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The Festival was founded as the ''Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada'', due mainly to Tom Patterson , a Stratford-native Journalist who wanted to revitalize his town's economy by creating a theatre festival dedicated to the works of William Shakespeare . Stratford had originally been a major Railway junction and had fallen into decline when the railway yards were moved. Mr. Patterson achieved his goal, and the Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada became a legal entity on October 31 , 1952 . Legendary British actor and director Tyrone Guthrie agreed to become the festival's first Artistic Director. On July 13 , 1953 , actor Alec Guinness spoke the first lines of the first play produced by the festival: "''Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun of York.''" This first performance took place in a giant canvas tent on the banks of the River Avon. The season lasted six weeks and comprised just two plays: '' Richard III '' and '' All's Well That Ends Well ''. In the second year the playbill expanded, and included the first non-Shakespeare play, '' Oedipus Rex ''. The Festival Theatre was opened in 1957 , and was deliberately designed to resemble a tent, in memory of those first performances. The stage of the festival Theatre, designed by Tanya Moiseiwitsch resembles a cross between the classical theatres of Greece and the Thrust Stage of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre . As of , and still concentrates on his works, Shakespeare is not the only playwright produced. The current playbill includes classical, contemporary and musical performances. The ''Festival Fringe'' features music concerts, readings from major authors, and lectures. The success of the festival dramatically changed the image of Stratford into one of a city where the Arts and Tourism play important roles in its economy. PLAYS AT STRATFORD 2006 season
; Festival Theatre: '' Coriolanus '', '' Oliver! '', '' Much Ado About Nothing '', '' Twelfth Night '' ; Avon Theatre: '' The Glass Menagerie '', '' London Assurance '', '' South Pacific '', '' Don Juan '' ; Tom Patterson Theatre: '' Henry IV - Part 1 '', '' The Duchess Of Malfi '', '' Ghosts '' ; Studio Theatre: '' Harlem Duet '', '' The Blonde, The Brunette And The Vengeful Redhead '', '' Fanny Kemble '', '' The Liar '' {Link without Title} THEATRES
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