In the spirit of Bernard Shaw, the Shaw Festival entertains audiences from near and far in picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, each year with a diverse acting ensemble and production company. The season runs from April – October, offering up 11 different plays on 4 stages.

This past year, WNED PBS welcomed The Shaw Festival’s artistic director Tim Carroll into our studios to speak with host of WBFO’s Theatre Talk, Anthony Chase. In our season preview special for 2017, Tim speaks about his vast experience as an artistic director.

“Working in the theatre. It does take you to places you never imagined you'd go. When I left university, I had no idea that I was going to end up directing seven productions in Hungary and six in Spain and three in Norway and in Portugal, Romania, Sydney Opera House. I've been very lucky. You know, it's ... as long as you roll with it, you end up in some really extraordinary places. The biggest job I'd had before this, I think, was my seven years at the Globe in London directing Shakespeare.”

His vision invites patrons to enjoy “two-way” theatre in many of the plays presented this season. Everyone walks away better for the experience.

“You have to be sensitive to the audience. You can't just pretend they're not there. You can't ask them to sit in the dark passively. They really do influence every single performance in a theatre like that. And that's the kind of theatre I want. I want the kind of theatre where the audience really feel that they are a part of the experience and making a difference to the experience.”

TC began his work with the SHAW Festival in 2016, succeeding former artistic director, Jackie Maxwell. He’s excited to embrace this adventure and present his vision for Niagara’s world class repertory theatre, and walk us through the full line up of productions for 2017.

Premiered March 31, 2017 on WNEDPBS.

Visit the Shaw Festival website.

Behind the Scenes

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Set-up for the Shaw Festival 2017 begins. The skyjack allows the crew to hang and access the lights on the ceiling grid.

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The set-up crew works from an image from a previous Shaw Festival Preview program to put set elements in place, ensuring continuity.

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With the set in place the crew turns their attention to lighting. The amber gels will be used to add color to the screens in the background.

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Studio Supervisor Tami Coleman works on the lighting design.

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Gobos are used in the lighting instruments to create a pattern on the screens.

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With the lighting instrument fitted with the gobo and an amber gel in place, the design on the panels emerges.

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Lighting and set-up continues.

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As the crew makes final adjustments to the set and lighting program host Anthony Chase meets with Tim Carroll to discuss the program rundown in the Green Room.