STRATFORD, Ont. -- The Stratford Shakespeare Festival's 2009 just-released playbill keeps the event's focus on producing The Bard's works, along with other classical works and a handful of new productions.
Beginning in mid-April and running through October, the 2009 season includes three of William Shakespeare's most popular plays -- "Macbeth," "Julius Caesar" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" -- plus another Elizabethean-Jacobean production, "Bartholomew Fair" by Ben Jonson.
"The 2009 season reflects our vision of the Stratford dramatic landscape as a series of concentric circles," said artistic director Des McAnuff. "Center stage is Shakespeare, surrounded by his contemporaries.
The next circle includes the great works of classical drama from other periods, many of which either influenced Shakespeare or were influenced by him.
"Then we have that great innovation of the 20th century, musical theater, enduring classics in their own right. The final circle of repertoire comprises contemporary works and living playwrights.
Surrounding and embracing all of that are those two no-less-vital circles -- the creative artists who make it all happen and the audiences without whom the theater would have no reason to exist."
Other 2009 productions will include "Cyrano de Bergerac," "The Three Sisters," "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Phedre," "West Side Story" and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."
"I'm delighted that the 2009 season will bring together many of the festival's favorite artists as well as some of the finest new talent," said general director Antoni Cimolino. "We have created a playbill that builds on the excellent work accomplished in the 2008 season and positions the festival well for the future."
Here's an overview of the festival's theaters and the performances at each site:
Festival Theatre
-- "West Side Story" launches the season at the 1,800-seat theater. Explosive dance numbers and a brilliant musical score highlight this modern-day retelling of "Romeo and Juliet," presented for the first time on the Festival Theatre stage. With music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, this classic runs April 11 to Oct. 31.
-- One of Shakespeare's most compelling productions, "Macbeth" runs May 22 to Oct. 31. It is directed by festival veteran Des McAnuff and stars Colm Feore in the title role.
-- Festival newcomer David Grindley will direct "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Midsummer's eve sees the lifting of the delicate veil between the waking world and the realm of spirits, but never with such hilarity as seen in this beloved classic, which runs Aug. 7 to Oct. 30.
-- "Cyrano de Bergerac" by Edmond Rostand will be directed by Donna Feore and stars her husband Colm in the title role. It runs May 29 to Nov. 1.
Avon Theater
-- One of Shakespeare's most well-known plays, "Julius Caesar" will run May 23 to Oct. 31, under the direction of James MacDonald. It stars Geraint Wyn Davies in the title role.
-- Popular festival veteran Brian Bedford will direct Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." It runs May 9 to Oct. 30.
-- The comedy "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, will run June 11 to Nov.1. Veteran actor Bruce Dow brings his talents to the role of Pseuodolus.
Tom Patterson Theater
-- Named for the festival's founder, this 481-seat theater is the setting for "Bartholomew Fair" directed by Antoni Cimolino, general director of the festival. The play runs May 22 to Oct. 2.
-- Anton Chekhov's "The Three Sisters" will be directed by Martha Henry who returns for her 35th season at the festival. Over the decades, she has participated in more than 60 festival productions. This play runs from May 9 to Oct. 3.
-- San Francisco director Carey Perloff will oversee a relatively short run of "Phedre," which will be performed Aug. 6 to Oct. 3.
-- "Ever Yours, Oscar" is a one-man performance by Brian Bedford and a companion piece to "The Importance of Being Earnest." It will have a one-month run, from July 11 to Aug. 9
Studio Theater
-- The most intimate of the Stratford theaters, the 260-seat Studio will host an all-Canadian season including the world premiere of "The Trespasser" by Morris Panych. This play runs Aug. 1 to Oct. 4.
-- Written by George F. Walker, "Zastrozzi" will be directed by Jennifer Tarver. This play runs only from Aug. 12 to Oct. 3.
-- "Rice Boy" is written by Sunil Kuruvilla, a Canadian of East Indian descent. It will run Aug. 11 to Oct. 3.
"This all-Canadian season at the Studio, together with the plays we have commissioned, will help ensure that this Festival continues to be a major force in the creation and production of new Canadian plays," said Cimolino.
Located about a six-hour drive from northern Michigan, the village of Stratford, Ont., and its link to Shakespeare dates to 1832 when Thomas Mercer Jones gave a picture of Shakespeare to a hotel owner. Jones named the village Stratford and the Little Thames creek was renamed the Avon River.
It wasn't until 1953 that Tom Patterson, a Stratford-born reporter, worked with a group of local supporters to open the Stratford Festival.
Festival tickets are available at prices from roughly $60 to $106 for dramas and $75-$115 for musicals. Prices vary depending on the U.S.-Canadian exchange rate. Several discounts are available, including student and senior citizen rates.
For information, contact the box office, (800) 567-1600 or go to www.stratfordshakespearefestival.com.
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