John Wamsley, Brefny Caribou, Richard Comeau. Photo: Lorne Bridgman
Three people standing looking directly into camera, wearing residential school uniforms from the 1930s. The person in the middle wears two braids with a smirk on her face, holding a thin notebook. Person on the left has short hair, wearing jean overalls on top of a checkered long sleeve collared shirt. Person on the right has short hair and is wearing a striped, collared shirt and knitted vest. Yellow text above reads, Three people standing looking directly into camera, wearing residential school uniforms from the 1930s. The person in the middle wears two braids with a smirk on her face, holding a thin notebook. Person on the left has short hair, wearing jean overalls on top of a checkered long sleeve collared shirt. Person on the right has short hair and is wearing a striped, collared shirt and knitted vest. Yellow text above reads,

1939

A Canadian Stage and Belfry Theatre joint production in association with The Stratford Festival

 
Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie.” All's Well that Ends Well 

Anticipating a visit by King George VI, an English teacher at a fictional Residential School in Northern Ontario enlists her students in a production of All’s Well That Ends Well. But her rigid ideas of how Shakespeare should be performed are challenged as new spreads, audience expectations abound and her Indigenous students start finding parallels between themselves and the characters in the play, setting out to make Shakespeare’s bitter-sweet comedy defiantly their own.

Initially produced at the Stratford Festival in 2022, 1939 was born of both family legacy and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and has been guided by Indigenous Elders, Survivors, and ceremony throughout its development.

A moving and powerful must-see play – Broadway World
A gripping tale of heart and humanity – Stratford Today

The first production in our 24.25 season is supported by Sandra Simpson in recognition of her generous gift to Canadian Stage's Transformation Campaign.

Thank you to performance underwriters Huw Evans & Kathryn Bird, M. Fainer, and the Remembering Otto and Marie Pick Charitable Foundation for their support of 1939.

Jani Lauzon and Kaitlyn Riordan are members of the Playwrights Guild of  Canada.

1939 was originally commissioned by the Stratford Festival, Ontario, Canada. Special thank you to Shakespeare in the Ruff who, through the Canada Council, helped support the initial script development.  

The playwrights wish to thank the following for their support in the development of 1939:  

Antoni Cimolino, Anita Gaffney, Keira Loughran, ted witzel and Rachel Wormsbecher from the Stratford Festival; Eva Barrie and AJ Richardson from Shakespeare in the Ruff; Rev. Dr. Stephen Drakeford and Nancy Hern from the Anglican Church of Canada and its archives, Krista McCracken from the Algoma University archives, Rebecca Burton from The Playwrights Guild of Canada, Keith Barker, Jessica Carmichael, Alessandro Costantini, Waawaate Fobister, Roger Fobister Sr., David Mildon, Sorouja Moll, Yvette Nolan and YES! Theatre. And most importantly our Elder Script Consultants: Pauline Shirt, Shirley Horn, Edna Manitowabi, Elizabeth Stevens. 

The playwrights would also like to thank the actors and stage managers who participated in past workshops or productions; Marion Adler, Brendan Chandler, Kat Chin, Richard Comeau, Morgan Cook, Lisa Cromarty, Jake Deeth, Sarah Dodd, Deborah Drakeford, Sheldon Elter, Jacklyn Francis, Sarah Gartshore, Renate Hanson, Robert Harding, Braiden Houle, Nicole Joy-Fraser, Madison Kalbhenn, Wahsonti:io Kirby, Shira Leuchter, Cheri Maracle, Kathleen MacLean, Brendan McMurtry-Howlett, Jeff Meadows, Chris Mejaki, Lisa Nasson, Joelle Peters, Gregory Prest, Mike Shara, Tara Sky, James Dallas Smith, Kelsey Tyson, Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone, John Wamsley, Gordon Patrick White, Katie Wise and Mackenzie Wojcik. 

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