Excellent theater space! Every seat is great! I've seen several shows here and have sat in various sections and I can always see and hear clearly. Beautiful theatre. One of the dedicated theaters for the Stratford Theatre Festival, they always do amazing work. I've also attended meeting and special events in this building and they have lovely dedicated spaces for those things too. read more

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Very beautiful gardens around the Festival; the plants and flowers are meticulously decorated and labeled. It's obvious that a lot of effort has been put into creating this beautiful garden. There's a gift shop outside the Festival. The building itself is beautiful and they sell so many great gift options. The parking is not an issue; they have blocked off a spacious parking lot down the street, but it's expensive. The Festival building is well-maintained and the staff are friendly. There are food and drinks vendors inside if you want to buy food, wine or cocktails. read more

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A beautiful, unique, amazing theatre that combines the concepts of amphitheatre and thrust stage. The stage is quite small and it takes creativity to design shows on and around it. The whole place feels so modern and pleasant, especially the garden outside. We had a blast. Do try their (little known) terrace (second floor) outdoor BBQ. Simple menu (burgers and hot dogs). Cash only. But the ambiance is better than the cramped indoors "cafe" downstairs. You get a bird's eye view of the garden too. Long lines to the ladies room partly due to the mysterious two-door system. One door in. The other door out. But it's a bit hidden and not clearly market. Most girls ended up exiting the same door (where we are queuing) which added to the chaos. Few people noticed there is a separate door for exiting the toilets. Inside the toilets, they do have a fair amount of stalls (good call), but it's never clear which stall is occupied and which is available. The stalls are also in two separate sections of the bathroom and people often don't know for which section they are queuing for (adding to the slow-moving line and inefficiency). Took plenty of photos. Have a looks. read more

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Attending my first Stratford's Shakespearesan play at Festival Theatre was a pleasant experience. A short walk from the downtown area. The walk is quite scenic along Avon River. There are also ample free parking if you don't mind a short walk as on site parking is $20-$12. Nice English Garden in the front and the back of the theatre. If possible, it is a good idea to arrive a little early to enjoy all these beautiful flowers and plants. For souvenirs shopping, there is a gift shop just outside the theatre. The staff was all really cheerful and helpful in making our experience enjoyable, The only complaint was there was hardly any legroom and my legs were falling asleep even before me....... read more

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Big theatre with decent cushioned seats curved in front of the stage. Parking close by and close to the water and walking path. Restaurants and shops are further away from this theatre but there is a cafe and gift shop inside. read more

This is my favourite Stratford venue. It's located right on the Avon river and has a lovely garden area in front and a smaller one on the side. It's a great place to sit and relax before a show or during intermission. There are all sorts of flowers and even a small koi pond. The theatre itself is very intimate because of the horseshoe design - you always feel very close to the action. It's no coincidence that the most popular plays are staged here, like "King Lear" or "Crazy for You". There are ample bars during intermission and there are washrooms upstairs and downstairs, so the lines for the ladies room don't get too ridiculous. There is a little cafe in the lobby which has salads and rice plates in case you didn't have time to eat before the show. There is also space in the lobby where they host concerts or talks. Finally, the main gift shop is just outside the theatre with a good selection of theatre-related books, CD's, and gift items. There is a parking lot directly across from the theatre for $12. But if you are willing to walk a bit, there is free parallel parking along Lakeside Dr. or near the Tom Patterson Theatre's parking lot. Alternately, some of the small residential side streets south of the river have parking available. read more

Out of the three theatres that I visited during my Stratford vacation the Festival Theatre was by far my favorite. Located near the Avon River and surrounded by a large park the Festival Theatre immediately has an impressive ambiance of tranquility and grace. I went during opening week, so I found that I could not enjoy the interior as much as I would have liked being that there were so many people gathering to find their seats and where to go. The staff, though, was impeccable and flawlessly helped people despite all the chaos. The restrooms were very nice and clean. The theatre itself was stunning. My first show that I saw there I was practically dead-center in the upper balcony seating. At first I was concerned that I would be adequately able to hear and see, but my fears were immediately dismissed because I missed nothing. The performance was stunning, I heard everything, the special effects were marvelous, and I find myself completely engaged. The seating was great as I did not feel crowded and exiting was surprisingly easy despite the packed house. The next night I sat stage left in the balcony seating and again was a little concerned. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that the orchestra sat over the stage and loved the music for that particular musical. I can't deny that I missed some aspects of this particular production, but nothing that detracted from the experience. I still heard everything and saw everything. I was very pleased and very happy. read more

I love going to the Stradford Festival. The quality of the plays are always outstanding and this venue does the performances justice. There isn't a bad seat in the house. Even the most inexpensive seats have a clear view of the stage and fantastic acoustics. The surrounding environment is a perfect compliment to the venue. There is a huge trail system that connects to the theater along the Avon River and it is a short scenic walk to downtown. After a dinner in the quaint, architecturally vibrant town, it makes for a great walk over to the play. read more

one of my favorite activities when visiting southern ontario is to attend a Shakespearean play. this time, we saw the Sound of Music, which was superb!! Half pricing on certain dates, but well worth the full price. would suggest eating at mercer hall pre-dinner, and the park for free around the festival hall and enjoy the English garden, fully bloom with 1000's of flowers, and also enjoy the river/lake with swans. very romantic. set design and production is absolutely phenomenal. this place is magical. read more

The theatre provides sensation talented artists in an array of theatrical genres. Must see!

wonderful experience here with my partner attending a matinee this season the set design was great, the actors amazing and the whole production was flawless. had not been here since i was a teen and will now plan to attend as often as we can manage!! as a plus there was lots of free parking nearby which also gave us the chance to walk along the river before and after the show read more