jake runeckles as bastian in the neverending story ... · photography by emily cooper. qasim khan...

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WHAT’S ON 1 DR. KWAME McKENZIE TALKS TO STRATFORD FESTIVAL PRODUCING COORDINATOR SHIRA GINSLER ABOUT THE FORUM PANEL “THE BOUNDARIES OF BULLYING” A ten-year-old girl goes away to sleepover camp for the first time. Her new-kid status, along with her glasses, skinny legs and preference for books over sports, marks her as a target for the more precocious and experienced campers in the cabin. They follow her with squirt guns when the counsellors are out of sight, then scatter when an adult comes around the corner. The next day, left to their own devices again, they ambush her on the path, tie her to a chair and threaten to restyle her pigtails, only backing off when she starts to cry. She tells a counsellor, the kids get in trouble, and the summer ends without further incident. That girl grows up to be a well- adjusted adult with a long and rewarding career in administration at the Stratford Festival. This story of summer-camp torment is hardly unique. In fact, Dr. Kwame McKenzie, Director of Health Equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, points to a CAMH study that found nearly one in three kids in Ontario is bullied at school. That bullying takes many forms – squirt guns and hair elastics are only the beginning. In 2019, kids can threaten, pressure and embarrass those who have less power than themselves by the magic of the Internet, without lifting more than a finger. The effects of bullying can be severe, with increased chances of anxiety disorders and depression leading to a significantly increased chance of youth suicide. If a bullied child doesn’t receive help in time, the effects can follow them through their life. Persistent mental-health problems such as loneliness and withdrawal, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression increase an adult’s tendency to misuse substances, and self-medicating with alcohol or even food can result in a host of medical complaints. The mental-health problems suffered by victims are often shared by the bullies. “A lot of people think bullies are just nasty people,” Dr. McKenzie says. “More often than not, bullies are people who do nasty things, but they have problems themselves. Perhaps they themselves have been bullied. They could have difficulties relating to other people, or even understanding themselves and their own emotions. There’s no simple answer to the cause.” As our camper did as soon as she had a counsellor’s ear, the best course of action is to tell someone: a parent, a teacher, a lunchroom supervisor, even a sibling or Canada’s Kids Help Phone. “Like everything in life,” Dr. McKenzie says, “a problem shared is a problem halved.” Walking away (or hiding in your school’s attic, as Bastian does in The Neverending Story) can be an effective strategy in the moment, but a permanent retreat should not be the only available solution. “Why would you give up your friends and social interactions because of a bully? The important thing these days is that bullying is against the law.” AUGUST 2019 Bullying: Not a Never-Ending Story Though bullying is common, it’s wrong to draw the conclusion that it’s a normal and necessary part of growing up. It’s entirely possible to create summer camps, schools and even societies where there is less bullying, Dr. McKenzie says, pointing to eastern countries with a more collectivist approach to life and a lower rate of bullying behaviour. “Kids are going to try things,” he says, and when they do, it’s important for authorities to detect and deal with the situation quickly and effectively, and over time to create an environment with less tolerance of bad behaviour. Just as common as our colleague’s story of facing bullies in the cabin JAKE RUNECKLES AS BASTIAN IN THE NEVERENDING STORY . PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY COOPER. QASIM KHAN AS ATREYU IN THE NEVERENDING STORY . PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY COOPER. is the happy coda of her confident return to camp the following summer, and her ultimate development into a healthy adult. “For most bullied kids who get effective help, everything’s fine,” Dr. McKenzie says. THE BOUNDARIES OF BULLYING PANEL DISCUSSION Wednesday, August 7, 10:45 a.m. Chalmers Lounge, Avon Theatre with Dr. Kwame McKenzie, Dr. Debra Pepler, Qasim Khan Tickets from $20 For more details, see page 3.

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WHAT’S ON 1

D R . K W A M E M c K E N Z I E TA L K S T O S T R AT F O R D F E S T I V A L P R O D U C I N G C O O R D I N AT O R S H I R A G I N S L E R A B O U T T H E F O R U M PA N E L “ T H E B O U N D A R I E S O F B U L LY I N G ”

A ten-year-old girl goes away to sleepover camp for the first time. Her new-kid status, along with her glasses, skinny legs and preference for books over sports, marks her as a target for the more precocious and experienced campers in the cabin. They follow her with squirt guns when the counsellors are out of sight, then scatter when an adult comes around the corner. The next day, left to their own devices again, they ambush her on the path, tie her to a chair and threaten to restyle her pigtails, only backing off when she starts to cry. She tells a counsellor, the kids get in trouble, and the summer ends without further incident.

That girl grows up to be a well-adjusted adult with a long and rewarding career in administration at the Stratford Festival.

This story of summer-camp torment is hardly unique. In fact, Dr. Kwame McKenzie, Director of Health Equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, points to a CAMH study that found nearly one in three kids in Ontario is bullied at school. That bullying takes many forms – squirt guns and hair elastics are only the beginning. In 2019, kids can threaten, pressure and embarrass those who have less power than themselves by the magic of the Internet, without lifting more than a finger.

The effects of bullying can be severe, with increased chances of anxiety disorders and depression leading to a significantly increased chance of youth suicide. If a bullied child doesn’t receive help in time, the effects can follow them through their life. Persistent mental-health problems such as loneliness and withdrawal, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression increase an adult’s tendency to misuse substances, and self-medicating with alcohol or even food can result in a host of medical complaints.

The mental-health problems suffered by victims are often shared by the bullies. “A lot of people think bullies are just nasty people,” Dr. McKenzie says. “More often than not, bullies are people who do nasty things, but they have problems themselves. Perhaps they themselves have been bullied. They could have difficulties relating to other people, or even understanding themselves and their own emotions. There’s no simple answer to the cause.”

As our camper did as soon as she had a counsellor’s ear, the best course of action is to tell someone: a parent, a teacher, a lunchroom supervisor, even a sibling or Canada’s Kids Help Phone. “Like everything in life,” Dr. McKenzie says, “a problem shared is a problem halved.” Walking away (or hiding in your school’s attic, as Bastian does in The Neverending Story) can be an effective strategy in the moment, but a permanent retreat should not be the only available solution. “Why would you give up your friends and social interactions because of a bully? The important thing these days is that bullying is against the law.”

AUGUST 2019

Bullying: Not a Never-Ending StoryThough bullying is common, it’s wrong to draw the conclusion that it’s a normal and necessary part of growing up. It’s entirely possible to create summer camps, schools and even societies where there is less bullying, Dr. McKenzie says, pointing to eastern countries with a more collectivist approach to life and a lower rate of bullying behaviour. “Kids are going to try things,” he says, and when they do, it’s important for authorities to detect and deal with the situation quickly and effectively, and over time to create an environment with less tolerance of bad behaviour.

Just as common as our colleague’s story of facing bullies in the cabin

JAKE RUNECKLES AS BASTIAN IN THE NEVERENDING STORY. PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY COOPER.

QASIM KHAN AS ATREYU IN THE NEVERENDING STORY. PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY COOPER.

is the happy coda of her confident return to camp the following summer, and her ultimate development into a healthy adult. “For most bullied kids who get effective help, everything’s fine,” Dr. McKenzie says.

T H E B O U N D A R I E S O F B U L LY I N GPA N E L D I S C U S S I O N

Wednesday, August 7, 10:45 a.m.Chalmers Lounge, Avon Theatrewith Dr. Kwame McKenzie, Dr. Debra Pepler, Qasim KhanTickets from $20

For more details, see page 3.

Free Forum EventsM E E T T H E F E S T I V A LWednesdays at 9:30 a.m., to October 9 | Studio Theatre

Fun and informal Q&A sessions with Festival artists and staff. Free

August 7 – Wardrobe staff Elizabeth Copeman and Mary-Lou Mason, with treasures from this season’s costume collection

August 14 – Lucy Peacock and Geraint Wyn DaviesAugust 21 – Maev Beaty and Ben CarlsonAugust 28 – Rod Beattie and Jonathan GoadSponsored by OLG

S TA R TA L KSaturday, August 10 | immediately following the matinée | Festival Theatre Lobby

Former Toronto Star theatre critic Richard Ouzounian in conversation with members of the company of Othello. Free

LO B BY TA L K SInsights into our Shakespeare titles from Literary and Editorial Director David Prosser or special guests. Free

The Merry Wives of Windsor | Festival Theatre LobbyThursday, August 1 | 11 a.m.Thursday, August 29 | 5 p.m.Henry VIII | Chalmers LoungeThursday, August 8 | 5 p.m.Thursday, August 15 | 5 p.m.Thursday, August 22 | 11 a.m.

S P O T L I G H T T O M PAT T E R S O N T H E AT R E S E R I E SThe Changing Face of Arts EngagementFriday, August 16 | 11 a.m.–noon | Festival Theatre LobbyDiane Ragsdale, assistant professor at the New School in New York and teacher in the Banff Centre’s Cultural Leadership Program, discusses the creative economy, the changing cultural context and what it means for organizations of art and culture. FreeThe Spotlight Tom Patterson Theatre Series is presented by investStratford.

S P E C I A L LO B BY TA L K SUnique and informative thinkers join us for a series of short lectures about the big ideas of the playbill. Free

The Very Breath of ChildrenFriday, August 30 | 11 a.m.–noon | Festival Theatre LobbyHuman rights consultant Len Rudner discusses the hopeful message of Nathan the Wise and the idea that in our “natural state” the lines that separate us do not exist.

2 WHAT’S ON

AUGUST 2019

N I G H T M U S I C7:30–9:30 p.m. | Festival Theatre Lobby | From $27

Why We Tell the Story: A Celebration of Black Musical TheatreMonday, August 12 Sold Out

Canadian Classics with Dayna ManningMonday, August 19Canadian singer-songwriter Dayna Manning presents the never-ending story of song through original works and Canadian classics.

Silent Films by Chaplin, Lloyd and JohnsonMonday, August 26An evening of silent film with live music scored by bassist Michael McClennan and performed by Festival musicians. Films include Charlie Chaplin’s feature The Kid, Harold Lloyd’s Bumping into Broadway and a new short animation by Stratford company member Galen Johnson.Support for Forum Music is generously provided by Sandra Rotman in honour of Louis Applebaum through The Louis Applebaum Visiting Artists Program.

S P E C I A L C O N C E R TCushion Concert: A Celebration of Songs From Favourite Family FilmsSaturday, August 24 | 4:30–5:30 p.m. | Chalmers Lounge, Avon TheatreWhen you and your family don’t want the spell of the matinée you’ve just seen to vanish quite so quickly, “be our guest” and enjoy 45 minutes of beloved songs performed by a quartet of charming musical artists, familiar to Stratford audiences. Let the younger ones lounge on comfy cushions and enter “a whole new world” while music takes them from the Avon Theatre to “under the sea” and teaches everyone to “hakuna matata.” By the end, the child in all of us will be ready to “let it go” and bring a lovely Stratford afternoon to a close! Featuring Heather McGuigan, Sayer Roberts and Antonette Rudder. Directed by Richard Ouzounian. From $12Presented by Cowan Insurance Group

Forum PerformancesExceptional showcases featuring Festival artists and musicians, as well as special guests.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY1 2 3

11:00 Lobby Talk: The Merry Wives of Windsor (Free) 2:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )2:00 Little Shop ( 2 )2:00 Mother’s ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Front Page ( 2 )8:00 Crucible ( 2 )

11:30 Table Talk: Birds of a Kind2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )2:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )8:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )8:00 Nathan ( 2 )10:15 Botany Bar

2:00 Othello ( 2 )2:00 Private Lives ( 2 )2:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )8:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )8:00 Neverending ( 2 )8:00 Mother’s ( 2 )

4 5 Civic Holiday 6 7 8 9 10

2:00 Front Page ( 2 )2:00 Crucible ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )

2:00 Front Page ( 2 )2:00 Neverending ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )8:00 Crucible ( 2 )8:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )

9:30 Meet the Festival with Wardrobe Staff (Free)10:45 The Boundaries of Bullying2:00 Billy Elliot 2:00 Nathan ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )8:00 Mother’s ( 2 )

10:30 Song & Dance: Little Shop of Horrors10:30 Behind the Scenes: Avon Theatre Backstage Tour2:00 Front Page ( 2 )2:00 Little Shop ( 2 )2:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )5:00 Lobby Talk: Henry VIII (Free)2-FOR-18:00 Othello ( 2 )8:00 Private Lives ( 2 )8:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )

11:00 PWC Member Chat11:30 Table Talk: Mother’s Daughter11:30 Ballet 1012:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )2:00 Neverending ( 2 )2:00 Mother’s ( 2 )5:30 Elizabethan Feast8:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )8:00 Crucible ( 2 )

10:30 Ideas at Stratford: Freud & After2:00 Othello ( 2 ) Star Talk2:00 Little Shop ( 2 ) TT2:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )8:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )8:00 Private Lives ( 2 )8:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

2:00 Front Page ( 2 )2:00 Crucible ( 2 )2:00 Nathan ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )

7:30 Night Music: Why We Tell the Story

2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )2:00 Private Lives ( 2 )2:00 Mother’s ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Front Page ( 2 )8:00 Crucible ( 2 )8:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )

9:30 Meet the Festival with Lucy Peacock and Geraint Wyn Davies (Free)10:30 Prospero Society/ PWC Member Event10:45 Adaptation & Inspiration1:15 Member Insights2:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )2:00 Neverending ( 2 )8:00 Othello ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )8:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )

2:00 Crucible ( 2 )2:00 Nathan ( 2 )5:00 Lobby Talk: Henry VIII (Free)8:00 Front Page ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Little Shop ( 2 )8:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )

11:00 Spotlight Tom Patterson Theatre: The Changing Face of Arts Engagement (Free)11:00 PWC Member Chat11:30 Table Talk: The Merry Wives of Windsor2:00 Merry Wives ( 2 ) TT2:00 Nathan ( 2 )5:00 US/PWC Members Opening Night Dinner8:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )8:00 Crucible ( 2 )8:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )

10:30 Ideas at Stratford: Einstein & After10:30 Song & Dance: Billy Elliot the Musical2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )2:00 Private Lives ( 2 )2:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )8:00 Othello ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )8:00 Mother’s ( 2 )10:15 Botany Bar

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

11:30 Hero’s Quest Lunch2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )2:00 Neverending ( 2 )2:00 Mother’s ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )

7:30 Night Music: Canadian Classics with Dayna Manning

Teaching Shakespeare10:30 Rarely Played : Thomas Lord Cromwell2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )2:00 Private Lives ( 2 )2:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Front Page ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )

Teaching Shakespeare9:30 Meet the Festival with Maev Beaty & Ben Carlson (Free)10:45 Boys Behaving Badly2:00 Othello ( 2 )2:00 Little Shop ( 2 )2:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )8:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )8:00 Crucible ( 2 )8:00 Nathan ( 2 )

Teaching Musical Theatre11:00 Lobby Talk: Henry VIII (Free)2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )2:00 Private Lives ( 2 )2:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Othello ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )8:00 Mother’s ( 2 )

Teaching Musical Theatre10:30 Behind the Scenes: Avon Theatre Backstage Tour11:00 PWC Member Chat11:30 Table Talk: The Front Page11:30 The Neverending Story Workshop2:00 Front Page ( 2 )2:00 Neverending ( 2 )2:00 Mother’s ( 2 )8:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )8:00 Private Lives ( 2 )8:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )

10:30 Ideas at Stratford: Trump & After2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )2:00 Neverending ( 2 )2:00 Mother’s ( 2 ) 4:30 Special Concert 8:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )8:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )10:15 Botany Bar

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

10:30 Three Faiths, Two Nations, One Land2:00 Front Page ( 2 )2:00 Crucible ( 2 )2:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )5:30 Tafathalo: Near-Eastern Dinner & Talk2-FOR-18:00 Nathan ( 2 )

7:30 Night Music: Silent Films by Chaplin, Lloyd & Johnson

2:00 Othello ( 2 ) S2:00 Little Shop ( 2 ) S2:00 Nathan ( 2 )2-FOR-18:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 )8:00 Private Lives ( 2 )8:00 Henry VIII ( 2 )

9:30 Meet the Festival with Rod Beattie & Jonathan Goad (Free)10:45 Tudormania 1:15 Member Insights2:00 Front Page ( 2 ) S2:00 Little Shop ( 2 ) S2:00 Mother’s ( 2 )8:00 Crucible ( 2 )8:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )

2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 ) S2:00 Neverending ( 2 ) S2:00 Mother’s ( 2 )5:00 Lobby Talk: The Merry Wives of Windsor (Free)2-FOR-18:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )

11:00 The Very Breath of Children (Free)11:30 Table Talk: The Crucible 2:00 Billy Elliot ( 2 ) S 2:00 Crucible ( 2 ) S2:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )8:00 Front Page ( 2 )8:00 Nathan ( 2 )

2:00 Merry Wives ( 2 )2:00 Neverending ( 2 )2:00 Mother’s ( 2 )8:00 Othello ( 2 )8:00 Little Shop ( 2 )8:00 Birds of a Kind ( 2 )10:15 Botany Bar

OPENINGBirds of a Kind

OPENINGThe Front Page

OPENINGThe Crucible

Legend1 2 3 Price Types

S Seniors & Students Midweek Matinée Special

Audio Described Performance

American Sign Language Performance

Relaxed Performance

TT Touch Tour

Open Captioned Performance

For more information visit stratfordfestival.ca/accessibility.

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E LO P M E N T W O R K S H O P S F O R T E A C H E R STeaching Shakespeare Program – August 20 & 21

Teaching Musical Theatre Program – August 22 & 23

Teachers and students bringing theatre to life

stratfordfestival.ca/teachingtheatre | [email protected]

P E E R I N T O T H E P L AY B I L LWednesdays | 10:45 a.m.–noon | Chalmers Lounge, Avon Theatre | From $20

The Boundaries of BullyingWednesday, August 7In both Billy Elliot the Musical and The Neverending Story, children vanquish bullies through creativity. What does bullying look like in today’s social media-dominated world, and how are young people coping with these contemporary demons? Dr. Kwame McKenzie of the University of Toronto, Dr. Debra J. Pepler of York University and actor Qasim Khan (Atreyu in The Neverending Story) discuss the boundaries of bullying.

Adaptation and InspirationWednesday, August 14When historian Natalie Zemon Davis won the Holberg Prize for Trickster Travels, her groundbreaking work on “decentering history,” she didn’t imagine it would inspire a play. Join Dr. Zemon Davis, translator Linda Gaboriau and Antoni Cimolino, Artistic Director of the Festival and director of the play, in a discussion of the evolution of Birds of a Kind, conceived when playwright Wajdi Mouawad was asked to adapt the book for the stage.

Boys Behaving BadlyWednesday, August 21In the wake of the #MeToo movement, women’s voices are stronger than ever. Yet characters like John Proctor in The Crucible, Henry VIII and Falstaff remind us how patriarchal societies contribute to a male sense of privilege and entitlement. Journalist and author Shereen El Feki, company member Irene Poole and Jacqueline Wernimont, Distinguished Chair of Digital Humanities and Social Engagement and associate professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, Dartmouth College, examine some of the sources and costs of this behaviour.

TudormaniaWednesday, August 28 | Studio TheatreAs Kate Hennig, playwright of Mother’s Daughter, can attest, people love the Tudors. An expert panel examines the era through a historical lens and discusses how it has translated into the pop culture of today, from The Tudors to Reign to Hennig’s own wildly successful Queenmaker Trilogy. Ms Hennig is joined on the panel by historian Margaret McGlynn of Western University and scholar Thomas H. Luxon of Dartmouth College, New Hampshire.

WHAT’S ON 3

Special Performances | Speakers & Panels | Meal Events | Interactive Workshops

Forum MealsUnique dining experiences that illuminate the playbill.

Forum WorkshopsParticipatory activities that take you out of your seat and into our work.

Forum Speakers & PanelsArtists and expert guests explore the playbill and season theme.

L I T T L E S H O P O F H O R R O R SB O TA N Y B A RFriday, August 2, and Saturdays, August 17, 24 and 31 | Post-performance | Chalmers Lounge, Avon Theatre

What’s your rush? Stay planted and enjoy the post-show vibe after Friday and Saturday evening performances. Summon your inner Seymour, and toast Audrey with themed cocktails and late-night bites. You never know who may happen by! Free admission, cash bar.

TA B L E TA L K11:30 a.m.–1:15 p.m. | Paul D. Fleck Marquee, Festival TheatreThis popular series begins with an engaging dialogue between an artist and academic on one of the season’s productions, followed by a delicious buff et meal. Cash bar. From $42

Reserve at least 48 hours in advance.

Birds of a KindFriday, August 2With Sara Horowitz and company member Sarah Orenstein

Mother’s DaughterFriday, August 9With Morgan Ring and company member Shannon Taylor

The Merry Wives of WindsorFriday, August 16With Jane Freeman and company member Sarah Dodd

The Front PageFriday, August 23With Karen Fricker and company member Maev Beaty

The CrucibleFriday, August 30With Ann Wilson and company member Rod Beattie

E L I Z A B E T H A N F E A S T: R E B O O TFriday, August 9 | 5:30–7:30 p.m. | Paul D. Fleck Marquee, Festival TheatreSixteenth-century nobles enjoyed scrumptious banquets and exquisite delicacies – delights that our culinary team use as the jumping-off point for their own interpretation of a four-course Elizabethan meal. This reimagined repast from the past is accompanied by insights on food in Elizabethan culture and in Shakespeare’s plays, served up by Jeff rey Pilcher of the University of Toronto and Literary and Editorial Director David Prosser. Reserve at least 48 hours in advance. From $53

H E R O ’ S Q U E S T LU N C HSunday, August 18 | 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. | Paul D. Fleck Marquee, Festival TheatreBring the whole family for a fantastical lunch and activities to transport you into the world of The Neverending Story. Company members help you bring a puppet horse to life, our craft station has all the makings of your own protective medallion, and your personal pizza is cooked to order. Reserve at least 48 hours in advance. Kids $35, adults $39

TA FAT H A LO : N E A R - E A S T E R N D I N N E R & TA L KSunday, August 25 | 5:30–7:30 p.m. | Paul D. Fleck Marquee, Festival Theatre

Dr. Filiz Çakır Phillip, Curator of the celebrated Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, leads guests on a visual journey through the history, art and customs of the medieval Near-Eastern world. Enjoy an authentic and delectable Levantine meal prepared in partnership with the acclaimed chefs from Diwan, Mark McEwan’s award-winning restaurant at the Aga Khan Museum. From $53

B A L L E T 1 0 1Friday, August 9 | 11:30 a.m.–noon | Festival Theatre

It’s never too late to start! Stand up straight, point your toes and learn some of the basic building blocks of ballet. This short workshop is for all ages and requires active participation. Led by company member Henry Firmston and Education staff . From $12

Presented by Cowan Insurance Group

S O N G A N D D A N C E10:30 a.m.–noon | Festival Theatre

Learn and perform step-by-step choreography and music from Billy Elliot the Musical or Little Shop of Horrors. Culminates in a Q&A with the artists. These workshops are for all ages and require active participation. From $29

Little Shop of Horrors, with Starr Domingue and Jason SermoniaThursday, August 8

Billy Elliot the Musical, with Devon Michael Brown and Bonnie JordanSaturday, August 17

B E H I N D T H E S C E N E S : A V O N T H E AT R E B A C K S TA G E T O U RThursday, August 8, and Friday, August 23 | 10:30 a.m.–noon | Avon Theatre. The tour begins in the Avon Theatre lobby

Artists and backstage staff team up to off er a tour and behind-the-scenes insights into the triumphs and tribulations of the shows running in repertory at the Avon Theatre. From $29

R A R E LY P L AY E D : T H O M A S LO R D C R O M W E L LTuesday, August 20 | 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Festival TheatreSold Out

T H E N E V E R E N D I N G S T O RY W O R K S H O PFriday, August 23 | 11:30 a.m.–noon | Festival Theatre

Take part in a series of drama exercises to explore the adventure and magic of The Neverending Story. These short workshops are for all ages and require active participation. Led by company member Jake Runeckles and Education staff . From $12

I D E A S AT S T R AT F O R D :T H E D I S R U P T E R SSaturdays in July and August | 10:30 a.m.–noon | Studio Theatre | From $25

Freud & AfterSaturday, August 10Freud started a revolution with the idea that we have an internal emotional life and unconscious drives that shape us and our actions in profound ways. Much of Freud’s clinical practice is sidestepped today, but his basic principles survive

– what’s the current state of self-knowledge, and what good has all this done us? On the panel: acclaimed Freud critic Todd Dufresne; David Goldbloom, Senior Medical Advisor, and Zindel Segal, Senior Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Einstein & AfterSaturday, August 17The idea that everything in the universe is actually “relative” – connected, but also disconnected from any fi xed point

– has been making our heads spin for a hundred years. So where are we in all this – a world of mysterious quantum laws that no one really understands? Who are we now? On the panel: Doreen Fraser, researcher in the philosophy of science at the University of Waterloo; Arthur B. McDonald, Nobel Prize winner in physics, 2015; and theoretical physicist Lee Smolin of the Perimeter Institute.

Trump & AfterSaturday, August 24In the olden days there were rules in geopolitics: the idea being that everyone was better off if everyone had a slice of the pie. Has the era of Donald Trump thrown all that out the window? What’s the new world diplomatic order? On the panel: David Frum, author of Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic; Linda McQuaig, author of Holding the Bully’s Coat: Canada and the U.S. Empire; and Bob Rae, 21st Premier of Ontario.

C E L E B R AT E D S P E A K E R S10:30 a.m.–noon | Studio Theatre | From $25

Three Faiths, Two Nations, One LandSunday, August 25Jews, Christians and Muslims all regard the same territory as their Holy Land. Guests on this interfaith panel provide personal context for the confl ict and discuss how their respective communities in North America might model respectful resolution. On the panel: Rabbi Debra Dressler, Temple Israel, London; Imam Dr. Hamid Slimi, Sayeda Khadija Centre, Mississauga; and Dr. Murray Watson, adjunct professor of religious studies, Huron University College. Moderated by Laura Morlock, PhD in religious diversity in North America.

FUNDED IN PART BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO

T H E M I D D L E E A S T C O M E ST O S T R AT F O R D Sunday, August 25 Enjoy a concentrated burst of Middle East-themed plays and Forum events. The day starts with the panel discussion “Three Faiths, Two Nations, One Land” (see article on page 4). Follow the talk with the matinée performance of Birds of a Kind at 2 p.m. At 5:30 the Forum off ers a Near-Eastern Dinner, with a menu developed in consultation with chef Mark McEwan’s restaurant Diwan and a talk by Aga Khan Museum curator Filiz Cakir Phillip. After dinner, return to the theatre for an 8 p.m. performance of Nathan the Wise.

Event details can be found on this page.

KWAME McKENZIE

4 WHAT’S ON

Turning “Them” Into “Us”

D R . L A U R A M O R LO C K , M O D E R AT O R O F T H E PA N E L

“ T H R E E FA I T H S , T W O N AT I O N S , O N E L A N D,” R E F L E C T S O N T H E P O W E R O F D I A LO G U E

You Can Do It!

E N J OY F U N O N -YO U R - F E E T A C T I V I T I E S W I T H T H E F E S T I V A L’ S E D U C AT I O N D E PA R T M E N T

Confucius says: “I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand.”

Over decades of work with the

As a young woman I became friends with a Saudi woman who wore the niqab, a Muslim face veil. I had grown up in a tiny community in Northern Ontario, where most religious diff erence fell into whether you attended the Catholic or United church. I eventually asked my well-educated friend why she wore it. She replied, “Because I want to be judged for my ideas and who I am, not what I look like.”

Her answer fl oored me. How could she give such an overtly feminist answer? Didn’t she “know” that the niqab was a symbol of

“oppression?” I began to question if the practice meant what I thought it meant. And I began to really listen to what she and other Muslim women told me about who they were and what they believed. Very little lined up with what I’d been led to expect from a dominant culture that vilifi es veils and pities the women who wear them.

What began as questions in a friendship turned into a master’s degree in interfaith dialogue and a PhD in religious diversity. This is not coincidental – the foundation of interfaith understanding is relationship. It is much harder to

tens of thousands of students each year who see plays at the Stratford Festival, the Education Department has developed a unique way of engaging young people, based on the principle of learning by doing. That principle is at work in this month’s Forum events for families, which invite kids, parents and grandparents to get on their feet and experience an aspect of theatre from the inside.

demonize and fear the “other” when they are someone you know and trust. There is nothing like laughter over a meal to turn “them” into “us.”

Canada has chosen to be a multicultural country. This is both a legal and a demographic reality. Ours is a nation where many diff erent paths make up the whole. Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, neo-pagans, and many others have all made signifi cant contributions to creating this society. Jewish Canadians are responsible for many of our human rights laws, and Indigenous spiritualities were building collaborative communities long before any others arrived.

This, however, exists alongside fi erce national debates over religious minority accommodation. These confl icts often turn heated, but they don’t have to. There are interfaith initiatives building bridges across the country while everyday Canadians continually fi gure out how to work together. A landlord gives a tenant access to the pool at diff erent hours. An employer makes space for an employee to pray. A school cafeteria off ers vegetarian options. There are so many opportunities

Song and Dance workshops are a perennial favourite, with members of the company teaching you a song from their show and some choreography to go with it. You’ll be amazed how diffi cult it is to do what they make look so easy – and proud of yourself when you nail the number!

Little Shop of HorrorsThursday, August 8

Billy Elliot the MusicalSaturday, August 17

From $29

Ballet 101* gives you a taste of what Billy Elliot encounters when he stumbles into a ballet class – and a glimpse at what keeps drawing him back. Company member Henry Firmston leads you through the basic building blocks of an enchanting yet exacting art form.

Friday, August 9 | From $12

The Hero’s Quest Lunch features craft stations, top-your-own pizza and desserts, and the chance to experience how the puppeteers in The Neverending Story bring fantastical creatures to life.

Sunday, August 18 | From $35 kids, $39 adults

ST I C K- F I G U R E S H A K E S P E A R E

For more Shakespeare cartoons, plus T-shirts, posters and other fun stuff , visit goodticklebrain.com. You’ll also fi nd selected items in the Stratford Festival Shop.

STRATFORDFESTIVAL.CA | 1.800.567.1600 | 519.273.1600

to get to know each other, and there is no better place to start than with dialogue. The “Three Faiths, Two Nations, One Land” panel will facilitate one such conversation.

Dr. Laura Morlock is a scholar of religious diversity, advocate for interfaith understanding, and author of the forthcoming book How It Seams: Religious Dress, Multiculturalism, and Identity Performance in Canada, 1910-2017(McGill-Queen’s University Press). She teaches at the University of Waterloo and Ryerson University.

In the Neverending Story Workshop, Jake Runeckles, who stars as Bastian, leads you through some of the Festival’s favourite drama exercises to bring you into his world.

Friday, August 23 | From $12

And if you truly wish to do nothing more than sit and take it all in, the Cushion Concert* presents a short lineup of familiar songs you’ll hum all the way home.

Saturday, August 24 | From $12

Find more details of all these events on page 3.

*Presented by Cowan Insurance Group

T H R E E FA I T H S ,T W O N AT I O N S , O N E L A N D PA N E L D I S C U S S I O N

Sunday, August 25, 10:30 a.m.Studio Theatrewith Rabbi Debra Dressler, Imam Dr. Hamid Slimi, Dr. Murray Watson, Laura MorlockTickets from $25

For more details, see page 3

Shakespeare in 3 Panels: OTHELLO

DIANE FLACKS (CENTRE) AS NATHAN WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMPANY IN NATHAN THE WISE. PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID HOU.

EDUCATION ASSOCIATE LUISA APPOLLONI (RIGHT) WITH YOUNG WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS

YOUNG WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS