STRATFORD

King Lear

by William Shakespeare

May 15, 2007

7:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

As you may have already heard, the Drama Club is going to a performance of Shakespeare’s King Lear in Stratford, Ontario, Canada on May 15, 2007. The cost of trip is $65 and includes the coach bus ticket, the ticket to the performance and dinner afterwards.

The particulars of the trip are as follows:
We will leave the school on Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. sharp and will return around 10:30 p.m. depending on traffic, dinner, etc. Once we arrive in Stratford (around 11 a.m.), students will have approximately 2 hours before the show to walk around town, shop, and eat lunch. Students, therefore, should be dressed for all types of weather, including rain (not unusual in May). Since we are renting a coach bus, students will be able to leave their stuff on the bus so coats and umbrellas can be stored safely if (let’s hope) they are not needed. Students should also bring a little extra money for souvenirs (most travel agencies will exchange to Canadian funds) and it is advisable that they bring snacks and/or a bagged lunch (there is no fast food near downtown). After the show we have reservations at a local restaurant where they will be serving a buffet style Italian dinner.

While students have some freedom after we arrive in Stratford, there are certain expectations upon which we must insist. First, no student is to rent a boat on the river; we have neither the time nor the insurance for such an activity, alluring though it may be. Also, each student should be at the theatre by 1:45 p.m. ready to take his/her seat. They do not allow late seating, so wear your watch!

According to U.S. Immigration Laws, American citizens can travel to Canada by land without a passport, but students will need an original birth certificate (or a passport if they have one already), which I would like to collect ahead of time and keep with me so crossing the border is smooth and without incident. In past trips, the border officer boarded the bus, asked general questions about citizenship and waved us through. Students without U.S. citizenship will be asked to check in with the immigration officer. Finally, students should have on them at all times a photo I.D.

Please complete the attached permission slip and return it to me with a check for $65 as soon as possible, as all seating will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. Checks should be made payable to “SHS Drama Club.”
Please do not hesitate to contact me at 429-8050 if you have any questions or concerns.

For permission slip, click here.