The 73rd season of the Stratford Festival has opened to great fanfare—the heat of summer meets the passion of theatre. Themes of Harmony, Love and War provide apropos parallels to our present day and confirm the timeless relevancy of Shakespeare and the intimacy and immediacy of live theatre. The Stratford Festival is one of Canada’s signature experiences and is unmatched in North America. Here are the best ways to get the optimal value out of your trip to the theatre!
We have so many questions for planning our visit. But, the Stratford Festival has us covered right from the start!
How do we get there? Without any care in the world about traffic, gas or parking, we hop on the Stratford Direct Bus that takes us from downtown Toronto to the theatre and back in easy comfort and style. What can we do when we get there? Beyond the proscenium, the town of Stratford is renowned as being one of the most uniquely charming epicurean destinations in Canada. For things to do from shopping to dining, boating to garden strolls: This is It!
Several event series are offered to bolster our entertainment value. Peer Into the Playbill Events includes panel discussions featuring special guests, from artists and directors to scholars, convening to explore the themes and issues presented in the 2025 playbill. These series, from the oral traditions of storytelling, to the art of movement and choreography, to animal metaphors, and even creating art during war, are as evocative as they are intellectually stimulating. We gain insights into creative processes and how we can connect the dots to their real-world relevance.
The Meighen Forum Events provide thought provoking dialogue about the performances that inspire us to think about what we’re watching beyond entertainment value and, at the same time, deepen the entertainment value.
When booking tickets, be sure to check out Forum Theme Weeks. The CBC Ideas Week Events explore what it takes to create peace and what ideas and values can knit a society back together; Global Theatre Week Events explores how stories in theatre and culture are shared around the world and through time. For example, for those seeing Anne of Green Gables, a fascinating addition to the experience is Anne of Green Gables in Japan and Beyond; and for those seeing Ransacking Troy, don’t miss the dynamic examination of Ensemble Work from Ancient Greece to the Present.
International Media at the Forum Events punctuate the season as journalists and critics from around the world visit the Stratford Festival to watch performances and speak with the artists at the Meighen Forum. This enables us to listen to insights that we otherwise might not have considered. To hear critical conversation about the play and the production only enriches our understanding and appreciation for the performance.
We want to know how the magic happens. For deep immersion into the inner sanctum and the inner workings of the theatre, the Festival offers us backstage tours of both the Festival Theatre and the Tom Patterson Theatre, so that we can see how these worlds come together and come to life. There are even set change-over experiences at both the Festival Theatre and the Avon Theatre to observe the incredible mechanics and team work involved in meticulously shifting around entire sets behind the curtain from one production to the next. Here, we learn the technical knowledge that would otherwise be unknown to the average theatregoer. One of the most fun tours offered by the Festival is the Costume and Props Tour. This warehouse stores more costumes than we’ve ever seen before. Period costumes and props from the vaults of Festival lore are on display, and some are even available to try on, so that we can actually feel the weight and artistry involved in dressing the actors. We can even transform ourselves into Elizabethan characters.
Our theatre experience begins as soon as we arrive in Stratford. The Festival offers activities to elevate our experience by enabling us to dive right into it. Workshops like Song and Dance: Annie, get us ready for prime time. Here, we learn and actually perform the choreography and music from Annie with the artists from the show! Afterwards there’s an engaging Q&A with the artists. This is a not-to-be-missed 90-minute workshop for all ages!
Where do the musicians go after curtain call? The musicians in the Stratford Festival Orchestra who we hear in the orchestra loft at the Festival Theatre, in the pit at the Avon Theatre, and in front of the theatre playing the fanfare, can now be enjoyed on stage in Lazaridis Hall at the Tom Patterson Theatre for an exciting series of concerts called Monday Night Music.
To make sure the joy of live theatre is accessible to everyone, the Stratford Festival has created so many Ways to Save. In addition to Kids Tickets and Senior Matinee Savings, there are Last Minute Ticket Deals, and Rush Seats in which we can purchase tickets for up to 50% off. There are even Bring a Friend tickets and Pay What You Can Performances!
Time for the Show! When we arrive at the theatre, we want to be treated like VIPs and take full advantage of the Theatre Bars and Picnic Options! So, we download the StratFest OnSite App to have our drink and snack, whether wine, beer or ice cream, waiting for us on arrival and at intermission! Between shows we can pre-order Take-Away Picnic Baskets by calling the Box Office (1-800-567-1600) 48 hours in advance, or by doing so online at the time of ticket purchase. Our order is ready for pick up at the Festival or Tom Patterson Theatres two hours before the show. Here is the full menu of picnic options from Charcuterie to Forest Mushroom Wraps. We can enjoy our picnic at tables by the swans at the Avon River or on benches within any of the beautiful gardens by the theatre.
The 2025 season features As You Like It, Annie, Sense and Sensibility, Dangerous Liaisons, Macbeth, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Anne of Green Gables, The Winter’s Tale, Forgiveness, Ransacking Troy and The Art of War. For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca.