Step into the enchanted forest: A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens the Tom Patterson Theatre for the 2026 season
Stratford, ON… As twilight gathers and enchantment stirs, the Tom Patterson Theatre opens its 2026 season with Shakespeare’s most beguiling comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Directed by Graham Abbey and developed in collaboration with Groundling Theatre, this spellbound classic features André Sills as Oberon, Michael Spencer-Davis as Nick Bottom and Sara Topham as Titania. A world of mischief, romance and moonlit wonder comes alive as performances begin today.
Strange things happen in the woods by night with neither spirit nor mortal safe from the wiles of the trickster Puck. For mismatched lovers, romance runs delightfully amok, but true love triumphs at dawn.
“This play does not end with the defeat of order or with the defeat of chaos. It ends with something new built from the alchemy of their collision,” says Abbey. “It plunges us into a melee of quick bright things coming to confusion – and it trusts that confusion is how we find our way to truth.”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream also features Evan Buliung as Theseus, Thomas Duplessie as Demetrius, Ijeoma Emesowum as Hippolyta, Vivien Endicott-Douglas as Hermia, Jordin Hall as Lysander, Jessica B. Hill as Helena, and Mike Nadajewski as Puck, with Vivienne Abbey as Rose Petal, Tim Campbell as Egeus, Laura Condlln as First Fairy (Viola), Heidi Damayo as Brimstone, Sarah Dodd as Rita Quince, 郝邦宇 Steven Hao as Snug, Sara-Jeanne Hosie as Snout, The Votaress, Aaron Krohn as Francis Flute, Alexandra Krohn as Daisy, Derek Kwan as Limestone, Cyrus Lane, Dominique LeBlanc as Nightingale (Violin/ Mandolin), Richard Lee as Philostrate’s Associate, Burdock, Tarique Lewis as Mustardseed, Angel Lo as Twig, Davinder Malhi as Peaseblossom, Michael Man as Robin Starveling (Piano), Silvae Mercedes as Moth, Anthony Palermo as Cobweb and Rylan Wilkie as Philostrate.
Abbey is joined by Set Designer Lorenzo Savoini, Costume Designer Joshua Quinlan, Lighting Designer Kevin Lamotte, Composer and Sound Designer Thomas Ryder Payne and Movement Director Stephanie Graham.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream officially opens on May 27 and runs until September 26 at the Tom Patterson Theatre. Tickets are available at stratfordfestival.ca or by calling 1.800.567.1600.
The 2026 season also features The Tempest, Guys and Dolls, Something Rotten!, Waiting for Godot, Death of a Salesman, The Hobbit, The Importance of Being Earnest, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Othello, The Tao of the World and The King James Bible Play. For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca.
The 2026 Season is supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.
Proud 2026 Season Partners: BMO, Canada Life and RBC Royal Bank.
Support for the 2026 season at the Tom Patterson Theatre: BMO.
Production Underwriters: The Westaway Charitable Foundation.
Production Co-Sponsors: Priscilla Costello, Cathy & Paul Cotton, Erica Peresman & David Jaffe, Martie & Bob Sachs.
CAST (in alphabetical order)
Vivienne Abbey Rose Petal
Evan Buliung Theseus
Tim Campbell Egeus
Laura Condlln First Fairy (Viola)
Heidi Damayo Brimstone
Sarah Dodd Rita Quince
Thomas Duplessie Demetrius
Ijeoma Emesowum Hippolyta
Vivien Endicott-Douglas Hermia
Jordin Hall Lysander
郝邦宇 Steven Hao Snug
Jessica B. Hill Helena
Sara-Jeanne Hosie Snout, The Votaress
Aaron Krohn Francis Flute
Alexandra Krohn Daisy
Derek Kwan Limestone
Cyrus Lane Understudy
Dominique LeBlanc Nightingale (Violin/ Mandolin)
Richard Lee Philostrate’s Associate, Burdock
Tarique Lewis Mustardseed
Angel Lo Twig
Davinder Malhi Peaseblossom
Michael Man Robin Starveling (Piano)
Silvae Mercedes Moth
Mike Nadajewski Puck
Anthony Palermo Cobweb
André Sills Oberon
Michael Spender-Davis Nick Bottom
Sara Topham Titania
Rylan Wilkie Philostrate
ARTISTIC CREDITS
Director Graham Abbey
Set Designer Lorenzo Savoini
Costume Designer Joshua Quinlan
Lighting Designer Kevin Lamotte
Composer and Sound Designer Thomas Ryder Payne
Fight and Intimacy Director Anita Nittoly
Movement Director Stephanie Graham
Associate Director Maev Beaty
Assistant Director Patricia Allison
Assistant Set Designer Freddy Van Camp
Assistant Costume Designer Barbara Morrone-Sanchez
Assistant Lighting Designer Emily Trepanier
Assistant Projection Designer Corwin Ferguson
Stage Manager Brian Scott
Assistant Stage Manager Kelly Boudreau
Assistant Stage Manager Lily Cardiff
Assistant Stage Manager Angela Marshall
Production Stage Manager Bruno Gonsalves
Production Assistant Luis Zaldivar
Child Performer Advocacy Director Maggie Blake
Technical Director Greg Dougherty
Creative Director Philippe Belhumeur (Normal Studio)
Visual Designer Joey Booth (Normal Studio)
Motion Designer Daravong Thongsavath (Normal Studio)
Project Manager Marie Desjardins (Normal Studio)
Technical Project Manager Emmanuel Lissandre (Normal Studio)
