Stratford Festival Continues to Offer Expanded Programming
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
September at the Meighen Forum
This September, the Meighen Forum explores history, folklore and language through a dynamic lineup of signature series and special events. The Spotlight Series with Graham Abbey returns with The Legacy Makers, a panel discussion with veteran actors from Stratford and beyond. Do You Believe in Fairies?, part of September’s Peer into the Playbill series, examines the enduring allure of fairy mythology and its place on the Festival’s stages. Scholars and Experts Week brings How Language is Made to the Forum, inviting audiences to explore the diverse linguistic traditions that play a crucial role in bringing this season’s productions to life.
Festival director and company member Graham Abbey returns to the Forum with the latest installments of his Spotlight Series, beginning the month with The Legacy Makers. This conversation brings together celebrated Stratford Festival veterans Rod Beattie, Diana Leblanc and Walter Borden to reflect on the lessons of their remarkable careers and the passions that continue to inspire them. September’s Spotlight Series also features The Matriarchs, a conversation with Seana McKenna and Lucy Peacock about their experiences portraying the full spectrum of Shakespeare’s female characters onstage.
Do You Believe in Fairies? dives into the folklore of fairies in all their forms – from goblins to elves to spirits and beyond. University of Toronto associate professor Chester Scoville, novelist Kate Heartfield and actor Laura Condlln discuss the origins, history and stories of these magical creatures and their significance to this year’s playbill.
Scholars and Experts Week returns to the Forum with How Language is Made, an exploration of the linguistic traditions woven throughout this season’s productions, from Tolkien’s inventive language-building to Singaporean English and the distinctive voices of Shakespeare and Wilde. Ohio State University professor Hannibal Hamlin, University of Toronto professor Sali Tagliamonte and linguist Gretchen McCulloch guide audiences through a fascinating examination of how language is adapted and created.
Also on the program is Shakespeare in Conversation: James Shapiro and Antoni Cimolino, a discussion of Shakespeare’s enduring relevance and cultural influence today. The week concludes with Restoration for Whom? Questioning Class in Comedy, featuring The Tao of the World playwright and director Jovanni Sy 施崇梵, St. Mary's University assistant professor Matthew Risling, researcher and charity director Amani Hitimana, and actor Agnes Tong 唐若馨. Together, they examine the history of English Restoration comedy and consider how its themes are reflected and subverted in The Tao of the World.
September at the Meighen Forum also includes fan favorites Peer into the Playbill, David Goldbloom and Friends and An Italian Family Meal as part of the Dinner Series.
Celebrated Speakers
Spotlight Series with Graham Abbey: This series of conversations, hosted by Graham Abbey and featuring some of Canada’s most celebrated actors, is dedicated to Nicholas Pennell, an iconic Festival performer. This series is supported in part by the Nicholas Pennell fund.
The Spotlight: The Legacy Makers
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Thursday, September 3
10:30 a.m. to noon
Join celebrated actors, Rod Beattie, Walter Borden and Diana Leblanc with host Graham Abbey for an unforgettable conversation. From their first steps on the stage to the mastery and insight gained over remarkable careers, they reflect on their inspirations, the lessons learned along the way and the enduring magic that continues to move them and their audiences.
The Spotlight: The Matriarchs
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Thursday, September 17
10:30 a.m. to noon
Join Seana McKenna and Lucy Peacock for an extraordinary conversation on portraying Shakespeare’s women in all their complexity. These acclaimed performers have breathed life into the full spectrum of Shakespeare’s female characters, from handmaidens to queens and beyond. In this conversation with Graham Abbey, they will share the stories, challenges and triumphs that have shaped their journeys on and off the stage.
David Goldbloom and Friends: Join acclaimed psychiatrist, author and Officer of the Order of Canada Dr. David Goldbloom for another round of his popular interview series. David sits down with three extraordinary people to discuss their fascinating careers and personal journeys. With warmth, curiosity and wit, these conversations promise inspiring stories, candid reflections, almost guaranteed laughs and a rare glimpse into the lives of some of our country’s most remarkable individuals. As in previous years, there is a longstanding personal connection between David and his guests that makes the encounter different than a standard interview – for better or worse!
David Goldbloom and Steve Paikin
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Saturday, September 19
10:30 a.m. to noon
Start your morning with a thought-provoking and entertaining conversation as David sits down with acclaimed journalist, biographer and documentary producer Steve Paikin – and turns the tables on a man used to doing all the questioning. As the trusted host of TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin, his insightful interviews have earned him a reputation as one of Canada's most respected voices in journalism. An Officer of both the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario – and a rabid sports fan who also enjoys a good cup of tea – he brings stories, reflections and humour to what promises to be a lively and inspiring conversation.
Peer into the Playbill
Who Was King James?
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Thursday, September 10
10:30 a.m. to noon
When King James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne in 1603, things changed for Shakespeare and the country. After decades of religious turmoil, he commissioned a new Bible, and scholars believe some of Shakespeare’s later plays were written to suit the new monarch’s tastes. Join playwright Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, dramaturge Martine Kei Green-Rogers, professor Brent Miles and actor Deborah Hay for a discussion of this transformative king and his lasting legacy on literature and the world.
Do You Believe in Fairies?
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Thursday, September 24
10:30 a.m. to noon
From knavish fairies to goblins, elves and spirits, this season’s plays are full of magical, tricksy creatures. What are the origins of fairies in folklore? How do they connect with traditions around the world, and how have fairy stories changed over time? Join University of Toronto associate professor Chester Scoville, novelist Kate Heartfield and actor Laura Condlln in a discussion of the mysterious and mischievous creatures that continue to charm our stages.
Scholars and Experts WeekScholars and Experts WeekScholars and Experts WeekScholars and Experts WeekScholars and Experts WeekScholars and Experts WeekScholars and Experts Week
Scholars and Experts Week
This week brings experts from fields beyond theatre to explore themes present in this year's season.
Shakespeare in Conversation: James Shapiro and Antoni Cimolino
Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, September 25
10:30 a.m. to noon
Why does Shakespeare still speak to us today? Join two leading voices on Shakespeare – acclaimed scholar James Shapiro and Stratford Festival Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino – for a dynamic conversation on the enduring power and relevance of Shakespeare’s works, the depth of his characters and why his plays continue to resonate across generations.
Support for Shakespeare in Conversation: James Shapiro and Antoni Cimolino is generously provided by Dick & Mona Alonzo.
Restoration for Whom? Questioning Class in Comedy
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Saturday, September 26
10:30 a.m. to noon
Restoration comedy, like William Congreve’s The Way of the World, emerged after years of political and cultural shutdown. Sound familiar? Join playwright and director Jovanni Sy 施崇梵, St. Mary's University assistant professor Matthew Risling, researcher and charity director Amani Hitimana and actor Agnes Tong 唐若馨 as they unpack the transformations of the English Restoration. The panel will explore how this season’s The Tao of the World questions class and access, highlighting the ongoing relevance of Restoration comedy in our post-pandemic “restoration.”
How Language is Made
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Saturday, September 27
10:30 a.m. to noon
The 2026 season abounds with linguistic innovation, with Shakespeare and Wilde coining words and witticisms, Tolkien creating fantasy worlds with constructed languages, Singaporean English featured in The Tao of the World, and translation politics explored in The King James Bible Play. Join Ohio State University professor Hannibal Hamlin, University of Toronto professor Sali Tagliamonte and linguist Gretchen McCulloch on an archeological dig in the Tower of Babel to discuss how language is created.
Forum Play Reading
Old Miranda: A Play Reading
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Friday, September 18
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Meighen Forum hosts a reading of a new one-act play by Christine Horne, a member of the leadership team of Shakespeare in the Ruff.
Far from Prospero’s island, Old Miranda, starring Chick Reid and Tom McCamus, is the exquisite tale of elderly Miranda, now living with her beloved husband Ferdinand. Caring for her daughters and granddaughters, she drifts in and out of the rich tapestry of her past, recalling the wonders of that remote island and the possibilities that once shaped her world.
A Q&A will follow this reading.
Dinner Series
Cena in Famiglia: An Italian Family Meal
Lazaridis Hall, Tom Patterson Theatre
Saturday, September 19
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Following the Priore family’s lunch at their Naples apartment in Eduardo De Filippo’s classic Saturday, Sunday, Monday, join us for a dinner celebrating the culinary traditions of Italy. Each course is carefully curated and prepared by chefs from Toronto's La Bruschetta, featuring authentic Italian recipes that bring warmth and passion straight to your plate. One beverage included, cash bar available.
Tickets available until September 2nd, 2026.
An opportunity to specify dietary restrictions will be sent to the email on file soon after purchase.
Looking forward to October
October brings Educated Imagination Week to the Meighen Forum, highlighted by Educating the Imagination in a Changing World, which revisits Northrop Frye’s paradigmatic 1962 Massey Lecture, drawing past and present into conversation. The spooky season culminates with 11 performances of The Veil, a haunting production from the minds of Keith Barker and Thomas Morgan Jones, in which a lawyer’s past misdeeds return to torment him as the boundaries between reality and nightmare begin to blur.
