This winter, one of the world’s foremost Shakespeareans brings a rarely staged masterpiece to life with Canada’s rising theatre artists. Join the National Theatre School of Canada at the Monument-National for a special fundraising evening celebrating the talent of our students and the enduring power of Shakespeare’s work.
At the heart of the evening is Pericles, performed by graduating students in the English Section’s programs under the guidance of Sir Gregory Doran.
Former Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and knighted in 2024, Gregory Doran has devoted much of his celebrated career to bringing Shakespeare’s work to life on stage. He has worked on all 36 plays of Shakespeare’s First Folio, an achievement almost no director in the world can claim. Pericles, left out of that 1623 collection, remains one of the few Shakespeare plays he has yet to stage.
Doran is staging it here, in Montreal, with our students, from an adaptation he prepared specifically for NTS. Having worked with this same cohort last year, he returns in February to complete what they began together, offering these emerging artists a rare chance to explore one of Shakespeare’s least-known works alongside one of its greatest interpreters.
A sweeping tale of love, loss, exile and reunion, Pericles carries audiences across kingdoms and seas. With shipwrecks, unexpected turns and moments of wonder, it is Shakespeare at his most adventurous and theatrical. Beneath it all lies a deeply human story of resilience, hope and the enduring bonds that draw us back to one another.
We extend our sincerest thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of this event: our artists, partners, donors, volunteers, staff teams, and every guest in attendance. Your support reflects a meaningful commitment to the arts and to the artists who will shape the theatre of tomorrow.
Thank you for celebrating this important milestone with us and for helping shine a spotlight on NTS and the next generation of artistic talent.
Tuesday, February 23, 2027
Monument-National
1182, boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal (Qc)
5:30 to 7:15 p.m.: Pre-show reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres, featuring a 45-minute conversation with Sir Gregory Doran, joined by Acting Program Director Quincy Armorer and a student from the cast
7:30 p.m.: Performance of Pericles
Suggested attire: Business or cocktail
The evening opens with a pre-show reception featuring wine, hors d’oeuvres and a panel discussion with Sir Gregory Doran; Quincy Armorer, Director of the Acting program at NTS; and a graduating NTS student from the cast of Pericles. Together, they will offer a glimpse into the creative process behind the production, what it means to approach Shakespeare as an emerging artist, and the role that rigorous training and mentorship play in shaping tomorrow’s theatre makers. Guests will then make their way to the theatre for the performance.
More than a night at the theatre, this event is an invitation to experience the work of NTS students at a pivotal moment in their training, and to support the artists who will shape the future of the performing arts.
Director, Pericles · Panelist
Greg Doran has been described as “one of the great Shakespearians of his generation” (The Sunday Times); “one of the supreme Shakespeare directors of our era” (The Financial Times), and “one of the finest present day directors of Shakespeare” (The Sunday Telegraph).
Greg Doran has been described as “one of the great Shakespearians of his generation” (The Sunday Times); “one of the supreme Shakespeare directors of our era” (The Financial Times), and “one of the finest present day directors of Shakespeare” (The Sunday Telegraph).
He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company as an actor in 1987, and became its Artistic Director in 2012, programming his first season from September 2013. He directed David Tennant as Richard II, the first production in the RSC’s “Live From Stratford-upon-Avon” programme – a commitment to broadcast all of Shakespeare’s plays to cinemas across the country and around the world.
Notable RSC productions include Antony and Cleopatra with Harriet Walter and Patrick Stewart, Hamlet with David Tennant, All’s Well that Ends Well with Judi Dench, a puppet masque of Venus and Adonis, and a digitally pioneering production of The Tempest with Simon Russell Beale.
His 2012 RSC production of Julius Caesar with an all Black British cast was described by veteran British theatre critic Michael Billington as one the ten best productions in the 60-year history of the RSC and as one of his ten best nights in the theatre ever.
Join us at the Monument-National, the iconic home of NTS training and creation, for an inspiring evening where education, artistic excellence and philanthropy come together on stage.
By taking part in this fundraising evening, you are helping NTS provide exceptional professional training, foster meaningful encounters between emerging and established artists, and give young artists the resources they need to thrive.
We look forward to celebrating with you.
Interested in becoming a sponsor? We’d be delighted to discuss the opportunities available. Please contact Janie-Kim Béland, at jkbeland@ent-nts.ca or, 514-842-7954 ext.: 149
