Although our own Upstairs Theatre is designed to reflect the ones in Stratford, a field trip is going to Stratford Festival for the experience, once more.

“A lot of the time we feel comfortable doing one thing, when you see that blown up and people are expected to do everything students sometimes come back and think about doing different styles of performing,” theatre teacher Tim Herbert says.

The Stratford Festival is a repertory theatre company running from April to Oct. The same actors and actresses will play different roles in a variety of plays, from classical to contemporary.

“The theatre tears down each set in between the two shows that are performed in one night,” senior Andy Slogin says. “They put off a completely new set within an half an hour.”

The trip is designed for students to get the experience of multiple styles of plays in one trip. “Sometimes students come back changed because of the amount of plays they see and the amount of craft,” Herbert says. Due to the similar theatre structures, the set of plays spark ideas for our very own productions.

“Anne Frank had these wooden slats, when the lighting was above it you could see through it,” senior Kate Jane Torma says. “It was just so different from anything I’ve ever seen, and so creative”

The 36 students who are participating will be leaving the morning of Sept. 22 and will return that Sunday, Sept. 25, to go to Stratford Festival in Stratford, Canada. There are five plays that the participants will see: Macbeth, A Chorus Line, The Hypochondriac, Shakespeare in Love and A Little Night Music.

The experience of Stratford Festival isn’t just limited to the plays they see, but also the bonds and memories they make.

“It was really cool getting to experience this little model town of Stratford,” senior Noah Rogers says.

“The whole town is six blocks and there is a nice river that runs through it,” Slogin says. “You can just get coffee, and sit with friends talking and having a good time.”

According to New York Times, seeing repertory plays allows for conversation between shows. It is also astonishing to watch an actor you’ve seen in a tragedy play another character in a comedy or musical. Repertory theatres can be stimulating and provide for a thought provoking experience.

The experience of watching amazing acting as well as the small town vibe and food places, like Boomer’s Gourmet Fries and Jenn and Larry’s, is why theatre takes a trip to the small town of Stratford, Canada every year.