News Room

On November 2, long-time Drayton Entertainment supporter Dennis Breen was thrilled to receive the exciting news from Artistic Director, Alex Mustakas, that he had won the online 50/50 Jackpot – a total of $6,110.

Transition to Support Theatre’s Multi-Year Succession Plan

Alex Mustakas, founding Artistic Director & CEO of Drayton Entertainment, as supported by the award-winning charitable arts organization’s volunteer Board of Directors, has announced a leadership transition as part of the theatre’s multi-year succession plan.

Drayton Entertainment's Artistic Director Alex Mustakas today announced the 2025 Season for the King's Wharf Theatre. 

“This is an exciting season filled with entertaining shows for theatregoers at every stage of life,” says Alex Mustakas, Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment. “From hit Broadway musicals, musical reviews, and the beloved annual panto, there really is something for the whole family.”

Drayton Entertainment's Artistic Director Alex Mustakas today announced the 2025 Season for the Drayton Festival Theatre. 

"This season is packed with shows that music lovers of all ages will adore,” says Mustakas. “From a Broadway juggernaut to shows with chart-topping hits, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy!”

Drayton Entertainment's Artistic Director Alex Mustakas today announced the 2025 Season for the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge. 

“The 2025 Season is all about captivating stories and unforgettable music,” says Alex Mustakas. “With a mix of timeless classics, heartfelt dramas, and thrilling moments, there is something to engage and delight every theatregoer. Whether you come for the music, the drama, or the laughter, there’s a show waiting to resonate with you.”

Drayton Entertainment's Artistic Director Alex Mustakas today announced the 2025 Season for the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse. 

“We’re excited to be offering a wide variety of shows for theatregoers at every stage of life,” says Alex Mustakas, Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment. “From side-splitting comedies, to the beloved annual panto, there really is something for the whole family.”

Drayton Entertainment's Artistic Director Alex Mustakas today announced the 2025 Season for the Huron Country Playhouse. 

“This is an exciting season filled with entertaining shows for theatregoers at every stage of life,” says Alex Mustakas, Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment. “From hit Broadway musicals, side-splitting comedies, and the beloved annual panto, there really is something for the whole family!”

Drayton Entertainment's Artistic Director Alex Mustakas today announced the 2025 Season for the Hildebrand Schoolhouse Theatre St. Jacobs. 

“This season is brimming with shows that will have you humming along and tugging at your heartstrings,” says Mustakas. “With beloved musicals, heartfelt stories, and unforgettable moments, it’s a lineup that celebrates connection, nostalgia, and pure joy on stage!”

Congratulations to our September 50/50 Winner!

After playing regularly since the raffle began in 2021, Carol Boyd's ticket number was finally called! 

Community integrity has always been a pillar of Drayton Entertainment’s mission statement, and as the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy operates in support of this commitment, we would like to make the following announcement:

Drayton Entertainment's 9th Annual Golf Classic was held on Friday, September 6 at the Elmira Golf Club. The rain held off for most of the day as 120 golfers enjoyed a fun-filled day on the greens!

We recently had the pleasure of talking with costume designer, Dariusz Korbiel, to learn more about his background and the incredible costumes we'll be seeing on stage. Read the full interview to learn about the designs in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert the Musical.

After attending the Sunday matinee of Jersey Boys, our jackpot winner was presented with her winnings by none other than Niko Combitsis, fresh from the stage after appearing as Frankie Valli. Talk about the photo op of a lifetime!

Listen to the songs from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert the Musical

Check out the extraordinary songs from the ultimate feel-good musical!

It's a perfect start to the summer for June's 50/50 jackpot winner.

The heartwarming comedy-drama set in a beauty salon uses wit, charm and laughter to show that strength grows out of friendships.

Offstage, Christina Vegas -belived to be the first trans person to star in a professional North American production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, the Musical - lives with the awareness that she’s different in a way some might find off-putting, unusual, even threatening.

Director and choreographer David Connolly celebrates the iconic female singers of the '60s.

A raucous celebration of iconic bands hits the stage in this '80s-set rock n’ roll musical this summer.

Are you ready to rock? Hardcore audiences squeeze into their acid-washed jeans to worship the loud and proud ’80s.

It’s impossible to talk about volunteerism at Drayton Entertainment without mentioning former municipal councillor Ron Ellis. He was Volunteer #1 at the place where it all started in 1991, Drayton Festival Theatre.

Catherine Pettem has lived in Cambridge off and on for over 30 years, and she’s been a part of Drayton Entertainment for more than a decade. During that time, she has amassed an astonishing number of volunteer hours and helped enhance the experience at shows for thousands of audience members.

Marilyn Pollard and her oldest son, Tom Pollard, make a formidable team. Marilyn lives in Wallaceburg, and Tom calls London his home. Together, they volunteer at both Huron Country Playhouse’s theatres, racking up hundreds of hours each year.

Sylvia Malgadey competed for Team Canada in the women’s 100 metres hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. The Conestoga resident is still quick on her feet as a Drayton Entertainment volunteer, which sometimes includes dancing with members of the audience.

The Cambridge resident has been part of the Drayton Entertainment community for more than eight years.

The Broadway blockbuster doesn’t pull any punches as it authentically recreates the world of one of pop’s most harmonious groups.

David Connolly of Drayton Entertainment joins CTV’s Daryl Morris with a preview of the production put on by local high school students.

"The story is about youth coming to the aid of a community in need." David Connolly sat down with Mike Farwell from CityNews 570 recently to discuss the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy's production of Footloose.

Local high school students get put through the ringer learning what it's like to be a professional theatre actor.

Footloose at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse gives high school students a unique taste of professional theatre as they work alongside Drayton Entertainment mentors.

Former CKCO reporter David Imrie, along with his wife Wendy, became the story themselves on New Year’s Day after they scooped 2023’s biggest monthly jackpot.

Nearly 60 years after it first opened on stage, the iconic musical's themes of tradition and belonging continue to resonate with audiences.

St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre will be renamed in honour of community philanthropists Henry and Grace Hildebrand.

We caught up with one of our previous 50/50 winners to find out how the big jackpot enabled her to treat her family and realize her dreams.

Audiences can't get enough of the popular panto, which has been extended once again so that even more people can get hooked on the magic.

Three suddenly single women become friends after they find solace in their shared heartache. The hilarious hit musical Bittergirl - the Musical mirrors the sisterhood and resilience of the trio of writers who created it.

Latest winner tells her sons, “Guess what? Your old lady won!”

Introducing the Red Team Youth Ensemble for Peter Pan: The Panto at the King's Wharf Theatre!

Introducing the Blue Team Youth Ensemble for Peter Pan: The Panto at the King's Wharf Theatre!

Introducing the Red Team Youth Ensemble for Peter Pan: The Panto at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse!

Introducing the Blue Team Youth Ensemble for Peter Pan: The Panto at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse!

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell (yay!), along with Captain Hook (boo!) and a host of other colourful characters, are providing plenty of holiday cheer as this hit Brit panto lands on stage. The Company of Peter Pan: The Panto took a break from rehearsals to tell us what makes the show soar.

The biographical musical about one of the most influential women in history opens at the Hamilton family Theatre Cambridge this fall.

Extra ticket availability means even more audiences can get hooked by this magical family favourite.

Stephen Massicotte’s modern Canadian classic weaves together time, dreams and memory in a compelling two-actor play.

Our latest winner was so happy to chat on the phone with Alex Mustakas that she forgot to ask about her prize.

After a five-year break from the stage, Alex Mustakas is making a triumphant return in one of musical theatre’s most iconic roles.

In the romantic wartime drama Mary’s Wedding, a Canadian soldier and a British woman form a deep connection during a time of historic turmoil.

Although this moving tale is fictional, true stories of wartime love that crossed an ocean were fairly common, just like real-life couple Percy and Hilda Bodaly.

Get a look behind the scenes at Set Designer Douglas Paraschuk's beautiful design for this touching story that pulls in the colours of the prairies and marries them with farm building accents.

Melba White and her family have loved musical theatre since her now-adult children were kids. August's 50/50 winner is looking forward to this fall's panto extraganza.

Given playwright and actor Stephen Massicotte’s formative years, it was perhaps inevitable that his interests in military history and the arts would join forces when he created Mary’s Wedding.

Bittergirl - The Musical director and co-creator Mary Francis Moore shares the importance of friendships, relationship advice for border guards, and why she's grateful for the man who dumped her.

In an un-traditional twist, Drayton Entertainment’s production of the beloved family musical Fiddler on the Roof will showcase the exceptional talents of award-winning fiddler Jesse Grandmont.

Take three women who are suffering post-break-up despair, add some girl group harmonies from the 60s and 70s, mix with a healthy dash of tears, laughter and sisterhood, and you have the comical cocktail of hilarity, Bittergirl – The Musical. To whet your appetite, here are some fun facts about the history of the hysterical comedy.

"I was kind of in awe. I never thought I would ever win this big," says August's winner, Ken Cook from Shakespeare.

Neil Aitchison has come back home to perform in Drayton as a part of Sh-Boom! Life Could be a Dream.

Drayton Entertainment is looking to cast a children’s chorus for the November production.

From a humble genesis, the colourful rags-to-riches biblical tale became more successful than its creators ever dreamed possible.

While it's a country that's famous for its frigid winter weather, Canada is also celebrated around the world for its warm, welcoming heart.

Announcing the Blue Team Youth Ensemble for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the King's Wharf Theatre!

Announcing the Red Team Youth Ensemble for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the King's Wharf Theatre!

Drayton will be awash in the sounds of the ’50s as it stages the musical Sh-Boom: Life Could be a Dream

This laugh-out-loud matrimonial farce has audiences rolling in the aisles at the intimate St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre.

A space dedicated to theatricality was all business July 14 as the federal government presented Drayton Entertainment with a grant of more than $1 million. The funding supports the recently opened Youth Academy in Waterloo.

Neil Aitchison’s familiar, booming voice is returning to the Drayton Festival Theatre this summer as he joins the cast of jukebox musical Sh-Boom: Life Could Be A Dream. 

“Mom screamed in the phone” after receiving the news, says Stratford’s Stacey Heinbuch.

‘We thought it was for a couple of weeks, max. People left things in their dressing room. They didn’t take stuff to their car’

Michael Vanhevel is coming home to the Grand Bend area as the star of the musical, The Crooner, at Huron Country Playhouse.

The award-winning show about love, acceptance and community finally struts onto the stage after its pandemic-era delay.

Announcing the Red Team Youth Ensemble for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse!

Announcing the Blue Team Youth Ensemble for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse!

Sorkin’s play is a time capsule of another era, but the new production at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge is an engaging, fresh take on this classic’s search for truth.

June’s Ultimate 50-50 winner Colin Gruchy is looking forward to finally seeing Kinky Boots on stage after its pandemic hiatus.

Judgement awaits as Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men convenes at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge from July 5 to July 23.

The New Canadian Curling Club is the hit comedy about national identity, creating friendships, and becoming a team. Find out why the popular winter sport is the perfect analogy for the experience of newcomers who make Canada their home.

Legendary singer-songwriter Carole King created more than 400 songs that have been recorded by over 1,000 artists, and the story of her incredible career is brought to life in the spectacular Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

Announcing the Red Team Youth Ensemble for Wizard of Oz: The Panto at Huron Country Playhouse - South Huron Stage!

Announcing the Blue Team Youth Ensemble for Wizard of Oz: The Panto at Huron Country Playhouse - South Huron Stage!

Buddy Holly's music is just as popular now as it was back in the Fifties during the heyday of rock and roll, and a new generation of fans are flocking to see the hit musical about his life.

Announcing the Red Team Youth Ensemble for Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story at the Drayton Festival Theatre!

Announcing the Blue Team Youth Ensemble for Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story at the Drayton Festival Theatre!

Multi-award-winning designer Ann Roth designed the costumes for The Prom, which opens on May 17. While she doesn’t appear on stage, she nevertheless plays a role in how the story is told.

Her music defined a generation, and her inspirational story is told in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Emily Lukasik, who takes on the title role, explains why King's work is still relevant today.

The Prom at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse is a smart, big-hearted musical comedy that celebrates the love that unites us all, and its roots are in real-world events.

The Woolwich Observer caught up with David Connolly this week to learn why The Prom is one of only two productions that he has ever left after the curtain came down and immediately went right to the box office to purchase tickets for the next available performance. 

CTV News Kitchener stopped by the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse this week to talk with students about the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy's inagural High School Musical Program's production of Legally Blonde that is set to take the stage next week.

Read about Legally Blonde The Musical's cast and crew of 50 students from local high schools from the Waterloo Chronicle. Learn why this is a show you won't want to miss.

Jeff Orosz from London, Ontario, got a lucky phone call on New Years Day from Drayton Entertainment’s Artistic Director Alex Mustakas. He could barely believe it when he heard that he had won December’s Grand Prize Jackpot, taking home $16,705. The Orosz family have been attending Drayton Entertainment productions for over 25 years. 

After multiple interviews, auditions and callbacks, the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy is proud to announce the remarkable cast of talented youth assembled for its inaugural High School musical, both on and off stage. The beloved musical Legally Blonde will be on stage at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse from February 15 to 26, starring 50 high school students from the Waterloo Region.