An award-winning Canadian cabaret performer has joined the lineup of entertainers coming to Stratford for its upcoming Winter Pride festival.
Sharron Matthews – the artist, actress, singer, comedienne, writer and producer known for her roles in the crime drama series Frankie Drake Mysteries and Tina Fey’s 2004 teen comedy film Mean Girls, among others – will headline the festival’s Rainbow Gala on Feb. 11, organizers announced this week.
Matthews’ solo cabaret work includes Girl Crush, a show she developed in collaboration with Lunch Box Theater that premiered to critical acclaim in 2017. She also developed, with Young People’s Theater in Toronto, a Canadian show called Cabaret For Kids that explores issues of body positivity, childhood anxiety and bullying.
Bruce Skeaff, the president of the Stratford Pride Community Centre, said Matthews was recommended by the Stratford Festival. The Rainbow Gala is taking place inside Lazaridis Hall, part of the New Tom Patterson Theatre.
“I agreed with them she would be the perfect host and headliner for this show,” Skeaff said. “We’ve been very fortunate to get a lot of support from the Stratford Festival for the Rainbow Gala. The acoustics in this new performance space are just magnificent, terrific for singers. We’re looking forward to this very much.”
Stratford’s first Winter Pride festival will take place over four days. Organizers have planned a comedy night on Feb. 9, a drag night on Feb. 10 and, in addition to the Rainbow Gala, a drop-in party at the Stratford Pride Community Center and a dance party with Toronto’s DJ Chiclet at Copperlight Banquet Hall on Feb. 11.
Organizers are also working on “a super secret grand finale” for the Rainbow Gala that hasn’t yet been announced, Skeaff said.
“It’s a really big announcement, something that’s never happened before,” he said.
Tickets and more information about the Winter Pride festival is available at stratfordpride.com