STRATFEST@HOME

Why does Shakespeare still speak to us today? Join two leading voices on Shakespeare – acclaimed scholar James Shapiro and Stratford Festival Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino – for a dynamic conversation on the enduring power and relevance of Shakespeare’s works, the depth of his characters and why his plays continue to resonate across generations. This event was recorded in front of a live audie...

From knavish fairies to goblins, elves and spirits, this season’s plays are full of magical, tricksy creatures. What are the origins of fairies in folklore? How do they connect with traditions around the world, and how have fairy stories changed over time? Join University of Toronto associate professor Chester Scoville, novelist Kate Heartfield and actors Laura Condlln and Marissa Orjalo in a disc...

Working-class people have been portrayed on stage in various ways over the centuries, from the comic relief of the mechanicals in A Midsummer Night's Dream, to the tragedy of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. Join labour studies scholar Stephanie Ross, professor Kim Solga, director of Toronto Workers' Theatre Group Aida Jordão and actor Jennifer Villaverde for a discussion of labour on-s...

Legendary Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino sits down with acclaimed Chicago Tribune Chief Theatre Critic Chris Jones for a candid exploration of Antoni’s remarkable 39-year journey at the Stratford Festival. From his early work on stage to his influential roles off it, this intimate interview offers rare insight into the experiences and artistic vision that have shaped four decades of theatre exc...

How have Indigenous theatre artists made Shakespeare their own? Shakespeare's own lifetime coincided with the beginnings of English colonization in North America, and today, artists work in decolonial ways to create art that reflects their culture and assert Indigenous sovereignty. Join Reneltta Arluk, Keith Barker, Waylon Lenk and Yvette Nolan for a discussion of how Shakespeare and Indigenei...

An exclusive conversation between veteran director and choreographer Donna Feore and acclaimed writer and essayist, Adam Gopnik. The two offer an inside look at the artistry and cultural impact of one of Broadway’s greatest musicals, Guys and Dolls. This insightful and hilarious conversation explores the show’s 76‑year legacy, its enduring characters and music, and the reasons it continues to capt...

Artistic Director and director of this season’s  The Tempest , Antoni Cimolino sits down with Shakespeare scholar and dramaturge Stephen Marche, who literally wrote the book on  How Shakespeare Changed Everything . The conversation unfolds naturally as the pair explore Shakespeare’s enduring influence on our lives, recounting their time together analyzing  The Tempest  over a famous local dessert....

Award-winning choreographer Stephanie Graham hosts a conversation with Greg Alcock, Director of Physiotherapy at Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, performing arts physiotherapist Tim Buckley and veteran dancer Jason Sermonia. Together, they explore the athleticism of dance, comparing the discipline, conditioning and performance demands of professional dancers and athletes. Discover the physica...

Design coordinator Lindsay Forde joins members of the Stratford Festival’s wardrobe team to explore the artistry behind costume-making. Together, they discuss the creative process, craftmanship and collaboration that transform fabric and imagination into the magical costumers seen on thestage. This event was recorded live on July 11, 2026 as part of the Meighen Forum at the Stratford Festival. Sup...

In this intimate conversation, the panel celebrates the remarkable legacy of award‑winning actor and former Stratford Festival company member Graham Greene, who died last year, and whose work has shaped the landscapes of both theatre and film. Guests share candid stories, heartfelt tributes and critical reflections on Greene’s contributions as a theatre artist. Artistic Director of Young People’s...

Audience Advisory: This episode contains explicit and coarse language. Listener discretion is advised. In this lively conversation, award-winning comedian Gavin Crawford sits down with two of Canada's most celebrated comedic voices: grande dame of Canadian comedy Martha Chaves and comedian and drag queen Tom Hearn. Together, they discuss the highlights and challenges of working as queer comedi...

Kathleen Gallagher, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Distinguished Professor at the University of Toronto, and Karen Gilodo, Associate Artistic Director at Young People’s Theatre, engage in a conversation moderated by Lois Adamson, Director of Education at the Stratford Festival. They discuss the urgent need to prioritize arts education and the lasting benefits of arts-based learning fo...

In this episode, join internationally acclaimed physician andauthor Dr. Jen Gunter in conversation with Festival artist Maev Beaty for a frank and empowering discussion about women’s health and bodies. Known as “Twitter’s resident gynecologist” and “the Internet’s OB/GYN,” the Winnipeg-born author of The Menopause Manifesto, The Vagina Bible and Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menst...

In this episode, join world-renowned voice coach and author Patsy Rodenburg in conversation with the Stratford Festival’s former Head of Voice, Janine Pearson, as they explore Rodenburg’s groundbreaking work on women’s empowerment through voice. Drawing on her influential books The Right to Speak, Speaking Shakespeare and The Second Circle, as well as her latest work The Woman’s Voice, Rodenburg d...

In this episode, former associate artistic director at Artists Repertory Theatre Jon Kretzu; emeritus research scientist and former resident bear biologist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Dr. Martyn Obbard; and this season’s Leontes Graham Abbey, as moderator, explore Shakespeare’s famous stage direction, “Exit, pursued by a bear.” Together they consider what bears would have meant...

In this episode, join renowned Shakespeare scholar, general editor of The Norton Shakespeare and Harvard University Professor Stephen Greenblatt in conversation with Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino, commemorating Greenblatt’s new book, Second Chances: Shakespeare and Freud . Together, they discuss how “Shakespeare was the supreme virtuoso of the second chance and Freud was its supreme interprete...

In this episode, join screenwriter, director and translator of  Dangerous Liaisons , Sir Christopher Hampton; Harvard University literature professor Deidre Lynch; and Canadian author Amal El-Mohtar, as they explore the history of letter writing and its influence on literature and society. From the rise of technology that reshaped personal connections to the development of the epistolary novel, th...

In this episode, join playwright and actor in  Forgiveness  Hiro Kanagawa, Editor of the  Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia  Dr. Anne Nothof and Canadian Studies scholar Peter Hodgins as they examine Canadian cultural identity and explore questions such as, 'How do we define Canadian theatre and art? How exactly does our cultural mosaic influence this definition?'   Together, they examine the interpla...

In this episode, join playwright Erin Shields, Nehiyaw storyteller Trina Moyan, and University of Toronto professor Adriana Brook as they explore storytelling as a transformative force across time. From the origins of Greek epic poetry and its roots in oral tradition to its transition to the written page, the panel reflects on how stories like Homer’s  Iliad  and  Odyssey  continue to shape cultur...

What happens when the spotlight suddenly shifts, and someone must step in at a moment’s notice? In this episode, stage manager Maxwell T. Wilson ( Dirty Rotten Scoundrels ), swing and co-dance captain Anthony MacPherson, and assistant director/casting associate Aaron Jan ( The Winter’s Tale ) join moderator Monique Lund ( Annie ) for a candid discussion about the essential but often unsung work of...

How does sound shape the way we experience a story on stage? In this episode, sound designer Debashis Sinha ( Anne of Green Gables ) and composer/sound designer Verne Good ( Twelfth Night , 2024) join Associate Forum Coordinator James Hyett for an illuminating conversation about the artistry behind theatre’s sonic world. From the delicate serenity of birdsong to the jarring pulse of a jackhammer,...

Why are audiences so captivated by characters who blur (or outright cross) the moral line? In this episode, theatre critic Chris Jones is joined by veteran Festival actors Tom McCamus and Jonathan Goad for a thought-provoking conversation about what makes a compelling villain. Drawing on their roles in Macbeth and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels , they explore ego, desire, and the enduring appeal of the m...

We kick off the 2025 season of the Everyday Forum Podcast with a lively chat with cultural commentator Stephen Marche. He talks with the Festival's Artistic Director, Antoni Cimolino, and André Sills, actor and assistant director of Macbeth, about reimagining Shakespeare’s plays for the stage. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT   Support for The Meighen Forum is generously provided by Kelly & Michael Meig...

The Body Politic was Canada's primary queer periodical from 1971 to 1987. It amplified the lives of queer people and helped galvanize the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Join Raegan Swanson, Executive Director of The ArQuives, Nicholas Hrynyk of Thompson Rivers University and Tim McCaskell, writer, activist and collective member of The Body Politic as they delve into the history of queer news...

In this conversation moderated by actor Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah with Assistant Professor of University of Toronto and Director of the Southeast Asian Seminar Series at the Asian Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Elizabeth Wijaya, Co-Executive Director of Artistic Freedom Initiative, Ashley Tucker, and playwright Achiro Olwoch, the history and modern-day realities of cen...