Sunday Feature: Interview with Antoni Cimolino, Artistic Director, Stratford Festival

Stratford: The Next Generation 
...ultimately, that’s why people come. It’s the work, the place. It’s the talent on the stage.
by David Sklar (photos courtesy of The Stratford Festival)

Senior contributor David Sklar spoke with Antoni Cimolino, Artistic Director of Stratford Festival, about the challenging experience of taking over the reins this past year. 

CHARPO:  How did it all begin for you here at Stratford?

CIMOLINO:   I came here a number of times in high school but there was one time that changed everything. I was in a Catholic boys school at the time and the play is about four young men who decide not to drink, spend all their time studying and refuse to see any women and I knew that that wasn’t going to work out: things were going to happen. And sure enough four beautiful women show up but what was remarkable was that I saw my friends on stage. I saw the goofy guy; the one everyone makes fun of, the smart ass and the intelligent one: I saw my friends. I thought, “This is my gang. This play was written 300 years ago so how’s that possible?” 

It was a very strange moment. And the other thing was that I was in a room with 2000 people, almost all older than I was but we were all laughing together. We were all moved together. It was an epiphany. I recognized a connection to humanity. I saw how great humanity was, both back in time and in that moment. I felt a union. So I went home, told my dad that I wasn’t going to go to Law School and that I wanted to be an actor. So you could imagine the response from my first generation immigrant parents but they eventually supported me. It was that moment where I just realized I wanted to do something else that contributed to what we are all about.   

First-Person: A Day In The Life of Antoni Cimolino and Cymbeline

From left: Cara Ricketts, Graham Abbey, Geraint Wyn Davies (Andrew Eccles photo)

Occasionally I come up for air

Time is probably the most important and scarcest resource in Canadian theatre

by Antoni Cimolino

I’ve been asked by The Charlebois Post to detail a “day in the life”.  Since the announcement of my being A.D. designate, my days have been split between many of my previous duties as General Director, rehearsals for Cymbeline and planning the 2013 season.  Occasionally I come up for air.

Rehearsals are a blessing as they allow me to spend time with wonderful actors working on a great Shakespeare text.  The cast of Cymbeline is made up of many of Canada’s finest talents – Geraint Wyn Davies, Cara Ricketts, Graham Abbey, Tom McCamus and Yanna McIntosh among many others.

My first job in any rehearsal is to set up an atmosphere that encourages artistic exploration, listening and fun.  After our first reading, we spent the day in Complicité theatre games to build trust, a sense of community and play.  We return periodically to these exercises to break out a sweat and build a common sense of time and collaboration.

BREAKING NEWS: Antoni Cimolino named Stratford Artistic Director

Antoni Cimolino (courtesy Stratford Festival)

In a widely expected move, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Board of Governors has named Antoni Cimolino as Artistic Director to replace the outgoing AD Des McAnuff. Cimolino is the company's present General Director (he was appointed to that post in 2006). 


Cimolino, a respected actor and director (and contributor to The Charlebois Post - Canada) seemed the only logical choice for the company: he is Canadian, he has experience dealing with the unwieldy company's finances, board and contributors, and he has continued to work directly in theatre (helping the company's production of Grapes of Wrath last year, their Cymbeline this upcoming season, and coming off a well-reviewed production of Enron at Theatre Calgary).


He made his debut with the company as an actor in 1988, subsequently performing - notably - as Romeo to Megan Follow's Juliet in 1992.


Cimolino will take over the reins fully next season - one which he will have designed himself. McAnuff will direct for the company in 2013. McAnuff was awarded a Governor General's Performing Arts Award this week. (GLC)


Read the Stratford Press Release:

First-Person: Antoni Cimolino on Enron

(Photo courtesy of the Stratford Festival)

Letter From Calgary

The corporation Enron still casts a shadow on this city.

by Antoni Cimolino

So its the end of week two of rehearsals on Enron at Theatre Calgary. A few quick impressions:

The cast I auditioned here in Calgary last April when I was still in the tech week of Grapes of Wrath in Stratford are terrific. They've worked so hard, quickly and well. We've shared many laughs.

There is a significant amount of movement and some dance in Enron. I've been very fortunate in having Anita Miotti as our Choreographer. She has worked in theatre but also in the modern dance world. One of the things I love about her work is that she is extremely collaborative with the actors. The results I find not only beautiful but advance the story.