Stage /Stage Events

Park Plays

Generally short, scrappy, and accessible, outdoor theatre is a genre unto itself. Lie back on a blanket, watch the sun set, and sip wine from a snuck-in water bottle at shows from these theatre companies with outdoor offerings.

One of the best parts about outdoor theatre is how much of it there is, so other companies to watch out for include Clay & Paper Theatre, Dusk Dances, Shakespeare in Action, Driftwood Theatre Group, Common Boots Theatre, and Panoply Theatre Collective.

By: Liam Donovan

Shakespeare in the Ruff

Based out of the east end’s Withrow Park, this collectively led company mixes creative audacity with accessibility. Their next show, Richard Three (Aug 17-Sep 3), reflects that blend: director Patricia Allison is taking a multiverse approach, drawing an innovative link between a hyper-popular contemporary form and a Shakespeare history play, itself the popular entertainment of its day. Ruff tickets are free/PWYC.

Canadian Stage

For the last 40 summers, CanStage has brought cheap, high-quality theatre to the High Park amphitheatre. This year, the centrepiece of their outdoor slate is a 90-minute, Jamie Robinson-directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream (July 21-Sep 3). Shorter-running dance and music pieces will fill out the programming.

Guild Festival Theatre

This growing company is nestled away in Scarborough’s Guild Park & Gardens, where they inhabit a stage with ornate, Greek-inspired architecture. In addition to some programming for young audiences, they’re doing two plays about trios: the satirical Three Men in a Boat (July 27-Aug 13), and The Drowning Girls (Aug 17-27), which is about three murderous brides.