Ottawa Valley's only professional theatre company, the Classic Theatre Festival is an annual summer season of plays from the Golden Age of Broadway and the London Stage in beautiful Heritage Perth, Ontario.


In 2011, the Festival won critical praise and audience raves for its production of two timeless romantic comedies:  Bell, Book and Candle by John van Druten, followed by The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog.  Audiences and artists alike enjoyed the Festival's move to a new venue:  the accessible, air conditioned Mason Theatre.


The Festival's inaugural 2010 season featured Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward, and The Voice of the Turtle by John van  Druten. Produced, directed, and performed by  some of the top theatrical talent in Canada, the Festival attracts thousands every summer who enjoyprofessional productions of some of the best-loved plays of all time.


The  Festival is a project of Burning Passions Theatre, a registered charity(#89076 7924 RR0001)  which since the late 1990s has produced a variety of new works, traditional favourites, and cutting-edge youth-centred works.  As a registered charitable organization, Burning Passions Theatre believes strongly in supporting the communities in which we work.  A major focus of our work is audience engagement and support for civic and community groups, as well as the mentorship of community youth.
(Candida,   2009)

The Festival chose beautiful Heritage Perth, Ontario for its home after a year-long research and consultation effort to determine the best place for a new professional summer theatre company. This Heritage community's "Aged to Perfection" theme fits perfectly with the plays we are producing, as does its location as part of the Rideau Heritage Route, Ontario's only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Add to these factors Perth's stunning architecture (for which the town won the coveted Prince of Wales Prize for architectural preservation), and its choice in a TVO poll as "the prettiest town in Ontario," and you have the perfect combination for a fantastic summer entertainment experience.

Part of that experience is what you do before and after the show. Find out all there is to see and do by clicking here.

For more on what to see and do in Perth and surrounding area, see the following links:

Town of Perth

Perth and District Chamber of Commerce

Lanark County Tourism Association

Rideau Heritage Route - a UNESCO World Heritage Destination

beautifulperth.com

Ottawa Tourism

PerthEntertainmentNow.net

Land O' Lakes Tourism Association

Ottawa's Countryside