Alternative Theatre Works
156 Brunswick Street N5A3M3 Stratford, ON, Canada

Here for Now Theatre at The Bruce. Indie theatre is alive and well in Stratford. We opened 'Janet and Louise' yesterday afternoon. It has been exciting being part of bringing a brand new script to the stage by the extraordinary Deanna Kruger. I couldn't be more proud of us! Thanks to Fiona Mongillo for her vision and guts! and big thanks to Wendy Ewert, Stage Manager for the whole shebang. Wendy knows how to give a life LINE to an actor. Love her!

Why are we standing everyday for over an hour in the cold outside of Stratford city hall holding a NO to Xinyi sign and talking to whoever asks about this issue...? Last night I learned that over 1,500 acres of farmland in this community and surrounding area have already been lost to development. That is a LOT of the best farmland in Ontario forever gone. The MZO's being handed out by the current Ontario Government to developers to circumvent public process and fast track industrial development is contributing to this loss, and much more. Historic buildings, wetlands, greenspaces, farmland are being mowed down and under. Stratford is the latest victim of this unscrupulous mechanism used by developers. 180 hectares of farmland at the south entranceway to town will be covered by a Chinese Float Glass Factory, Xinyi, 2 of them will be built side by side according to the Phase 2 plans. These factories are of such a scale it is difficult to imagine. They are massive and will forever change Stratford and the surrounding area. They will take the water; WE will do without if there is ever a drought in the next 15 years, indeed, for the entire lifespan of the company here, however long. In their agreement, they get first dibs on the water for the factory. This is our children's drinking water. Will there be a drought? Climate Crisis is real, yes, there will be a drought. They will pollute the air, and we will forever have two 100 metre tall smoke stacks towering over the gateway to our community. These tall stacks will be a mere 4km distance from the centre of town and the prevailing winds will carry the emissions to Shakespeare and Tavistock as well as Stratford. That particulate matter will land on farmland as well as residential areas. We will be breathing it in. Please let your NO Xinyi be heard. We need everyone who is opposed to this to be heard and seen. If you are unsure, go to Get Concerned Stratford or Wise Communities and read about this issue. There has never been a more fatal and fateful decision being made FOR US, without consulting us, by our Mayor and Council. Please join this fight. The latest initiative to let our municipal leaders know our thoughts is to make a quick video of yourself saying NO to Xinyi, as simple as that, or you can just send a picture of you holding a NO Xinyi sign. Please do this, if we can bombard council with 100's of these statements, it will make a difference. If I can do it, anyone can, I am a bit of a boob with technology, but we did it. Easy as pie. here is the email to send your video clip to: [email protected] I am challenging my actor friends and colleagues to do this. Your voice is needed. We need you to join this fight. Please. The future of this beautiful Festival City is in peril. We believe that the future of our theatres here, our status as a world class destination and the unique artistic beauty of our city will be compromised greatly by these factories. We are not a heavy industry little city. We have heart and we live in a place that many people want to live in. Please join this fight. You don't have to live here to do this. If you have worked here, plan to work here, just moved here, want to move here, or simply LOVE Stratford. Please help us. Peggyxo https://get-concerned-stratford.mailchimpsites.com/ www.wisecommunities.org

Jewel opens next week!! I dropped into rehearsal for Jewel yesterday. I got a couple of pictures of Jane and Brad during notes. Thanks Sandy! This is suc...h a beautiful play, and Jane is amazing in it. Jane Spence plays Marjorie in this one woman show written by Joan MacLeod. Directed by Brad Rudy, Designed by Stephen Degenstein, presented by Alternative Theatre Works. It has been a busy year for Alternative Theatre Works and we are so excited to have Jane back in Stratford. A Valentine gift to Stratford. Tickets are available on line or at the door. $20 Feb. 12-23 The Masonic Concert Hall, 15 Church Street. www.brownpapertickets.com

Thanks to all who came and supported ATW and OTW for our Victorian Ghost Stories Spooktacular. It was amazing.

Rocky is training hard in the battle against Xinyi!

Jewel opens next week!! I dropped into rehearsal for Jewel yesterday. I got a couple of pictures of Jane and Brad during notes. Thanks Sandy! This is suc...h a beautiful play, and Jane is amazing in it. Jane Spence plays Marjorie in this one woman show written by Joan MacLeod. Directed by Brad Rudy, Designed by Stephen Degenstein, presented by Alternative Theatre Works. It has been a busy year for Alternative Theatre Works and we are so excited to have Jane back in Stratford. A Valentine gift to Stratford. Tickets are available on line or at the door. $20 Feb. 12-23 The Masonic Concert Hall, 15 Church Street. www.brownpapertickets.com

Please note dates for Jewel. Feb. 12 - Feb. 23

Jewel Alternative Theatre Works of Stratford is presenting the one-woman show Jewel by Joan MacLeod, starring Jane Spence at the Stratford Masonic Concert Hall. Jewel is the story of a young widow who is deciding to move forward in her life after losing her husband in the Ocean Ranger oil rig disaster off the coast of Newfoundland 3 years before that claimed the lives of all 82 crew members. The play takes place on Valentine's Day, the third anniversary of the disaster, and a...lthough the subject matter is serious, the play deals with her life with humour and warmth. A true love story for Valentine's Day Jane Spence is a Toronto-based actor/director who has worked in theatres across Cananda, including several seasons at the Stratford Festival. The play is directed by Brad Rudy, a professional actor for over 40 years including 26 seasons with the Stratford Festival, as well as productions at Theatre Aquarius, Blyth Festival, Drayton Entertainment, the Grand Theatre and Lighthouse Festival Theatre to name a few. He has directed several shows for Alternative Theatre Works and other independent theatres across Ontario. The production is being designed by Stephen Degenstein, the resident designer for ATW. jewelatw.brownpapertickets.com See more

Happy Holidays Everyone! Love, NECTAR

Thanks to all who came and supported ATW and OTW for our Victorian Ghost Stories Spooktacular. It was amazing.

Halloween readings update: Artist Tom Shropshire was kind enough to give us permission to use his beautiful Halloween painting for our poster. We then tried t...o create a B Horror Movie vibe, and I think we managed it!! We have 3 nights of spooky Victorian ghost stories being read by an incredible line up of actors. Lorne Kennedy, Wenna Shaw, Marti Maraden and Chick Reid. Who wouldn't want a bedtime story read by them!!! Off the Wall has created a Gothic ruins as the setting. So, be prepared to be immersed in a wonderfully spooky environment. We love Victorian ghost stories. They are rich works of literature, full of detail and chills galore. It occurred to us as we were reading The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, how wonderful it would be to hear and share some of these ghostly tales read aloud by great actors. You don't want to miss this! Oct. 31, Nov. 1, Nov. 2 readings begin 7:30 pm Tickets are available on line https://tinyurl.com/ATworks or at the door The Stratford Masonic Concert Hall 15 Church Street, Stratford $20 adults $15 Youth $35 two night pass (available at door)

tickets now on sale https://tinyurl.com/ATworks More spooky news to come. Stay tuned. This is a costume friendly event!!

tickets now on sale!!! https://tinyurl.com/ATworks More spooky news coming!! Stay tuned.

Our last day together at the beautiful University of Toronto campus during the Michael Chekhov Canada Summer Intensive. We are about to launch into a fairytale. We had a wonderful time. That blue bum is me!!!

Robert and me in Afterplay by Brian Friel, directed by Lionel Walsh. A good memory to share!

Summer plans? Well book into our upcoming Summer Intensive! We will offer foundations and advanced. This is a great, immersive opportunity to channel your inner... artist and play! Come spend a magical 4 days with us in Toronto - email [email protected] to inquire!! #theatre #theatreontario #toronto #torontotheatre #fringefestival #universityoftoronto #uoft #torontoartists #theatreartists #actors #torontoactors #torontolife #workshops See more

Thank you to all who came out to see our production of A Tender Thing by Ben Power. We closed the show on Saturday night, a 2 show day. The first post I made ...about doing the play, seems a long time ago. Producing this was the wedding celebration we never had. A Tender Thing was our celebration with friends and family. Thanks for coming to the wedding! Robert and I are off on our 'honeymoon' on Sunday. We have a week away together for the first time ever. Many thanks to Brad Rudy, Paul Shilton, Nicola Pantin, Stephen Degenstein, Kelsey Rae, Kiara McTeer, the Masons at The Masonic Hall. It was a dream team. Here is my blurb from the program: Peggys Feet On my 60th birthday this past September I had a small mission for the day: To put my feet in the Great Lake Huron, to see a sunset there, and to make a couple of promises to myself. I promised that I would make the most of the life that still lay ahead of me. To acknowledge the life I had so far lived, and to forgive my younger self for things that I could perhaps have done differently. And I promised myself that I would speak Shakespeare again on stage with my husband Robert during my 60th year. The feet on our poster are my feet in the lake that day. Robert suggested we use the image as it had such a personal meaning for us both and that the decision to do A Tender Thing was hatched that day. Without dear friends, this would never have happened. A Tender Thing is a gentle offer from all of us, intended to be intimate, full of heart, humanity and love. Peggyox

What if Romeo and Juliet didn't die young, but grew old together? Meet a strikingly different Romeo and Juliet in this one act play adapted from Shakespeare's ...original story. Robert King and Peggy Coffey play the famous star crossed lovers in this achingly beautiful remix that examines aging, love, loss, sacrifice and a life long friendship. Directed by Brad Rudy, Music by Paul Shilton, Choreography by Nicola Pantin, Designed by Stephen Degenstein. Not to be missed event. Book now, limited seating. May 8-18 at The Stratford Masonic Concert Hall. tickets $20 available on line https://tinyurl.com/ATworks or at door, cash only See more

Ticket link for A Tender Thing. https://tinyurl.com/ATworks

Alternative Theatre Works is presenting A Tender Thing by Ben Power. Robert King and Peggy Coffey play the famous star crossed- lovers in this achingly beautiful remix that examines love, growing old, and the human capacity for love. Directed by Brad Rudy, Music by Paul Shilton, Choregoraphed by Nicola Pantin, Designed by Stephen Degenstein. ... Limited seating for tickets: https://tinyurl.com/ATworks

On behalf of World Theatre Day. Why not go online and book a ticket to our upcoming production of A Tender Thing. Celebrate with us. We are independently pr...oducing this show, which means we work for an equal share of the box office after we have paid for all the production costs, which are many. Our company is called Alternative Theatre Works and we produce when we feel we can do it. When we read this play, we all agreed that it was worth the tremendous effort of self producing. So, please, buy a ticket and check out our show, and we promise to give you the best of ourselves. https://tinyurl.com/ATworks Alternative Theatre Works presents A Tender Thing by Ben Power. Romeo and Juliet in a strikingly different love story. Robert King and Peggy Coffey play the famous star crossed- lovers in this achingly beautiful remix that examines love, growing old, and the human capacity for love.

On behalf of World Theatre Day. Why not go online and book a ticket to our upcoming production of A Tender Thing. Celebrate with us. We are independently producing this show, which means we work for an equal share of the box office after we have paid for all the production costs, which are many. Our company is called Alternative Theatre Works and we produce when we feel we can do it. When we read this play, we all agreed that it was worth the tremendous effort of self produci...ng. So, please, buy a ticket and check out our show, and we promise to give you the best of ourselves. https://tinyurl.com/ATworks Alternative Theatre Works presents A Tender Thing by Ben Power. Romeo and Juliet in a strikingly different love story. Robert King and Peggy Coffey play the famous star crossed- lovers in this achingly beautiful remix that examines love, growing old, and the human capacity for love.

Robert King, one of Canada's best. Here he is making theatre history in Norm Foster's The Melville Boys. Don't miss seeing Robert play Romeo in Alternative Theatre Works upcoming production of A Tender Thing by Ben Power. May 8-18 ... The Stratford Masonic Concert Hall 15 Church Street Stratford, Ont. tickets $20 at door, cash only or advance https://tinyurl.com/ATworks O Romeo, Romeo!! oxox

http://www.michaelchekhovcanada.com/events.html You can also find us on Michael Chekhov Canada.

We are very pleased to be up and online selling tickets for our upcoming production of A Tender Thing by Ben Power. https://tinyurl.com/ATworks What if Romeo and Juliet lived to old age? Ben Power weaves the original text into a provocative new tale of love, sacrifice, and hope.

We are very busy with our upcoming production of A Tender Thing by Ben Power. It is such an exciting process to bring this beautiful play to the stage. Thanks so very much to our friends who are enquiring about tickets!! We will be up and running selling tickets on line by next week through Arts - People. Tickets will also be available 'cash only' at the door A Tender Thing by Ben Power May 8-18 2019... Venue - Stratford Masonic Concert Hall, 15 Church Street, Stratford, Ont. Tickets online or at door $20 'Another Romeo and another Juliet in a strikingly different love story. Premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company at Northern Stage in Newcastle in 2009. Ben Power weaves the text of Romeo and Juliet into a provocative new tale of love and sacrifice. Re-imagining Shakespeare's story, A Tender Thing is an elegiac yet ultimately hopeful account of the human capacity for love.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Mu50R36c4 Here is Ben Power talking about his play, and the original production and remount with Kathry Hunter playing Juliet. Enjoy!

Alternative Theatre Works - our next production playing at The Masonic Concert Hall, Stratford, Ont. May 8-18 2019