On October 9th, four buses of students left Marc Garneau C.I. (MGCI) to go to the Stratford Festival. Attending the Stratford Festival is something of a tradition for MGCI students, and many see it as a place where friendships are forged and memories are made. This year there was a new option, allowing students to choose between a day trip and an overnight trip. Both students on the day trip and the overnight trip saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Additionally, students who attended for two days also saw Annie and Macbeth. “Stratford was awesome, with all of the goofy shenanigans and lifetime experiences,” said Hashim Syed, a grade 10 student.

When the grade 9s and 10s arrived at Stratford, they were met by some of the cast of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, where they were taught some interesting choreography. The older students spent this time walking with friends, with the grade 9s and 10s joining after the workshop. Afterwards, all students made their way to the Avon Theatre to see the first play, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

“It was very enthusiastic,” commented Grade 9 Student Nazish Mohaimin when asked about her opinion on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the first play of the trip. “It never had a bland moment.”

After dinner, students watched Annie, a musical about a young girl trying to find her parents and realising what family truly is along the way. The fun didn’t end there, though. Once the play was over, students raced to the buses in the dark, desperate to get out of the cold. Eventually, everyone got settled into their rooms and students spent the night playing games, talking and watching movies.

The next day, students had breakfast in the city and the grade 9s and 10s attended another workshop, getting fake fighting tips from some of the actors in Macbeth, leaving the older grades free to explore by themselves. In the workshop, students learned how to throw fake punches, before joining the grade 11s and 12s back in the city. Students then had a quick lunch, and made their way to the theater to watch Macbeth, a modern take on a classic.

From the plays themselves to the bus rides, there was never a dull moment at Stratford. But students aren’t the only ones who love the festival. Ms. Roitman attended the Stratford Festival for the second time this year. She named Annie as her favourite part of the trip.

“It’s really important to see live theater,” said Ms. Roitman, who teaches English. “It’s such a powerful method of storytelling.” And she wasn’t wrong.

For Grade 9 Student Lina Lai, watching plays alongside peers felt “truly unreplaceable,” helping her connect to not only her friends, but the world. “Thank you for making it happen, it was a core high school moment that I’ll surely remember,” added Lina, expressing her gratitude towards Ms. Lajeunesse and the rest of the English department for a trip that would’ve been impossible without them.