Noˆ´l Coward threesome kicks off 48th season of the Shaw Theatre Festival

Still Life, We Were Dancing and Hands Across the Sea, the trio of one-act delights from the pen of Noˆ´l Coward, known collectively as Brief Encounters, launches the 48^th season of the Shaw Theatre Festival. Four other productions also open this week: the Shavian Restoration romp In Good King Charles`s Golden Days: A True History That Never Happened; the Stephen Sondheim Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park with George; Eugene O’ÄôNeill’Äôs bittersweet love story A Moon for the Misbegotten; and Garson Kanin’Äôs classic social comedy Born Yesterday.

The Shaw Festival’Äôs Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell joins The Shaw’Äôs Board of Governors Chair Janet McKelvey and the rest of the Company in celebrating the launch of the season and says of this week’Äôs events: ’ÄúThere is a real feeling of anticipation and excitement here at The Shaw as we launch our first five shows ’Äì glittering examples of this season’Äôs rich and varied playbill.’Äù

The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, representing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; along with special guests from all levels of government, colleagues from the cultural sector and generous leading patrons and corporate sponsors will be in attendance. Federal government officials attending will include The Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice, MP, Niagara Falls; The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State for Small Business & Tourism; Mr. Stephen Brereton, Canadian Consul General ’Äì Buffalo; Mr. Bob Dechert, MP Mississauga-Erindale; Dr. Kirsty Duncan, MP Etobicoke North; Mr. Gerard Kennedy, MP Parkdale; Ms. Julia Munro, MP North York; and Mr. Paul Szabo, MP Mississauga South. Foreign dignitaries attending will include Mr. Jonathan Dart, British Consul General ’Äì Toronto. Provincial government officials attending will include The Honourable Donna Cansfield, Minister of Natural Resources & MPP Etobicoke Centre; The Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture; The Honourable Gerry Phillips, Chair of Cabinet; The Honourable Monique Smith, Minister of Tourism; Ms. Sophia Aggelonitis, MPP Hamilton Mountain; Mr. Kim Craitor, MPP Niagara Falls; and Mr. Rosario Marchese, MPP Trinity-Spadina. Lord Mayor Gary Burroughs, Mayor of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, will also be in attendance, as will members of the Arts community including Mr. William Boyle, CEO, Harbourfront Centre; Ms. Martha Durdin, Chair, Ontario Arts Council; Ms. Julia Foster, Chair, National Arts Centre; Mr. Peter Herrndorf, CEO, National Arts Centre; Ms. Linda Intaschi, Associate Producer, Mirvish Productions; and Mr. Robert Lamb, Managing Director, Canadian Opera Company.

The Shaw Festival produces and presents the work of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and playwrights writing anywhere in the world during, or about, the era of Shaw’Äôs lifetime.

www.shawfest.com