Stratford Festival Unveils Its 75th Season, and I’m Already Curious About Jonathan Church’s Stratford – front mezz junkies, Theater News

Frontmezzjunkies reports: Stratford Festival announces its 2027 season

By Ross

There is something wonderfully exciting about seeing a new Stratford Festival season arrive in my inbox for the first time, especially when it belongs to the first season of a new Artistic Director. I have spent enough summers wandering through Stratford, moving from one theatre to another and letting the Festival surprise me with what it has put on those stages, but the unveiling today of the 2027 season feels like a particularly delicious moment, one that made me hungry for next summer to arrive. Jonathan Church’s first season has now been announced, and with it comes a 13-production playbill celebrating the Stratford Festival’s 75th season, filled with Shakespeare, major musicals, Canadian premieres, family theatre, new work and some genuinely ambitious theatrical undertakings. I am already very curious to see what Church brings to Stratford, and I’m excited and honoured to have the opportunity to experience it from a seat inside those iconic theatres.

The season opens with Hamlet on July 13, the anniversary of Stratford’s inaugural performance in 1953, giving Shakespeare’s most famously troubled prince a particularly significant place in this milestone season. Directed by former Stratford Artistic Director Des McAnuff, the production moves Hamlet into postwar Europe amid a growing Soviet menace, with glamour, political intrigue, surveillance and danger surrounding the story of a prince trying to uncover the truth about his father’s death. It is that larger shape of Church’s season that has really caught my attention, with Hamlet sitting solidly alongside some lighter fare, Mary Poppins and Chicago at the Festival Theatre. The phenomenal plays, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, arrive as Canadian premieres at the Avon Theatre, giving Church a very large canvas on which to begin his Stratford adventure.

The flying in of the musical, Mary Poppins, sounds like exactly the sort of spectacular theatrical event that Stratford can have a tremendous amount of fun with. Vanessa Sears takes on the iconic role after her performance as Juliet in & Juliet at Mirvish Entertainment in Toronto, while U.K. directors Jonathan O’Boyle and Stephen Mear bring their own enchantment to the Festival Theatre. Mear, who helped make Mary Poppins an international stage phenomenon and will also serve as choreographer, is part of a creative team promising the most elaborate flying sequences ever staged on Stratford’s open stage. Add “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” and the inevitable engagement with “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” and there is plenty here to make me want to see exactly how Stratford sends this particular nanny soaring.

Church will also make his own Stratford directorial debut with Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, Mike Poulton’s stage adaptations of Hilary Mantel’s Tudor novels. The two-part epic will unfold at the Avon Theatre across June, July and August, with scheduling that gives audiences the opportunity to see the plays on consecutive days and, in many cases, even on the same day. Church has already directed the two-part Nicholas Nickleby at the Chichester Festival, where it became a sold-out sensation before transferring to the West End and touring across the U.K. and to Toronto, so I am especially intrigued by what he will do with the scale and sweep of Mantel’s world. This is one of those announcements where the production itself is exciting, but so is the opportunity to watch a new Stratford Artistic Director establish his theatrical vocabulary on a Stratford stage.

The season also contains a remarkable project led by Saul Rubinek, returning to Stratford for the first time since 1969. Rubinek will appear in The Merchant of Venice, Playing Shylock, and his own new play, All in the Telling, creating a three-play theatrical conversation around Shylock, Jewish identity, representation, memory and family history. The Merchant of Venice, directed by Chris Abraham, will sit alongside Playing Shylock, written by Mark Leiren-Young and directed by Martin Kinch, and Rubinek’s world-premiere All in the Telling, developed with Starvox Entertainment and Crow’s Theatre and directed by Abraham. The possibility of experiencing all three in a single day is particularly intriguing, because the Festival is not simply presenting three separate productions. It is inviting audiences to move through a conversation that begins with Shakespeare’s Shylock, continues through an actor confronting the character and his legacy, and arrives at Rubinek’s own family history as the son of Holocaust survivors.

There is plenty more to make this 75th season feel expansive, including the world premiere of Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, the first musical to be presented at the Tom Patterson Theatre. Based on Mordecai Richler’s beloved children’s book, with music and lyrics by Stratford sisters Anika Johnson and Britta Johnson, the new musical is being directed by Theatre Calgary Artistic Director Stafford Arima, with choreography by Jesse Robb. Anne of Green Gables will return for a three-week run in September after its celebrated 2025 premiere, while Yvette Nolan directs Daniel David Moses’s Almighty Voice and His Wife, a deeply personal love story that moves into a vaudevillian dreamscape exploring memory, representation and Indigenous resilience. And The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Krista Jackson, brings Shakespeare into a reality-TV world where reputation and public opinion are carefully cultivated. Even the season’s return of Eric McCormack in Noël Coward’s Present Laughter adds another intriguing piece to this very broad theatrical picture.

There are also changes happening around the performances themselves, with Stratford moving to earlier start times in 2027, including 1:30 p.m. matinees, 7:30 p.m. evening performances and some noon matinees for school audiences. Church is also looking outward, with Stratford productions continuing to travel across Canada through partnerships with the National Arts Centre, Mirvish, the Citadel, Crow’s Theatre and Theatre Calgary. Productions including The King James Bible Play, The Diviners, Salesman in China and Anne of Green Gables will reach audiences beyond Stratford, extending the life of work that began on these stages.

Every part of this announcement has me most excited and curious about what comes next. Church has arrived at Stratford for its 75th season with a programme that looks directly at the Festival’s history while filling its theatres with new work, ambitious adaptations, returning artists, major musicals and theatrical conversations that reach well beyond a single production. He speaks about the spirit of adventure that brought Tom Patterson’s dream to life in 1953, and about continuing that journey with curiosity, courage and imagination. That is quite a promise to make at Stratford, and now I want to see what happens when that promise moves from the announcement page onto the stages themselves. I am already looking forward to walking through those theatre doors in 2027, finding my seat, and discovering what Jonathan Church’s Stratford has to say.

FESTIVAL THEATRE

Hamlet

By William Shakespeare

Director: Des McAnuff

Choreographer: Jesse Robb

Set and Costume Designer: Debra Hanson

Lighting Designer: Ben Stanton

Video Designer: Sean Nieuwenhuis

Composer: Michael Roth

Sound Designer: Adam Campbell

June 20 to October 30 | Opens July 13

When a ghostly visitor reveals a shocking secret, PrinceHamlet is drawn into a search for truth that challenges everything he believes. Spectacularly unsettling and emotionally charged, this thrilling new staging is set in postwar Europe amidst the growing Soviet menace. Returning home to Denmark after his father’s death, Hamlet finds his uncle on the throne and his recently widowed mother remarried to him. He struggles to uncover the truth behind his father’s fate, only to become ensnared in a web of deception, surveillance and revenge. As the play hurtles toward one of the most gripping and devastating conclusions in all of drama, Hamlet finds himself questioning the very foundations of his world. 

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s

Mary Poppins

A Musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film

Original Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman

Book by Julian Fellowes

New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe

Co-Created by Cameron Mackintosh

Directors: Jonathan O’Boyle and Stephen Mear

Choreographer: Stephen Mear

Music Director: Franklin Brasz

Set Designer: Cory Sincennes

Costume Designer: Dana Osborne

Lighting Designer: Bonnie Beecher

April 29 to November 6 | Opens May 31

When an extraordinary nanny blows in on the east wind, the Banks family’s world is turned upside down in the most delightful way. Every day is filled with impossible surprises as Mary Poppins and her ever-cheerful friend Bert lead her young charges Jane and Michael on a string of magical adventures. Featuring the most elaborate flying sequences ever staged at the Festival Theatre, this brand-new production brings audiences into the heart of the story in a way only Stratford can. Filled with beloved songs including “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” Mary Poppins is a magical adventure for children and a joyful trip down Cherry Tree Lane for grown-ups who secretly still know all the words to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” 

Chicago

Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse

Music by John Kander

Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins

Script Adaptation by David Thompson

Director: Donna Feore

Choreographer: Donna Feore

Music Director: Éric Charbonneau

Set Designer: Michael Gianfrancesco

Costume Designer: Dana Osborne

Lighting Designers: Michael Walton and Bonnie Beecher

May 24 to November 7 | Opens June 26

In a world where celebrity can be more valuable than innocence, Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart compete for the spotlight from behind the bars of Cook County Jail. As their sensational murder cases capture Chicago’s attention, the two women are swept into a flurry of newspaper headlines, courtroom drama and outrageous schemes to outshine one another. Featuring an iconic score packed with Broadway favourites including “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango” and “Razzle Dazzle,” Chicago is a dazzling celebration of fame, ambition and the power of a good story. Sexy, seductive and wickedly funny, it pulses with vibrant Jazz Age energy. 

Avon Theatre

Hilary Mantel’s

Wolf Hall

Adapted for the stage by Mike Poulton

Canadian Premiere

Director: Jonathan Church

Set Designer: Julie Fox

Costume Designer: Sue LePage

Lighting Designer: Michael Walton

Composer and Sound Designer: Thomas Ryder Payne

Movement Director: Stephanie Graham

June 4 to August 21 | Opens June 27

England stands at the brink of transformation. King Henry VIII, consumed by his need for a male heir, is determined to end his marriage to Katherine of Aragon and marry the captivating Anne Boleyn. As powerful enemies clash over the future of the kingdom, one man rises from obscurity to the very centre of power. Brilliant and endlessly resourceful, Thomas Cromwell must navigate a dangerous world of shifting loyalties and life-or-death political battles. 

Hilary Mantel’s

Bring Up the Bodies

Adapted for the stage by Mike Poulton

Canadian Premiere

Director: Jonathan Church

Set Designer: Julie Fox

Costume Designer: Sue LePage

Lighting Designer: Michael Walton

Composer and Sound Designer: Thomas Ryder Payne

Movement Director: Stephanie Graham

June 19 to August 21 | Opens June 27

Anne Boleyn has won her crown, but the struggle is far from over. Thomas Cromwell is at the height of his influence and King Henry VIII has everything he desires – except a male heir. Beneath the splendour of the Tudor court, fear and suspicion drive events toward a dangerous reckoning. As alliances fracture and loyalties are tested, one of history’s most powerful women finds herself in increasing peril. With chilling precision, Bring Up the Bodies traces the shocking distance between the throne and the scaffold, bringing this epic theatrical event to its devastating conclusion. 

Schulich Children’s Plays

Anne of Green Gables

A new adaptation by Kat Sandler

Based on the novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery

A Stratford Festival Commission

Director: Kat Sandler

Set and Costume Designer: Joanna Yu 余頌恩

Lighting Designer: Davida Tkach

Composer: James Smith

Sound Designer: Debashis Sinha

Movement Director: Julie Tomaino

September 2 to September 25 | Opens September 12

Red-headed, outspoken and blessed with an imagination that knows no bounds, Anne Shirley arrives at Green Gables by mistake but brings unexpected joy to the lives of Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. Along the way she discovers a kindred spirit in Diana Barry, a worthy rival in Gilbert Blythe and a place in a community that isn’t always sure what to make of her. Returning after its celebrated 2025 premiere, this Stratford Festival commission by Kat Sandler reimagines a cherished Canadian classic for a new generation, culminating in a subtle and deeply moving step into the present day. 

Present Laughter

By Noël Coward

Director: Richard Ouzounian

Set Designer: Brian Perchaluk

Costume Designer: Dana Osborne

Lighting Designer: Kevin Lamotte

Sound Designer: Olivia Wheeler

October 9 to November 28 | Opens October 16

The charming, self-absorbed Garry Essendine has a problem: everyone wants a piece of him. As the celebrated stage idol prepares to leave on tour, his carefully ordered life is thrown into comic disarray by an endless parade of admirers, friends, ex-lovers and would-be companions, each determined to claim a place in his life. While the sexual tension crackles and Noël Coward’s sparkling bon mots fill the air with laughter, Garry finds himself being stretched increasingly thin. Eric McCormack, who began his career at the Stratford Festival in the 1980s before rising to stardom, plays Coward’s irresistibly charismatic leading man. 

Tom Patterson Theatre

Support for the 2027 season at the Tom Patterson Theatre provided by BMO

Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang

Book by David S. Craig

Music and Lyrics by Anika Johnson and Britta Johnson

Based on the novel by Mordecai Richler

Produced in partnership with Theatre Calgary

A Stratford Festival Commission

World Premiere

Director: Stafford Arima

Choreographer: Jesse Robb

Creative Consultant: Bob Martin

Music Supervisor: Lynne Shankel

Music Director: Jonathan Corkal-Astorga

Set Designer: Bretta Gerecke

Costume Designer: Ralamy Kneeshaw

Lighting Designer: Michael Walton

Sound Designer: Brian Kenny

April 28 to October 30 | Opens June 2

Jacob Two-Two may be the smallest member of his family, but when a misunderstanding lands him in a children’s prison ruled by the fearsome Hooded Fang, he discovers that courage can come from the unlikeliest places. Battling villains, outwitting grown-ups and leading a daring rebellion against the Hooded Fang’s reign of terror, Jacob transforms from an overlooked younger brother into a full-blown hero. This world premiere musical brings Mordecai Richler’s cherished story to life, offering a joyful introduction for a new generation of fans and a nostalgic return to a treasured Canadian favourite. 

The Taming of the Shrew

By William Shakespeare

Director: Krista Jackson

Set Designer: Lorenzo Savoini

Costume Designer: Anne Dixon

Lighting Designer: Leigh Ann Vardy

Sound Designer: Olivia Wheeler

August 11 to October 31 | Opens August 26

In a world where a carefully crafted reputation is everything and public opinion must be cultivated, the fiercely independent Katherina is refusing to play the role that’s been written for her. Then Petruchio arrives on the scene: a swaggering bachelor who decides he’s the one who can tame her nature – and win the dowry that comes along with her. When their personalities clash, their battle of wills turns so exhilarating it ignites a fiery connection. But now that they’ve found each other, how will they play their relationship to an audience? 

The Merchant of Venice

By William Shakespeare

Director: Chris Abraham

Set Designer: Julie Fox

Costume Designer: Ming Wong 黄慧明

Lighting Designer: Imogen Wilson

Composer and Sound Designer: Thomas Ryder Payne

May 8 to October 30 | Opens June 1

When Antonio signs a risky bond with Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to help a friend pursue a wealthy heiress, a seemingly simple transaction sets in motion events that test the limits of justice, mercy and human compassion. At the heart of the story is Shylock, one of Shakespeare’s most contested characters, subjected to anti-Jewish prejudice, capable of cruelty himself, and written with a humanity and complexity that have challenged actors and audiences for centuries. 

Acclaimed stage and screen actor Saul Rubinek takes on the role in a production directed by Chris Abraham, known for his insightful interpretations of classic texts and his ability to illuminate their contemporary resonance. The production is presented alongside two companion works, Playing Shylock and All in the Telling, which extend the conversation around Shylock, Jewish identity, representation and memory.

Studio Theatre

Production support made possible by the Pitblado Family Studio Theatre Endowment Fund

Playing Shylock

By Mark Leiren-Young

Produced in association with Starvox Entertainment

Director: Martin Kinch

Set and Costume Designer: Shawn Kerwin

Lighting Designer: Jason Hand

Sound Designer: Olivia Wheeler

May 21 to September 25 | Opens June 1

When a production of The Merchant of Venice is abruptly cancelled, the actor playing Shylock steps forward to claim the stage, launching into a spontaneous and deeply personal reflection. 

Stage and screen star Saul Rubinek delivers a tour-de-force performance that is by turns funny, thought-provoking and deeply moving, exploring an actor’s evolving relationship with one of Shakespeare’s most debated characters and inviting audiences to see the play in new and surprising ways. This play is a perfect complement to The Merchant of Venice and can be enjoyed alongside All in the Telling. 

All in the Telling

A (somewhat true) play by Saul Rubinek

Developed in collaboration with Starvox Entertainment and Crow’s Theatre

World Premiere

Director: Chris Abraham

Set and Costume Designer: Michael Gianfrancesco

Lighting Designer: Imogen Wilson

Composer and Sound Designer: Thomas Ryder Payne

August 4 to September 26 | Opens August 25

Drawing on Saul Rubinek’s own family history, including his father’s life as an actor and his parents’ experiences as Holocaust survivors, All in the Telling explores what happens when a son begins recording the stories his parents have carried with them for a lifetime. This deeply personal play is a reminder of why we tell the stories of our most difficult histories, even when we have spent years avoiding them, when memory is painful or uncertain and when we question our own right to tell them. This will be the world premiere of this play, developed in collaboration with Starvox Entertainment and Crow’s Theatre and directed by Crow’s Artistic Director, Chris Abraham. It is presented alongside The Merchant of Venice and Playing Shylock. 

Almighty Voice and His Wife

By Daniel David Moses

Director: Yvette Nolan

Set and Costume Designer: Jackie Chau

Lighting Designer: Michelle Ramsay

Sound Designer: Debashis Sinha

Movement Director: James Viveiros

June 11 to September 25 | Opens June 25

White Girl has returned from a residential school carrying memories she cannot escape. Almighty Voice dreams of a future beyond the forces seeking to control his people and his life. Inspired by the story of the famed Cree resistance fighter and his wife, Daniel David Moses’s ground-breaking work is at once a love story, a lament and an act of rebellion. Blending humour with a clear-eyed reckoning of colonialism’s enduring impact, the play journeys from romance and heartbreak into a strange vaudevillian world where identities shift and stereotypes are exposed.