Award-winning Guild Festival Theatre (GFT) is Scarborough’s only professional theatre company. Following their inaugural production in 2011, they’ve become an annual Scarborough summer tradition, performing reimagined theatre classics outdoors at the Greek Theatre in Guild Park & Gardens in the eastern part of Toronto, where art meets nature.
Committed to expanding the conventional definition of theatre classics by highlighting stories and artists that reflect their diverse, multicultural local community, GFT presents plays that speak to modern audiences – infusing their productions with a sense of universal and timely storytelling. Their annual season takes place every summer, and features family-friendly and music programming – including free events – as well as two or three plays, all running back-to-back over the course of two months.
In addition to their annual summer season, GFT champions local arts and culture; and works to expand its audience through community outreach, education and engagement. They’re also dedicated to engaging with theatre artists, supporting both established and emerging artists through mentorship and professional development initiatives, and providing opportunities for meaningful work.
(Photo credits (clockwise from top left: Guild Festival Theatre, Raph Nogal Photography, Guild Festival Theatre)
What we like about this theatre company
We love how Guild Festival Theatre makes beloved theatre classics accessible to audiences, with adaptations and reimagined productions that speak to our modern times. And it’s great that they provide something for everyone, from family events like Family Fest, to kid-friendly productions like their award-winning Alice in Wonderland, to dark dramas like The Drowning Girls and comedies like Three Men in a Boat.
We applaud their community and artist engagement, both of which are vital to keeping theatre and live performance alive. And, best of all, their outdoor productions are presented in a beautiful park on a Greek theatre stage! We can just imagine packing a picnic and getting together with family or friends to enjoy a show under an open sky, surrounded by nature. (Written by C.M.)
Accessibility information: The Guild Park, where GFT performs, is wheelchair accessible, has accessible washrooms and also has hearing assistance.
Ideas for where you can go from here:
- Visit Guild Festival Theatre.
- Buy tickets to their shows if you are in the Toronto area during the summer months.
- Check out volunteer opportunities to get involved at GFT.
- If you’re not in the area, see if there’s a local theatre company close to where you live, maybe one that puts on shows in a park and plan on attending one of their shows.
We love theatre companies because they inspire you to get out and experience live theatre. Experiencing live theatre allows you to immerse yourself in the characters and story in a deeper, more meaningful way. Immersing yourself in the characters and story in a deeper, more meaningful way is part of the flourishing offline life Young W helps you discover: by exploring PERFORMANCE and the other 8 pillars of Arts & Letters, including those you may be hesitant to try.
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