The 2026 season is kicking off with a wave of firsts, but it's also filled with meaningful lasts for Antoni Cimolino as he begins his final year as Artistic Director. Stratford Today sat down with him to reflect on 39 remarkable years at the Festival and on directing The Tempest. Thread below 🧵

🍎 Happy International Day of Education! A perfect reminder that learning never stops - and educators deserve opportunities to grow, recharge and be inspired. That's exactly what our Teacher Days are all about. Save with our early bird rate when you book before February 10: https://ow.ly/VheG50Y1ZWU

The Winter's Tale, now streaming on Stratfest@Home, is in The Globe and Mail's list of what to watch this weekend! Having seen it on stage last summer, theatre turned television critic J. Kelly Nestruck says "the whole cast is incredible - and I wept throughout the final scene".

It's a full house in Saturday, Sunday, Monday! Tears, laughter and good food fuel this heartfelt story of family, conflict and reconciliation. Saturday, Sunday, Monday opens at the Avon Theatre on August 22, with previews starting August 4: https://ow.ly/g2Af50Y1s0z #SFSatSunMon #SF2026 #Stratfest

🍝 Saturday, Sunday, Monday – a family meal serves many surprises! Antoni Cimolino couldn't be more excited to direct his fourth production by the Italian playwright, Eduardo De Filippo. Book now to enjoy our early bird rate (ends Feb. 10): https://ow.ly/s0PG50Y1mMX #SFSatSunMon #SF2026 #Stratfest

The King James Bible Play peels back the layers of a monumental translation. This bold, captivating look at adaptation and authorship makes its world premiere this season. Book your tickets early to save 30% (ends February 10): https://ow.ly/ocA350Y0WKf #SFKingJames #SF2026 #StratfordFestival

A sacred story gets a secular reckoning. The King James Bible Play, a gripping and funny new work by Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, digs into translation in all its forms. Book now to enjoy 30% off tickets (ends February 10): https://ow.ly/5eb850Y0UW7 #SFKingJames #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

It's the way of the world – with a wickedly funny twist! 🍸 Diving into the glittering, back‑stabbing world of Singapore’s elite, the razor‑sharp comedy The Tao of the World delivers a scandalous world premiere. Book now to save 30% on tickets (ends Feb 10): https://ow.ly/BCwU50Y0fwv #SFTao #SF2026

Anne of Green Gables swept the 2025 BroadwayWorld Toronto Awards! Last season's adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's Canadian classic took home six awards, a testament to how this production captivated audiences and critics alike. Congratulations to everyone who brought this show to life!

A single lie becomes poison to Othello. Watch as trust corrodes, certainty buckles and a brilliant life is dragged into ruin by deception's quiet hand in Shakespeare's gripping tragedy: https://ow.ly/Ygke50XZFOG #SFOthello #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

Every mind has a breaking point. Othello, Shakespeare's chilling exploration of jealousy, manipulation and destruction, opens at the Tom Patterson Theatre on June 19 with previews beginning May 22: https://ow.ly/5hjS50XYgGm 📷 Photos by Dariane Sanche. #SFOthello #SF2026 #StratfordFestival

Magic and mischief by moonlight. ✨ A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare's most playful comedy, sparkles with romance and chaos. Book your tickets now save 30% with our early bird rate (ends February 10): https://ow.ly/NngM50XYgoP #SFDream #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

This is what dreams are made of. ✨ Romance runs wild in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare's magical comedy of mismatched lovers and moonlit mischief. Come see what unfolds before dawn breaks: https://ow.ly/mqF350XYbIO 📷 Photos by Dariane Sanche. #SFDream #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

Adventure awaits with The Hobbit. Follow Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf as they plunge into an epic quest, complete with dwarves, trolls, elves, goblins and one truly fearsome dragon. Book before February 10 to save 30% on tickets: https://ow.ly/RK0K50XYe0q #SFHobbit #SF2026 #StratfordFestival

Set off on a magnificent journey with The Hobbit, as J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary story comes alive on stage and brings Middle-earth to the Festival for the very first time. Save 30% on tickets until Feb. 10: https://ow.ly/yzgj50XY2Wr 📷 Photos by Dariane Sanche. #SFHobbit #SF2026 #StratfordFestival

The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde’s refreshing classic, pokes fun at society’s silliest expectations and celebrates the joy of living with a truly earnest heart. Enjoy 30% off tickets when you book by February 10: https://ow.ly/Gg5750XXtqQ #SFEarnest #SF2026 #StratfordFestival

Bursting to life before our eyes is The Importance of Being Earnest. 🌼 Oscar Wilde’s sparkling comedy opens at the Avon Theatre on June 18, with previews from May 19. Snag your tickets before February 10 to save 30% : https://ow.ly/9HHG50XXfwP 📷 Photos: Dariane Sanche. #SFEarnest #SF2026

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is a classic that demands to be seen and this is a rare chance to see it performed by two legendary Festival actors. Save 30% when you book by February 10: https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/PlaysAndEvents/Production/Death-of-a-Salesman #SFSalesman #SF2026

The quiet melancholy of faded dreams lingers in these images for Arthur Miller's timeless tragedy, Death of a Salesman. Book before February 10 to save 30%: https://ow.ly/WLGp50XWN7T 📷 Photography by Dariane Sanche. #SFSalesman #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

Shakespeare is back and he’s more outrageous than ever in Something Rotten! Missed it the first time, or itching for an encore? Grab your seats early and save 30% before the early‑bird rate ends February 10: https://ow.ly/Sx2o50XWkZ2 Get ready to laugh your ruffs off. #SFRotten #SF2026 #Stratfest

Something Rotten! this way comes... The smash hit musical that gleefully skewers Shakespeare and Broadway makes its triumphant return! Gear up for "a sitcom's supply of belly laughs" (New York Post) and book by Feb. 10 to save: https://ow.ly/rxGK50XWkW3 📷 Photos: Dariane Sanche. #SFRotten #SF2026

Waiting for Godot arrives at the Festival Theatre for the first time in a special limited engagement, with Paul Gross and Tom McCamus as the brilliantly absurd duo at the heart of this masterpiece. ⏳Don't wait, book today: https://ow.ly/XyvX50XVKfK #SFGodot #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

Four legendary actors. One iconic play. A first look at Waiting for Godot – coming to the Festival Theatre for the very first time in an exclusive run of only 24 performances: https://ow.ly/vOzW50XVByG 📷 Photography by Dariane Sanche. #SFGodot #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

Big, bright and bursting with charm: it’s Guys and Dolls with Donna Feore at the helm! This classic musical promises to be a dazzling theatrical spectacle. Grab your seats before February 10 and save 30% on tickets: https://ow.ly/Tk7s50XUtFz #SFGuysDolls #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

Look at these dazzling Guys and Dolls! 🤩 The classic musical fable of Broadway brings the bright lights of New York City to the Festival Theatre. Book now to enjoy the early bird rate (ends Feb 10): https://ow.ly/AKWE50XUevZ 📷 Photography by Dariane Sanche. #SFGuysDolls #SF2026 #StratfordFestival

Step into The Tempest, a whirlwind of magic and revenge where an exiled duke conjures a storm that forces a long-awaited reckoning. Book by February 10 to save 30% on tickets: https://ow.ly/U0Yh50XUtFg #SFTempest #SF2026 #Stratfest #ThisRoughMagic

Feast your eyes on the breathtaking images of the Tempest, Antoni Cimolino's magnificent farewell production! Secure your seats at the early bird rate before the discount ends February 10: https://ow.ly/Csxj50XUelb 📷 Photography by Dariane Sanche. #SFTempest #SF2026 #StratfordFestival #Stratfest

Booking opens for our 2026 season tomorrow! 🎉 This year is an especially exciting one as we celebrate the remarkable career of Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino, who will be retiring after 39 years at the Festival. Check it out: https://ow.ly/fTRC50XU78E

We’re over the moon for Kat Sandler, who is an Artist of the Year in The Globe and Mail! 👏 Having adapted and directed Anne of Green Gables, "a standout" of our 2025 season, Kat has officially earned the title "kindred spirit of the year". #SFGreenGables #KatSandler #SF2025 #StratfordFestival

THE VEIL made @nextmagazine.bsky.social's top 10 picks of 2025! We are so glad that this show resonated with so many people, and we're thrilled to be featured alongside some of the best theatre of 2025! Tickets for The Veil at the Stratford Festival's Meighen Forum go on sale in January!

Is it any surprise that Anne of Green Gables made @nextmagazine.bsky.social's top 10 favourite plays of 2025? For details, read thread and full article! #SFGreenGables #SF2025 #CanadianTheatre

Two of our 2025 season shows, The Winter's Tale and Anne of Green Gables, made @thestar.com's top 10 of the year! 🎉 For details, read thread and full article! #SFWintersTale #SFGreenGables #SF2025 #StratfordFestival

Anne of Green Gables, Kat Sandler's adaptation that "breathes new-found relevance into this classic Canadian tale" (Toronto Star), has made The Globe and Mail's list of top 10 shows in 2025! What shows made your list of favourites in 2025? #SFGreenGables #SF2025 #StratfordFestival

A new two-week residency at the @stratfest.bsky.social in Ontario immerses #Dartmouth students in the full ecosystem of North America’s largest classical repertory theater company.

"Stratford and its namesake theater festival offer a bit of everything for the casual theater fan and the obsessives like me. I’m already counting down the days until I can go back." Read more about Hour Detroit Magazine's theatre trip to Stratford: https://ow.ly/P9zK50Xj2vS

Antoni Cimolino announces casting for the 12 productions set to take the stage in 2026, his final season as Artistic Director. Click here for details: www.stratfordfestival.ca/Media/NewsRe...

Time to hit the brakes!🚗 Before the day is over, we #AskAnArchivist one last thing: are there any automobiles in your collection? Many cars, buses and military vehicles (some 2D) have made appearances in past productions. Can you name the shows? #StratfordFestivalArchives

💃 We #AskAnArchivist: do you have any female firsts represented in your archives? Tanya Moiseiwitsch was our first designer and designed the Festival Theatre thrust stage in 1953 – quite the feat, considering the first female directors didn’t hit our stages until the 1970s.

We #AskAnArchivist: are there any Taylor Swift related items in your archives? You could say we're experts on 'the fate of Ophelia'. This doll carried by Adrienne Gould, Ophelia in 2008's Hamlet, starts off pristine, but like its owner, ends the play broken and drowned.

We're prepared for anything! 🧟 We #AskAnArchivist: what item in your archives will help you survive a zombie apocalypse? Prospero's staffs from The Tempest can be used as walking sticks and even weapons – they are also magical and can be used to control the weather.

Taking the world by storm! 🌏 We #AskAnArchivist to show us something from your collection in a foreign language. This poster hung in the lobby of the Mhat Theatre in Moscow when our production of King Lear, directed by David William and starring William Hutt, toured in 1972.

Lettuce entertain you! 🥬 We #AskAnArchivist: what is your best food-themed item? Feast your eyes on this costume made from plastic vegetables. Designed by Dany Lyne for the 2005 production of Into the Woods, Susan Gilmour wore it as The Witch. #StratfordFestivalArchives

Today is #AskAnArchivist day! Our team of archivists are ready to answer questions on their day-to-day job, what experience and education prepared them for their roles and about the archives collection itself. 🔍 Send us your questions!

Full of rough magic. ✨ Ahead of #AskAnArchivist Day on Thursday October 16, we've searched our archive collection for a unique object deserving of the spotlight. Behold, the cloak that Martha Henry wore as Prospero in our 2018 production of The Tempest.

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁 May we all be as thankful as Little Orphan Annie, a truly perfect role model for this holiday. 📷 Harper Rae Asch with members of the company in Annie. Photography by David Hou.

Had fun today with these guys and the whole cast of "As You Like It" at @stratfest.bsky.social as I joined them for the finale It was an honour for me to be asked to write the music for Bill Shakespeare's lyrics RS

We have exciting news! Jonathan Church will be the next Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival.

"It's not just about finding kid-friendly shows, it's about introducing literacy, culture and critical thinking about the larger issues in life that they will one day confront, because 'All the world's a stage.'" Adam Waxman reflects on the importance of bringing children to the Stratford Festival.

Ready for a show to "smash the Bechdel test all to pieces"? 💪 Maev Beaty and Irene Poole spoke with @intermissionmag.bsky.social to discuss Ransacking Troy, Erin Shields's new "feminist reimagining of Homer’s epics, directed by Jackie Maxwell." www.intermissionmagazine.ca/features/ran... #SFTroy

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Graham Greene. Graham was a globally recognized film actor and an award-winning stage and television performer, who joined us here at the Stratford Festival for one unforgettable season, in 2007.