Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Four 2014 Bronze Star recipients were honoured yesterday during the Canada Day festivities at Market Square in downtown Stratford.
Mayor of Stratford Dan Mathieson and executive director for the Stratford Festival Anita Gaffney presented the Bronze Stars to the recipients.
The first recipient was Antoni Cimolino, who is the current artistic director for the Stratford Festival.
"It means the world to me to get this from my fellow citizens," said Cimolino. "The first time I came to Stratford almost 40 years ago, I knew it was a very special place and it has made over a long time wonderful decisions… and getting a chance to raise my children with all of you, and with my wonderful wife Brigit, really has meant the world to me."
Cimolino began his career in Stratford in 1988 as an actor and some of his roles include playing Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1989, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet in 1992 and Laertes in Hamlet in 1994.
Cimolino also began directing in the mid nineties and was appointed artistic director of the Stratford Festival in 2012 and has been with the festival for 27 seasons.
The creator of Stratford Summer Music Festival John A. Miller was the second recipient of the Bronze Star this year.
"I love Stratford, I love the summer and I love music," said Miller. "I'm particularly honoured today that the city has recognized that in the arts there is a big brother but there is also a little brother, too. And we're the little brother, in a sense, at Summer Music but we're doing our best to add to Stratford's reputation."
Miller is best known for founding the Stratford Summer Music Festival back in 2001 and is currently the artistic producer for the festival. He was also a former national director of the Canadian Music Centre and an executive director of the Glenn Gould Foundation.
Acclaimed director and actor Martha Henry was the third recipient of the Bronze Star.
"I've lived in Stratford since 1962," said Henry. "And every year, somewhere around the beginning of the new year, someone around town says 'Oh hi Martha, back for a new season?' So now I can say yes, now I live here in bronze."
Henry has been with the Stratford Festival for 40 seasons and will be receiving the 2014 Legacy Award from the festival.
Some of Henry's work includes playing Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1969, playing Isabella in Measure for Measure in 1976 and most recently directing Mother Courage and Her Children.
Henry was also made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1981 and promoted to Companion in 1990.
The final recipient of the Bronze Star was the late Douglas Campbell, whose widow Moira Wylie accepted on his behalf.
"Douglas loved this place very much," said Wylie. "Not only the theatre which he loved dearly and was always exciting to him, but he loved this town and all of you."
Campbell first performed in 1941 with the Old Vic Theatre, touring productions of Medea and Jacob's Ladder. He later first appeared in Stratford as Hastings in the opening production of Richard III in 1953.
He also founded the Canadian Players in 1954 and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1997, as well as the Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 2003.
Campbell passed away in 2009 from complications of diabetes and congestive heart disease.
by Bruce Chessell for www.stratfordbeaconherald.com.
Photo: Douglas Campbell as Falstaff in Henry IV, Part 2. ©2001 Stratford Festival.
2014-07-02
Stratford: Bronze Stars awarded to Antoni Cimolino, Douglas Campbell, Martha Henry and John Miller