Laurier partners with Stratford Festival on new immersive musical theatre course

Dec. 5, 2025
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO, Ont. — Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Music is launching a new partnership with the Stratford Festival to offer an immersive musical theatre course running May 4 to 15, 2026.

The two-week intensive course will give students hands-on experience inside one of Canada’s leading professional theatre companies. Nearly half of the course will take place in Stratford, where students will attend productions, take part in creative workshops and engage directly with theatre professionals.

Open to vocalists, instrumentalists and students from other institutions applying through a letter of permission, the course includes experiential learning opportunities such as artist talks, workshops, backstage tours and rehearsal shadowing at Stratford Festival productions.

“This partnership offers students something truly special,” said Kimberly Barber, associate dean of the Faculty of Music. “They’ll be learning alongside some of the country’s most accomplished theatre artists and experiencing first-hand what it takes to bring a major musical production to life. It’s an extraordinary training opportunity that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere.”

“Laurier is a natural educational partner and we are delighted to be working with the Faculty of Music in this capacity,” said Lois Adamson, director of education at the Stratford Festival. “We look forward to supporting student learning in close collaboration with their incredible teaching faculty.”

The initiative is part of a two-year pilot agreement between Laurier and the Stratford Festival.

“Laurier is committed to providing transformational learning experiences for students,” said Cynthia Johnston Turner, dean of the Faculty of Music. “This partnership aligns perfectly with that mission. By connecting academic study with real-world arts practice, we’re preparing students to thrive as creative professionals and thoughtful leaders in Canada’s cultural sector.”

More information about registration and course details will be shared as they become available.