Classical Theatre Project was founded in 2001 by
David Galpern & Charles Roy.
From our humble beginnings, performing Romeo & Juliet to 2,000 students at the Poor Alex Theatre, to our current season with four productions and tens of thousands of visitors, we have always had the same goal: to bring Shakespeare to life for a new generation by creating productions that are fun, accessible, and entertaining.
Since 2001, we have mounted dozens of plays specifically for student audiences and, in the process, grown into Canada's largest producer of classical theatre for young audiences.
Recently, we have expanded beyond Shakespeare by creating original works based on world classics that are relevant to students. We began in 2008 with a new stage adaptation of The Great Gatsby written by David Rotenberg and have continued this in 2009 with a brand new text of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex adapted by Charles Roy.
In 2010, we set out on our first US tour, beginning our expansion beyond our borders. In the coming years, our productions will take us across Canada and the United States with a planned international tour in 2012.
Over the years, we have been home to lots of actors that have gone places.
Even with all our growth and the exciting new projects that are underway, we are still a small company committed to providing the best theatrical experience available to young audiences and helping them grow into mature and sensitive adults so that we can hear them say: "that's the best field trip I've ever been on."
CTP Timeline
- Our very first production was Romeo & Juliet directed by Charles Roy in 2001, and it featured company co-founder David Galpern as Mercutio.
- 2004 marked our first performance at Hart House Theatre on University of Toronto campus. Over 5,000 students visited to see that production.
- Will O’Hare and Rupal Shah joined the company in 2004 to work on a production of Twelfth Night and quickly became vital members of the CTP team.
- In the Fall of 2005, Charles Roy directed our first repertory productions. We presented our acclaimed and innovative production of Romeo & Juliet set in Moorish Spain. It played in rep with a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. These production featured Adam Seybold, star of Smart Woman’s Survival Guide.
- Will O’Hare returned in spring 2005 to direct Macbeth, which becomes our first touring production and one of our most popular productions
- We toured to Ottawa for the first time in 2005
- We performed at the Harbourfront Centre for the first time in 2007
- We moved into our current home, the Lower Ossington Theatre office space, in 2006
- CTP received Dora nominations for Best Actor (Jonathan Widdifield as Mercutio in Charles Roy’s Romeo & Juliet) and Best Production (Will O’Hare’s Macbeth) in 2007
- In 2008, we built our own blackbox theatre in the backspace at the Lower Ossington Theatre
- In 2009, we hired an ensemble cast to perform 6 shows in rep over 9 months
- In 2010 we embarked on our first US tour.
- CTP recieved Dora nominations for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Performance (Twelfth Night) in 2010.
- In 2011, Romeo & Juliet showcased at the International Performing Arts for Youth conference in Tampa, Florida.
- In 2011-2012, we will embark on a US national tour.
