Our History...
The story of the Shakespeare Canada actually begins with the story of Purple 9 Productions.
Founded in 2001 by Ace Lopes and Aaron George, Purple 9 Productions started as a modest independent theatre company doing comedy shows and game shows around the Montreal Area.
In 2002, the company took on the Montreal Fringe Festival and produced one of the festival’s most successful productions: "Cobra: The Musical". A silly musical based on the villains from the 1980’s cartoon G.I. Joe, Cobra was a smash hit in Montreal selling out every single performance, sometimes even turning away an entire audience of people. Cobra’s popularity was so great that the festival awarded Purple 9 Productions an extra show, which also sold out instantly. Cobra went on the road with stops in Ottawa and Toronto and continued to please audiences everywhere.
That same year, they also went to Halifax to perform at that city's Fringe Festival with an original comedy show.
Purple 9’s next production was a full length, full text version of "King Lear" at the Centaur Theatre. Dubbed “A Godfather’s Tale,” Shakespeare’s classic story was presented in a 1950’s style much like Francis Ford Coppola’s classic films.
In the winter of 2003, the company tackled contemporary theatre; presenting two modern classics: David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” and Patrick Marber’s “Closer”. Both received favorable reviews but were only the beginning of what was to come.
In the spring of 2003, Purple 9 Productions embarked on their most ambitious project yet, touring schools with Shakespeare plays. But this was to be no ordinary Shakespeare tour; these were to be adapted scripts to facilitate the students' understanding of these classic works.
The first show was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Set against the backdrop of a fantastic Greece, this wonderful tale of the difficulty of love was performed in 14 schools for over 3000 students and teachers in the Montreal area.
The summer of 2003 was yet another adventure, as the company hit the road again to tour the Canadian fringe festival circuit. Their show: “Star Wars Survivor”, (yes it is exactly what it sounds like), toured Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Victoria and Vancouver over a three-month period and was a tremendous success.
Having now performed in almost every province in Canada, the company once again decided to turn its attention back to the ever growing school tours.
The winter of 2004 rolled around and school was back in session for Purple 9 Productions. For their second tour they remounted their popular version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and added to it a Rock n' Roll version of: “Romeo and Juliet”, which placed our famous star-crossed lovers in a modern world of love and rock n’ roll. These shows were performed in more than 30 schools for over 6,000 students and teachers.
The rest of 2004 was dedicated once again to independent theatre shows, as the company put on successful productions of “Beyond Therapy” by Christopher Durang, and “Durang-a-tang”; an evening of one-act plays by the aforementioned writer.
The times they were a-changing, and in 2005: Purple 9 Productions was officially re-named:
Shakespeare Canada.
The 2005 school tour was memorable, as the company brought to life “Macbeth”; set in traditional Scotland. Macbeth featured a two story set which doubled as the troubled monarch’s castle, as well as another area behind the seated students which served as the "witches' pit". The companion piece was the unforgettable “Comedy of Errors” set in the 1980’s. These shows were performed in over 40 schools for over 7,000 students and teachers.
In 2006, “Hamlet” was presented in a “black and white” style, reflecting one of the play’s major themes; that appearances can be deceiving. Along with “Hamlet”, Shakespeare Canada produced the surprise smash hit, “Twelfth Night”; set against an “Arabian Nights” backdrop. These shows were performed in over 40 schools for over 8,000 students and teachers.
2006 was a banner year for the company, achieving tremendous professional and artistic standards.
2006 was also the year that Shakespeare Canada took a serious step towards expansion. In the fall, they brought their “Shakespeare For Kids” school tour to the lovely city of Ottawa. The company wowed Ontario schools with “A Midsummer Night's Dream” and had established a foothold in a new and exciting market.
The 2007 Shakespeare Canada school tour was the company’s fifth and the shows continued to improve with the company’s growing maturity. The two new shows that were presented: “Julius Caesar”; set traditionally, telling a moving tale of the limits of friendship, and “The Taming of The Shrew” set in a disco in the 1970’s, raised the bar once again, mesmerizing audiences over and over again. These shows were performed in over 50 schools for over 10,000 students and teachers.
In 2008, Shakespeare Canada once again forged new ground by adding for the first time, a third show from which schools could choose. The three shows that were performed were: "The Merchant of Venice", "The Tempest", and a Rock n' Roll version of "Romeo & Juliet" set in a 50's diner. The shows were a tremendous success and several teachers praised the way the Shakespeare Canada handled the sometimes controversial subject matter of "The Merchant of Venice". The set designs as well as the lighting and special effects in "The Tempest" were also highly praised.
The 2009 tour was to once again see the return of the much praised "Macbeth"; set traditionally. Striving to always keep the shows and the tour fresh, the company took a chance on the rarely studied play "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" and set in the American wild west. The gamble paid off as audiences loved the wild west style and how it was incorporated seamlessly into the show.
2010 was to be the defining moment in the company's history. The tour brought back two of Shakespeare Canada's most popular shows: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Hamlet" "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the company's most popular play and it was once again highly touted as the show to see. The trick was to keep it fresh and Shakespeare Canada found a way to do it. The company's set design and use of spindles as set pieces was revolutionary as well as extremely effective. So much so that they were also used in the production of "Hamlet". "Hamlet" was however the company's proudest moment. Shakespeare Canada took a calculate risk and set it in a military camp in Denmark. Every single presentation was a unique experience and new and exciting nuances were experienced with each show. The tour went on to be the most successful in the company's 8 year history. The cast on that tour were also incredible and had been hand picked for the tour. It was nicked named the "All-star tour" for good reason!
After the incredible reception to the 2010 tour, Shakespeare Canada decided to once again break new ground in the realm of Shakespeare. Because the whole Vampire genre was so popular...they decided to do "Othello" in a Vampire style. Having never tackled "Othello" before, the company was very excited to get started and the show generated positive responses immediately! "Twelfth Night" was added to the tour and became an instant success as it had been in the past. The tour went on to perform for almost 15,000 students. The company performed 56 shows making it by far the best year ever! Schools began booking the following year's tour on the spot!
Having had such a successful year, and having been out of the public eye for such a long time, Shakespeare Canada decided it was time to take the company public once again! "Titus Andronicus" is a show that could never be performed in schools due to the graphic nature of the play and that's exactly why the company decided to tackle such a complex and intricate play. Adding a live percussion score to the mix, "Titus" became an instant hit! Performing at the Monument National in Montreal in August of 2011, the show went on to sell-out many performances and get great reviews (which are featured on the website). The company vows to return again next year with another classic Shakespeare play once again at the Monument National. But don't expect a traditional set-up....
The 2012 school tour went far beyond the company's expectations! Featured that year was "Romeo & Juliet". The concept was Romeo & Juliet in High school and the show was tailor-made to each school where the show was performed at. Banners with school colors and team names etc. adorned the set. The costumes were also incorporate into the concept as each school lent the company their school uniforms. The concept had to be unique for the tenth year anniversary tour so the show was presented in English, French and bilingual versions. The "high school corridor full of lockers" set looked incredible and very realistic and also included a basketball net and a balcony for Juliet. 2 giant televisions were used at the front of the stage and 8 smaller ones were embedded into the back wall of the set...all playing various vignettes that the company filmed before the start of the tour to help the plot along for the students. That year Shakespeare Canada performed a record 71 shows for over 20,000 people! This was by far Shakespeare Canada's best year and it just keeps getting better!
The summer of 2012 saw the company continue its new "Summer Series" with the popular Shakespeare play "Macbeth". The show featured one again an original percussion score as well as 12 witches instead of the traditional 3. The show was a tremendous success with every show being sold-out and most having to be over-sold (more chairs added). The reviews were unanimously positive and has encouraged the company to go beyond the standard theatre show with future years' productions..
The 2013 "Shakespeare For Kids" Montreal School Tour saw the company once again revisit one of their favorite concepts; "The Taming of the Disco Shrew". The show was again a tremendous success with the company doing another 70 shows that year. The concept (including changing the title) featured the cast in a 70's disco where the men were cool and the ladies were hot! Flashing lights, Disco costumes, Disco era music all made the Taming of the Disco Shrew a magical experience where the kids got to dance and sing along to all the songs!
In 2014 Shakespeare Canada once again went back to their most popular show in their 13 year history. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a show that will remain a fan favorite not only for the playful antics of Puck or the zaniness of Bottom and the Mechanicals or even for the sheer excitement of Oberon, Titania and the fairies. It is one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays and really must be seen to be appreciated. The set is always based on the original concept of a forest and though the ancient Athens aspect may change, Shakespeare Canada will always keep "Midsummer" as true to the original as possible.
The 2015 "Shakespeare For Kids" School Tour has brought back a true classic and Shakespeare's last known play: "The Tempest"; a show that Shakespeare Canada has not performed since 2008. It is one of the company's founder's favorite plays and brings the magical tale of a wizard and his daughter abandoned for dead getting vengeance on the ones who put them there. Strange creatures, silly lovers and a magical ruler of the island has both entertained and astounded audiences throughout the school year!! A very interactive play, students of all ages have loved being either brought up on stage or had the actor talk to them in the audience or any one of the several interactions that happen during the course of the show.
In 2016 Shakespeare Canada once again brought you it's most popular play: "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Why so soon after having just performed it two years ago? Because the demand was so great for it and because new markets are always a great place to showcase the company's most talked-about play. It's Shakespeare's most beloved comedy and brought a sense of magic and wonderment to all schools that hired the company for a performance.
In 2017 "Romeo & Juliet" was again the show that really put the company over the top! Having had their best year yet, the company took on a completely new and revolutionary concept; one that amazed audiences throughout the year. It was a much grittier concept than the company has taken on in the past but worked extremely well with one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. The show was set in a post-apocalyptic Verona where every decision was literally life or death! The audiences were blown away by the concept and many were won over if they had been on the fence.
The 2018 "Shakespeare For Kids" Montreal School Tour saw the return of a show that has always been extremely popular despite it being a tragedy as opposed to the more popular Shakespeare comedies. "Macbeth" is the company's collective favorite Shakespeare play and one of our favorite shows to perform. It is one of the Shakespeare Canada's most requested shows and one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. The setting was traditional: Medieval Scotland! Kilts, swords, betrayal, witches, fantasy...this one had it all!! It was also be the biggest set the company had brought to schools since 2010's "Othello".
2019 saw the return of the Shakespeare Canada's most popular play by far: A Midsummer Night's Dream. The cast was very excited to perform the show for audiences all across Canada. With many new faces in the Shakespeare Canada family, 2019 was shaping up to be a banner year! Great cast, great show and as usual great audiences are the perfect combination for what is sure to be a wonderful...magical year! And it was!! Record setting audience attendance.
We thank you all for your support!
Founded in 2001 by Ace Lopes and Aaron George, Purple 9 Productions started as a modest independent theatre company doing comedy shows and game shows around the Montreal Area.
In 2002, the company took on the Montreal Fringe Festival and produced one of the festival’s most successful productions: "Cobra: The Musical". A silly musical based on the villains from the 1980’s cartoon G.I. Joe, Cobra was a smash hit in Montreal selling out every single performance, sometimes even turning away an entire audience of people. Cobra’s popularity was so great that the festival awarded Purple 9 Productions an extra show, which also sold out instantly. Cobra went on the road with stops in Ottawa and Toronto and continued to please audiences everywhere.
That same year, they also went to Halifax to perform at that city's Fringe Festival with an original comedy show.
Purple 9’s next production was a full length, full text version of "King Lear" at the Centaur Theatre. Dubbed “A Godfather’s Tale,” Shakespeare’s classic story was presented in a 1950’s style much like Francis Ford Coppola’s classic films.
In the winter of 2003, the company tackled contemporary theatre; presenting two modern classics: David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” and Patrick Marber’s “Closer”. Both received favorable reviews but were only the beginning of what was to come.
In the spring of 2003, Purple 9 Productions embarked on their most ambitious project yet, touring schools with Shakespeare plays. But this was to be no ordinary Shakespeare tour; these were to be adapted scripts to facilitate the students' understanding of these classic works.
The first show was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Set against the backdrop of a fantastic Greece, this wonderful tale of the difficulty of love was performed in 14 schools for over 3000 students and teachers in the Montreal area.
The summer of 2003 was yet another adventure, as the company hit the road again to tour the Canadian fringe festival circuit. Their show: “Star Wars Survivor”, (yes it is exactly what it sounds like), toured Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Victoria and Vancouver over a three-month period and was a tremendous success.
Having now performed in almost every province in Canada, the company once again decided to turn its attention back to the ever growing school tours.
The winter of 2004 rolled around and school was back in session for Purple 9 Productions. For their second tour they remounted their popular version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and added to it a Rock n' Roll version of: “Romeo and Juliet”, which placed our famous star-crossed lovers in a modern world of love and rock n’ roll. These shows were performed in more than 30 schools for over 6,000 students and teachers.
The rest of 2004 was dedicated once again to independent theatre shows, as the company put on successful productions of “Beyond Therapy” by Christopher Durang, and “Durang-a-tang”; an evening of one-act plays by the aforementioned writer.
The times they were a-changing, and in 2005: Purple 9 Productions was officially re-named:
Shakespeare Canada.
The 2005 school tour was memorable, as the company brought to life “Macbeth”; set in traditional Scotland. Macbeth featured a two story set which doubled as the troubled monarch’s castle, as well as another area behind the seated students which served as the "witches' pit". The companion piece was the unforgettable “Comedy of Errors” set in the 1980’s. These shows were performed in over 40 schools for over 7,000 students and teachers.
In 2006, “Hamlet” was presented in a “black and white” style, reflecting one of the play’s major themes; that appearances can be deceiving. Along with “Hamlet”, Shakespeare Canada produced the surprise smash hit, “Twelfth Night”; set against an “Arabian Nights” backdrop. These shows were performed in over 40 schools for over 8,000 students and teachers.
2006 was a banner year for the company, achieving tremendous professional and artistic standards.
2006 was also the year that Shakespeare Canada took a serious step towards expansion. In the fall, they brought their “Shakespeare For Kids” school tour to the lovely city of Ottawa. The company wowed Ontario schools with “A Midsummer Night's Dream” and had established a foothold in a new and exciting market.
The 2007 Shakespeare Canada school tour was the company’s fifth and the shows continued to improve with the company’s growing maturity. The two new shows that were presented: “Julius Caesar”; set traditionally, telling a moving tale of the limits of friendship, and “The Taming of The Shrew” set in a disco in the 1970’s, raised the bar once again, mesmerizing audiences over and over again. These shows were performed in over 50 schools for over 10,000 students and teachers.
In 2008, Shakespeare Canada once again forged new ground by adding for the first time, a third show from which schools could choose. The three shows that were performed were: "The Merchant of Venice", "The Tempest", and a Rock n' Roll version of "Romeo & Juliet" set in a 50's diner. The shows were a tremendous success and several teachers praised the way the Shakespeare Canada handled the sometimes controversial subject matter of "The Merchant of Venice". The set designs as well as the lighting and special effects in "The Tempest" were also highly praised.
The 2009 tour was to once again see the return of the much praised "Macbeth"; set traditionally. Striving to always keep the shows and the tour fresh, the company took a chance on the rarely studied play "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" and set in the American wild west. The gamble paid off as audiences loved the wild west style and how it was incorporated seamlessly into the show.
2010 was to be the defining moment in the company's history. The tour brought back two of Shakespeare Canada's most popular shows: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Hamlet" "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the company's most popular play and it was once again highly touted as the show to see. The trick was to keep it fresh and Shakespeare Canada found a way to do it. The company's set design and use of spindles as set pieces was revolutionary as well as extremely effective. So much so that they were also used in the production of "Hamlet". "Hamlet" was however the company's proudest moment. Shakespeare Canada took a calculate risk and set it in a military camp in Denmark. Every single presentation was a unique experience and new and exciting nuances were experienced with each show. The tour went on to be the most successful in the company's 8 year history. The cast on that tour were also incredible and had been hand picked for the tour. It was nicked named the "All-star tour" for good reason!
After the incredible reception to the 2010 tour, Shakespeare Canada decided to once again break new ground in the realm of Shakespeare. Because the whole Vampire genre was so popular...they decided to do "Othello" in a Vampire style. Having never tackled "Othello" before, the company was very excited to get started and the show generated positive responses immediately! "Twelfth Night" was added to the tour and became an instant success as it had been in the past. The tour went on to perform for almost 15,000 students. The company performed 56 shows making it by far the best year ever! Schools began booking the following year's tour on the spot!
Having had such a successful year, and having been out of the public eye for such a long time, Shakespeare Canada decided it was time to take the company public once again! "Titus Andronicus" is a show that could never be performed in schools due to the graphic nature of the play and that's exactly why the company decided to tackle such a complex and intricate play. Adding a live percussion score to the mix, "Titus" became an instant hit! Performing at the Monument National in Montreal in August of 2011, the show went on to sell-out many performances and get great reviews (which are featured on the website). The company vows to return again next year with another classic Shakespeare play once again at the Monument National. But don't expect a traditional set-up....
The 2012 school tour went far beyond the company's expectations! Featured that year was "Romeo & Juliet". The concept was Romeo & Juliet in High school and the show was tailor-made to each school where the show was performed at. Banners with school colors and team names etc. adorned the set. The costumes were also incorporate into the concept as each school lent the company their school uniforms. The concept had to be unique for the tenth year anniversary tour so the show was presented in English, French and bilingual versions. The "high school corridor full of lockers" set looked incredible and very realistic and also included a basketball net and a balcony for Juliet. 2 giant televisions were used at the front of the stage and 8 smaller ones were embedded into the back wall of the set...all playing various vignettes that the company filmed before the start of the tour to help the plot along for the students. That year Shakespeare Canada performed a record 71 shows for over 20,000 people! This was by far Shakespeare Canada's best year and it just keeps getting better!
The summer of 2012 saw the company continue its new "Summer Series" with the popular Shakespeare play "Macbeth". The show featured one again an original percussion score as well as 12 witches instead of the traditional 3. The show was a tremendous success with every show being sold-out and most having to be over-sold (more chairs added). The reviews were unanimously positive and has encouraged the company to go beyond the standard theatre show with future years' productions..
The 2013 "Shakespeare For Kids" Montreal School Tour saw the company once again revisit one of their favorite concepts; "The Taming of the Disco Shrew". The show was again a tremendous success with the company doing another 70 shows that year. The concept (including changing the title) featured the cast in a 70's disco where the men were cool and the ladies were hot! Flashing lights, Disco costumes, Disco era music all made the Taming of the Disco Shrew a magical experience where the kids got to dance and sing along to all the songs!
In 2014 Shakespeare Canada once again went back to their most popular show in their 13 year history. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a show that will remain a fan favorite not only for the playful antics of Puck or the zaniness of Bottom and the Mechanicals or even for the sheer excitement of Oberon, Titania and the fairies. It is one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays and really must be seen to be appreciated. The set is always based on the original concept of a forest and though the ancient Athens aspect may change, Shakespeare Canada will always keep "Midsummer" as true to the original as possible.
The 2015 "Shakespeare For Kids" School Tour has brought back a true classic and Shakespeare's last known play: "The Tempest"; a show that Shakespeare Canada has not performed since 2008. It is one of the company's founder's favorite plays and brings the magical tale of a wizard and his daughter abandoned for dead getting vengeance on the ones who put them there. Strange creatures, silly lovers and a magical ruler of the island has both entertained and astounded audiences throughout the school year!! A very interactive play, students of all ages have loved being either brought up on stage or had the actor talk to them in the audience or any one of the several interactions that happen during the course of the show.
In 2016 Shakespeare Canada once again brought you it's most popular play: "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Why so soon after having just performed it two years ago? Because the demand was so great for it and because new markets are always a great place to showcase the company's most talked-about play. It's Shakespeare's most beloved comedy and brought a sense of magic and wonderment to all schools that hired the company for a performance.
In 2017 "Romeo & Juliet" was again the show that really put the company over the top! Having had their best year yet, the company took on a completely new and revolutionary concept; one that amazed audiences throughout the year. It was a much grittier concept than the company has taken on in the past but worked extremely well with one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. The show was set in a post-apocalyptic Verona where every decision was literally life or death! The audiences were blown away by the concept and many were won over if they had been on the fence.
The 2018 "Shakespeare For Kids" Montreal School Tour saw the return of a show that has always been extremely popular despite it being a tragedy as opposed to the more popular Shakespeare comedies. "Macbeth" is the company's collective favorite Shakespeare play and one of our favorite shows to perform. It is one of the Shakespeare Canada's most requested shows and one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. The setting was traditional: Medieval Scotland! Kilts, swords, betrayal, witches, fantasy...this one had it all!! It was also be the biggest set the company had brought to schools since 2010's "Othello".
2019 saw the return of the Shakespeare Canada's most popular play by far: A Midsummer Night's Dream. The cast was very excited to perform the show for audiences all across Canada. With many new faces in the Shakespeare Canada family, 2019 was shaping up to be a banner year! Great cast, great show and as usual great audiences are the perfect combination for what is sure to be a wonderful...magical year! And it was!! Record setting audience attendance.
We thank you all for your support!