André Sills Takes 2 Shakespeare Leads in 12th Stratford Season
Updated
Updated · The Globe and Mail · May 29
André Sills Takes 2 Shakespeare Leads in 12th Stratford Season
3 articles · Updated · The Globe and Mail · May 29
Summary
André Sills will play both Othello and Oberon at the Stratford Festival, with the two productions running at the 600-seat Tom Patterson Theatre in his 12th season there.
June 19 marks the opening of Othello, a role Sills has played before but says now comes with deeper preparation after a winter research trip to Italy, Cyprus and Morocco.
That double assignment highlights Stratford’s demanding repertory system, where Sills must keep two sharply different Shakespeare characters distinct while sometimes performing in two shows a day.
Sills first arrived through Stratford’s Birmingham Conservatory in 2005 and has since become one of the company’s regulars, known for major Shakespeare roles including Coriolanus and for directing in 2024.
Directors Graham Abbey and Haysam Kadri say his rigor and leadership make him a model for younger artists, especially Black performers and other artists of colour.