Stratford Festival received $10 million gift for Tom Patterson Theatre

The Stratford Festival announced it hasreceived a $10 million dollar gift from long time supporter Ophelia Lazaridisas part of the theatre'snew $100 million dollar campaign aimed to rebuildand secure the Tom Patterson Theatre.

The$100 million campaign will provide the funds for anew facility, designed by Toronto-basedarchitectSiamak Hariri, andsupport the theatre's presenceandprograms it will host.

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"I aminspired by what the Festival has accomplished and even more energized for the future with this newtheatrecentre," saidLazaridisin a release.

Lazaridiswas a member of the Festival's Board of Governors from 2007 to 2014 and served as chair of the Education and Archives Committee.

"This is a big day for Stratford," said AntoniCimolino, artistic director for the Stratford Festivalin a release.

"We are so grateful to Ophelia for coming forward with such a remarkable gift for this important project."

New theatre needed

Stratford Festival has had their eyes set onto replacingthe existing Tom Patterson Theatre since 2016. The current facility wasa retrofitted curling rink and is coming to the end of its life after 45 years.

Last August, the Stratford Festival unveiled the design for its new Tom Patterson Theatre, estimated to cost $68 million.

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Both thefederal and provincial governments have contributed funds towardbuilding thenewTom Patterson Theatreas well.

The province announced a $20 million grant in May 2017, while the federal government announced an additional $20 million in December 2017.

So far,with the contribution from the provincial and federal governments, Lazaridisand an upcoming $10 million pledge fromDan Bernstein and his wifeClaire Foerster,the $100millioncampaign has already reached 70 per centof its goal.