Shaw Festival

THE SHAW FESTIVAL

Twenty minutes away from that great booming wonder-of-the-world Niagara Falls, and on the banks of Lake Ontario sits the historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. A haven of food, wine, history and culture, its tree-lined avenues have served as a getaway destination for visitors for over a century.

Nestled in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake, The Shaw is one of North America’s finest cultural attractions. Its calendar brims with an eclectic array of quirky comedies, bold dramas and sweeping classics which represent some of the best theatre ever created.

Season runs from April to October 2017.

2017 Playbill:

Festival Theatre:

Me and My Girl : Can a Cockney man give up his old life – and love! – to join the upper class? The sparkling and fun British hit musical.

Saint Joan : Who was Joan of Arc? The saviour of France … or a deluded country girl? Bernard Shaw’s greatest play about the most remarkable teenage girl in history.

Dracula: What if your darkest fear was your deepest desire? Sexy, funny and scary, Bram Stoker’s Gothic classic will leave your senses on fire.

Court House Theatre:

1837: The Farmers' Revolt: A modern Canadian classic about the uprising that paved the way for nationhood.

Androcles and the Lion: Waiting to be thrown to the lions (literally!) has never been funnier. An interactive twist on Shaw’s tale.

Wilde Tales: Magical. Touching. Wildly imaginative. Four Oscar Wilde tales to delight your inner child.

Royal George Theatre:

The Madness of George III: If the Head of State loses his head, what happens to the State? The funny and touching true story of King George III.

Dancing at Lughnasa: Irish playwright Brian Friel’s life-altering masterpiece about five unforgettable women.

EAn Octoroon: Hilarious. Uncomfortable. Vital. An edgy new American comedy set on a slave-owner’s plantation.

Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre:

Middletown: Surreal. Offbeat. Tender. Hilarious. And impossible to describe. This tale of “normal” townspeople is anything but.

Various Theatres:

1979: Michael Healey’s razor-sharp — yet humane — new comedy about Joe Clark: the prime minister who barely was.

mystery Locations:

Secret Theatre: New in 2017: surprise performances in the strangest places. Join The Shaw’s Secret Theatre Club for advance notifications of these events.