TORONTO — The show will go on at the Stratford Festival in southwestern Ontario, starting July 10.
Organizers say the festival was able to select the season's launch date now that the province is moving into the next stage of its reopening plan on Wednesday.
The second step allows for outdoor live theatre and concert events with limited capacity.
Performances will run until the end of September at its two new canopy-covered outdoor venues with a limit of 100 patrons at each show.
The renowned repertory theatre says that amounts to 25 per cent capacity, which is allowed under provincial guidelines for attendance at outdoor performing arts events.
Shows will run three times a day.
Set to debut July 10 is "Why We Tell the Story, A Celebration of Black Musical Theatre," curated and directed by Marcus Nance.
The festival says the debut of "Three Tall Women" has been moved from this month to Aug. 10 in the indoor Studio Theatre, provided the province successfully transitions to Step 3 of its reopening plan.
Twenty-five patrons will be allowed at that show, which will be split into two separate performances on the same day, with one ticket covering both parts.
If Step 3 unfolds as planned, the festival also intends to present live events in Lazaridis Hall in the new Tom Patterson Theatre, including play readings, beginning Aug. 6.
The 2021 season features six plays, with others including "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "R+J" and Tomson Highway's "The Rez Sisters."
The lineup is rounded out by "Serving Elizabeth" by Marcia Johnson, and "I Am William," with text by Rébecca Déraspe, music by Chloé Lacasse and Benoit Landry, and English translation by Leanna Brodie.
The festival plans to film its 2021 productions and make them available digitally beginning in September.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2021.
The Canadian Press
