[NEohioPAL]Berko commentary: Shaw and Shakespeare Festvials of Canada

[Roy Berko]

Shaw and Shakespeare festivals beckon

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


Spring is here.  Summer is just around the corner. 
And, though gas prices are high, journeying to
Canada’s Shaw and Shakespeare Festivals provide
wonderful seasonal diversions. 

THE SHAW FESTIVAL

The Shaw Festival is conducted in three theatres in
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, an easy
four-hour trip from Cleveland.  You travel through the
wine countries of Ohio, New York and Canada enroute. 
Once you arrive, you will be entranced by the lovely
city.  It is called the most beautiful city in Canada,
and it is!  Lovely flowers, classical home
architecture and inviting well-stocked shops make for
an inviting experience.

This season’s productions are:  ‘ARMS AND THE MAN’ (G.
Bernard Shaw)--now through October 29; ‘HIGH SOCIETY’
(music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Arthur
Kopit)--now through November 19; ‘THE CRUCIBLE’
(Arthur Miller)--now through October 14; ‘TOO TRUE TO
BE GOOD’ (G. Bernard Shaw)--now through October 7;
‘THE MAGIC FIRE’ (Lillian Groag), now through October
8; ‘ROSMERSHOLM’ (Henrik Ibsen)--July 5-October 7;
‘LOVE AMONG THE RUSSIANS’ (Anton Chekhov)--now through
September 24).

Besides the plays themselves, the Festival includes a
reading series, Sunday coffee concerts, a Village Fair
and Fete, seminars, backstage tours, pre-show chats,
Tuesday Questions and Answers and Saturday
Conversations.

The area itself is filled with activities ranging from
a golf course within the city limits; an art park
(www.artpark.net), The Good Earth Cooking School
(www.goodearthcooking.com), the Jordan Village, a
diverse blending of fine shopping, dining and antique
treasures (www.jordanvillage.com), an international
chamber music festival (www.niagramusicfest.com),
learning vacations at Niagara College
(www.niagaralearning vacations.com), bike paths, and
you can zoom into the whirlpool of the Niagara river
on a jet boat. 

The Niagara area is dotted with wineries, many of
which, besides offering wine tastings and sales,  have
fine dining restaurants.  Our (my wife, the gourmet
cook, and me, the eater) dining favorite among the
vineyards is Hillebrand Estates Winery, though several
others have received positive comments from friends
whose palates I trust.  We’ll be trying some of these
on our visit this July, and I’ll report on those with
the reviews of the plays.   

There are some wonderful restaurants including our
favorites, The Inn on the Twenty
(www.innonthetwenty.com), located in historic Jordan
Village about forty minutes from Niagara-on-the-Lake
and the Queenston Heights Restaurant
(www.queenstonheights.com).  The latter is located in
a park just over the US-Canadian border and has a
breathtaking view of the Niagara River gorge. 

Greaves Jams and Marmalades is famous for its products
since 1927.  A Niagara tradition is the Maple Leaf
Fudge store.  Also, don’t miss out on the several
stores that sell yogurt which is blended before your
eyes with Niagara fruits.

The area has many excellent hotels and
bed-and-breakfasts.  We have found Abbotsford House
Bed and Breakfast  (www.abbotsfordbandb.com) to be our
home away-from-home.  Owner Margaret Currie is a total
delight.  Her breakfasts are scrumptious, she keeps an
immaculate home,  and the antiques and decorations are
impeccable.  Return guests are the rule here.  For
reservations and/or information call 905-468-4646 or
e-mail AbbotsfordBandB.com.  Don’t wait.  Several of
my readers have run into “no rooms at the inn” and an
apology from Margaret.  However, if she doesn’t have
room,  she’ll find a friend who has space.

For theatre information, a brochure, lodging
suggestions or tickets call 800-511-7429 or go on-line
to www.shawfest.com.  Ask about packages that include
lodging, meals and tickets.  Also be aware that the
festival offers Sunday night specials, day-of-the-show
rush tickets and senior matinee prices. 

Tired of waiting for a casino in Cleveland?  For those
so-inclined, Niagara Falls has a brand-new gambling
casino.  An added attraction is the new Niagara
Fallsview Casino Resort which features 3,000 slot
machines, 150 gaming tables and overlooks the
thunderous cascading water.  There is also a large
outlet store complex for the bargain shopper.  If you
are taking kids be aware that a huge new indoor water
park has been constructed which connects to several
hotels as well as a new entertainment ‘CIRQUE NIAGARA:
AVALA (www.cirqueniagara.com).  And, of course, not to
be overlooked are the attractions connected to the
magnificent falls.


THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL OF CANADA


The Stratford Festival of Canada takes place in
Stratford, Ontario, Canada.   The ride from Cleveland
is about six hours through Buffalo.    Go on-line to
the festival to get directions.  (The routings offered
by both the AAA and Yahoo maps are confusing and miles
longer.) 

Stratford plays are done in four theatres.  This
season’s productions are:  ‘CORIOLANUS’ (William
Shakespeare)--now through September 23; ‘MUCH ADO
ABOUT NOTHING ((William Shakespeare)--now through
October 22; ‘OLIVER! (music, lyrics and book by Lionel
Bart)--now through October 29; ‘TWELFTH NIGHT’
((William Shakespeare)--July 30-October 28; ‘THE GLASS
MENAGERIE’ (Tennessee Williams)- now through October
22; ‘SOUTH PACIFIC’ (music by Richard Rodgers and
lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)--now through October
28; ‘LONDON ASSURANCE’ (Dion Boucicault)--now through
October 21; ‘DON JUAN’ (Moliere)--English performances
from August 1-October 10, French performances from
October 12 to 20; ‘HENRY IV, PART I’ ((William
Shakespeare)--now through September 24; ‘GHOSTS’
(Henrik Ibsen) -July 25-September 23; ‘THE DUCHESS OF
MALFI’ (John Webster)--now through September 23’
‘HARLEM DUET’ (Djanet Sears)--June 20-September 22;
‘THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE, AND THE VENGEFUL REDHEAD’
(Robert Hewett), June 27 September 24; ‘FANNY KEMBLE’
(Peter Hinton)--July 18-September 23; ‘THE LIAR’
(Pierre Corneille)--August 9-September 23.

Besides the regularly scheduled plays the Festival
offers public readings, Monday night music, a
Celebrated Writers Series, buffet lunch and dinner
table talks, special lectures, stage side chats,
backstage and costume warehouse tours, and garden
tours.  The Family Explorer series offers events and
activities for the entire family including song and
dance workshops and dress rehearsals with the actors.

What’s the lodging like?  Hotels, motels and bed and
breakfasts abound to fit any wallet.  I enjoy the B&Bs
where you get to meet local people who operate the
facilities and fellow travelers from around the world.
 My favorite is “The Jennie Forbes Cottage” a charming
regency cottage erected in 1857
(www.jennieforbescottagebb.com).  Owners Don and Kathy
Spiers are wonderful hosts.  

As for shopping, I recommend Davis Canadian Arts (106
Ontario Street).  This is a wonderful art gallery that
offers Canadian traditional and contemporary
sculptures, ceramics and paintings.  For women’s
quality clothing make sure to stop at The Touchmark
Shop (137 Ontario Street).  The establishment offers
unique and one-of-a kind products at excellent prices.
 

Hungry?  For moderate cost and high quality, try The
Annex Room (38 Albert Street).    For a relaxed and
fairly inexpensive breakfast treat try Demetre’s
Family Eatery (1100 Ontario Street).  Cleveland
theatrical legends Dorothy and Reuben Silver, who are
Statford regulars, recommend The Waterlot Restaurant
and Inn (17 Huron Street behind the Royal Bank)  in
New Hamburg, which is about 20 minutes away “and well
worth the trip.”(www.waterlot.com)  Also on their
favorites list is The Keystone Alley Cafe (34
Brunswick Street) in Stratford (www.keystonealley.com)
which has an outdoor patio.  

Stratford Escapes, a division of Niagara Falls Tours,
is an efficient way to make reservations.  For
information call 877-356-6385 or go on line to
www.niagarafallstours.com.  For individual tickets
call 800-567-1600 or go on-line to
www.stratfordfestival.ca.

Helpful hint:  To satisfy board requirements carry
some official form of identification (passport, or
driver’s license with a picture).

Go to Canada, find out what lovely hosts these people
are, and see some great theatre!


Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.

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