The Stratford Festival- Beginnings (Part One)
The Stratford Shakespeare festival, located in Stratford, Ontario, is North America's largest classical repertory theatre. It grew from humble beginnings in a leaky tent into a revered institution. The drama festival attracts actors, critics and theatre-goers from around the world. On this show, Rewind looks at the early days. You can listen to the program right here!...
The Stratford Shakespeare festival, located in Stratford, Ontario, is North America's largest classical repertory theatre. It grew from humble beginnings in a leaky tent into a revered institution. The drama festival attracts actors, critics and theatre-goers from around the world. On this show, Rewind looks at the early days.
You can listen to the program right here!
The festival was the brainchild of local journalist Tom Patterson who not only wanted to bring a much-needed boost to the Canadian dramatic scene, but also resuscitated the sagging economy of this small railroad town.
Initially, some dismissed Patterson as a dreamer. But with the support of town council and local business people he recruited Tyrone Guthrie, a bold and established English artistic director to coordinate the effort. Guthrie brought acting, staging and production talent with him to work in tandem with the Canadian company. Once he had Guthrie, Patterson went to England to convince Alec Guinness to be the inaugural star actor.
The first piece is from July 31, 1953- opening night at the festival. The reporter is Thom Benson.
Next on to May 1954. The tent was going up for that summer's performances. Tyrone Guthrie, along with Tanya Moiseiwitsch designed a complex apron stage, fitted with seven levels and trap doors all under a massive tent.
The Stratford Company moved into its permanent residence, The Festival Theatre, in 1957. The Avon Theatre hosted music and film festivals starting in 1956 and The Tom Patterson Theatre opened in 1971. The Festival's fourth stage, the Studio Theatre, opened in 2002.
But back to 1954- the second season of the Stratford festival. Following the success of the first year's season, 80 per cent of all the tickets for that year's performances had already been sold eight days before the first play was to open. And CBC presented a backstage look at actress Frances Hyland.
Irene Worth was the first actor to request a bicycle in 1953. The American performer's contract demanded that a car service deliver her to and from the theatre. Festival founder Tom Patterson didn't have the funds available to provide such a service, so he picked her up himself and ferried her to and fro. Not wanting to be a bother, she asked for a bicycle instead. Soon, it became the vehicle of choice for many of the Festival actors.
After that, on to 1957 when Christopher Plummer was Hamlet. The clip is from the program Assignment.
Plummer received critical praise for his performance as Hamlet. Historian Martin Hunter noted that his cast and cane helped to convey the tortured character's frustration.
Plummer has appeared at Stratford many times since then, including in 2010 as Prospero in The Tempest.
In its early years, Stratford also featured a music festival- with some big name musicians taking part. In 1957, one of them was Duke Ellington.
Duke Ellington wrote for the Stratford Festival. His Shakespearean jazz suite was called Such Sweet Thunder. Ellington took the phrase from the line spoken by Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream- I never heard so musical a discord, such sweet thunder.
As mentioned previously, one of the people instrumental in the early days of the Stratford festival was Tyrone Guthrie. In 1952, the year before the festival opened, Guthrie said to the organizing committee: "If you want to make a lot of money, fill the place with tourists and ring merry chimes with the cash register, I think I can tell you one thing not to do -- don't have a Shakespeare Festival." The committee prevailed, and Guthrie is remembered as a brilliant genius who transformed the Canadian theatre scene. In 1977 some Stratford actors, playwrights and supporters gathered to celebrate the life and work of Tyrone Guthrie.
And then in December 1980, the Stratford festival faced a crisis. It all began when four Canadian directors- Martha Henry, Urjo Kareda, Pam Brighton and Peter Moss- were hired and fired in a matter of months because the line-up they had proposed was deemed too expensive. The 'Gang of Four' protested but board president Robert Hicks offered the position to British artistic director John Dexter, who was then refused a work permit by Immigration Canada. At the annual meeting, drama ensued.
John Hirsch, a Canadian ended up as artistic director for the 1981 season. Although he drew together an impressive season, the Festival still lost $1 million dollars.
Richard Monette- heard in the clip shouting, "You pig!" became the Festival's artistic director in 1994 and is credited with making the festival highly profitable. He retired from the Stratford Festival in 2007 and died in September 2008.
With John Hirsch in charge, more talented Canadians were recruited to join the new and improved Stratford company. One of them was a young Colm Feore who was recruited to play a pageboy, but instead made his debut as Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew. Feore navigated his way through season after season to become one of the company's star players.
Colm Feore was Peter Gzowski's guest on Morningside in January 1994.
by 1994, in spite of a loyal audience who returned season after season, the Festival found itself competing against blockbuster shows in Toronto. Artistic director Richard Monette had turned the festival into a profitable enterprise, but he always felt the financial pressure of supporting the town, attracting new actors and balancing the budget. Carol Off reported on Stratford's financial woes.
By 2001 the festival had grown immensely, employing more than 840 people. Over its 29-week season, theatre-goers attended more than 650 performances and brought $169 million to the region.
However, in 2008, the Stratford festival experienced its first deficit in 15 years- to the tune of 2.6 million dollars.
Tune in next week for Part two of the Stratford Festival.
You can listen to the program right here!
The festival was the brainchild of local journalist Tom Patterson who not only wanted to bring a much-needed boost to the Canadian dramatic scene, but also resuscitated the sagging economy of this small railroad town.
Initially, some dismissed Patterson as a dreamer. But with the support of town council and local business people he recruited Tyrone Guthrie, a bold and established English artistic director to coordinate the effort. Guthrie brought acting, staging and production talent with him to work in tandem with the Canadian company. Once he had Guthrie, Patterson went to England to convince Alec Guinness to be the inaugural star actor.
The first piece is from July 31, 1953- opening night at the festival. The reporter is Thom Benson.
Next on to May 1954. The tent was going up for that summer's performances. Tyrone Guthrie, along with Tanya Moiseiwitsch designed a complex apron stage, fitted with seven levels and trap doors all under a massive tent.
The Stratford Company moved into its permanent residence, The Festival Theatre, in 1957. The Avon Theatre hosted music and film festivals starting in 1956 and The Tom Patterson Theatre opened in 1971. The Festival's fourth stage, the Studio Theatre, opened in 2002.
But back to 1954- the second season of the Stratford festival. Following the success of the first year's season, 80 per cent of all the tickets for that year's performances had already been sold eight days before the first play was to open. And CBC presented a backstage look at actress Frances Hyland.
Irene Worth was the first actor to request a bicycle in 1953. The American performer's contract demanded that a car service deliver her to and from the theatre. Festival founder Tom Patterson didn't have the funds available to provide such a service, so he picked her up himself and ferried her to and fro. Not wanting to be a bother, she asked for a bicycle instead. Soon, it became the vehicle of choice for many of the Festival actors.
After that, on to 1957 when Christopher Plummer was Hamlet. The clip is from the program Assignment.
Plummer received critical praise for his performance as Hamlet. Historian Martin Hunter noted that his cast and cane helped to convey the tortured character's frustration.
Plummer has appeared at Stratford many times since then, including in 2010 as Prospero in The Tempest.
In its early years, Stratford also featured a music festival- with some big name musicians taking part. In 1957, one of them was Duke Ellington.
Duke Ellington wrote for the Stratford Festival. His Shakespearean jazz suite was called Such Sweet Thunder. Ellington took the phrase from the line spoken by Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream- I never heard so musical a discord, such sweet thunder.
As mentioned previously, one of the people instrumental in the early days of the Stratford festival was Tyrone Guthrie. In 1952, the year before the festival opened, Guthrie said to the organizing committee: "If you want to make a lot of money, fill the place with tourists and ring merry chimes with the cash register, I think I can tell you one thing not to do -- don't have a Shakespeare Festival." The committee prevailed, and Guthrie is remembered as a brilliant genius who transformed the Canadian theatre scene. In 1977 some Stratford actors, playwrights and supporters gathered to celebrate the life and work of Tyrone Guthrie.
And then in December 1980, the Stratford festival faced a crisis. It all began when four Canadian directors- Martha Henry, Urjo Kareda, Pam Brighton and Peter Moss- were hired and fired in a matter of months because the line-up they had proposed was deemed too expensive. The 'Gang of Four' protested but board president Robert Hicks offered the position to British artistic director John Dexter, who was then refused a work permit by Immigration Canada. At the annual meeting, drama ensued.
John Hirsch, a Canadian ended up as artistic director for the 1981 season. Although he drew together an impressive season, the Festival still lost $1 million dollars.
Richard Monette- heard in the clip shouting, "You pig!" became the Festival's artistic director in 1994 and is credited with making the festival highly profitable. He retired from the Stratford Festival in 2007 and died in September 2008.
With John Hirsch in charge, more talented Canadians were recruited to join the new and improved Stratford company. One of them was a young Colm Feore who was recruited to play a pageboy, but instead made his debut as Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew. Feore navigated his way through season after season to become one of the company's star players.
Colm Feore was Peter Gzowski's guest on Morningside in January 1994.
by 1994, in spite of a loyal audience who returned season after season, the Festival found itself competing against blockbuster shows in Toronto. Artistic director Richard Monette had turned the festival into a profitable enterprise, but he always felt the financial pressure of supporting the town, attracting new actors and balancing the budget. Carol Off reported on Stratford's financial woes.
By 2001 the festival had grown immensely, employing more than 840 people. Over its 29-week season, theatre-goers attended more than 650 performances and brought $169 million to the region.
However, in 2008, the Stratford festival experienced its first deficit in 15 years- to the tune of 2.6 million dollars.
Tune in next week for Part two of the Stratford Festival.