Stratford Winter Pride returns with a Canadian premiere for a celebrated playwright

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Stratford Winter Pride returns March 6-8 with a suite of shows for area residents and visitors, including a Canadian premiere from celebrated Canadian playwright Brad Fraser.

On March 7, two staged readings of Shelley’s Shadow will be performed at Here For Now Theatre. The play is a “slightly fictionalized” story of an out of work writer named David who becomes the reluctant caretaker for his upstairs neighbours, Shelley, a lesbian in her 80s with encroaching Alzheimer’s-related dementia, and her long-time canine companion, Shadow.

Organizer Bruce Duncan Skeaff told the Times that the reading, which is put on by Out & About Theatre Company, seemed natural for Winter Pride this year. Last year, the organizers put on a reading for The Laramie Project.

“And it went over so well, that we decided to set up a theatre company for new and existing LGBTQ plays,” Skeaff said.

Winter Pride’s inception began five years ago, when organizers became aware of a lack of community events in the late winter. While there are plenty of celebrations in June, Skeaff said there was a desire for events throughout the year. Since that time the event has evolved, with organizers trying different things.

This year, along with Fraser’s play, organizers are hosting the Gay AF (GAF) Comedy Night on March 6, Colourful Words, a lively session of poetry and spoken word hosted by Stratford poet laureate David Stones, on March 6 and a drag brunch hosted by Troy Boy Entertainment on March 8 to close out the weekend.

For more information, visit https://stratfordwinterpride.com/main.