Stratford in Perth County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Tom Patterson (1920-2005)
Photographed by Tim Boyd, July 18, 2025
1. Tom Patterson (1920-2005) Marker
Inscription.
A native of Stratford, Ontario, Tom Patterson grew up during the Great Depression and dreamed of plans that might revitalize his community. After serving in the Second World War and completing university, he worked as an associate editor for a trade publication in Toronto. During the early 1950s, Patterson began discussing plans to establish an internationally renowned Shakespearean festival in his hometown. Although considered a risky venture by some, Patterson gained encouragement from Mayor David Simpson and the local council, and from British Shakespearean director Tyrone Guthrie. Through determination and perseverance, Patterson was able, in less than two years, to turn his dream into reality. The Stratford Shakespearean Festival opened in July 1953 with a production of Richard III, and created a new standard for North American theatre. Remaining with the Festival until 1967, Patterson was also founding director of the Canadian Theatre Centre and founding president of the National Theatre School. He received numerous honours for his work, including Officer of the Order of Canada (1977).,
A native of Stratford, Ontario, Tom Patterson grew up during the Great Depression and dreamed of plans that might revitalize his community. After serving in the Second World War and completing university, he worked as an associate editor for a trade publication in Toronto. During the early 1950s, Patterson began discussing plans to establish an internationally renowned Shakespearean festival in his hometown. Although considered a risky venture by some, Patterson gained encouragement from Mayor David Simpson and the local council, and from British Shakespearean director Tyrone Guthrie.
Through determination and perseverance, Patterson was able, in less than two years, to turn his dream into reality. The Stratford Shakespearean Festival opened in July 1953 with a production of Richard III, and created a new standard for North American theatre. Remaining with the Festival until 1967, Patterson was also founding director of the Canadian Theatre Centre and founding president of the National Theatre School. He received numerous honours for his work, including Officer of the Order of Canada (1977).
Né à Stratford, en Ontario, Tom Patterson grandit pendant la Grise de 1929 et rêve de projets pouvant revitaliser sa communauté. Après avoir combattu lors de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et obtenu son diplôme universitaire, il travaille comme rédacteur en chef adjoint pour une revue spécialisée de Toronto. Au début des années 1950, il commence à discuter de la possibilité de créer un festival shakespearien internationalement reconnu dans sa ville natale. Bien que ce projet soit considéré comme risqué par certains, Tom Patterson est encouragé par le maire David Simpson et par le conseil municipal, ansi que par le metteur en scène britannique shakespearien Tyrone Guthrie. Grâce à sa détermination et à sa persévérance, Tom Patterson réussit, en moins de deux années, à faire de son rêve une réalité. Le Stratford Shakespearean Festival est inauguré en juillet 1953 avec une mise en scène de Richard III, et établit une nouvelle norme pour le théâtre nord-américain. Participant au festival jusqu'en 1967, Tom Patterson est également le directeur-fondateur du Centre du théâtre canadien et le président-fondateur de l'École nationale de théâtre. Il reçoit de nombreuses distinctions honorifiques pour son travail et il est notamment nommé Officier de l'Ordre du Canada en 1977.
Erected 2010
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by Ontario Heritage Trust.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1953.
Location. 43° 22.417′ N, 80° 58.095′ W. Marker is in Stratford, Ontario, in Perth County. It is on Richard Monette Way 0.2 kilometers north of Water Street, on the right when traveling south. The marker is near the main entrance of the Festival Theatre. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 134 Richard Monette Way, Stratford ON N5A 4M9, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Huron-Perth-Waterloo-Wellington Area and in Southwestern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Also see . . . Patterson, Tom (the Canadian Encyclopedia). After an abortive first attempt to enlist Laurence Olivier as an artistic advisor, Patterson succeeded in arousing the interest of Tyrone GUTHRIE, who agreed to come to Canada to serve as the festival's first artistic director. Guthrie's longtime collaborator Tanya MOISEIWITSCH designed an innovative thrust stage, to be housed in a canvas tent, and Alec Guinness was recruited as the inaugural season's star. Patterson himself assumed the role of general manager.
Despite a series of monetary crises that threatened to close
Photographed by Tim Boyd, July 18, 2025
3. Tom Patterson (1920-2005) Marker
the venture down before it had begun, the festival presented its first performance on the night of 13 July 1953, with Guinness as Richard III. The second production, All's Well That Ends Well, opened the following night. The inaugural season was extended from four weeks to six, and the Stratford Festival has since grown into the largest classical repertory theatre in North America. (Submitted on July 21, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario.)
Photographed by Tim Boyd, July 18, 2025
4. Tom Patterson (1920-2005) Marker
Photographed by Tim Boyd, July 18, 2025
5. The Festival Theatre, Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Credits. This page was last revised on July 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 63 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 21, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
![Tom Patterson (1920-2005) Marker [français] image. Click for full size.](Photos8/883/Photo883585.jpg?721202585200AM "Tom Patterson (1920-2005) Marker [français]. Click for full size.")
