Stratford Festival reopens after bomb threat
The areas around the Stratford Festival and Avon Theatres have been reopened after a bomb threat forced the closure of the official opening night of its 2018 season.
Police in Stratford, Ont., say on Twitter that at about 6:45 p.m. Monday, they received a call that explosives had been placed at the theatre festival.
They say festival officials were immediately advised and the Avon and Festival theatres were evacuated as a precaution.
We're saddened to announce that there was a bomb threat made against a Festival Theatre tonight. To ensure the safety of our patrons and staff we have canceled the Opening of The Tempest. All ticket buyers will be contacted and reimbursed by us.
— Stratford Festival (@stratfest) May 28, 2018
Officers conducted searches for suspicious items or packages.
Just after 6 a.m. on Tuesday, police tweeted that the area had been cleared and that all buildings had been turned back over to the Stratford Festival staff.
There has been no word on if officers located anything suspicious.
On Monday, Ann Swerdfager, publicity director at Stratford Festival, said in a statement that patrons, staff and artists for a performance of “The Tempest” left the theatre quickly.
She said all ticket purchases would be honoured and ticket holders for Monday’s performance would be contacted by festival staff.
Swerdfager said all of Tuesday’s performances, including the opening of “The Music Man,” will go on as scheduled with increased security.
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