Shaw Festival Theatre

Nice to see that this venue is still great and has kept up with the times. Seats are very comfortable for longer performances and the slope of the theatre is great. You have a great view even in the second last row of orchestra. Came to see Anything Goes and the production was excellent. Really high production value. Exceeded my expectations.

We went to see A Christmas Carol in Niagara-on-the-Lake at the St. George’s Theatre. They used large puppets for the ghosts that were amazing. It will be the last show as the theatre is going under a complete renovation. The theatre was built in around 1912 and used for the officers for during the 1st word war. I hope they can use some of the stage architecture.

We attended a ‘Sunday Coffee Concert’ at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The musical performance was led by Music Director Paul Sportelli and supported by members of the Shaw Festival. Playing to a full house audience, singer Jay Turkey joined the musicians in a beautiful version of La Vi e en Rose. The facility, performance and beautiful surroundings of Niagara made for a precious summer musical visit!

We took our children to the Shaw Festival's production of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe". The production was amazing. Well written and produced. We were blown away by the set design, costuming and acting. The theater itself is very charming with a lovely gift shop and concession. There is a lot of space in the atrium to sit or stand. The staff and volunteers were wonderful. They even brought booster seats for the kids which meant we didn't have to worry about them not being able to see over the seats ahead of them. I really hope we get to go back sometime in the future!

Took the "behind the scenes" tour. It was fantastic seeing all the operations involved in putting on a show. The guides were very knowledgeable and it was really amazing seeing what goes on!!!

Cozy and intimate. Acting was very good for a small theater. Same group of actors kind of feels different when someone watches different shows. We were in Niagara on the lake during the September long weekend. Busy, Busy, Busy.

The play at the Shaw festival what is absolutely fantastic. Niagara on the lake was spectacular. The floral display within the town was in full bloom. All the unique shops we're very busy in the streets were filled with people. It was a wonderful experience!

Had a wonderful evening at The Shaw, we enjoyed the show, “One Man, Two Guvnors”. Looking forward to my next visit!

The Shaw Festival showcases plays and musical productions of the works of George Bernard Shaw. I went to the main venue a stone away from the center of town to see My Fair Lady. The theater has a small parking lot that one has to pay to park, a shop, eatery & bar area, and an ice cream cart. The seating arrangement is nice in the theater. The staff are friendly and helpful. The production was excellent, close to the movie. The sets and costumes are pretty nice. The acting and voices of the cast are superb. A truly enjoyable experience.

Went there with the wife and kids to watch a Christmas Carol and I was a bit worrried they might get bored but they loved it! They were enchanted by the characters and set design. Asked how they made the ghost so big and real. Will have to do this again sometime.

I was so very impressed by my theater experience here! Went to see Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirits" recently. We got there early so we had no problem parking in thier large parking lot. (I think it cost $10, but it might have been $15. I forget. But we parked there the entire day, so it was well worth it). The theater is just lovely inside, with a super cute gift shop and spacious lobby. There's a counter where you can purchase light food items and beverages. Connected to the lobby is a wonderful outdoor courtyard, complete with tables and chairs. And adjacent to this courtyard is the loveliest garden, with sculptures and poems attached to the trees. What a fabulous way to spend time before and/or after your play, or during the intermission. The theater interior is also impressive, with comfortable seating, and well cantilevered rows. The acoustics are great, and there were some surprisingly effective special effects during the play we saw (!). There are balcony boxes on a second level, too. Top-notch venue. And I liked how they let you bring in beverages (which I've not seen at any other theater, in my experience). I really appreciated that they allowed this. I feel compelled to mention the washrooms here. They are SO clean, and SO modern, and there are SO many stalls. Usually at theaters there's a long line for the women's bathrooms but not here. Here the accommodations for us women were great. Kudos to this theater!

Took my wife to see My Fair Lady at Shaw Festival Theatre, and what an experience! She loved it, and I personally think that the play was better than the Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn musical (gasp!), but I love that musical so this is high praise for the theatrical production at Shaw! Parking is plentiful, although it's a very short walk from the nearby hotels. The venue was clean, and the attendants kept folks moving along. The snacks and drinks offered were easily reached during intermission. Excellent job, Shaw Festival Theatre! The acting was wonderful, and we're happy to have this as a great memory of our trip to NOTL!

Outstanding musical theater. The actors, set design, costumes, live orchestra in the pit --- all exceeded our expectations. Expensive tickets, but worth it. Will attend again, the next time we are in the area.

Our first time here for the Shaw Festival. Even though our show was cancelled due to a medical emergency, the theatre offered us tickets for a different show the next evening, which we greatly enjoyed. During intermission we enjoyed sitting out in the water garden. The theatre itself was the smaller one with the show being performed in the round. Seating was very comfortable and the way the seats we arranged, we had a full view of everything, with no one blocking us. If we didn't live 3.5 hours away, we'd definitely be season subscribers!

My Friend and I saw the 2pm production of my Fair Lady August 9th It was absolutely Wonderful a superb performance, To top it off my friend and I were leaving the parking lot , we saw David Adams who played Alfred P Doolittle , he was magnificent, crossing into the parking lot . We shouted brilliant performance , he took the time to come over to the car to chat with us. He was so proud of his fellow actors. A wonderful moment for us. truly a kind and talented gentleman. Thank you David! Fred and Rita P.S. Everyone go see the play you'll love it!

I love live theatre and was so happy there was something going on when we were visiting. The theatre is very nice, with comfortable seating and lots of restrooms for women!!!! We saw Something About Earnest, and it was a great production. 3 acts, 2 intermissions and a cute story.

Went with my husband again to the Shaw to see One Man Two Governors and it was amazing, funny, hysterical and absolutely a wonderful evening. I had never seen my husband laugh so much. We highly recommend this show.

Second only to the Tom Patterson theater in Stratford, this theater has members-only seating on the terrace, and a selection of teas available to choose from. So soporific, but if you're not careful you'll overstay the intermission.

Great local theatre putting on some great plays. We saw The importance of Being Ernest and it was a good production of the Story. Very large lobby which was nice because you didn't feel crowded. It's worth the drive to NOTL and is a good additional if you are doing an overnight trip to this area. Also the location is fantastic and there are many cute hotels to stay close by so you can park the car- have dinner, watch a play and spend the night without needing your car.

We were informed the day before that Damn Yankees would be on a concert format due to many understudies having to step in. The performance was great nevertheless! The only thing lacking were scenery and costume changed. The performers all sat on stage and enthusiastically arose, moved, and sang their parts. The small audience was appreciative and visa-versa. Glad live stage is back!

This theatre is awesome with one little complaint. But I'll get to that later. First the awesome: saw a production of Brigadoon and it was lovely! The show was so fun and the staging was impressive. The sound quality is great and there are so many nice amenities here, from cool artwork to look at, do a really beautiful courtyard with seating for a glass of wine and a snack before the production starts, to the gelato from a local gelateria available. There's a really great upper balcony that overlooks the courtyard too. Staff is super friendly and helpful and the parking lot is a nice touch (didn't take advantage of that since we found some in town for the day, but it's spacious). There's also a little gift shop with some fun trinkets related to the theatre and that season's performances. Because they also have multiple performances of each production over time it was also super easy to just walk up and buy tickets, which we did. My only nitpick--we bought tickets in the front row left of the balcony and they had a really weird metallic bar rising out of the railing which obstructed my view of the bottom 1/4 of the stage when I comfortably leaned back in my chair, so I had to lean forward during multiple parts of the show to see around it. It's such a weird design component and completely superfluous that it annoyed me throughout the whole performance (not to mention my back was really bothering my by the end of the show). Typically the front row of the balcony is my favorite place to sit, but here I'll actively avoid it for this reason. Other than that, we had a wonderful visit and I can't wait to come back for another production. I'd just choose a different place to sit.

Enjoyed a wonderful performance of Brigadoon for my first visit to The Shaw! I am so grateful to have this festival a mere two hours from my house, and canNOT believe I had never been before. My only regret is not coming and staying the night, and seeing more than just one show while I was here. This is a must must for anyone making the trip! The venue itself (I was only in the mainstage festival theatre) is lovely and has a variety of different spots to grab an intermission glass of wine or snack - even gelato! The space opens up into a lovely courtyard where many patrons were congregated prior to and during intermission of the show. Parking onsite it a little steep at 15ca, but is super convenient in terms of getting on the road and back home after the show. Brigadoon was phenomenal. It is one of my favorite shows and was done a perfect choice for Shaw. At the matinee, I would wager that 97% of the audience was white and over the age of 55, but I would like to see the demographic makeup of the audience on NOT the closing Sunday as well. They have a clear commitment to diverse casting judging by the makeup of their repertory company, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for the Shaw.

First time at The Shaw, first time back inside to see theatre in a long long time! We felt very safe at the theatre, with the new proof of vaccination requirement and masks while indoors. We loved the production of "Trouble in Mind" starring the incredibly powerful Nafeesa Monroe as the lead character. The whole cast was phenomenal, along with the staging in the round, scenic design, lighting - everything was carefully crafted. Playbills were available via a QR code posted around the theatre or for $5 in the gift shop. The courtyard was absolutely lovely, and a great place for the audience to mingle outdoors pre-show and intermission. Looking forward to seeing another show soon!

My first time at the festival. The theatre complex was amazing. The production quality was topnotch. I liked being able to go out into the courtyard before curtain. Ushers were amazing. Super impressed that I was able to see two completely different productions in the same day in the same theatre.

This was our second time at the Shaw festival and though good the first time, this was actually better. We stayed at a b&b in town and were able to walk to the festival. Prior to the play (ladykillers) there was an informal talk in the outside garden area where we were told tidbits about the play. Very interesting. The play itself was good, very funny! The theater building is very nice. Seating was comfortable and with good sight lines. The outside tables and seating areas were nice places to go during intermission. The lobby are bar area is a nice size making it easy to walk around without feeling overly crowded. And the town of Niagara on the Lake is beautiful. Definitely worth the trip.

Have been to many plays at festival theater and hav3 never been disappointed! Today's performance of "Brigadoon" was exceptional! The theater is well laid out with excellent view from all seats. Sound quality was very good. I really like the architecture too! Don't forget to stroll the picturesque town of Niagara on the Lake. Many shops,restaurants, parks and beautiful flowers. Definitely a very charming,romantic area!

WOW this was a total shock - went to watch Henry V, arrived there with insanely expensive parking - fine whatever parked across the street as we were late anyways. Didnt know there would be 2 productions there, would have paid to see the other play if we knew it was going to be in a what seems to be a "bigger and better" theatre. The 'theatre' we went to was small to say the least; the stage was in the middle of what i would call a lecture room back in university days. We had to walk through the 'stage' to get to our seats, fine we did that; sat on plastic chairs... Scene 1 - the actors comes on stage with their props...not rehearsed, they were practically reading the script from the little book they had in their hand. During some parts of the play they would actually miss their line and others had to prompt them...that is so not ok! There was actually a scene where they forgot which character they were playing and they all laughed as they corrected themselves...At one point, a character referred King Henry to Prince Harry..wtf? Needless to say, they were not prepared, all the characters were hard to follow with no costume or prop changes...they didn't even dim the lights to indicate scene change just one of the characters yelling out "scene whatever, act whatever" and then proceeded with the scene...it was a joke!!! All in all, it was so weird and extremely hard to follow. The people around us were falling asleep! Snoring! The humor was forced and almost awkward...This play was highly unprofessional and im not a play critic nor have i been to many but as an amateur audience i could even tell this was BAD! Also -- where is the official page of the shaw festival for me to review?! i would like my money back somehow?

So this review is for Henry V, which is part of the Shaw Festival, but is playing at Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre. However if you try to Google reviews for this play, you can't find one anywhere except by some newspapers; no reviews by the common every day folk like myself. So I thought it was my duty to inform people about this play, plus I haven't written anything in a long time. I'm posting here for Shaw Festival Theatre as there is no Yelp page for Jackie Maxwell. I've also posted this review on the Shaw Festival Yelp page. I'm not a professional play critic, but I've been a fan of Shakespare my whole life. I've seen many plays (Shakespeare and non-Shakeskpeare) at the Stratford Festival, Mirvish productions, and other smaller playhouses in Toronto, and some US cities, and Asia. I've never been to the Shaw Festival and was initially excited to see a play there. The Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre turned out to be a very small theatre where the "stage" is in the center of a big room, surrounded by stadium type seating (the chairs themselves were crappy folding chairs). The stage was relatively small. Sure, not a problem I thought, as I have been to other plays where it was a small center stage and they were done very well. Someone in an officer's costume started off the play and the rest were wearing NCM/NCO uniforms. What made it confusing was that King Henry was dressed just as a normal NCM. I assumed he would be wearing an officer's uniform or stand out more somehow, but for some reason King Henry is a NCM but he was lower ranked than the officer who first started the play? An actor later calls him King Harry. I don't know if that was by mistake or if this play was meant to be funny. As the play went on, and as other players took on other characters, they never changed clothes or did anything to distinguish themselves as a different character (aside maybe trying to change their voice). Other plays I've been to they put on a hat or cloak or something different so you can visually see they were a different person. This play was confusing to follow due to this aspect. One example was when one player was referred to as "captain", but the person would be wearing a corporal rank on their sleeve. This bothered me because I have a military background. When switching scenes, the Officer would actually call out "Act 2, Scene 4" then give a description of the scene they were supposed to be in. None of the props changed, and they would pretend they were now in a bar, or where ever else they needed to be. So you will have to use your imagination quite a bit. A problem with this play is the stage was initially cluttered with WWII type decor, depicting as if they were in perhaps a trench or bunker. Other small plays I've been to, with a similar center stage setup, would at least dim the lights, change some props around and put on different clothes,then bring the lights up again. This play, did not. Another weird fact was during the play, several members would literally have the King Henry V book opened in front of them and be following along as others spoke. Several times actors forgot their lines, and at the start of the play, someone out right said "I don't know this part". This was extremely unprofesionally I thought and retracted from my experience. All in all, I thought this was a terrible play. It was poorly rehearsed and simply NOT enjoyable. The actors and director should be ashamed of this production. Honestly, I've seen high school and university plays that were better than this. I will not be returning to the Shaw Festival anytime soon as this was probably the worst play I've ever seen.

This was my first visit to this particular Shaw Theatre venue. It's a medium sized theatre with a balcony, which is where I sat. The production values are excellent. Great everything including cast to staging, music, atmosphere. We had sandwiches in the lobby and ate them on the patio. The sandwiches were fine, but nothing to write home about. The 5 stars are for the theatre venue.

I came to the Shaw Festival yesterday and was really impressed. The staff were amazing and they all brought their A-Game. They were all smiling, helpful and pleasant. I would have to say they were more friendly and helpful than the staff at the Mirvish Theatres in Toronto. I saw the play Sweet Charity and it was really good. The dancing was great and I really liked how much the set changed. They were really good at making the set change from a dressing room, to a subway, a church, a dance studio and much more. Allover the experience was wonderful and I would definitely go back to the Shaw Festival to see more plays.

I've been here several times for various plays over the years. This time we saw The Hound of the Baskervilles which was a Sherlock Holmes based play which was very good. Anyways, the acting is always excellent and the casting as well. The seats are very comfortable and you have a good view from anywhere. One thing I like about this theater is that they have different snacks/drinks you can purchase (which I have never done but is very nice - desserts, Haagen Dazs bars, sandwiches). Also we had two 15 minute intermissions and it was so nice to be able to sit outside in their courtyard area. There is parking right at the theater which I think may be free and then a lot across the street which you do have to pay for. And for you ladies out there, the bathrooms have a ton of stalls unlike most theaters, so there isn't a long line like most.

FRONT OF HOUSE STAFF: There is much to praise about the Shaw Festival, but often overlooked there as in other places, are the front of house staff: ushers, ticket sales, gift shop personnel, etc. I have found virtually all staff at Shaw to be friendly, polite, helpful and genuinely interested not only in the person they are serving, but the institution they represent. A quick 'bravo' and 'brava' seems appropriate.

The rendition of My Fair Lady that we saw last week was absolutely fantastic! Singing, Acting, Dancing, Lighting, Music, Sets: all were spectacular. The theater itself is gorgeous with all of the wood paneling. Not a huge place but certainly doesn't feel small by any account. I'll disagree with the person that said "bring a sweater." We were in the balcony and were fairly warm for the majority of the production. Certainly not uncomfortable, just warm. I also appreciated that the seats had high backs. I'm very tall and it was nice to be able to lean my head back into the seat cushion. i certainly hope to return to the Shaw Festival Theater for a performance in the future.

I visited the Shaw Festival Theatre over Labor Day during the Shaw Festival and had a lovely experience. We saw Sweet Chariot, think "(Hey) Big Spender" if you're trying to think of the well known song from the musical. And while I might be a huge fan of the musical itself, the choreography, set and performance was fabulous. The Theater itself is conveniently located down Queen Street, walking distance to shopping, restaurants, hotels and historical sites. If you're driving, they have parking at the theater. In addition to the fantastic performance, the actual theater was quite luxurious: large outdoor patio area if you're looking to catch some rays at intermission, comfortable chairs and large bathrooms. In addition, they have some of the best vendors I've ever seen at a performing arts theater: a coffee bar/shop with pastries, sandwiches and a full coffee menu. They also have a full bar offering cocktails, wine and beer in addition to sodas and finger snacks. If you have a sweet tooth, Il Gelato Di Carlotta has a "pop-up" cooler with ice cream sandwiches and bars. It's a truly lovely theater with some great pieces inside, including the geometric chandelier and a small gift shop area. I also love their use of video projection, which I've never seen used to the extent that Shaw Festival Theatre implements this technology so visually effortless. Projecting the cast on the curtain pre-show and truly making the experience that much more visually stimulating. Really, my only qualm is that the ushers were a little short and unfriendly, please add some smiles and kindness to your routine if you're going to be interacting with people regularly. It's not bad enough to forego a show here, but something to be aware of.

We saw Lady Windermere's Fan, it was absolutely fantastic, really well done. Only complaint: we got the first row seats in the balcony, do not book these seats, there is an annoying railing in front of you that cuts across the stage if you lean back. I spent most of the play leaning forward so that wouldn't bother me as much. Really bad design. If you want to sit in the balcony, I'd advise getting the second row.

We came here this weekend to see My Fair Lady (which was an excellent musical and you'll love it if you are a fan of the movie. $30 for under 30). The theatre itself was small, but also means that there is seating without obstruction for almost anywhere. Well air conditioned , so bring a sweater. Another comfort was the high backed chairs for you to lean your head on. During intermission, you can get more than the usual coffe/tea/wine/ice cream - there is a small cafe, and it was nice to be able to buy a dessert that wasn't impossible to finish in ten minutes. You can also pre-order your snacks. A small courtyard outside, also was a nice change in scenery. All they need to add are some lights, but maybe it's to keep the bugs away. Bathrooms were ample, and the ladies line up moved quickly. There is also a smaller bathroom at the back, and upstairs that I don't think a lot of people know about. There you go. Free parking after 6pm on the streets in Niagara-On-the-Lake

We saw Guys and Dolls here last weekend. It didn't really live up to our expectations, but who can really match up to the talents of Frank Sinatra or the hotness of young Marlon Brando? There were some really memorable parts and my step-dad who had never seen the movie version really enjoyed it. Like Laura mentioned in the previous post, there's a fantastic deal for those who are under 30 and should really take advantage of it. We felt the theatre was a bit chilly as well so it is a good idea to bring a cardigan or a jacket. You can always take it off if it gets too hot! The chairs were comfortable, but unfortunately my sister's view was a bit obstructed from the man sitting in front of her. It would have been better if the seats were on a bit more of an incline. During intermission, we went to the bathroom and although the line was long, it moved very quickly. The courtyard was very nice in the afternoon. Lots of sunshine, but there were also a lot of huge bees flying around. All in all, a great theatre.

we recently went to a performance of Alice in Wonderland which was part of this years Shaw Festival. Most of the technology and costumes were a statically pleasing but the rest of the performance fell flat. What are the major problem is is that Alice was played by an older adults. This is a major problem because she wasn't very good at voicing or acting like a 10-year-old. The show had some musical numbers but they were really unneeded they didn't add much to the show or the plot development. None of the performers had a special connection with the audience like most plays. The story was not immersive to the audience I didn't feel like I was really there. Many of the performers did not have a good connection with their character which in turn makes for a worse performance. One of the better moment was with the Caterpillar. I know it is very difficult to do connected movement. This is when a leader begins and others follow in a continuous line until they reach the end. The Catapillar consisted of many people but the speaker of the caterpillar did a really good job in his part. I didn't really like the cheap Artie section because jokes attempted to land but didn't really work. I feel that the mad Hatter did a better job and his more emotional scene. It just wasn't as funny and as energetic as the tea party scene should have been. Lastly I also quite enjoyed the scene with some mock turtle and Griffin. The Griffin did some pretty impressive dancing on stilts. Although the songs from this were pretty pointless and not memorable and the entire scene could've been cut I really enjoyed the characters and this was one of the only times that I felt a slight connection with what was happening on stage. Overall Alice in wonderland Bring some new and interesting technology in cash dreams to the table but the overall performance is lacking coherence a strong plot good connection with audience and memorable musical numbers. Definitely skip Alice in wonderland it isn't worth your money time or love for the theater arts.

Normally I'm ecstatic about the plays and performances at Shaw, and that is especially true of St Joan. But the current production of DRACULA leaves a lot to be desired. This production of Bram Stoker's Dracula adapted by Liz Lochhead is, in my opinion, a three hour disaster, with great actors placed into a ridiculous portrayal of what should have been a more campy approach to the beast. This play should have stayed in Edinburgh where it was conceived. It did not deserve 30 min, never mind 3 hrs, or an audience. Words abounded far more than Shaw and more depressing than Chekhov. How did we make it through? People in audience shaking their heads after the first act; some left in disbelief. Many of those who stuck it out left shocked. Shaw Festival should be ashamed.

This is my second time to the Shaw and yet again my expectations are always met and exceeded by the staff, the company and facilities. I'm here with an educational theatre tour with college students and the lengths they go to here to make Theatre accessible and pertinent are extraordinary: from behind the scenes tours to workshops with the actors to the shows--top notch.

We live fairly close to N.O.T.L and enjoy going to Shaw Festival several times a year to see plays. But last year and this year we have not been at all happy with the method of which seats are being sold when. We prefer the balcony and since I have had a knee problem recently, we like to sit in one of the last few rows. The back part of the balcony is now not being sold until a few weeks or days before the date you want. Tickets are now sold only at the front of the orchestra until almost full, then the back of the orchestra, then front of balcony until fairly full then the back of balcony. I like to plan fairly early in the year which plays we will see where and when but this is now impossible at Shaw when you like the back of the balcony. We saw fewer plays last year than we would have liked to because by the time the tickets we want were available it was only 1-2 weeks away from the date we would have liked but we had made other plans by then. Also balcony tickets are no longer available for early sale discounts because you can not buy that area yet. For us this method of selling tickets is ruining the Shaw Festival for us, not improving it.

I went here last night for the first time as an adult, and the discount tickets for customers under age 30 truly drew me in. My fiance and I saw the Philadelphia Story, and it was a fantastic performance! It was a bit of a slower night in attendance since we went on a Thursday, but I truly hope this gets all the attention it deserves. Highly recommended to experience at least one play during the season.

We came and saw Cabaret... loved the over the top production! Clean theatre, great seats, fun snacks... perfect

Im posting here because I cant find a seperate category for the Shaw Festival in general. Which is sad because the Shaw Festival is one of Canada's best kept secrets - and only about an hour from the Buffalo NY airport. Every play Ive seen at this and the other Festival theaters over the past decade has been superb - almost always better than Broadway, but at a considerably lower price. Add in the charming town + the wine country nearby + plus the variety of restaurants, bakeries, and hotels (incl romantic B&Bs) = and its a memorable weekend. The Festival Theatre itself is absolutely great. Newish, comfortable, and it has great acoustics/angles. Its large, but not so big you wont see or hear everything. Theres really not a bad seat in the house. The cafe is great, too - especially if youre seeing multiple plays in a day. While their musicals are always elaborate, make sure to see a play by BG Shaw, himself. Nobody does them better than this troupe.