Stratford Festival Red Carpet

The 59th Stratford Shakespeare Festival is now underway.

Hundreds of people crowded around the entrance of Festival Theatre to catch a glimpse of the actors, directors and Governor General David Johnston as they arrived for opening night.

On the bill for opening night was Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor”, a comedy, Directed by multiple Tony Award winner Frank Galati.

Galati tells 570News his obligation is the be as true to the play as possible.  “We’ve set the play in 1837, which is the beginning of Victoria’s reign, in order to give it a little bit of a spin that takes it out of the Elizabethan, or medieval world, where it’s normally done.” Calling Stratford the theatre capital of North America, Galati says he’s “honoured and privileged to be working in Stratford, and will be sorry to leave.”

One of the most talked about plays featured this year is Shakespeare’s Richard the 3rd. Mostly because Richard is being performed by Stratford veteran, Seana McKenna, who tells 570News she prepared for this role as she would any other “I examine what the character wants and how they get it…and (laughs) Richard is pretty passionate about his objectives.  Ruthless. Nasty.  Insensitive would be an understatement.”

Performing as Jesus and Mary Magdalene, Paul Nolan and Chilina Kennedy have some pretty big shoes, or sandals to fill.  Nolan says “It is a big sandal as you say because these people mean a lot to many, many people in the world.”

Kennedy says the costumes and choreography have a modern influence “Cause it’s very hip-hop and that mixed with the 70’s rock it kind of appeals to everybody of all generations.  And so I think my parents will love it and I know that, you know, the younger people from high school groups coming will, I think they’ll really connect to it.”

The festival features twelve plays in total and closes October 29th and 30th.

570’s Mike McCulloch was on the red carpet, and you see what he saw below.

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