Artistic director Jackie Maxwell announced the slate Sept. 27. The respected festival operates on three stages in scenic and historic Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, a half-hour's drive downstream from Niagara Falls.
The Shaw's broad mandate includes works by Shaw and from Shaw's lifetime, as well as works that are set in or inspired by the period in which Shaw lived.
The 2006 playbill includes 10 productions, which will run in repertory March 30-Nov. 19, 2006, among the Festival Theatre, the Court House Theatre and the Royal George Theatre.
Maxwell will direct Shaw's view of heroism Arms and the Man, and Jim Mezon will stage the Too True To Be Good.
In addition to Arms and the Man, the Festival Theatre will house the stage version of the Cole Porter movie musical, High Society, based on The Philadelphia Story, directed by Kelly Robinson; and Arthur Miller's The Crucible, directed by Poland's Tadeusz Bradecki. Joining Too True To Be Good on the Court House stage, the world of Eva Peron's Argentina is explored with the contemporary play The Magic Fire, written by American Lillian Groag and directed by Jackie Maxwell. Associate director Neil Munro will direct his own modern adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's Rosmersholm. Also at the Court House, Toronto writer Morwyn Brebner adapts two of Chekhov's romantic farces, The Bear and The Proposal, with Love Among the Russians, to be directed by Eda Holmes.
Ruth and Augustus Goetz's poignant and dark love story The Heiress, adapted from the Henry James novella "Washington Square" and directed by Joseph Ziegler, will share the Royal George stage with Michael O'Brien's adaptation of H.G. Wells' scientific adventure The Invisible Man, a world premiere commissioned by the Festival and directed by Neil Munro. Morris Panych returns to The Shaw to direct Noël Coward's provocative love comedy Design for Living.
Regular ticket prices for the 2006 season range from $45 to $86 including GST. All prices are Canadian. For special matinees, student tickets are $22 and senior tickets are $35. Lunchtime ticket prices are $25. Sunday night performances are available all season for $45 and, for patrons under 30, $30 tickets are available for most performances. Preview prices are $45-$57.
Tickets for the 2006 season go on sale to Shaw Festival members on Nov. 16 by mail, fax, or online; on Nov. 26 by phone or in person.
Tickets go on sale to groups on Jan. 3, 2006. For the general public tickets go on sale Jan. 9 by mail, fax or online and on Jan. 14 by phone or in person.
For more information, visit www.shawfest.com.
