The Stratford Festival has appointed Jonathan Church as its next artistic director, taking over from Antoni Cimolino at the end of the 2026 season.
A dual U.K.-Canada citizen, Church holds more than 50 directing credits across the West End, Broadway, touring, and repertory stages. He previously led Chichester Festival Theatre, where from 2006 to 2016 he nearly doubled audiences, oversaw a £22-million redevelopment, and saw dozens of productions transfer to the West End, New York, and abroad.
His work as a director and producer has earned more than 45 Olivier Award nominations, as well as multiple Tony Award and Evening Standard honours. He notably produced Macbeth starring Patrick Stewart, which transferred from Chichester to the West End and Broadway.
He is currently director of Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, which has produced more than 30 plays and musicals across the U.K. and internationally. His recent projects include Singin’ in the Rain, which toured in China and played at Mirvish in 2022, and 42nd Street, which opened a touring engagement at Mirvish in 2023.
“The Festival is fortunate to have attracted such a celebrated and accomplished artistic leader,” wrote Stratford executive director Anita Gaffney in a press release. “Extraordinary artistic leadership has been a hallmark of the Stratford Festival throughout its history.”
Cimolino, who will step down after serving as Stratford’s artistic director since 2005, called Church “a trusted colleague of more than 20 years.”
Church officially takes over as artistic director on November 1, 2026.
The Stratford Festival is an Intermission partner. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
WRITTEN BY
Krystal Abrigo
Krystal is Intermission’s Publishing and Editorial Coordinator. A Scarborough-based writer of Philippine and Egyptian descent, she graduated cum laude with an Honours BA in Professional Writing from York University, specializing in Book Publishing and Corporate/Organizational Communication. She enjoys reading bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and James Baldwin. At any given moment, you can probably find her at a concert or on a long walk somewhere in Toronto.
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