By Expedia Team, on March 31, 2015

Shaw Festival returns refreshed in April 2015

The Shaw Festival is one of the most prestigious and highly anticipated theatre events in Canada. The beloved seven-month fest is preparing to return to the quaint town of Niagara-on-the Lake for its 53rd season, kicking off April 2015.

Shaw Festival, established in 1962, was created to celebrate the works of famed Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, as well as the writers he inspired with his vast collection of plays. While it was originally confined to one room in the town's historic court house, the fest now spans four stages: the original court house, now transformed into a full-fledged theatre, as well as the Royal George, Studio and Festival theatres.

This year's Shaw Festival is expected to be one of the largest and most lively yet: It will feature about 725 performances and hopes to draw 250,000 visitors. Peruse the full schedule below:

Festival Theatre
April 17-Oct. 31: "Sweet Charity," based on the book by Neil Simon
May 31-Oct. 24: "Pygmalion" by George Bernard Shaw
June 25-Oct. 11: "Light Up the Sky" by Moss Hart

Court House Theatre
April 30-Sept. 13: "The Lady from the Sea" by Henrik Ibsen, presented as a new version by Erin Shields
May 23-Sept.12: "Top Girls" by Caryl Churchill
June 11-Sept. 12: "The Twelve-Pound Look" by J.M. Barrie

Royal George Theatre
April 8-Nov. 1: "Peter and the Starcatcher" by Rick Elice, based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
April 26-Oct. 25: "You Can Never Tell" by George Bernard Shaw
July 5-Oct. 11: "The Divine: A Play for Sarah Bernhardt" by Michel Marc Bouchard and translated by Linda Gaboriau

Studio Theatre
July 11-Oct. 10: "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures" by Tony Kushner
Aug 21, 22, 28-29, Sept. 4-5: "The Next Whisky Bar: A Kurt Weill Cabaret" by Paul Sportelli and Jay Turvey