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A 400th anniversary celebration of the King James Bible and the works of Shakespeare.

Toronto, ON – November 8, 2011: "In the beginning was... The Word." Albert Schultz, General Director of the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, today announced The Word Festival, thus inaugurating an annual celebration based on the spoken and printed word.

This year, The Word Festival celebrates the remarkable continuity of the two most influential books in the English language. In 1611 in London, England, William Shakespeare wrote his final play, and the King James Bible was published. The Word Festival celebrates these monumental works of literature in the form of theatrical performances, lectures, improvisation, readings, movement and song, and a live-streamed reading of the entire King James Bible.

The Word Festival runs from Friday, November 25 to Sunday, November 27 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. The full performance schedule can be found at youngcentre.ca/thewordfestival.

Word Festival Events

A special Festival guest artist, legendary actor Kenneth Welsh, most recently seen at the Young Centre in Soulpepper’s Under Milk Wood, presents two remarkable performances for The Word Festival:

The Gospel According to Mark, a solo performance created for the Festival, and Stand Up Shakespeare, a Shakespeare Cabaret Welsh originally created with director Mike Nichols. In this version Welsh is accompanied by the multi-talented Mike Ross.

Elmer Iseler Singers
Toronto’s Elmer Iseler Singers, one of Canada’s most celebrated choirs, present a concert inspired by Shakespeare and the King James Bible. Albert Schultz narrates, with Gene DiNovi on piano and Dave Young on bass.

Impromptu Splendor
Canada’s leading comedy troupe The National Theatre of the World presents Impromptu Splendor, their award-winning improvised play series. At The Word Festival, the group will improvise never before seen plays based on the King James Bible and The Collected Works of William Shakespeare.

Kill Shakespeare
Newly adapted for The Word Festival, Kill Shakespeare is a live reading of the acclaimed twelve-issue comic series by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery. A literary mash-up of the Bard's greatest heroes and villains, Kill Shakespeare features actors from Soulpepper Theatre Company and projected illustrations from the comic series.

King James Bible – Live Reading
A live-streamed reading of the King James Bible kicks off the Festival on Thursday, November 24 and continues in the Young Centre atrium over the weekend. Once the Festival begins, the reading can be followed online 24 hours a day at youngcentre.ca. The first chapters of Genesis will be read by none other than Gordon Pinsent and over 100 readers including Cynthia Dale, Peter Mansbridge and Albert Schultz, will pass the baton for a total of 76 hours.

The KJV: The Bible Show
A new spoken word piece by Ins Choi and The Arts Engine (Arthur Wachnik, Rebecca Davey and Kristopher Van Soelen) debuts at The Word Festival. The KJV: The Bible Show is an upbeat and informative collection of songs, stories, monologues and scenes that celebrate the 400th anniversary the King James Bible and explore the wide-ranging effects it has had on Western Civilization.

Shakespeare Cabaret
A free late-night Cabaret celebrates the works of Shakespeare and the King James Bible in a talk-show format with special musical and biblical guests. Hosted by Derek Boyes and Mike Ross.

Song of Solomon
The Young Centre's Resident Artists, including Aline Morales, John Millard, Patricia O’Callaghan and Waleed Abdulhamid, present two free showcases of a new multidisciplinary work based on the Bible’s most erotic passages.

Hamlet (solo)
Raoul Bhaneja returns to Toronto for the first time since 2006 with his solo take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Hamlet (solo) has been performed over 100 times across Canada, the UK and in New York.

"5/5 stars... Almost before he can take a bow his audience have leaped from their seats in a standing ovation."
-The List (Edinburgh UK) review of Hamlet (solo)

Jill L. Levenson Shakespeare Panel
The collision between the artistic and the academic is a vital element to the understanding of dramatic texts, and the gap between scholars and performers can often seem unassailable. Professor Jill L. Levenson (editor of the Oxford Shakespeare edition of Romeo and Juliet) and Dr. Toby Malone (Soulpepper Resident Dramaturg and Shakespearean scholar), discuss the state of Global Shakespeares and the performance of academic texts.

Hamlet (solo) and the Jill L. Levenson Panel are generously supported by the Shakespeare’s Globe Centre of Canada.

Tickets on sale now. Single ticket prices: $20 in advance; $25 on the day; $15 student, ID required; Festival passes are also available. All prices include service charge and HST. Tickets are available online at youngcentre.ca/thewordfestival or by calling the Young Centre box office at 416.866.8666.

The Young Centre for the Performing Arts is an award-winning, multi-venue performing arts facility located in the Distillery Historic District. Anchored by Soulpepper Theatre Company’s year round season and George Brown College’s Theatre School, the Young Centre is a home for Toronto’s leading artists and arts organizations across all performance disciplines. The Young Centre presents the very best in theatre, dance, music and spoken word in a state-of-the-art setting. The Young Centre Resident Artist Program is generously supported by Donna and Gary Slaight. The Young Centre receives operating support from the Ontario Arts Council and program support from the Province of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, and foundation support from the John McKellar Foundation, the Hal Jackman Foundation and the K. M. Hunter Foundation.

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The Word Festival logo

The Arts Engine

Impromptu Splendor

Elmer Iseler Singers

Hamlet (solo)

Kenneth Welsh

Kill Shakespeare