Artistic Director Christopher Newton has announced the '97 Schedule for Niagara on the Lake's Shaw Festival. In the Festival Theatre will be a reprise of this 1996's successful Hobson's Choice by Harold Brighthouse. Also in the Festival Theatre will be Mrs. Warren's Profession by George Bernard Shaw, directed by the artistic director of Poland's Stary Theatre, Tadeusz Bradecki. Neil Munro will direct Anton Chekov's The Seagull translated by David French. Rounding out the season for the Festival Theatre is Will Any Gentlema a farce written by Vernon Sylvaine, and directed by Newton.

The Court House Theatre's season includes: The Playboy of the Western World by J.M. Synge, directed by Jim Mezon, a reprise performance from '96; Lillian Hellman's The Children's Hour, directed by Glynis Leyshon; In Good King Charles Golden Days by Shaw, directed by Allen MacInnis; The Secret Life by Harley Granville Barker, and directed by Neil Munro.

The Royal George Theatre will present The Two Mrs. Carrolls, written by Martin Vale (alias of Marguerite Veiller) and directed by Joseph Ziegler and the 1909 musical adaptation of Shaw's Arms and the Man called The Chocolate Soldier by Oscar Straus. Lunch-time at the Royal George will be The Conjuror Part 2.

The Shaw season runs from early April to mid-October.

For more information, and the ticket office, call (1-800) 511-SHAW.

-- By Ray Ellicock
Theatre News Canada