Mainstage Tent

Bard on the Beach is back! Tickets for the 22nd season of the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival will go on sale March 14. This year is going to be big for the festival. A new 760-seat Mainstage tent will be unveiled at Vancouver’s Vanier Park from June 2 to September 24, 2011. The tent aims to provide increased venue seating capacity as well as to offer more comfort for theatre goers.

If you’ve been to Bard on the Beach in the past, you’ll know that the line-ups along the tents can get long. To solve this, the Festival has also introduced Reserved Seating. You’ll be able to get access to the Bard Village amenities and services earlier during the season and not have to rush in line for the good seats.

As You Like It
Lois Anderson (Rosalind) & Orlando (Todd Thomson) in AS YOU LIKE IT at Bard on the Beach 2011. Photo by David Cooper]

This year’s Festival will present the following shows and events:

As You Like It – June 2 to September 24 (Mainstage tent)
The Merchant of Venice – June 15 to September 23 (Mainstage tent)
Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses (Henry VI, Parts I, II & III) – June 30 to September 21 (Studio Stage tent)
Richard III – July 13 to September 23 (Studio Stage tent)
Bard Explored: Lecture & Discussion Series – June 25, July 16 & 23, August 6, 13 & 27, September 3 & 17
Bard-B-Q & Fireworks – Play plus salmon barbecue & fireworks viewing: July 30, August 3 & 6
Celebrating Red & White – Wine Tasting following the matinee performances and before the evening shows on August 20
The Marriage of Figaro (Opera & Arias) – UBC Opera Ensemble & members of Vancouver Opera Orchestra: August 29 & September 5

Merchant of Venice
[Shylock (Richard Newman) and Portia (Lindsey Angell) in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, 2011.
Photo by David Cooper]

The 2011 plays are a celebration of Shakespeare’s unparalleled dramatic range. As You Like It is a merry romantic comedy, defined by favourite Shakespearean themes of love, mistaken identity and the pleasures of pastoral life. The Merchant of Venice is a timeless, mesmerizing tale that pits youth against age and idealism against compromise as it travels the incredible landscape between extremes.

Henry VI
[Duke of York (Scott Bellis) and Henry VI (Josue Laboucane) in HENRY VI, THE WARS OF THE ROSES 2011. Photo by David Cooper]

Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses distills the Henry VI trilogy into a single thrilling narrative filled with dirty politics, illicit romance and family violence. In the closing chapter of the history series, Richard III presents one of Shakespeare’s most villainous and fascinating characters as it follows the epic struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster for the ultimate prize – the English throne. 

Richard III
[King Richard (Bob Frazer) in RICHARD III, 2011. Photo by David Cooper]

Bard on the Beach is Western Canada’s largest Professional Shakespeare company and its Artistic Director is Christopher Gaze.

All evening performances start at 8 pm (with the exception of Sundays at 7). From September 7 onward, the curtain moves one hour earlier to 7 pm. Matinees are presented on selected weekends and weekdays.

For more information on schedules and tickets, visit the Bard on the Beach website or call 604.739.0559 (toll free 1.877.739.0559).

2 Comments

  • Trackback by Tristin Loring — November 25, 2011 @ 7:32 am

    Tristin Loring…

    Looking forward to reading more. Great blog article….

  • Pingback by 2011: A Great Year for Local Theater | Vancouverscape — September 26, 2015 @ 9:25 pm

    […] Richard III I couldn’t end the list without including this fine Bard on the Beach production. Richard III and actor Bob Frazer were meant to be together. This play simply revolved […]

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