The History of Stratford Sister Cities aka Stratfords of The World
Mission Statement:
The mission of Stratfords of The World, Connecticut, is to build international friendship by promoting culture, community, and the shared appreciation of William Shakespeare.
There are many cities and towns around the world with similar names; Stratford is no exception. Some Stratfords around the world have and continue to establish relationships among the other cities, towns and their residents. A group of Stratford Sister Cities had gotten together in 1984 and began to have some reciprocal interaction.
The two Stratfords that are geographically closest to each other, Stratford, Ontario and Stratford, Connecticut, have had a long history of cultural, sporting and social exchanges, organized on a yearly basis. In 1985, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England, became involved, and a reunion has taken place every two years. There were reunions in Connecticut in 1993 and in Ontario in 1995.
Stratford, P.E.I. (Prince Edward Island, Canada), was created by statute in 1994 by amalgamating the four former communities of Southport, Bunbury, Cross Roads and Keppock-Kinlock with the unincorporated area of Battery Point. At a Canadian Federation of Municipalities meeting in 1996, representatives to that meeting met Ted Blowes, the mayor of Stratford, Ontario. As a result, they were asked to join the Sister Cities group, and did so in 1997. At about the same time, Stratford, New Zealand became interested and also joined in 1997.
There were five Stratfords involved in the 1997 reunion in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Stratford, Australia, joined the group in 1998, so there were six sister cities involved in the 1999 reunion in New Zealand. The membership in New Zealand was limited for a number of reasons, including the concern that if many more cities joined the group, the time space between each city hosting would spread beyond twelve years, and a loss of interest might occur.
Culture
The cultural aspect is important to the reunions. Three of the Sister Cities have well-known theaters. A concert involving participation from each sister city is an integral part of the reunion. The hosting Sister City asks its residents to billet or provide home stays so that visitors can experience family living in a private home. This also helps to form lasting relations among the visitors and their hosts.
The reunions do not emphasize commercial relations, as the organization is not in that business. There are no formal or other business meetings, but there are many social gatherings. The only meeting usually held is to determine the location of the next reunion.
Local and national businesses are usually asked for support in defraying some of the costs involved in each reunion, and have been most generous in the past.
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A Timeline of Music
1984: Dr. William Sand, at that time the Stratford High School (SHS) Band Director, took the high school band to play at Stratford, Ontario. The band performed at a school and a church.
1985: The SHS band traveled to Stratford-Upon-Avon for eight days in England, where a highlight of this visit was performing at the Shakespeare Theatre and staying at homes of local students.
1986: The Stratford-Upon-Avon Wind Band O SAWBA and the Perth County Pipe Band from Ontario, Canada visited Stratford, Connecticut. It was the first musical exchange involving three towns. Joined by other local bands, a total of five bands performed at the Shakespeare Theatre here in our Stratford.
1986: Birth of the official “Stratford Sister Cities Band”, whose purpose was musical exchange with the other Stratfords of the world.
1987: Michael Catalano, youngest son of Hugh and Mary Lou Catalano, joined the Sister Cities Band while only in 7th grade. He traveled with the group to England to perform with the Ontario Pipe band and the Stratford-Upon-Avon Wind Band. Hugh and Mary Lou accompanied their son on the trip. It was that trip that started their long-term involvement as promoters, organizers, and supporters of the Sister Cities program.
1989: All three bands performed for Stratford, CT’s 350th anniversary to a full house at the Shakespeare Theater.
1990: The Sister Cities Band performed at Carnegie Hall, and then went on tour to Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland.
1991: The Sister Cities Chorus was born. Founded by Hugh Catalano and conducted by Wooster Middle School music teacher Lynn McGilvary, the chorus debuted locally in the spring of 1992. The group traveled to Stratford-Upon-Avon that summer and to Stratford, Ontario in the summer of 1993. From 1996 until 2012, Dr. Joe Utterback, Director of Music at the First Congregational Church, was the chorus’s director. The baton was then passed to Jeffrey Leinen, Choral and Drama Director at Stratford High School.
Hugh Catalano became the chairman for the Sister Cities Organization in Connecticut, overseeing the chorus and the Youth Exchange Program between Ontario and us. Grade 6 and Grade 11 student ambassadors, chosen on the basis of merit and scholarship, participated in that valuable cultural exchange opportunity in the 1990’s into the year 2002, after which funding became unavailable.
By 1998 the six Stratfords in five countries (United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States) became known as Stratfords of the World. By either name, the result has been the same: Friendships that last over time and distance, appreciation for the way of life in other countries, the joy of sharing our lives and opening our hearts and homes to other ‘Stratfordians’.
Connecticut is due to host again in 2029.
Editor’s Note: On April 26th, we’ll be celebrating Shakespeare’s birthday with a special event featuring shops in Paradise Green, sponsored by our chapter of Stratfords of the World. Keep an eye out for more information here in the Crier!
