Get ready for an evening filled with fun, entertainment, and the opportunity to support the arts in our community!
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Shakespeare co-wrote Timon of Athens with Thomas Middleton. Who was he? And how was his writing similar to (and different than) Shakespeare’s? Let’s find out.
A Trick to Catch the Old One by Thomas Middleton
Thursday April 24th at 8pm on Zoom
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They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and what could be more Shakespearean than imitating and adapting? (Here’s looking at you, Saxo Grammaticus.) In these drop-in classes led by Nathaniel Hanula-James, you’ll read a short scene or play, identify an interesting tool the writer’s using, and then give it a whirl yourself.
A toast to our artists and supporters
Wednesday March 19th, 2025, 7pm (doors at 6:30)
Ladybug Wine Bar, 514 King St. E, Toronto.
Tickets: $150
“With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls” — Coriolanus
Come in from the cold, grab a glass of wine, and join us in a toast to Ruff’s generous patrons and supporters: the folks who make our experiments in adapting Shakespeare possible. Our winter fundraiser will be an elegant evening at Ladybug Wine Bar in Toronto’s East End. Mingle with Ruff’s artists, taste exquisite wines hand-selected for our event, enjoy performances from past and current Ruff adaptations, and get a sneak peak at our upcoming summer reimagining of Timon of Athens.
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Let’s face it: it’s a tough time to be an artist.
To live in Toronto.
To buy groceries.
To have a family.
To pay the rent.
It’s tough.
We’re talking about it here at Ruff, and we want to talk about it with you, too.
Join us this season as we tear into capitalism, art-making, consumerism, debt, philanthropy, and community care through one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known works: Timon of Athens.
In the coming weeks we’ll be sharing details about our exciting season of 2025 programming, including financial literacy classes for artists, the Build-a-Bard playwriting drop-in, our Ruff Reads reading list, and our summer reimagining of Timon created by Ruff. We’ll also let you know how you can get involved, whether as a volunteer, a Young Ruffian, a sponsor, or an audience member.
As always, thank you for your support of everything we do at Ruff. We can’t wait to be back beneath the Withrow trees this summer.
See you soon!
Patricia, Jeff, PJ, Nathaniel, and Christine
The Shakespeare in the Ruff Leadership Collective
We have exciting community nights taking place during the run of The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers. Check our list of events and reserve your tickets!
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“RuFF” by Rod Carley – Special Pre-Show Event – August 29th 6:30pm. Join us Thursday August 29th at 6:30pm for a FREE special pre-show event with award-winning author Rod Carley! Meet Rod, get a sneak preview of Rod’s upcoming novel “RuFF” (available September 6th), and participate in a Q&A led by Shakespeare in the Ruff’s Christine Horne. Then join us for our 7:30 performance of The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers!
Do you have a new idea or radical adaptation that you’re dreaming of exploring? We are stoked to be welcoming Marie Beath to The Playground as we host Building Blocks of Playwriting to make those dreams come true.
Shakespeare in the Ruff is delighted to announce an exciting new member of our collective leadership: Nathaniel Hanula-James. As Ruff continues to grow and evolve, this new addition marks a significant step towards achieving our vision of a sustainable and dynamic leadership collective.
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How does The Tempest transplant to 18th century Ireland? Let’s find out.
I’ll Be the Devil, a play by Leo Butler
Thursday May 30th at 8pm on Zoom
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