Event Details

Incorporated in 2015, The Norm Foster Festival is a theatre company inspired by the work of internationally renowned Canadian playwright Norm Foster. Their mission is to showcase the heart and humour of Foster's writing in a dedicated environment, employing the finest Canadian theatre practitioners and to foster and support emerging and established Canadian playwrights interested in stories that are entertaining but also deeply meaningful to and reflective of their history. The organization operates as a not-for-profit charitable organization, and will produce its second season of three fully professional productions from June to August, 2017 in Cairns Hall at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines.

This application is for “10th Anniversary Season”, taking place from May 1 to December 31, 2025, at various locations in the Niagara region including Vineland Estates Winery, Firehall Theatre (Niagara Falls), Mandelville Theatre (St. Catharines), Pelham Old Townhall (Fenwick) and the Burlington

Performing Arts Centre. Programming includes:

(1) a limited engagement run of A.R Gurney’s Love Letters;

(2) the Fostered Playwrights Festival featuring works by Canadian playwrights Alison Lawrence (directed by Kerry Ann Doherty); Marni Walsh (directed by Tara Rosling), and Emily Oriold (directed by Jamie Williams);

(3) a workshop and public reading of Norm Foster’s new play Bridge Narrows directed by Jamie Williams;

(4) a community production of Bedtime Stories co-directed by Emily Oriold and Jamie Williams;

(5) Mainstage Summer Season: On A First Name Basis by Norm Foster, featuring Emily Oriold and Jamie Williams; Screwball Comedy by Norm Foster directed by Emily Oriold, featuring Claire Jullien; Mechanically Inclined by Steve Ross directed by Jamie Williams featuring Blair Williams and Shauna Black;

(6) The Stakeout by Norm Foster (world premiere) featuring Emily Oriold and Jamie Williams, direction assisted by Kirsten Alter;

(7) A Niagara Christmas Carol by Jamie Williams (an adaptation of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens) directed by Emily Oriold and partnering with the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canal Centre.