The largest professional Shakespeare festival in Western Canada, Bard on the Beach is coming back to Vancouver’s Vanier Park with four excellent productions spanning the entire summer.

photo courtesy of Maxine Bulloch

This year marks the 30th season of the Bard on the Beach festival, which is scheduled to run from Wednesday, June 5th all the way to Saturday, September 21st. Established in 1990, the festival seeks to bring high-quality Shakespeare productions to Vancouver residents and tourists alike. It grows larger and more popular every year, with last year’s festival attracting over 100,000 visitors.

The beautiful waterfront at Vanier Park offers an excellent location for the festival grounds, which are home to two stages. There’s the BMO Mainstage inside of the 729-seat Mainstage Theatre tent and the Howard Family Stage inside of the 262-seat Douglas Campbell Theatre tent. At the heart of the festival grounds is the Bard Village, where you will find a concession, a bar, and the Bard Boutique.

2019 Bard on the Beach Productions

Here is a brief overview of the four Shakespeare plays that will be performed during Bard on the Beach. The BMO Mainstage will have two productions running in repertory while the Howard Family Stage performances will run back-to-back.

The Taming of the Shrew (June 5th to September 21st, BMO Mainstage): A spaghetti western take on the bard’s witty tale of two kindred spirits meeting their match in one another, The Taming of the Shrew is sure to have you laughing out loud.

Shakespeare in Love (June 11th to September 21st, BMO Mainstage): Shakespeare in Love tells the story of young William Shakespeare and his muse, Viola. Though the two quickly fall in love, their blossoming relationship is anything but smooth sailing.

All’s Well That Ends Well (June 26th to August 11th, Howard Family Stage): Another Shakespearean reimagining, All’s Well That Ends Well takes place in an India on the verge of independence, where two young lovers face the political and social barriers that keep them apart.

Coriolanus (August 21st to September 15th, Howard Family Stage): Explore themes of honour, arrogance, and pride with the festival’s first ever production of Coriolanus, which will be featuring a woman in the titular role.

What to Know Before You Go

The Bard on the Beach festival grounds open one hour before the start of each performance. This is a great opportunity to attend the “In a Nutshell” talks, which provide an introduction to the play you are about to see. The talks are included in your ticket price and take place 50 minutes before curtain for the Howard Family Stage and 40 minutes before curtain for the BMO Mainstage.

Guests are allowed to bring outside food and beverages with them to the festival, except for alcoholic beverages. You are also welcome to take pictures in the theatre before performances begin, but photography is not allowed once the actors are on stage. Note, as well, that children must be six years or older to attend, and that any children under 14 years of age need to be accompanied by an adult.

Bard on the Beach presents a unique opportunity to watch talented actors perform Shakespeare amidst a beautiful backdrop of ocean, mountains, and blue sky. You’ve got the whole summer to come and check it out, so make some room in your schedule for a unique cultural experience you’ll find only in Vancouver.