Canisius College

Back to school means a lot of different things to different people; for me, it means back to 4:45 a.m. wake-up calls (for early morning crew practices), back to observations in local high school classrooms, back to classes of my own, and back to a homework load that can only be called insane.  To tell the truth though, I hate sitting still - so, crazy as my schedule is, I absolutely love it.  Despite the somewhat warped sense of enjoyment I get from constantly running in 10 different directions at once, it is always nice to take a day here and there just to relax.  Fortunately for my sanity, back to school also means an annual trip to Stratford, Ontario courtesy of the All-College Honors Program.  Stratford is the home of the Stratford Festival, a network of four theatres situated within a quaint Canadian town located about two and a half hours north of Buffalo by bus.

The grounds at the Festival Theatre (the largest of the four theatres)

Although Stratford brings world-class theatre within reach to any Canisius student, the Honors Program makes it even more accessible for students within the Program by providing transportation and tickets to two shows – one matinee and one evening performance – for free!

Swans in the nearby lake

This year we saw The Merchant of Venice starring Graham Greene (best known for his Oscar-nominated performance as the sage Kicking Bird in 1990’s Dances With Wolves) in the afternoon and George and Ira Gershwin’s My One and Only in the evening.  Merchant was fabulous, and while My One and Only was not exactly my style, it still contributed to a great overall experience.  As a senior, I’m sad to say that this was my fourth and final trip with the Honors Program, which, in the past four years, has given me the chance to see Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Hello, Dolly!, Henry IV Part 1, and Oliver! in addition to Merchant and My One and Only.

Stratford City Hall.  This building stands in the center of the shopping district, where most patrons spend their time between afternoon and evening shows.

Even as a freshman, I knew Stratford was high-quality, but even so, I underestimated it.  After spending last semester in London, England, and seeing productions of some of the same plays there, I can say from first hand experience that, in most cases, the productions in Stratford, Ontario are much better.  While studying theater in London, I also came across chapters in some of my books that focused on the Stratford Festival of Canada, and it felt great to know that I had already been there several times over!

Kelli Gardner '08, and I are posing with a statue of Shakespeare outside of the Festival Theatre

Rachel's August 2007 Journal
Rachel's July 2007 Journal
Rachel's June 2007 Journal