During the weekend of Aug. 31, the ETHS theater department took a trip to Stratford, in Ontario, Canada, where they enjoyed some of the best repertory theater the region has to offer.

Repertory Theaters perform a collection of shows at regular intervals, allowing students to make the most of their short time in Stratford. In just three days, 44 students saw five shows across several genres, from comedies to interpretive dance. Spamalot, a comedy recounting King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail, was a favorite for students Arlo Lee and Nat Sotnick, who found the irreverent parody of the classic tale humorous.

“It is the best repertory theater as I understand it in North America,” says ETHS theater teacher Timothy Herbert. Herbert has been chaperoning the trip for about 20 years of its 30+ year existence. The trip aims to expose students to high-quality repertory theater in an inexpensive way and has come to be both inspiration and motivation for young actors here at ETHS.

“Once you see good theater, you’re able to do good theater,” junior Nat Sotnick explains. Sotnick was grateful for the opportunity to see what the pinnacle of repertory theater looks like in action, and thinks that seeing the greats will take his performing ability to a new stage.

With YAMO just around the corner, ETHS can’t help but feel excited. The spirit of the theater department seems rejuvenated, and it is safe to say that students have a lot to look forward to this year.