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The Festival was founded as the Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada, due mainly to Tom Patterson, a Canadian journalist who wanted to revitalize his town's economy by creating a theatre festival dedicated to the works of William Shakespeare. Stratford had originally been a major railway junction and had fallen into decline when the railway yards were moved. Mr. Patterson achieved his goal, and the Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada became a legal entity on October 31, 1952. Legendary British actor and director Tyrone Guthrie agreed to become the festival's first Artistic Director. On July 13, 1953, actor Alec GuinnessSir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE ( April 2, 1914 August 5, 2000) was a British actor who became one of the most versatile and best loved performers of his generation. Born in London, he first worked in advertising before making his debut at the Old Vic in 1936. spoke the first lines of the first play produced by the festival: "Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun of York."
This first performances took place in a giant canvas tent on the banks of the River Avon, and the season comprised just two plays: Richard IIIThe Tragedy of Richard III is a play by William Shakespeare, in which the monarch Richard III of England is unflatteringly depicted. Synopsis The play opens with Richard standing in "a street, delivering the beginning, : Now is the winter of our disconten and All's Well That Ends WellAll's Well That Ends Well is a comedy by William Shakespeare, which is also considered one of his problem plays. The play was probably written later in the middle of Shakespeare's career, between 1601 and 1608. The five acts follow the action of Helena, a. In the second year the playbill expanded, and included the first non-Shakespeare play, Oedipus RexOedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex and Oedipus Tyrannos is a Greek tragedy, written by Sophocles around 427 BC. The play was the second of Sophocles' three Theban plays to be produced, but its events occur before those of Oedipus at Colonus or An. The Festival Theatre was opened in 1957Events January January 2 San Francisco and Los Angeles stock exchanges merge. January 3 Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch January 4 After 69 years the last issue of Colliers magazine is published January 5 Russell Endean becomes t, and was deliberately designed to resemble a tent, in memory of those first performances. The stage of the festival Theatre, designed by Tanya Moiseiwitsch resembles the thrust stage of Shakespeare's Globe TheatreThere have been several Globe Theatres in London. The original Shakespeare Globe Theatre (see below). There was a Globe Theatre (possibly named after the original Shakespeare Theatre) in Newcastle Street, that opened in 1868 and was demolished about 1902..
As of 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co there are four permanent festival venues: the Festival Theatre, the Avon, the Tom Patterson Theatre, and the Studio Theatre. Although originally named for Shakespeare, and still concentrating on his works, Shakespeare is not the only playwright produced. The current playbill includes classical, contemporary and musical performances.
The success of the festival dramatically changed the image of Stratford into one of a city where the arts and tourism play important roles in its economy.