Level 4-Day 36.The Stratford Festival

词汇提示

1.region 地区

2.inn 小客栈

3.swans 天鹅

4.permanent 永久的

5.ease 缓解

原文

The Stratford Festival

The Shakespearean festival in Stratford, Ontario, is one of the greatest theatrical festivals in the world

This is the story how this small town, which was far from any theatrical centers, became so important for drama.

For most of its history, Stratford was the county town for the local farming region.

It was also a railway center.

An Irishman who opened an inn there founded Stratford in 1832.

He called his roadhouse "Shakespeare's Inn," after England's great dramatist.

Soon the little town became known as Stratford, after the town in England where Shakespeare was born.

The local river was likewise called the Avon after the English river.

The little town grew gradually and became the local center for government and law.

Stratford people seemed to enjoy the association with Shakespeare.

Many streets were given Shakespearean names such as Arden Park, Portia Boulevard, Romeo Street and Viola Court.

Local schools received names such as Hamlet Public School or Falstaff School.

Still, there was no attempt at Shakespearean theatre in Stratford, Ontario

In 1913, the Canadian Pacific Railway threatened to take over the town.

They proposed a railway line running through the center of Stratford, which would have taken overmuch of the town's parkland.

The townspeople voted down this proposal.

Instead, they expanded the parkland along the Avon River.

These parks were enhanced with gardens and, in 1918, a pair of swans was added.

These swans were an imitation of the swans on English rivers.

In 1950, it appeared that the railway would be closing some of its workshops in Stratford.

The town was looking for ideas that might lead to new employment opportunities.

This was when one citizen, Tom Patterson, suggested that the town sponsor a drama festival.

Patterson was able to get Irish director, Tyrone Guthrie, to come to Stratford in 1952.

Guthrie agreed to head up the 1953 season.

Everyone in Stratford pitched in to raise the necessary money and prepare the stage.

Since there was no time to put up a building, the plays were staged under a huge tent.

Two plays were put on during a six-week season, and with great success.

In 1957, a permanent theatre was built.

The Stratford season in 2001 runs for more than six months, from late April to early November.

There are fourteen plays in production at three different theatres.

Altogether there are 668 performances, with a total attendance of 580,000 people.

About 40% of the audience comes from the United States.

Tom Patterson's plan to ease unemployment in Stratford has worked well.

The festival has helped to create nearly 6,000 jobs and generate wages and salaries of $110 million annually.

In total, the festival brings about $170million of revenue into the Stratford area.

Of course, to the audiences who come back every year,the main attraction is seeing some of the best Shakespearean theatre in the world.

The Stratford Festival Company is Canada's leading acting company,and many of its actors have become internationally known.

翻译

斯特拉特福德节

安大略省斯的特拉特福德莎士比亚戏剧节是世界上最伟大的戏剧节之一

这就是关于这个远离任何戏剧中心的小镇如何对戏剧变得如此重要的故事。

在其历史的大部分时间里，斯特拉特福德是当地农业区的县城。

它也是一个铁路中心。

1832年，一位爱尔兰人在那里开了一家客栈从此建立了斯特拉特福德。

他以这位英国伟大的剧作家的名字，将自己的小屋称为“莎士比亚客栈”。

不久，这个小镇就以莎士比亚出生的英国小镇——斯特拉特福德而闻名。

当地的河流也以英格兰河流的名字命名为雅芳河。

这个小镇逐渐发展壮大，成为当地的政府和法律中心。

斯特拉特福德人似乎很喜欢与莎士比亚产生联系。

许多街道都被冠以莎士比亚的名字，如阿登公园、波西亚大道、罗密欧街和维奥拉宫。

当地的学校被命名为哈姆雷特公立学校或法尔斯塔夫学校。

尽管如此，还是没有在安大略省斯特拉特福德建立莎士比亚剧院的计划。

1913年，加拿大太平洋铁路公司威胁要接管该镇。

他们提议修建一条贯穿斯特拉特福德市中心的铁路线，这将占用该镇大部分的公园。

镇民投票否决了这项提案。

相反，他们沿着雅芳河扩建了公园。

这些公园因花园而得到了提升，1918年又增加了一对天鹅。

这些天鹅是英国河流上天鹅的仿制品。

1950年，铁路公司似乎要关闭斯特拉特福德的一些车间。

该镇正在寻找可能带来新就业机会的想法。

当时，一位名叫汤姆·帕特森的市民建议小镇举办一个戏剧节。

1952年，帕特森让爱尔兰导演泰隆·古思里来到斯特拉特福德。

格思里同意指挥1953年的节日季。

斯特拉特福德的每个人都参与筹集必要的资金，为舞台做准备。

由于没有时间搭起大楼，戏剧就在一个巨大的帐篷下上演。

在为期六周的赛季中上演了两出戏，并取得了巨大的成功。

1957年，一座永久性剧院建成。

2001年的斯特拉特福德戏剧节持续了六个多月，从4月底到11月初。

三家不同的剧院共有十四部戏剧正在制作中。

共有668场演出，总观众达58万人。

大约40%的观众来自美国。

汤姆·帕特森（Tom Patterson）缓解斯特拉特福德失业的计划效果良好。

该节日帮助创造了近6000个就业机会，每年产生1.1亿美元的工资和薪金。

总的来说，这个节日为斯特拉特福德地区带来了约1.7亿美元的收入。

当然，对于每年回来的观众来说，最吸引人的是看世界上最好的莎士比亚戏剧。

斯特拉特福德戏剧节公司是加拿大领先的表演公司，其许多演员已成为国际知名演员。