How to go to Shaw/Stratford Festival for First Time

I am really lucky: going to a major theatre production in a professional venue is a comfortable experience for me. I’ve had opportunities to go to big-name productions since I was a teenager. But plenty of people haven’t been to a live theatre production before.

If you’re one of them, and:
– you’d like to go to a major theatre festival like the Shaw or Stratford, and
– you know how to navigate the travel stuff like booking tickets, getting there, finding appropriate accommodation, etc., and
– you already know how to behave at movies, like not to use your phone or talk during the show, but
– you’re worried that you don’t know the “obvious” “theatre” things that “everybody else” will know…

Then this FAQ is for you.

How do I pick a show?

Buckle up, this is longer than you might think.

Most theatre is mediocre. Why? Because most anything is mediocre. Most movies that come out are mediocre. Most TV too.

But, you might be thinking, most of the movies/TV I saw this year weren’t mediocre! That’s right, because you already know what movies and TV you like. You get recs from trusted friends and reviewers, and you’re pretty good at telling from a trailer or an IMDB page whether this film is for you.

If you don’t see much or any theatre — or even if you do, because most people who see plays still can’t afford to see as many plays as they see movies and TV — you may have no idea how to screen out stuff that will make you melt in boredom. And, to be frank, seeing a show at a major theatre festival is like seeing a movie from a major Hollywood studio. If you like the theatre equivalent of rom-coms or action blockbusters — great! If not? Well, it’ll be tougher.

So what shows are there then?

Here are some things you can almost always find:

• A performance by an actor you’ve heard of from film/TV
• Musicals with spectacle and dancing
• A performance of a classic play that you read in school (Shakespeare or Shaw or sometime Moliere, if you did French immersion), possibly set in a different time period*
• A show based on a book or movie you already know and like

Do any of those sound good? Fantastic! If not? Well, start reading reviews.

Shows you’ve never heard of in smaller “studio” theatres are most likely to be really cool — the festival puts riskier shows in smaller theatres. Sometimes that means they do exciting things that make them great. Sometimes it means they’re an innovative kind of mediocre. But if you want to see spectacle like chorus dancing, special effects, etc. stick with the larger theatres.

What should I wear?

What you wear is probably the most important decision you’ll make. Not because other people will judge you — lord, no. You will see a few fellow attendees wearing suits or sheath dresses and lots more wearing T-shirts. There will be plenty of older white dudes wearing pleated, baggier-than-fashionable khaki shorts.

No, your attire is key because MOST THEATRES BLAST THE AIR-CONDITIONING.

It doesn’t matter what the temperature is outside; inside, you should plan on an entirely different climate. Wear layers, bring a sweater in your bag, wear long pants/a long skirt, pack a fleece blanket to whip out — whatever you need to make sure you’ll be comfortable whether it’s arctic or tropics.

What time should I show up?

Plan to arrive at the theatre at least 30 minutes before the show starts, more if you want to buy stuff from the shop, order food/drinks, or use the bathroom. This will give you time to get comfy, read the programme, and check out any interesting displays.

Theatre shows sometimes start a little late, and you can arrive just before the starting time… but if you gamble wrong and arrive after the performance begins, the ushers will make you wait for an appropriate moment. Which, in extreme cases, may not be until intermission.

Are there bathrooms at the show? When will I be able to use them?

There are, and many festival theatres have expanded ladies’ rooms to avoid long line-ups. Still, you’d be well advised to go at least 30 minutes before the show is supposed to start. Intermission and immediately after the show are often rushed and crowded — not recommended except for emergencies.

If you go during the show, you won’t be allowed back in until the ushers say so. That might mean right away, or that might mean at intermission.

Is there food at the show?

Sort of. There’s usually a snack bar with extremely inflated prices. Like, at-the-movies pricing but more, and the snacks aren’t as good. The bigger theatres may have sandwiches, but they also aren’t great. Drink-wise, you can usually get some soft drinks, wine, and water. Sometime coffee or tea.

Both the Shaw and the Stratford festivals now offer special wine sippy glasses that you can bring into the theatre with you while you watch the show, and I’ve never seen anyone get stopped in the theatre for drinking water. However, most people don’t eat during the show, and the people around you might think it’s rude if you do anything more than pop a (previously unwrapped) candy in your mouth.

Can I buy souvenirs at the show?

Yes, at the bigger theatres. The official festival stores near or inside the theatre are usually accessible without a ticket, and they are always busy immediately before or after the show. You should visit them at least an hour before the show starts, unless you really love to be crammed in small spaces with a billion other people.

What if I don’t know anything about theatre? Will people make fun of me?

99 out of 100 people won’t notice you. But I’ll be honest: some people might, and they might be jerks about it, especially if they are young drama students on a school trip hyping each other up. Which I have been.

The worst they might do is gossip snottily about something “naïve” they overheard you say during intermission, especially if you expressed your dislike of the show or lack of understanding. If you’ve behaved with the consideration you’d show to others at a movie, they are absolutely being the rude ones, and I guarantee you that everyone else who can hear them is thinking “what asshats” or “gah, YOUTHS!” as appropriate. (Also, if you don’t understand something, you are almost definitely in the majority.)

What should I expect when the show is over?

The performers will come back onstage in themed waves, and the stars may come out on their own. The audience is expected to applaud the whole time. As the performers who played the main characters come out again, there’s usually a standing ovation. You don’t have to stand if you can’t or don’t want to, so don’t worry about it. The performers may point vaguely in the direction of the back of the audience. When they do this, they’re asking you to clap for the stage crew (the stage manager and people running sound/lights/other tech are often in a booth at the back of the theatre). If they point down toward the edge of the stage, they’re asking you to clap for the orchestra/conductor. Then they will leave again. If everybody keeps clapping a lot, they might come back to bow again.

When do I leave?

You’ll see a few people leave when the applause begins, but unless you have a good reason for doing so (e.g. feeling sick, restricted mobility, different abilities, caregiver for someone who needs time and/or space to leave), it’s more usual to wait until the applause is done and the auditorium lights come on.

If there’s a talk-back or other event after the show, it’s okay to leave between the end of the applause and the start of the special event. Don’t worry, you will NOT be the only one.

If you’re taking the post-show festival bus and are scared that you’ll miss it, don’t worry. The bus drivers have a list of names, and they will wait a reasonable amount of time for everyone. You don’t have to rush, as long as you don’t spend an hour dawdling. They know you might have to use the bathroom before the drive back to Toronto.

Will the actors try to talk to me?

Probably not, like in less than 5% of the shows. But if they do, it will be in one of these ways:1. In character, before the show starts, greeting you as you wait in your seat/find your seat. You can talk to them if you want to, or you can decline the way you would shrug off any stranger if you didn’t feel like a conversation. They will move on quickly, because they are looking for someone who actually wants to interact with them. If they ask you questions or for your name, they might point you out during the show. So if you’re not up for that, don’t tell them.

2. In character, during the show, by delivering a joke or line directly to you or using you as an example by pointing. You don’t need to and shouldn’t quip a response unless they ask you for one; just smile and let them keep going.

3. In character, during the show, except they explicitly ask you to do or say something. This is super duper rare because a) most audience members don’t like it unless they’ve chosen to attend this kind of show (e.g. a magic show or an improv show); and b) because, generally, more expensive theatre shows are less flexible than less expensive ones, and there’s more at stake if the audience member they choose ruins it for everyone, there’s liability, etc.

4. Out of character, somewhere around town, because they work and live there and go places too and need you to excuse them so they can get past you on the sidewalk.

If you’re still worried about #1-3, make your body language clear: look away and fold your arms. Trust me, the performers don’t want to choose someone who doesn’t want to interact any more than you want to be the person they choose, and there are a dozen other people in the audience who looove being the centre of attention. Also, don’t be an asshole to the performers in other ways (e.g. trying to trip them when they walk past), or they will rightly decide you deserve to be embarrassed in public.

What else is different from going to the movies or a concert?

Two main things: first, consider the aisles as an extension of the stage. Lots of directors love to have performers enter or exit down the aisles, through the audience. So keep your arms, legs, and belongings out of the aisle to avoid accidentally tripping a performer.

Second, most major theatres don’t like you to take pictures during the show or sometimes even before/after the show. That’s because, a) it distracts other patrons and the performers and isn’t considerate, and b) professional designers have worked very hard to create the set/lights, and some may not want unauthorized photos shared of their work. Honestly, that doesn’t stop most people before the show, but at least lose the flash, whatever you do.

Enjoy the show!

* SPECIAL NOTE: Just because you’re seeing Fancy Theatre doesn’t mean you have to choose this show! If you didn’t like the play when you studied it, seeing it probably won’t do it for you either! You have my humanities-PhD, theatre-nerd permission to see whatever play you want instead of what you think you “should.” It’ll still be legit, valid, real theatre!