Our Vision
The Stratford Seminars began in 1979 as a summer program that would allow theatre-lovers to take a deep dive into each Stratford Festival season. We have kept that vision alive ever since. Each season, our members encounter eight plays over five days. We watch the plays, discuss our responses to them, have special academic presentations on four of them, and welcome leading artists from the Festival to offer rich insight into how their productions took shape and what we should look for on stage. Our vision was, and is, to give seminar members a real insider’s look at the Stratford Festival and to learn more about ourselves through our encounter with great theatre.
How It All Started
When they started in 1979, the seminars ran out of the University of Toronto, Scarborough. Dr. Andrew Patenall started the seminars and ran them through 1994, ably assisted by Lois Pickup, who for many years managed the society’s budget and logistics. Dr. Paula Sperdakos, a theatre director, professor, and expert on the Canadian stage, joined the seminars in 1990. In the early 90s, the seminars became an independent organization supported by member dues.
Our Evolution
When Dr. Patenall left the seminars, Kathy Stiffler, a member from New York state, took over as the director. She welcomed Peter Parolin to the fold in 1995 – Peter was then a graduate student in English at the University of Pennsylvania. Now the dean of the Honors College at the University of Wyoming, Peter has been with the seminars since 1995.
Kathy directed the seminars until 2019. There were some personnel changes along the way: Lois retired in 2009 and was replaced as budget and logistics manager by seminar member Susan Gerard from Toronto. When Susan retired a few years later, Jim Montgomery, a distinguished musician, took over budget and logistics. After Paula retired from the team, Dr. Liz Pentland of York University joined the seminars in 2013 as one of our core professors.
Over 2020 and 2021, the years of Covid, we offered virtual seminars featuring Stratford Festival films and our regular roster of presentations, discussions, and interviews with artists.
In 2022, we returned to Stratford, trading our previous meeting space at the Knox Presbyterian Church for the beautiful marquee space at the Festival Theatre.
In 2025, we moved from the Marquee to the beautiful Dinner-Rooney Workshop in the new Tom Patterson Theatre. Many members found this the best space we have ever had. We plan to continue meeting in the Dinner-Rooney Workshop in the future as long as the space remains available.
“The insights provided by the seminars and guest speakers, and the pleasure of being part of a like-minded community made my week in Stratford a far richer experience than if I had gone on my own.”
– Judith Nancekivell
Our members
Each year, there are roughly 50-75 members in the seminar, many of whom have been attending for years. The members come from multiple fields. They are engineers, teachers, historians, musicians, doctors, psychologists, administrative assistants, and current students; they work for non-profits, private industry, local government, arts organizations, and much more.
What our members share is a love for theatre and for experiencing theatre together with others. The lessons we learn in conversation with each other give us new insights into theatre, the world, and ourselves.
Our commitment
We welcome all interested comers to the seminars. Whether you are an experienced viewer of live theatre or a novice, all you need is excitement about taking a deep dive into the exceptional and varied plays on Stratford’s stages.
The Stratford Seminar Society 