The 55th anniversary wouldn't have been complete without some performances. The 55th anniversary wouldn't have been complete without some performances. WITH former students including Simon Pegg and Ben Elton, Stratford College’s performing arts department has celebrated its 55th anniversary. Current and past students poured through the doors for a reunion celebration to share memories of the past and celebrate all the students, staff and successes from the past half-century. The performing arts department has covered a range of performance and production practises across many disciplines over the years and currently boasts a variety of subjects including acting, dance, music performance and production, backstage production arts and musical theatre.