In 1962, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, lawyer and playwright Brian Doherty parlayed his love for the work of Irish playwright Bernard Shaw into a summer theatre festival, producing eight performances of Don Juan in Hell and Candida in the Court House auditorium. In this singular act of passion for theatre and culture, the Shaw Festival was born.
Today, with 10-12 productions each year performed in four theatres for an audience of more than 250,000, the Shaw Festival has grown to become a major Canadian cultural icon, a gem in this country's rich cultural heritage. The Shaw Festival produces plays by Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries – plays written between 1856 and 1950 – and contemporary plays about that time period, including the work of French and English Canadian playwrights. These plays are lovingly and artfully brought to the stage each year by a talented team of Canadian actors, directors, and designers, showcasing the incredible tapestry of talent that this country contributes to the world.
In 2012, we move from our 50th Season to our 51st, the first season of our next 50 years!
The Shaw Festival Theatre will stage three dazzling productions, all definite "must-sees". Ragtime will take you on an amazing journey through turn-of-the-century America. His Girl Friday will enthral with its potent mix of wit, dramatics, and screwball comedy. Just try and keep up with the breakneck pace of a Chicago newsroom! And from Chicago, move to glamorous London with Present Laughter, Noël Coward's affectionate take on fame and success.
The laughter continues with Terence Rattigan's French Without Tears set in sunny France along with Bernard Shaw's The Millionairess featuring the wildly outrageous Epifania who always speaks her mind and Misalliance. Music, old-fashioned romance and witty repartees... The 2012 Season also offers some fine dramas such as William Inge's Come Back, Little Sheba, a beautiful and insightful exploration of the past's hold on the future. Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, is a must-see theatre classic. Githa Sowerby's A Man and Some Women delves into the age old man-woman dilemma and Carole Fréchette's Helen's Necklace is a touching story on loss set in the Middle East.
With "one of the finest ensemble companies in North America" [Buffalo Spree Magazine], and the "#1 of the Top 10 Food and Wine Destinations in Canada" [TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2011], The Shaw and Niagara-on-the-Lake make a most perfect theatre getaway.
