The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival: This Rough Magic
The 22nd season will continue this tradition of excellence, with stirring plays, rousing spectacle, and remarkable experiences!
Not only is it the only Shakespeare Festival in South Eastern Ontario, but its picturesque setting at an outdoor amphitheatre with the mighty St. Lawrence River as the backdrop harkens back to the bard himself. Its venue situated along the harbour in Prescott showcases one of the world’s greatest rivers, just like the Globe did in London. That riverside setting combines with the high calibre performances for a remarkable theatre experience.
In December 2023, Julia Nish-Lapidus and James Wallis were named the new Co-Artistic Directors of the company, bringing new energy to foster growth, and building an exciting future for the Festival.
The unique riverside setting combined with the high quality of the performances has resulted in a 600% increase in attendance over the first twelve years.
Snapshot of the 2024 Season
The Tempest by William Shakespeare Directed by James Wallis
July 13 to August 10
There will be a Pay What You Can Preview Performance on July 12th, tickets available at the door only.
This imaginative play will illuminate the amphitheatre each night, where the natural background of the St. Lawrence River will bring to life the dream-like world of this Shakespearean romance. Incorporating music, puppetry, and beautiful text, this piece tells the story of loss, land, memory, revenge, and forgiveness.
She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith Directed by Julia Nish-Lapidus
July 17 to August 10
There will be a Pay What You Can Preview Performance on July 16th, tickets available at the door only.
This lovable farce is the quintessential version of 18th Century “laughing comedy,” where society's eccentricities are the butt of the joke. This genuinely funny play is a crowd-pleaser about lust, status, love, marriage, and mistaken identity, and is one of the most famous English comedies in the canon.
Play On! A Shakespeare Inspired Mixtape created by Robert Markus, Julia Nish-Lapidus, & James Wallis
August 13-17
Originally commissioned by the Stratford Festival
A witty, entertaining cabaret of pop music and Shakespearean text, bringing together a wide range of songs from a variety of eras and genres, including The Beatles, Taylor Swift, Elton John, Prince, and more. This special one-week-only production, originally created for its sold-out run at the Stratford Festival, will excite every night with rhythm, joy, and poetry. A celebratory end to the season, with music for all ages.
Looking Back …
The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival began to take shape in 2002 after a small, self-produced, touring production of Romeo and Juliet was brought to the area, according to Festival information. The community was charmed by the idea of having live theatre in its midst and it was agreed that the company could utilize the outdoor amphitheater for a full production of The Tempest the following summer.
In the summer of 2006, the theatre expanded to two mainstage Shakespeare productions, a full Sunday series, and an education program. In 2014, the SLSF had the distinction of being the only Canadian theatre to present Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre’s international touring production of Hamlet for two sold-out performances. From there, a team of local volunteers was recruited to perform as crowds and soldiers in the 2014 productions of Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, facilitating work on a scale that had not yet been seen, as well as a series of community productions as fundraisers for the Festival that exclusively featured local amateur actors.
Proud Community
With no other professional outdoor theatre in the St. Lawrence Seaway area, the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival fulfills a key role in the artistic life of the region.
Get details on the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival’s 2024 season by visiting www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca or call the box office at 613-925-5788.