Stratford Festival’s Richard Monette Dies at 64

Richard Monette, who was the artistic director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival from 1994-2007, died on September 8 of a pulmonary embolism, according to CBC news. He was 64, and had been suffering from vascular disease.

Monette, who began his career as an actor, first appeared at the Festival in 1965, and eventually played more than 40 roles. His first assignment as director was a 1988 production of The Taming of the Shrew, and he was appointed as the company’s artistic director designate in 1992 and officially took over the post in 1994. He retired last year.

As an actor, he appeared on Broadway in Soldiers and Hosanna, earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for Lead Actor, as well as in the British production of Oh Calcutta.