Shaw Mag Fall 2025

We are losing the ability to talk to each other, to look each other in the eye, to disagree agreeably. Our devices keep our heads down and our minds distracted. We are losing touch with our own inner creativity.

We believe it’s time to change that. And that’s why we are launching the most ambitious campaign in the Shaw Festival’s history.

ALL. TOGETHER. NOW.

This Campaign will transform The Shaw into a buzzing campus of connection, creativity and curiosity. A home for all those who wish to put down their phones and remember that they are alive. A campaign that will see the creation of the Shaw Artists’ Village and The Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity and the rebuilding of our iconic Royal George Theatre. A Campaign for Real Human Connection. We will raise $150 million to achieve this bold vision.

We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

– George Bernard Shaw

Bernard Shaw said a lot of quotable things, but that is my favourite. It feels more significant than ever now, because never before has it seemed so hard for us simply to play together. We all know the scale of the problem. Everything about us, from our posture to our brains, has been changed by our dependence on our devices.

In place of real human encounters, we have been siloed into online pseudo-communities that only reflect back to us our own prejudices. It is not surprising that we have become isolated from what Dickens called our fellow travellers to the grave; around the world, thousands of clever people spend all day working out how to keep us scrolling.

But if we know the problem, we also know the solution: no longer having real human encounters? Then go out and find them. The Shaw Festival has launched a major campaign to create an Artists’ Village and rebuild our iconic Royal George Theatre; but this vision is about much more than new buildings. It is about what happens in those spaces and beyond. Our real mission is revealed by the name of our Campaign: All.Together.Now.

This is what it takes to create real connection: All because no one is left out; Together because we are no longer sitting alone at home; and Now because the most important moment of anyone’s life is this one.

This is the essence of live theatre, and why it will help us reclaim our common humanity. Watching a play involves taking two big steps: doing something communal and turning off your phone. But you would do that at any live performance (wouldn’t you?). So why is theatre special? Because it calls up in us the qualities that connect us as human beings. To write a play, or to create the world in which it takes place, you need to release your imagination; to perform a play you need to have the courage and the eloquence to look someone in the eye and tell them the truth; and to watch a play you need the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes for awhile. These qualities of imagination, courage, eloquence and empathy are the very weapons we are going to need in the fight to turn back the tide of alienation and loneliness.

If making theatre and watching theatre are both good for us, let’s do both. We need real human connection: nothing is more human than creativity, and nothing is more connected, or more joyful, than the act of making art together.

We have already made a start. Our movement and dance classes are getting people back in touch with their bodies, while our Improv for Seniors sessions are blowing their minds. People from all walks of life are discovering the difference that creativity can make, through programmes like Theatre of Medicine, which is helping medical professionals improve their

‘non-technical’ skills — and give a higher level of care. The soundtrack to all of this is joyful laughter. When we have the facilities we need, that sound will fill our new Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity.

We are evolving into a place that still has world-class theatre at its core, but where…

…the inspiration you take from each performance can lead to the rediscovery of your own inner artist. Singing, dancing, acting, playing, improv, writing, design, craftwork — theatre contains every art form, so the challenge for you will be to find the one that taps into your wellsprings of joy.

Every space we build and every programme we offer will be about creating in the company of others. Because ‘shared creation’ is simply another way of saying ‘play.’ Maybe we should put Shaw’s words over the doors to our new Artists’ Village. Or just the words of the great Joe Strummer: “Don’t forget you’re alive.”

Tim Carroll Artistic Director

We have arrived at a singular and historic moment for the Shaw Festival.”

– Tim Jennings, Executive Director

It was about 10 years ago (August 2015) that I became Executive Director of the Shaw Festival. Just before that I had met Tim Carroll (TC), who was soon to become my co-CEO and Artistic Director.

In our many conversations over the years, about our vision for theatre in general and the Shaw Festival in particular, TC and I have always started from the shared belief that theatre serves basic human needs. In fact, in some ways, it is a basic human need in its own right.

The pandemic only reinforced and validated this, highlighting for everyone the basic necessity for human connection, and the fact that theatre so brilliantly delivers that human connection, but also fundamentally informs us on how we manage this Company to ensure its future and sustainability.

I do not mean to imply that just talking about what we could do for the advancement of this Festival — the people we employ, the community we work in and our audiences, donors and partners — is all we have been doing.

TC and I have taken many steps forward during our joint tenure, and as we planned for that moment when we would have the necessary capital to leap forward and fully realize our vision.

These have included:

• The growth to artist training and audience engagement under TC and Kimberley Rampersad (see pages 8–11 for more on this) and under Pragna Desai (pages 12–14).

• The purchase of several properties in Niagara-on-the-Lake for housing, to help address an increasingly untenable situation

of having to lease dozens of properties across town which all require significant maintenance and which we must subsidize for our out-of-town artists to the tune of approximately $1 million each year. Our new Artists’ Village will reduce that need and take us to the next level (for more on the Artists’ Village see pages 18–20).

• The creation of our Embedded Artist program, launched during the pandemic. This includes Canada’s first employed (versus contracted) stage actors. We have employed a dozen artists since 2021 — with a goal to reach 20–25 — under full-time, multi-year contracts. These contracts allow them access to our health benefits, make it easier to get mortgages, and offer real stability, while the Shaw Festival gains from their assistance on a variety of our programs and initiatives beyond the stage.

• Since the beginning of his tenure, a part of TC’s vision has been the creation of a more ‘festival’ atmosphere and he has created many programs that animate our gardens — from Poems in the Trees to the Spiegeltent — as well as taking some programs around the town, such as Secret Theatre, Troubadours or Shawgrounds and Fairgrounds.

• Capital investments in the Royal George have been made — for example more comfortable seating and structural supports — but the physical limitations and the rapidly deteriorating foundation of that theatre, necessitate a newly built Royal George, which will be fully accessible and welcoming while maintaining the feel of the current beloved jewel box theatre we all know (as you will see on pages 22–25).

It has taken this decade to get to a point where we are starting to see the manifestation of this vision, and I am excited to share these plans with you, our supporters, as we embark on this transformation.

We have arrived at a singular and historic moment for the Shaw Festival — All.Together.Now. indeed.

Tim Jennings Executive Director

$1 Million + $500,000+

Tim & Frances Price

James A. Burton & Family Foundation

Province of Ontario

Funded by the Government of Canada. Financé par le gouvernement du Canada.

The 1916 Foundation

Richard & Mona Alonzo

Carol & David Appel

Marilyn & Charles Baillie, Baillie Family Fund for Education

Andrew Colwell & Richard Ellis

Bill & Barbara Etherington

Alberta G. Cefis & Ilio Santilli

Mary E. Hill

Martha & Tom Hyde

Colleen & Brian Johnston

Richard McCoy

The Jim Meekison & Carolyn Keystone Foundation

Mary Mizen & Chris Booth

George Papatheodorou & Ken Deeth

Corinne & Victor Rice

Wendy & Wayne Smith

Donald & Elaine Triggs

Jaime Watt & Paul Ferguson, Navigator Ltd. 2 anonymous gifts

Charles Balbach

Ron & Barbara Besse

Truly Carmichael & Tim Jennings

Peter Jewett & Robin Campbell

Richard & Darleen Falconer

Diane King

Jodey Porter 1 anonymous gift

HOW WILL THE SHAW ACHIEVE THIS BOLD VISION?

Over the next five years, we will raise $150 million from private, institutional and government partners to realize our vision for the All.Together.Now. Campaign.

At its heart, this Campaign invests in four key areas, all supported by the foundation of new campuses that will transform The Shaw into a true festival for the next century.

EXPERIENCES TRAINING

To reconnect the human spirit, we need spaces and places that are designed to create connection. Specifically, our two enhanced and expanded Shaw Festival campuses:

• Festival Campus

• Downtown Campus

With your support, we will:

• Renovate and expand the Royal George Theatre as a theatre for the next century and the centre of a downtown Shaw experience.

It will retain its unique and much-loved character while aligning with our programming goals to create a modern, fully accessible jewel-box theatre that will be the first net zero and Rick Hansen Gold Certified performing arts centre in North America.

• Transform the property next door to our Festival Theatre (former Upper Canada Lodge) into a hub for community engagement, education, accommodation and personal development — which we call our Artists’ Village

Experiences

Transforming The Shaw into a true Festival Theatre is a basic human need — stories shared in community. With your support, we will:

• Create new indoor and outdoor events that expand the festival experience

• Rebuild and expand the Royal George Theatre into a fully accessible, world-class gathering space

• Design welcoming spaces for interaction before and after performances

• Encourage audiences to reawaken their own creativity through campus activities

Community

Bringing art to those who cannot come to us

As a charity, The Shaw’s mission is to enrich all communities. With your support, we will:

• Connect schools, care homes and community groups to our art

• Ensure every Niagara student experiences Shaw every year

• Create digital programs to help audiences everywhere rediscover their own creativity

Training

The Next Generation

The Shaw must be a home for bold, eloquent voices. With your support, we will:

• Launch a unique classical training program in North America

• Train young artists to communicate complex ideas with beauty and clarity

• Build new classrooms and housing at the renovated Upper Canada Lodge site

Artists

Art, not precarity

Our Embedded Artist program ensures artists thrive — not just survive. With your support, we will:

• Employ artists full-time as creators, educators, and ambassadors

• Provide state-of-the-art labs, studios, and workspaces

• Pioneer a new model of financial security for artists in North America

EXPERIENCES:

AWAKENING YOUR INNER ARTIST

Tim Carroll and Kimberley Rampersad are interested in artists, and by artists, they of course mean the actors on our stages and the artisans and craftspeople behind-the-scenes, but also you, the audience member. Yes, you — the person reading this right now.

Through the All.Together.Now. Campaign, with its expansion of our facilities, Tim Carroll (TC) and Kimberley Rampersad want to deepen and enrich our training for artists and engagement of audiences. (For more on artist training, turn the page). There are more similarities than differences between these two groups, normally separated by a curtain.

Primarily they want to see these two groups interact more than they already do, and to create more opportunities for interaction: “We've already had audience members saying, ‘Wait a minute, those people who taught us that dance in the afternoon, they were the people dancing in the show!’ Seeing that excitement is wonderful,” says TC. “I've also heard, ‘In that rehearsal, you worked with that young actor on that speech, and they were flailing, and then I saw the show and they'd really got what you were on about.’ We hope that more people will be able to sit in on classes where our artists are learning. I think it is good for students to do some — not all — of their training in public. It is always fascinating.”

TC adds, “That’s one of the ways that people are going to be drawn into coming here. Then when they're in the room, I think it's almost inevitable that connection will happen. We all have a profound need to reconnect with our inner creative spirit, and the idea that everyone could have that opportunity is very powerful for me, because it's not just about connecting with your inner artist, it's doing it in the company of other people and realizing that — even if you

“

We all have a profound need to reconnect with our inner creative spirit, and the idea that everyone could have that opportunity is very powerful for me … if you thought you had lost the ability to dream and imagine, you haven't.

– Tim Carroll

I hope they will truly feel that this is a community; a place where they belong, where they can find great happiness … and to know that, when they get here, they will be caught somehow”

– Kimberley Rampersad

thought you had lost the ability to make friends, you haven't; if you thought you had lost the ability to dream and imagine, you haven't.”

Kimberley also envisions a true ‘festival’ campus where, as an audience member, your day at the Shaw Festival includes art, everywhere you turn. She compares it to dance studios like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater or the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. A place where, “The audience is invited to participate in the art, and not just what's on stage, but the whole lead up to it. In the same way that the audience feels attached to the actors and the characters that they're playing on stage, they get a deeper understanding by watching the artists as they develop. It's a different interaction, but the level of connection and appreciation this ignites in them is truly special, because they watch the play with more care, more deeply, more thoughtfully; because they understand the time that it takes to craft that one moment.”

Kimberley expands on that vision to say: “I'm excited for open windows, for audiences to experience all these spaces for art and spontaneity and for them to truly feel welcomed. I'm excited for the audience to realize how many nooks and crannies we will have for creativity and discovery. I will love for someone say, ‘Look at this nook! This is the perfect in-betweenshows picnic nook.’ Then, they make it a habit to have their lunch under ‘their’ tree, and, once in a while, they'll hear some ‘Baillies’ who are training, books in hand, working on their scene or a musician warming up under a different tree.”

TC nods in agreement: “The thrill of planning what you're going to see, which is always part of the fun of a festival, is going to be doubled because you'll be planning what you'll see and what you'll do.”

When asked to imagine how people might respond to these audience enrichment opportunities, Kimberley says, “I hope they will truly feel that this is a community; a place where they belong, where they can find great happiness, whether they come to a play on their visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake or if they come to reignite something through a class or to experience a rehearsal. I hope that they find that there are so many ways to feel a part of this place, and to know that, when they get here, they will be caught somehow.”

“Yes, that’s it.” responds TC. “We want people to come to The Shaw and fill their cup.”

TRAINING: THE NEXT GENERATION

Since taking the helm as Artistic Director in late 2016, Tim Carroll has been shaking things up. Nowhere is this more apparent than with his focus on training. TC is interested, not just in what we do, but how we do it. In his Associate Artistic Director, Kimberley Rampersad, he has found a passionate fellow advocate for training.

This shared passion infuses our plans for the growth of artist training through the All.Together.Now. Campaign. These plans are supported by two key concepts: that training is of central importance for the Shaw Festival, as a company that has at its heart an ensemble of artists, at various stages in their careers; and the idea that an artist — or indeed any of us (see pages 8 and 9) — should never stop growing and learning.

“Our training focuses on the fundamentals” says Kimberley, “what it is to speak, what it is to stand, how to move. These fundamentals are the things that we have found in our audition process that have been challenging to identify, especially in new graduates or emerging artists. With our Intensive, which runs at the beginning of each season for first year and newer ensemble members, they spend a week with us, and we pay them to take classes. This is deliberately scheduled outside of the rehearsal schedule so that they can be vulnerable in a different way and be engaged in learning without having the pressure of applying it to the job at hand.”

The training continues throughout the year, with classes and workshops — some designed to support these newer ensemble members and a lot more that are open to all ensemble members. Kimberley explains that these classes — 850 in 2024! — are built into the schedule every week so that these artists can feel supported and deepen their work, along with masterclasses with people like Philip Akin, Peter Hinton-Davis or Rebecca Northan. In terms of the All.Together.Now.Campaign, we want to deepen these opportunities and make them available to more people, and to do that we need the space and the money to pay both students and teaching artists. Holding on to teaching artists who want to be here is critical. It's not like they can gig elsewhere in Niagara-on-the-Lake — so we must be able to pay them to retain their services.”

“And not just pay them,” TC interjects, “but as Kimberley implies, often fly them in and find a place for them to stay.”

On the gap between the skills young actors are learning before they arrive at The Shaw, and the skills needed for a Shaw season, TC explains, “There's been a move away from literate plays and eloquent plays. The skill needed to do an entire speech of King Magnus in The Apple Cart, for example, would have been an intrinsic part of your training 50 years ago. Now, the time that would have gone into that is more likely to be spent on how to do a scene on television. Meanwhile, the plays students get to work on will be much more casual and colloquial. Plays with heightened text are still very attractive to audiences, but many theatres — and therefore conservatories — have abandoned them.”

“Yes,” Kimberley agrees, “so many of the playwrights that we love here at The Shaw will have elevated and lengthy monologues, with multiple and contradictory ideas in the same speech. And that's a real challenge, because if an actor is not trained to do that, then they don't have the breath control or the diction for it.”

TC expands on this to say: “Yes, we need to teach things like rhetoric, which should be taught in schools but isn’t. But a couple of rhetoric classes during the Intensive isn’t going to make up for that. What we are proposing through the All.Together. Now. Campaign is a significant expansion — both in terms of the space we need to do the training and the training itself. What we want is to provide two years of studying rhetoric for these young actors — and other fundamentals — and pay them to do it.”

The Baillie Cohort is a tangible result of this need for more training and the belief that artists should be paid: "The Baillie Cohort was launched in 2023 and is supported by the Baillie Family Fund for Education,” Kimberley explains. “This is a group of young people whose focus for the season is on training. They also get time in the rehearsal halls and maybe get to understudy some things too, or play smaller parts, to give them the opportunity to work with the people who are training them in their classes all day. They have an interest, they have a natural ability, but they haven't had their feet held to the fire in the way they crave, so they arrive at The Shaw hungry to learn.”

“It is largely thanks to the Baillies that we can have the Cohort,” TC reveals. “We could afford to do more of this kind of training if we charged a lot of money, but that's very much against our ethos. All that would do would be to exacerbate the already existing problem, which is that working class kids can't train as actors. When I was growing up, a lot of the kids coming out of drama school were working class. And indeed, there was a whole generation above me of names to conjure with: Peter O'Toole, Albert Finney, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, to name but a few. They weren't posh. But now in Britain, and I think to an increasing extent here in Canada, everyone coming out of drama training is middle class; they have to be to be able to afford it. So we have to pay the people we want to train, and we think we should pay them. But, you know, we can't just pay them in chocolate buttons, we have to pay them in dollars.”

JOSHUA SIDLOFSKY ON BEING A BAILLIE COHORT MEMBER

“I've always wanted to work with The Shaw. This was a golden opportunity for me, to have almost 8 months as a member of the Baillie Cohort and an understudy.

The Baillie Cohort is an extremely safe and comfortable way to learn and to grow — I feel comfortable to fail, safe to experiment, safe to be. It’s an extremely supportive community. We are given so many free training opportunities: singing lessons, movement classes, dance classes and more — something that I have not taken for granted.

I spend as much time as possible in the rehearsal hall — not just for the shows that I am understudying (Tons of Money and Major Barbara). I want to get the most out of my time here, because nothing is guaranteed in any industry, but in acting more than any. To take part in the second-biggest repertory theatre company — not only in Canada but in North America — that is a once-in-alifetime opportunity. I've already learned so much in three and a half months! I can only imagine what the next four months will be.

I’m not looking back. This is my career now. This is my future, and the hope and the excitement that I have for it now, have come from the opportunity that's been given to me by the Baillies and the Shaw Festival. It's a complete 180 of my career. It's truly been a blessing.”

Joshua Sidlofsky is one of eight members of the Baillie Cohort for 2025 (the third year for the program). Joshua graduated in 2020 from Theatre and Drama Studies, the joint program between the University of Toronto and Sheridan College.

The Baillie Cohort is generously supported by: Baillie Family Fund for Education

COMMUNITY:

LIFELONG CREATIVITY FOR ALL

Before the campaign officially launched into its public phase this spring, the Education, Community Engagement and Outreach department, under its Director, Pragna Desai, had been carefully laying groundwork, and planning what’s to come, with anticipation and aspiration.

All.Together.Now. It’s thrilling, isn't it? I’m keenly anticipating the opening of the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity and the breadth and variety of programs that will be offered there as part of the Festival experience. A place where everyone can explore their originality, their inner fire, their imagination. For the Niagara region and the local community, the new Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity will be a hive of activity. A place for everyone and especially children, youth and seniors, allowing us to deepen our commitment

to the community and our vital connections with schools and teachers. The programming at the centre will be rich, varied, and joyous.

The truth is we couldn't wait. We envisioned the opportunities and seized the day to pilot some work. In the spring, groups of seniors introduced themselves to voice training, in a program appropriately called The Aging Voice. James Oxley, a classical opera singer and one of the Shaw Festival's voice teachers, has a deep interest in the aging voice. Stage performers know the voice is a muscle. It can stay healthy and improve in tone, resonance and gravitas as one advances in years. Alongside this program, the Shaw Docents (who conduct our Backstage Tours) have been doing Improv for Seniors with one of The Shaw’s incredible Embedded Artists, Kristopher Bowman. Being in the room with them, seeing the vulnerability they exhibited to immerse themselves in the work was uplifting. It’s very brave to try something new in front of all your peers.

Intergenerational programming will flourish as we forge ahead: a special combination of education and community engagement made possible through generous sponsors. Select university students, studying dramatic arts, can attend the multi-day Play by Play education programs.

Alongside lifelong learners, the students thrive and deepen their engagement with Shaw artists and the creative minds who bring our plays to life. They experience five plays over three days and attend special presentations and talks, while interacting with patrons who are very well-versed in theatre and have been attending the Shaw Festival for years. It’s quite extraordinary what happens to the group of lifelong learners when the students pipe up in conversation. They listen more sharply, they are warmly encouraging, and there’s a different energy in the room. There is a joy in seeing young people invested and engaged.

The Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity will allow the Education department to reinforce its support for arts programs in our Niagara community. Performing arts competitions, such as STARFEST, developed by Niagara District School Board, where Shaw Festival artists and arts-educators from across the company offer tutelage, workshops and adjudication in the competition. The new studios and labs in the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity will be able to host, in a dedicated location, large educational events with facilities specifically designed to foster inspiration. I was fortunate to attend STARFEST in the spring. What struck me was the keen connection and

relationship between the Shaw artist-educators and the students. The gusto with which the students performed was mirrored in The Shaw’s genuine zeal to offer valuable feedback, constructive coaching, and nurture the next generation.

As we pilot new programs and plan to grow others, the whole Education, Community Engagement and Outreach team is looking forward to welcoming you all to the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity and anticipating that the coming seasons will be times of adventure. An active adventure can liberate the soul. Doing something new can reignite your creativity. It can benefit your physical, mental and emotional state of being. You can gain valuable experience or a new perspective. Sometimes it’s useful. Hopefully it's just plain fun. The Shaw Festival warmly invites you. Let’s really connect as humans, as a community. All.Together.Now.

Pragna Desai Community Engagement & Outreach Director

The involvement of Shaw Festival actors and technicians is invaluable for young artists. Meaningful connections with seasoned professionals in the industry give them access to thoughtful, constructive feedback from individuals who truly understand the craft. For young people pursuing their passion, this experience can be both inspiring and transformative, reinforcing their sense of purpose and possibility in the performing arts.

– Tracy Garret

“

My experience at the Shaw Festival has opened my mind to future paths within the theatrical arts. I was inspired by the spirited discussions, where the performers passionately discussed their work. I left this program feeling inspired and hopeful to one day be involved in work as enriching as what is being created at the Shaw Festival.”

THE BURTON CENTRE FOR LIFELONG CREATIVITY

The All.Together.Now. Campaign is all about the connections we make, with each other and with our own imagination and creativity.

Here are just a few of the plans and programs we are working on to enrich, engage and connect:

• Completion of the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity, a unique space dedicated to awakening the inner artist in all of us, regardless of age. A place for tourists, artists, theatre lovers and the local community, where one can learn a monologue, paint a set or take a backstage tour.

• Developing tailored programming to reconnect seniors, youth, businesses, and teachers to their own creativity. Programs such as The Aging Voice, or Improv for Seniors, where seniors are challenged to be in the moment and learn something new. For young people, multi-day theatre training intensives like The Derby inspire the next generation of creative thinkers. Corporate groups can learn the skills of effective communication and ensemble training to build superior rapport with clients. Teacher’s Days are full of skills development and peer-to-peer sharing.

• Preparing to share our art with EVERY student in Niagara, as we build programs and productions that will bring all students to the Shaw Festival before they graduate high school.

• Continuing with our Theatre of Medicine initiative to train physicians on experiential learning through skills and tools found in the performing arts (in partnership with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, The Shaw is certified to train and provide 15 of the annual 30 credit requirements for Canadian physicians).

• Ongoing creation of programs that ensure no one is turned away, demonstrating our continued dedication to the community to experience the performing arts, from migrant farm workers to summer camps to long-term care residents, we want everyone to experience the Shaw Festival.

A GIFT THAT CELEBRATES THE ART OF HUMAN CONNECTION

When the James A. Burton & Family Foundation (JABFF) pledged its support to the Shaw Festival’s All.Together.Now. Campaign, it advanced a vision for theatre that reaches beyond performance. This gift creates a centre that celebrates the art of human connection and positions The Shaw as a catalyst for renewal in community life.

The Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity will be the first of its kind in North America. It will explore how the performing arts deepen the ways people live, age, work, teach, and care for one another. The Centre invites participation by all, turning theatre into a living practice of communication, imagination, and empathy.

“Theatre has always been about more than entertainment. It is about how we connect, how we learn to listen, and how we discover new parts of ourselves,” said Jim Burton, Chairman of the Foundation. “The Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity can open these experiences to everyone, from seniors finding new ways to stay vital, to physicians listening with greater empathy, to young people discovering the power of imagination. This is about strengthening the bonds that hold our communities together.”

The Shaw has long been known as a stage for artistry. With this gift, it becomes a stage for life itself. The Burton Centre will welcome seniors, youth, physicians, teachers, artists, military

personnel, first responders, and professionals across sectors. It also opens the door to collaboration with civic institutions, businesses, and international organizations that see the theatre as a training ground for leadership and communication.

Workshops in voice, movement, music, and storytelling will help people rediscover creativity and connection. Outreach will extend into classrooms and community groups, while professionals will explore how presence and listening strengthen their practice. In every form, the Centre seeks to restore skills of human communication that too often lie dormant in a distracted age.

The JABFF has always invested in purpose rather than prestige, strengthening the places it calls home. “Over the years, the James A. Burton & Family Foundation has quietly supported The Shaw in ways that build strength for the long term,” Burton reflected. “Earlier gifts funded new staffing positions that gave emerging leaders experience and expanded outreach into schools and community groups. Those investments confirmed our confidence in Shaw’s leadership and its vision for the future.”

Through the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity, the Foundation looks ahead to the next fifty years in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Centre offers a place where imagination restores connection and where theatre fulfils its most enduring role: helping us live more fully together.

ARTISTS: ENDING ARTIST PRECARITY

THE ACTOR

Hey! Hi. I’m Kelly Wong. This is my 17th season with The Shaw (How is that possible? Where did the time go?). This year, I'm in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Anything Goes and Irving Berlin's White Christmas. I’m also the producer for The Shaw’s new-in-2025 podcast series, Let’s Get This Shaw on the Road, and an Embedded Artist.

THE EMBEDDED ARTIST

The Embedded Artist program has been a gift. As self-employed contractors, we go from gig to gig, never sure about what the future holds. Even when we’re fortunate enough to land a contract with somewhere like The Shaw, it’s still only for months at a time. There’s an uncertainty that lives in the back of our heads at all times, thinking “is this going to be my last job? How will I feed my family next?”

So, when I was approached to be a part of the Embedded Artist Program, I couldn’t say yes quickly enough. I’d like to think that it has been a win-win for both sides. For me, I get the security of knowing that I’ve got some stability, at least for the time being. And for the Festival, they know they’ve got someone who is committed to the development and well-being of the company as a whole – with the bonus that we, the Embedded Artists, can contribute in ways far beyond what you see onstage.

THE WORK

My focus when I’m not performing has been on creating digital content for The Shaw. Since becoming an Embedded Artist, I’ve produced several videos both forward-facing and internal: behind-the-scenes videos when our guests were in lockdown and unable to visit us in person; engaging video study guides for students to watch before attending a show; and a series of campaign videos which you can find on the Shaw Festival website.

This season, I dove deep into the world of podcasting as the producer and editor of Let’s Get the Shaw on the Road. After the interviews are recorded, I take the raw audio and shape it into something that sounds studio-polished, even though we’re chatting from our laptops at home. My job is to smooth out the conversation, tighten the flow, and make sure our incredible guests shine. I’ve loved working on it and am excited to see where it goes next!

THE BENEFITS

Part of why I love the Embedded Artist Program so much is that I get to have my cake and eat it, too. I think if you were to talk to any of the actors in our company, you’d quickly realize that our creative interests are plenty and varied. Personally, I have so many hyper-fixations, it can be tough to keep track of them. In addition to acting, I love magic, DJing, board games, design, tech — the list goes on. This lane that I’ve managed to carve out for myself allows me to dive deep into my passion for creating video content.

But perhaps more importantly, it fills my cup while benefitting my family with stability. My wife (Cosette Derome — who appeared in Murder-on-the-Lake and The Roll of Shaw this year!) and I have a wonderful six-year-old daughter. She is the centre of our lives. If I didn’t have the stability that the Embedded Artist Program provides, we would have more difficult decisions to make about what to prioritize in our lives.

Who knows whether this program will continue?

Right now, we’re still very much in the process of ironing out the wrinkles and setting forth a path for its future, but for the time being, it has benefitted me and my family in ways that are tough to encapsulate in a short interview soundbite.

THE INDUSTRY

Hmm. Not gonna lie. Right now, we’re in a tough spot. The live performance industry as a whole has really taken a hit since 2020. The pandemic struck us hard, and the cost of living nowadays has affected us brutally. Audiences simply don’t have as much money in their pockets as they used to. Whether we are essential or a luxury can be debated, but if the choice is between paying for groceries or coming to see a show, you’re going to choose groceries first. So, there’s that. I think if we can weather the storm (which we currently are, and I think we’ll continue to do so), we’ll come out of this on the other side and be able to look forward confidently. But in the meantime, we’ll have to strengthen our spines.

These days, I also hear about some tech paranoia, especially when it comes to AI and artistic industries. I’m a tech optimist. I love technology. I think that what it provides can be beneficial in ways that far outweigh its negatives. But I understand where people are coming from and why they’re afraid. I don’t think we are going to be replaced by the machine. There might be some learning that has

to be done (in the film and TV industry especially), but I think that when it comes to theatre and the live arts, I predict that we are going to become a haven. People will crave live theatre. The world is already inundated with images and videos and sounds whose authenticity we question. But the theatre is different. People will sit down in their seats and be comforted knowing that what they are seeing is authentic, live and human. Right in front of them. Happening in real time.

Let’s Get This Shaw on the Road is a podcast hosted by Alexis Milligan, with new episodes every Thursday during the season. Catch up now and subscribe to listen on your preferred podcast platform or on YouTube. Go to podcast.shawfest.com for more.

To see Kelly’s videos for the All.Together.Now. Campaign, go to shawfest.com/alltogethernow

A TOUR OF THE ARTISTS' VILLAGE

In my role as Associate Executive Director, I have been given a front row seat to the renovations of the five existing buildings (the former Upper Canada Lodge, right next door), which began in January 2025. It has been a fascinating and educational experience. The bulk of construction will be completed by late 2025 with the public opening targeted in time for the start of our 2026 Season.

As we move through the process of re-imagining these spaces, we keep asking ourselves “how do we create physical space that will foster real human connection and inspire creativity?” In just a few short months I look forward to sharing our answer to that question with you as we welcome you to the Shaw Artists’ Village — a space for everyone.

Let me take you on a tour of a few of the things I am most excited to see brought to life in our Artists’ Village.

Melissa Novecosky Associate Executive Director

1 At its heart will be the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity — home to a whole host of programs to connect seniors, youth, businesses, tourists, teachers, physicians, artists, theatre lovers and local community members and reawaken their inner artist.

2 Two of the buildings will become 26 brand new apartments for our seasonal ensemble artists. These home-away-from-home apartments will bring them closer to the Campus and provide them with a built-in community — for collaboration and inspiration — while surrounded by the natural beauty of the Commons.

3 Our Wardrobe Department will have its own wing which will see everyone together in one location for the first time in decades. For more information about the Wardrobe Wing, see page 21.

4 For the first time we’ll be able to offer a completely immersive experience to students as the short-term housing wing gives them the opportunity to live on Campus while they participate in incredible education programs and see extraordinary productions.

THE WARDROBE WING:

This rendering shows the large ground floor windows where you will be able to see the team at work and examples of costumes — finished or in progress. Combined with the public classes and tours in this accessible space, audiences will have more opportunities than ever to experience the wonders of the wardrobe.

A WHOLE NEW WARDROBE

Currently The Shaw’s Wardrobe Department is responsible for approximately 1000 costumes every year. Led by Jason Bendig and Janet Ellis, the Head and Associate Head of Wardrobe respectively, this department is spread across multiple locations, including the small building next to the Royal George Theatre, which also acts as a Box Office. Thanks to the acquisition of the Artists’ Village next door to the Festival Theatre, and its extensive renovations, the Wardrobe team is looking forward to a brand new, fully accessible space where they can work together, and so much more. Here is some of what Jason and Janet said in describing their anticipation for their new space.

JASON: In my time here over the last nine years, we have slowly been migrating to almost a full-year format, as the season has lengthened to include holiday shows, for example. I have found some efficiencies, through scheduling or other methods, to move a little quicker and do a little more. But the new space allows us to do even more. It also allows us to have staging space, which we've desperately needed. Staging space is our prep space, where we amalgamate fabrics, both purchased and found from our stock, together with costumes that may already exist. It allows us to look at that with a designer in one space. It's something that we've only had glimpses of because we lack the dedicated space to do it.

JANET: Staging is critical from a continuity point. We really felt it on the musical when some of our cutters were over at the satellite location next to the Royal George. We couldn't get a vision of the whole show together. What is this person wearing in comparison with the others? We took pictures but it wasn't the same for the designer as seeing them in the same workspace.

JASON: Aside from a second-floor storage room, we'll be existing on one floor which gives us the ability to roll a rack from space to space without interruption. We spend a lot of time shifting clothes on rolling racks, and the new building will function better. It would give us the ability to hire someone who has accessibility needs also.

The new space also allows us to expand our staff in a way that we can't right now. We physically don't have room for another boots and shoes coordinator, or a dye or accessories person, even though we definitely could use them.

We will be able to expand for classes, whether it's for our own staff or others. That could be onenight courses or over a longer period, on almost any topic in the wardrobe world, from introductory sewing to a master class in tailoring, an art that is being lost. We've really felt the lack of being able to train people and, especially in the last couple of years post-pandemic, many, many theatre education resources have been lost. There are whole programs that are no longer in existence.

JANET: I think it will be exciting to see how the public reacts to the new space too. Some things that we take for granted every day — like Thread Mountain — are truly interesting for people to see and more people will see it; as Jason said through classes, but also through tours, and for people just passing by, seeing it through the open windows.

We have seen people’s fascination with what we do at the satellite location, but it will be better at the new space, because they'll be able to see the work better, see it being built right there on the stand and then go see the show. And we will be able to leave work on display. I think it will be lovely at night with the lights on as you walk by — to see the creativity, because, unless you do a tour, most people don't see inside of the wardrobe.

JASON: Yes, there will always be something to see. This new space expands what we can do and who we can do it with. It's the path forward.

A JEWEL FOR THE SHAW FESTIVAL

The Royal George Theatre is often described as a ‘jewel box theatre’. But what does that mean exactly? According to Tim Carroll: “It's called a jewel box because it's sparkly and ornate, unashamedly chandelier infested. And it puts you in the mood for something romantic and imaginative and transporting. That's very much our own Royal George.”

The Shaw bought the Royal George in 1980, further cementing this Festival as a repertory company with three main theatres: the Court House (from 1962), the Festival Theatre (completed in 1973) and the Royal George (from 1980). Prior to that, the George

had various uses and users. Originally intended as a temporary building for training and entertaining soldiers during World War I, it has since been a vaudeville house, a movie theatre, the Brock Cinema (pictured), and the home of the Canadian Mime Theatre.

What many people don’t know about the Royal George is that it has not always looked like it does today. It is, as TC puts it, “a testament to the power of ‘makey-uppy’ because it is made from completely different materials from those that should have been used.”

“

EVERYTHING ABOUT IT, EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR, IS A GRAND AND SKILFUL DEMONSTRATION OF SET-BUILDING:

using theatre craft to create its current façade and turn what was a plain black box inside into the ornate theatre that we now know.

Each previous owner made changes to the building, but it was the Shaw Festival who made it what it is today — an homage to the jewel box theatres of England, principally those of architect Frank Matcham.

It has been a beloved fixture of the Shaw Festival for decades, but behind the curtain, it has not been without challenges. The ‘temporary’ nature of the original construction has meant flooding has increasingly been an issue, as the original clay foundation — made of something called speed tiles — has been eroding. In the winter of 2025, we experienced a major flooding disaster, causing $500,000+ in damage. This is not sustainable for any organization, but it is especially true for a not-for-profit charity.

HONOURING TIM AND FRANCES PRICE

Tim and Frances Price have long been shining stars in Canada’s arts and culture landscape — and at The Shaw in particular. Their deep passion for the arts, for health and for education is well-known and deeply valued. We are thrilled to share that Tim and Frances have made a transformational gift of $10 million to The Shaw’s All.Together.Now Campaign, securing The Shaw’s future and ensuring that creativity, connection, and community continue to thrive for decades ahead.

When we spoke with them about how best to recognize this extraordinary generosity, Tim and Frances were quick to downplay any personal spotlight. What mattered to them was not having their own names attached to a building but ensuring the continued legacy of one of The Shaw’s most beloved theatres.

Thanks to their vision and generosity, the Royal George Theatre will proudly retain its name as it is rebuilt and reimagined for the future.

Reflecting on their decision, Tim and Frances shared:

“We feel that the grand spectrum of work that you can experience at The Shaw is something truly impressive — the musicals, the thought-provoking plays — where else can you get that? We think it’s wonderful, and we hope it will continue for many, many years. We love the community at The Shaw.

When we heard about the All.Together.Now. Campaign, we felt it was important to help kickstart it properly. That’s why we’re doing this. It may be a new building, but the tradition of great theatre, under the name Royal George, will continue for many generations to come.”

…THE INTENTION IS THAT WHEN YOU WALK IN, YOU WILL STILL FEEL THAT IT IS THE ROYAL GEORGE THAT YOU LOVE”

Every audience member knows that there is no proper lobby, that the bar is downstairs and not accessible to everyone, that there are not enough washrooms and these are also downstairs, and to reach the only accessible washroom a person must go outside, down an alley and into the neighbouring building. As Tim Jennings has been heard to say on many occasions, “It is not OK to ask someone in a wheelchair or with a walker to navigate this, especially in winter.”

What audience members may not know, is that there is very little storage for sets backstage, that the sets must be loaded down an alley from the main street which restricts the maximum size of any individual set piece (the technical director, designers and crew work magic to achieve up to four sets which rotate on stage in any given season), that the dressing rooms are inadequate and down a steep and narrow staircase, and the so-called orchestra pit is so small, and the ceiling so low, it is hard to believe it is usable by two musicians, let alone 10, plus the conductor! And it is entirely lacking in rehearsal space.

As we announced in 2024, this year will be the last for the current Royal George. Construction on a new theatre is scheduled for early 2026, with the new Royal George ready for late 2028. The new theatre will solve for the many issues and deficiencies of the current one, but we will also seize the opportunity to design a venue for now and into the future, by making it carbon neutral (North America’s first net zero theatre) and fully accessible (for audiences and company members). In fact, we are aiming

INVESTING IN THE SHAW’S FUTURE

The Ontario government is investing $35 million to support the Shaw Festival’s rebuild of the Royal George Theatre. With this critical funding, announced earlier this year by the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, our plans for a renewed Royal George Theatre accelerated as you can see on these pages.

At the time of the announcement, Minister Cho said: “The Shaw Festival is a cultural icon for Ontario and for Canada and is just one of the many great reasons to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake and the broader Niagara Region throughout the year. Our government’s investment will help create hundreds of good jobs, boost the local and regional economy, and give Ontarians the opportunity to enjoy world-class performances right here at home.”

We completely agree. Bravo!

The Honourable Stan Cho Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming

for Rick Hansen Gold certification (see page 25 for more on what that means).

This new theatre will have the facilities to allow us to expand on our audience engagement programs, including our plan to have every student in Niagara attend a Shaw Festival production before they graduate high school. TC’s vision also includes innovative viewing portals for the public to see how the art is created in a model we call “Theatre Without Secrets”. For example, audience members will be able to see on-stage rehearsals or set changeovers from the lobby of the theatre.

ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE: RICK HANSEN FOUNDATION GOLD CERTIFICATION

The new Royal George will be accessible to everyone.

This is a statement of intent and a way of meeting our audiences where they are today — and where they will be tomorrow. And it is in direct contrast to the current theatre which requires patrons, artists, and staff to negotiate steps, no matter where you want to go: the lobby, the orchestra and balcony levels, the washrooms, the orchestra pit, the dressing rooms, and green room. For the crew who need to work in the grid, high above the stage, it is a straight ladder attached to a backstage wall followed by a crawl space. That’s right — the men and women who light the George do so on their hands and knees.

If we aren’t designing to be inclusive, then we are designing to exclude, and our vision is of a theatre to be enjoyed by everyone: a theatre for the next century. To achieve this, we have committed to attaining Gold Certification from the Rick Hansen Foundation.

Named for Rick Hansen, a Canadian athlete, activist, and philanthropist for people with disabilities, the Rick Hansen Foundation offers Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) in the form of a rating conducted by trained professionals, recognized as the most demanding voluntary accessibility rating in Canada.

This certification recognizes buildings or sites that go well beyond minimum building code compliance.

Indeed, projects built to the Ontario Building Code alone would score far below the RHFAC’s minimum threshold (42% vs. 80% required for Gold).

To achieve the highest rating possible, the Royal George must consider accessibility for audiences, artists, and staff. Elevators will be provided to access all levels — including the grid. But that is only the beginning: our design for this theatre must exceed minimums prescribed by codes and consider the ways that various types of disabilities impact the way that people experience and interact with the building and the programming within it.

Some of the features and design elements the project plans to include are enhanced signage, acoustic considerations inside and outside of the performance spaces, assistive listening systems that work for different levels of hearing loss, and considerations for emergency evacuation.

We are thrilled to be working on Canada’s first Gold Certified theatre complex, one which will allow The Shaw to become an accessibility leader and welcome both a diverse public and a diverse workforce.

For more on this, visit the Rick Hansen Foundation website: rickhansen.com

All of this and more, within what will have become an authentic jewel box theatre: “The theatre we're going to make will not just look like it has a stone façade but have a stone façade,” reveals TC. “Not just look like it has beautiful proscenium moldings and ceiling decorations but have genuine versions of all of those. Of course, the intention is that when you walk in, you will still feel that it is the Royal George that you love. And The Shaw will have a Royal George which will be a source of joy and pride for everyone for the next hundred years.”

AN INVITATION TO JOIN US AS WE BUILD THE SHAW'S FUTURE

Ifirst joined The Shaw’s Board 10 years ago. And a funny thing happened on the way to the theatre. I really fell in love with the good work that this Festival does. It never fails to inspire, to educate, to make you think. My belief in this Company has only grown over the years, along with my admiration for its co-leaders TC and Tim, which has brought me to my current position as Chair of the All.Together.Now. Campaign. I am excited to see the next stage of evolution for this Festival and, as someone who is a local, to see how everything is coming together, for The Shaw, for the Region, for the Town. We are both reimagining The Shaw and creating a brighter future for all of us.

In 2025, we marked many milestones on our journey to a more creative, more connected future. The hoardings have gone up around our Artists’ Village next door and construction is well underway for the spaces that will nurture the next generation of talent and boldly bring art into classrooms, seniors’ homes, and communities. Soon, the Royal George will have its final performance, and the hoarding will go up there, so that a new theatre that welcomes everyone can be built in its place.

Colleen Johnston

Chair | All.Together.Now. Campaign Fundraising Team

and on the understanding that right now we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to truly make a difference for today’s audiences and for the future of the Shaw Festival.

I invite you to join us as we build this future of real human connection. Every contribution — large or small, immediate or long-term — plays a vital role. Whether you make a legacy gift (see next page for more on that) or a cash contribution, you are ensuring that your story becomes part of The Shaw’s story — one that celebrates the power of live art to transform lives.

I like a state of continual becoming, with a goal in front and not behind.”

— George Bernard

Shaw “

Combined these new spaces will add 100,000 square feet of space and bring TC and Tim’s transformational vision for this Company to life. As Bernard Shaw said: “I like a state of continual becoming, with a goal in front and not behind.” With a goal of $150 million and more than 75% already raised, including $50 million between the Federal and Provincial governments, we have made tremendous progress. But there is still important work ahead — and every gift will help us get there.

All.Together.Now. is the right name for this Campaign: it is built on the belief that these new spaces, and the art and programs they will sustain, will have something for everyone; on the knowledge that the only way we can get there is together;

Colleen Johnston, Chair

Ian M.H. Joseph, Board Chair

Timothy R. Price, Board Vice Chair

Lorne R. Barclay

Sheila Brown

Richard P. Ellis

Thomas R. Hyde

Daniel Patterson

Jodey Porter

Elaine G. Triggs

Contact Cindy Mewhinney, Director of Advancement at 1–800–657–1106 x2339, or alltogethernow@shawfest.com

THE TRUE LEGACY OF THE ALL.TOGETHER.NOW. CAMPAIGN GOES BEYOND BRICKS AND MORTAR.

It’s about securing the future of The Shaw Festival for generations to come.

We are dreaming boldly about where we want to go next — not just constructing new buildings, but filling them with life, creativity and connection. The richness of the experiences and programs that will animate these spaces for the next 50 years or more will bring joy to audiences yet to come, welcoming places to gather the many and various communities of The Shaw, and inspiration to future artists. That is why this Campaign is a natural moment to reflect on a legacy gift.

A legacy gift is one of the most meaningful acts of generosity that one can make.

“

The Shaw is our community, our story. We have a gift in our Will because it makes good sense. We want this place to continue. The only way they can do that is with support from people like us. So, we’re doing it. Because this place is a huge part of what we do, I want to be identified here and remembered here … in a puff of glitter and a flourish with a silk glove, somewhere down the line. I want to be remembered as someone who loved the moments that brought us together.”

It is a powerful statement of trust — the greatest compliment you can give to an organization that has mattered in your life. It is about honouring your journey and connection with The Shaw — and extending that journey into the future.

As we imagine the decades ahead, we invite you to consider how your legacy and ours can come together to create something magical. By making The Shaw part of your legacy, you help ensure that creativity, curiosity, and community continue to thrive — a not just today, but for the next generation.

“

Before Victor died in 2022, we had only missed one opening night since 1980. That’s how important The Shaw was to us and still is to me. We felt a part of the sense of vitality, creativity, and enthusiasm, which is inspiring and uplifting as well as a lot of fun.

I have full confidence in the vision and leadership of the two Tims, which is why I am leaving a gift to The Shaw in my Will. I want future generations to experience the same joy, challenges, and happiness that Victor and I found in this special place.”

Mary Mizen Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Corinne Rice Buffalo, New York

Royal George Theatre Previews begin November 1

Closes December 21

By Charles Dickens

Adapted for the stage by Tim Carroll

Directed by Tim Carroll

Set and Costumes Designed by Christine Lohre

Lighting Designed by Kevin Lamotte

Original Music by Paul Sportelli

Music Direction by Rachel O'Brien

Movement and Puppetry by Alexis Milligan

Don’t miss the historic final production at the Royal George Theatre!

For

This delightful musical is back by popular demand!

To

Based upon the Paramount Pictures Film

Written for the screen by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama and Melvin Frank

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin

Book by David Ives and Paul Blake

Original Stage Production

Directed by Walter Bobbie

Festival Theatre Previews begin November 7

Closes December 21

Directed by Kate Hennig

Music Direction by Paul Sportelli

Choreographed by Allison Plamondon

Set and Costumes Designed by Judith Bowden

Lighting Design by Kevin Lamotte

Sound Design by Joanna Lynne Staub

YOU MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE — THANK YOU!

With ticket sales covering just over half of our expenses, and less than 5% of our annual budget from the government, the Shaw Festival simply would not exist without donor support.

A warm welcome to our newest Governors Council members and Corporate Partners!

AS OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2025

Gail Asper, OC, OM, LLD & Michael Paterson

Fred & Karen Beattie

K. Benoit & J. Brooks

Mr Biesty & Ms Batabyal

Paul Brehl & Ann Lawson Brehl

Ms Nicola Campbell

Joe & Vicki Daurizio

Mr Chris Doiron

Susan Dalgetty Ezra & David Don Ezra

Jamie Ferster & Edwin Frizzell

Ian S. Haberman

Mr Michael Hale

Susan & David Kinsman

Alton B. Harris & Andrea S. Kramer

Rob & Elizabeth Jennings

Ms Suzanne Labarge

Mr D'Arcy Levesque

Patrick Little

Dan Patterson*

Kathleen M. Schiano

STAY Niagara-on-the-Lake

Mr Brian Sullivan

Cynthia Vance & Scott Smith

Ms Mary McLean Wilson

2 anonymous gifts