JUNE 8 • 2023 | 51
and played husband and wife for the
rom-com.”
JUDAISM AND GARDENING
Orenstein, who has a small
Jewish family, has appreciated the
opportunity to take on roles in plays
that represent aspects of her religion.
She has appeared in other theaters
with My Name Is Asher Lev and Indecent.
“Every year tends to be a slightly
different schedule,” said Orenstein,
who regularly attends the Jewish
and Ashkenaz film festivals. “At
Stratford, you start in February and
end in October. I have to admit that if a
contract comes up that really tweaks my
interest, I’ll take it.
“I loved doing My Name Is Asher Lev
at the Harold Green Jewish Theatre in
Toronto. It’s a very deep Jewish family
story, and it was a really fulfilling play to
work on.
“At the Mirvish Theatre in Toronto, we
just were doing Indecent by Paula Vogel.
It has a lot of music and is about how art
can save the soul of humanity.
“Audiences are following a troupe
of actors from Europe to New York
and back to Europe as the troupe faces
stumbling blocks and persecutions. It’s
a story about what was happening with
the rise of the Nazis.”
While Orenstein was off work because
of the pandemic, she took hold of her
favorite off-work activity — gardening.
In addition to taking care of her own
yard, she helped older neighbors with
theirs in another pursuit acquired from
her mother.
“In different productions and different
decades of life as an artist, I find
different perspectives of what it means
to be on stage,” Orenstein said. “It’s so
deep in my bones now that at a personal
level I don’t have to work as hard as I did
when I was younger.
“I’m constantly reminded that it’s such
a communal act for people to come to
the theater. Whether it’s a light comedy
or heavy drama, there is nothing like the
magic of an audience sitting in the house
with you and going through the story
together.
“You can feel that bonding with
strangers, and that’s what I’m strongly
aware of right now. I can say audiences
will like this year’s shows at Stratford.”
This season’s plays and their dates
are listed below. To get tickets and
information about the Stratford Festival
in Ontario, call (800) 567-1600 or visit
stratfordfestival.ca.
Casey and Diana: through June 17
Richard II: through Sept. 28
Grand Magic: through Sept. 29
Much Ado About Nothing: through Oct. 27
Rent: through Oct. 28
Monty Python’s Spamalot: through Oct. 28
King Lear: through Oct. 29
A Wrinkle in Time: through Oct. 29
Wedding Band: June 20-Oct. 1
Women of the Fur Trade: July 8-30
Frankenstein Revived: Aug. 6-Oct. 28
Les Belles Soeurs: Aug. 8-Oct. 28
Love’s Labour’s Lost: Aug. 23-Oct. 1
Goblin: Macbeth: Oct. 12-28
PHOTOS BY DAVID HOU
Sarah Orenstein
as Zaira Marvuglia
with members of
the company of
Grand Magic at the
Stratford Festival
through Sept. 29
DETAILS