One of Canada's most renowned theatre festivals launches its 2011 season with musicals, big names and a gender-bending production of Shakespeare's Richard III.
Globe theatre critic J. Kelly Nestruck previews some of the highlights in an exclusive video, while arts writer Guy Dixon talks to some of the players about opening-night jitters. Meanwhile, photographer Fernando Morales goes backstage to shine a spotlight on some of the people you don't see on stage.
Stratford by the numbers:
- Impact on region's GDP: $140-million
- Taxes raised: $76-million
- % of budget from government funding: 6
- Number of year-long jobs created: 3,000
- General attendance: 525,000
- Number of students attracted: 65,000 - 90,000
- % of visitors from the Greater Toronto Area: 25
- % of visitors from the United States: 22
Sources: Conference Board of Canada, Stratford Festival
Other summer Bardfests:
- Victoria: Victoria Shakespeare Society, July 12 - Aug. 13, www.vicshakespeare.com
- Vancouver: Bard on the Beach, June 2 - Sept. 24, www.bardonthebeach.org
- Edmonton: Freewill Shakespeare Festival, June 30 - July 24, www.freewillshakespeare.com
- Saskatoon: Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, July 6 - Aug. 21, www.shakespeareonthesaskatchewan.com
- Winnipeg: Shakespeare in the Ruins, June 2 - June 25, www.shakespeareintheruins.com
- Prescott, Ont.: St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, July 8 - Aug. 13, www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca
- Halifax: Shakespeare by the Sea, July 1 - Sept. 4, www.shakespearebythesea.ca
- St. John's: Shakespeare by the Sea Festival, July 10 - Aug. 20, sbts.info/default.aspx