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August 13, 2026 – Call
for submissions from Canadian directors for 2027
The Langham Directors’ Workshop
Michael Langham – Artistic Director of the
Stratford Festival, 1956-1967
I’m deeply impressed by my early impressions of the Langham Directors’
Workshop. I plan to ensure that it remains an industry-leading program serving
the needs and career advancement of the participants. In 2027 and beyond the
shape of the program will evolve to become even stronger. It will continue to
offer a residency with the Festival and a position assisting the directors of
our productions. We also hope to explore a longer connection with the Festival
and perhaps also with partner theatres nationally and internationally.
–
Jonathan Church, Artistic Director Designate of the Stratford Festival
About the Program
The Langham Directors’ Workshop wants to nurture exciting directorial
talent and provide you with the resources to explore, play and hone your craft.
We want to help you create inspired and boundary-pushing work — not only for
our stages, but for your career and beyond. We offer emerging and mid-career professional
directors the opportunity to explore innovative Shakespeare and classical
works, support large-scale productions on some of the most unique stages in the
country, and birth new plays with Canada’s finest playwrights. Throughout these
explorations, we hope to provide mentorship opportunities, help grow your
networks, and provide a space for authentic creative exploration. We aim to
give you practical knowledge of the workings of this Festival and hope to see
your work on our stages in the near future.
- Participants will work as Assistant Directors on Festival
productions during the initial residency. (Responsibilities may include attending
design and production meetings before the official residency in Stratford and
leading/assisting on understudy rehearsals both prior to and after the
opening.)
- Participants will attend regular group meetings during
the season with guest artists and talk with fellow Langham
participants and program alumni.
- Participants will take
part in two intensives — the first during
the season, and the second near the end of October — consisting of panel
discussions and other creative workshops to help prepare them for working at
theatres like the Stratford Festival.
- The Festival plans to create opportunities for
interested participants to be placed in an Assistant Director role after the initial
Stratford residency, which may be at the Festival or at another theatre, subject
to mutual agreement on the terms, schedule, etc.
What We Offer
- Langham participants
are paid a fee, housing subsidy and travel expenses.
- Depending on the length of
the rehearsal process and other factors, fees for the assistant directorship
usually range from $9,000 to $10,000 for the initial residency, which
typically continues through approximately two weeks following the opening
of a production.
- Terms for any extension or
placement after the initial Stratford residency subject to mutual agreement.
- Participants will be
able to engage in a collaborative mentorship with established Festival
directors, and have the opportunity to learn from guest artists and their Langham
peers.
- Participants can also take advantage of
everything the Stratford Festival offers: tours, special events, tickets
to productions, the Festival’s Archives and libraries, company classes
taught by the Festival’s coaching staff, and both formal and informal
opportunities to speak with senior staff and visiting artists.
Who We're Seeking
- This program is
designed for artists who have acquired foundational training (either from
a training program OR through experience) and have worked as a theatre artist for at least 4 years. We are
looking for artists with a proven commitment to the craft and career of
directing theatre, and some productions would be best served by candidates
with a demonstrated interest in Shakespeare
or the classical canon. The program is geared toward directors who are
confident in their directorial process and feel ready to lead a room of
Stratford actors. The Stratford Festival is a large and complex institution.
Participants are best served by this program if they have experience
working in a professional theatre setting.
- Preference is given to those who have been working outside of an
MA/MFA program for at least 1 year.
- We strongly
encourage applicants who identify as First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Black,
People of Colour, Mad, D/deaf, Disabled and the 2SLGBTQ+ community. If you
have any questions or concerns about your experience in this program,
please email Natasha Sinclair, Assistant Producer, at langham@stratfordfestival.ca or call at 519-271-4040 x2505.
- Participants will need to
be available on site full-time
(usually 11 to 16 consecutive weeks starting as early as February and
ending as late as August) from the first day of rehearsals until the
opening or the understudy run of the show, whichever comes later.
- The Langham
Directors’ Workshop is only open to those who are Canadian citizens or
permanent residents of Canada.
Please
Note: Special care will be taken in pairing possible Langham participants with
directors of productions. In addition to interviewing with the leadership of
the Langham Directors’ Workshop, you will also be interviewing with directors
of the productions. The participant’s specific interests and the director’s
requirements will be taken into account and both the participant and the
director must agree to work together.
The
Festival acknowledges its history of colonizing culture and is working to
understand its complicity in unjust systems that have excluded many from
participating fully in the work on our stages. We are committed to continuously
evolving our understanding of equity, inclusion and anti-racism, and we
acknowledge that the work of reconciliation is an ongoing journey. The Workshop
actively seeks to partner with artists from equity-seeking groups and theatre
makers whose talent, energy, commitment and creativity will shape the future of
theatre, both at the Festival and across the country.
How to Apply
First and foremost, PLEASE REVIEW THE PROGRAM DETAILS CAREFULLY.
We understand that many communities find traditional
application processes to be stressful and inaccessible. We are committed to
addressing any access barriers throughout the application process as best as we
can. If you require support with the application or have any access needs
(ASL-interpretation, deadline extension, etc.), please reach out to us so we
can assist. You can email
Natasha Sinclair, Assistant Producer, at langham@stratfordfestival.ca or call at 519-271-4040 x2505.
We want to know about you and your art! Please provide the
following information in either written, audio or video format:
- An artistic introduction: Who are you as an artist? What inspires you? Why do you direct
for theatre? What do you want to bring to the Stratford Festival and what can
the Festival do for you? (2 pages or 5
mins to watch/listen max. please.)
- Please answer the following question: How do you define
"Artistic Risk?" Please give an example(s), if possible. (1 page or 2
mins to watch/listen max.)
- A resumé or CV (3 pages max.)
- 2 references who know and have seen your work. (Just the
name/email/phone number/relationship to you. We will inform you if we plan to
contact them.)
Please submit your application here.
Applications will close September 13, 2026, at
11:59 pm EST.