The Guild Festival Theatre has been bringing classic theatre to Scarborough’s iconic Greek Theatre in Guild Park & Gardens since 2011. For their 2025 season, they’re offering a program that ranges from spy thriller comedy to a world premiere with Shakespearean inspiration.
The season launches July 3 with a special event, and includes the fourth edition of Family Fest, offering a range of performances, interactive activities, and more over a full weekend.
Guild Theatre Festival 2025: At A Glance
Here’s a look at what’s on offer.
Season Launch: Aqua’s Red Rhythm & Blues (July 3)
Guild Festival Theatre launches their their 14th summer season with Aqua’s Red Rhythm & Blues, a celebration of Indigenous hope and resilience featuring music, hand drumming, and dance. Aqua celebrates her Anishinaabe heritage (Bear Island) and Métis~mixed ancestry in a genre of music they call IndigiBlues. The band includes Queer guitarist Valentina Morelli, violinist Alex George, and fancy shawl dancer, Nichole Leveck, and their performances include a blend of music and storytelling.
“Aqua graced the Greek Theatre Stage during our 2021 collaboration with Women in Song and returned for a set at last year’s Guild Alive With Culture festival. We are thrilled that they’ll be returning to launch our season. Their uplifting performances are full of hope and joy and will be the perfect start to our summer in Guild Park!” say Co-Artistic Directors Helen Juvonen and Tyler J. Seguin in a statement.
- Tickets on sale now here.
Family Fest (July 10 to 13) FREE
“Family Fest is one of the most exciting parts of our summer in Guild Park! For four days the Greek Theatre will come alive with performances ranging from Japanese drumming to Métis fiddling to classic Robert Munsch stories. There’s truly something for everyone at Family Fest and we cannot wait to welcome audiences of all ages to the park,” state Helen Juvonen & Tyler J. Seguin, Co-Artistic Directors.
Guild Festival Theatre’s Family Fest begins with a bang with returning audience favourite Nagata Shachu. The Taiko music group opens the Family Fest on July 10 with a workshop followed by a performance.
Fireside Munsch, performed by M. John Kennedy, is an award-winning play that draws on the much beloved stories of Robert Munsch. The program alternates between Classic Munsch Mayhem and Munsch Goes Wild over three days. Recommended for ages 5 to 12.
Families can join the Carousel Players and their resident Giant Puppet, Nadine the Ondine on July 12 for a create-your-own-puppet workshop and dance party.
Also on offer:
- Hula Hoop Fun Zone, where you can learn or display your skills. All ages.
- Field of Butterflies, a colourful roaming act that will travel through the festival.
- Spirit of Africa, a dance & drumming workshop and performance.
- The TiBert et Douzie Show, a Métis fiddler from Winnipeg plays traditional tunes with a modern twist while master storyteller and juggler TiBert gets the audience involved.
On July 13, the whole family can join Jen Houston for feel-good yoga, or choose from a variety of activities.
- TiBert et Douzie: Fiddle Workshop — Douzie introduces his instruments and plays, while TiBert is there to teach the steps.
- Personalized poetry crafted in real time on vintage typewriters.
- The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin: The Game — The Grand Salto Theatre presents an interactive experience based on the charming stories of Beatrix Potter.
- Maestro Duo: what happens if two conductors show up to lead the musicians?
- Catch Me In The Kitchen, with Stephen LaFrenie and Ginette Mohr in a combination of storytelling and physical theatre.
- Scarborough Uke Jam — where you can join in on your own uke, listen, or sing along.
Tickets are free, but advance booking recommended for Fireside Munsch, Giant Puppet Party, and The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin: The Game, available here.
The 39 Steps (July 17 to August 3; Preview: July 17; Opening Night: July 18)
This adaptation of the classic spy novel veers from Hitchcockian drama to slapstick comedy as a fast-paced whodunit where the cast of four actors play more than 100 characters.
Richard Hannay is a Canadian living in London. His life is pretty ho-hum boring until he crosses paths with a women who claims to be a spy. When she turns up murdered in his home, and Hannay is accused of the crime, he goes on the run with the ominous The 39 Steps organization on his heels.
Sébastien Heins (Topdog/Underdog, Canadian Stage; The Tempest, Stratford) stars as Richard Hannay, with Kiana Woo (Prince Caspian, Shaw Festival; King Lear, Soulpepper Theatre) making her return to the Greek Theatre after her Dora-Award winning performance of Alice in GFT’s Alice in Wonderland.
The production also stars Georgia Findlay (The Drowning Girls), with Isaiah Kolundzic (Icemen, Theatre By The Bay; The Melville Boys, The Foster Festival) making his Greek Theatre debut.
Adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan and the movie by Alfred Hitchcock.
Directed by Tyler J. Seguin
Sound Design by Ashley Naomi
Featuring: Sébastien Heins as Richard Hannay; Georgia Findlay as Annabella/Margaret/Pamela; Isaiah Kolundzic as Clown; Kiana Woo as Clown
HERATIO World Premiere (August 7 to 24; Preview: August 7; Opening Night: August 8)
Genevieve Adamhas reimagined the Shakespeare’s classic play Hamlet in a story that begins where the play leaves off. Heratio is infused with humour, mystery, and the original’s iconic Danish melancholy as the women and servants clean up the messes left by princes and kings.
Heratio was developed through In Conversation With Classics, Guild Festival Theatre’s program for new plays.
Janelle Hanna (Miss Caledonia, Thousand Islands Playhouse; Prairie Nurse, Factory Theatre) plays the title character in her GFT debut, along with Philippa Domville (The Master Plan, Crow’s Theatre/Soulpepper), Jack Davidson (Canadian Opera Company; Bad Hats Theatre), and Siobhan Richardson (The 39 Steps, St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival; The Penelopiad, Grand Theatre). Rashaana Cumberbatch (Shoresy, Murdoch Mysteries) and Phoenix Fire (Magnus Theatre; Crossroads Theatre) are returning to GFT for the production.
Written by Genevieve Adam
Directed by Helen Juvonen
Production Design by Nancy Anne Perrin
Sound Design by Sean Meldrum
Featuring: Janelle Hanna; Philippa Domville; Jack Davidson; Siobhan Richardson; Rashaana Cumberbatch; Phoenix Fire
- Find more information about all upcoming performances, and tickets, [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is the Toronto City Editor at Ludwig Van. Previously, she was a freelance writer with a specialty in culture and travel for three decades, and a creative writing instructor for Ontariolearn.
