler (director) addresses the room of cast and crew of Anne of Green Gables in a rehearsal hall.

From left: Erin Fitzgerald, Abby Stevenson, Kim Lott and Kat Sandler at the first rehearsal of Anne of Green Gables. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠Set and Costume Designer Joanna Yu presents a maquette that features a bright, colourful background of a country road with large trees. The trees form a canopy as they arch towards each other, and additional tree branches hang overhead.

Joanna Yu 余頌恩 at the first rehearsal of Anne of Green Gables. Photography by Ann Baggley.

The cast and creatives of As You Like It listen attentively to design presentations in the rehearsal room.

Scenes from the first rehearsal of As You Like It. Photography by Ann Baggley.

Julie presents her costume designs to the Cast and Creatives of As You Like It in the rehearsal room.

Julie Fox at the first rehearsal of As You Like It. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠Tracey stands at the front of the rehearsal hall, addressing the cast, creatives and staff.

Tracey Flye at the first rehearsal of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠Cast and creative team members from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels are seated and standing in a rehearsal hall. They all face forwards.

Scenes from the first rehearsal of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠Antoni addresses the room of cast and crew of The Winter's Tale in a rehearsal hall.

Antoni Cimolino at the first rehearsal of The Winter's Tale. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠Cast members listen attentively at the first rehearsal of The Winter's Tale.

From left: Josh Johnston, Tarique Lewis, Graham Abbey, Emilio Vieira and Paul Dunn at the first rehearsal of The Winter's Tale. Photography by Ann Baggley.

Company members Tarique, Austin, Anita and Emilio sit together and pose for the camera, with stoic looks on their faces. They all wear denim jeans.

From left: Tarique Lewis, Austin Eckert, Anita Nittoly and Emilio Vieira at the first rehearsal of Macbeth. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠The cast and crew sit and stand in the rehearsal hall, listening attentively.

Scenes from the first rehearsal of Macbeth. Photography by Ann Baggley.

Mark, Stafford and Hiro pose for a photo together in the rehearsal hall.

From left: Mark Sakamoto, Stafford Arima and Hiro Kanagawa at the first rehearsal of Forgiveness. Photography by Ann Baggley.

Lorenzo stands at the front of the room as he presents his designs the cast and creatives.

Lorenzo Savoini at the first rehearsal of Forgiveness. Photography by Ann Baggley.

Director Darly Cloran welcomes the cast, creatives and staff at the first rehearsal of Sense and Sensibility. Set and Costume Designer Dana Osborne watches on behind Daryl.

Daryl Cloran (centre) with Dana Osborne (right) at the first rehearsal of Sense and Sensibility. Photography by Ann Baggley.

⁠⁠Makambe and Olivia listen attentively as they sit on the floor of the rehearsal room.

Makambe K. Simamba and Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane (right) with from left Sruthi Suresan and Claudia Tam at the first rehearsal of Sense and Sensibility. Photography by Ann Baggley.

Welcome Michigan!

Getting Here

At the Festival

In Rehearsals

Sign Up

Getting Here

SEE YOU SOON!

Border Wait Times

More Transportation Options

StratFest OnSite

Parking

At the Festival

Michigan Events

In the Media

Michigan Residency

Michigan Members Weekend

BUY TICKETS

BUY TICKETS

In the Media

Michigan Residency

LEARN MORE

Michigan Events

Michigan Members Weekend

BUY TICKETS

BUY TICKETS

In the Media

In the Media

Michigan Residency

Michigan Residency

LEARN MORE

In Rehearsals