At the Stratford Festival, I joined the orchestra below (and above) the stage for a new perspective The Star's Joshua Chong visited the orchestra pit at the Avon Theatre and the orchestra loft at the Festival Theatre. Here's what he discovered.

Did you know our musicals are performed by a live orchestra?
Toronto Star arts critic Joshua Chong recently sat in on two performances of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Annie to see how musical magic is made behind the scenes!

#SFAnnie #SFScoundrels

He also heaped praise on the season's productions, talking about "a very lively and ebulliently choreographed Annie" and calling out Anne of Green Gables as "a very viable Broadway show."

#SFAnnie #SFGreenGables

🐕 ANNIE, the "surefire hit" that "is one of Stratford's best" (The Globe and Mail) is extended by six weeks, until December 14! #SFAnnie

How this 11-year-old is tackling one of the biggest roles for a child actor Harper Rae Asch is playing the title character in the Stratford Festival’s production of “Annie.” But this isn’t her first go at it.

"...she’s been through a hard time, but she’s still optimistic and still trying to make everyone happy."

Harper Rae Asch on the title character of #SFAnnie, a role she landed after a nationwide search. Find out how this 11-year-old is preparing for her Festival debut.