career summary

2008 – Present
Edmonton, Canada

  • Freelance Director, Actor, Playwright
  • Artistic Producer, theatre no. 6
  • Sessional Instructor, University of Alberta Department of Drama (since 2013)
  • Production Manager & Grant Researcher, Recoil Creative Group (2013-2014)
  • Administrator, Canadian Centre for Theatre Creation (until 2013)
  • Tour Coordinator, Prairie Tales Film and Video Tour (until 2012)
  • Interim Executive Director, Film and Video Arts Society – Alberta (2008)

2005 – 2007
Edmonton, Canada

  • M.F.A. Theatre Direction, University of Alberta (Convocation 2007)
    Thesis Project: The Maids, by Jean Genet

2000 – 2005
Toronto, Canada

  • Freelance Actor
  • Assistant Director (2003)

1998 – 1999
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

  • Acting Company Member, Shaw Festival of Canada
  • Freelance Actor

1996 – 1998
Vancouver, Canada

  • Freelance Actor

1994 – 1996
Edmonton, Canada

  • Freelance Actor

1995
Stratford, Canada

  • Acting Company Member (Apprentice), Stratford Festival of Canada

1991 – 1994
Edmonton, Canada

  • B.F.A. Acting, University of Alberta (Convocation 1994)

education

M.F.A. Directing (Theatre)
University of Alberta, 2007

Meisner Technique
Instructor: John Riven, 2001-2004

B.F.A. Acting (Theatre)
University of Alberta, 1994

B.Sc. Environmental Sciences (Specialization)
Major: Zoology
Minor: Botany
University of Toronto, 1989

professional memberships

Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (CAEA) | since 1996
Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) | since 1998
Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) | 2010-2012

other skills

  • Dramaturgy
  • Voice Dialects (various UK, US, and European)
  • Arts Administration
  • Production
  • Production Management
  • Public Speaking

employment

Theatre Production

Independent Producer                                                                         2008 – present
theatre no. 6

theatre no. 6 was coined in 2008 as an identity for the self-production of new or adapted work for the stage that challenges Canada’s status quo, conventional wisdoms and comforting myths.  Its first production was U: The Comedy of Global Warming (2009), a multi-media play interlacing a comedic narrative with videorecordings of interviews featuring climate change experts and activists.  In 2014 theatre no. 6 mounted Wallace Shawn’s The Fever and Michael Healey’s Proud.  Current projects in development under the company banner include preliminary research on a new piece that probes the mystery of space-time, tentatively titled The Opposite of Space, the first draft of an as yet untitled companion play to U:, and a contemporary setting of Measure for Measure.

 

Arts Administration

Administrator                                                                                        2008 – 2012

Canadian Centre for Theatre Creation (CCTC)

 

Administrator for a nationally-oriented play development centre, based at the University of Alberta, founded to accommodate the spectrum of approaches to theatrical creation, and committed to the development of work that contributes to a more accurate reflection of Canada’s cultural diversity on the national stage.  Responsible for the management and coordination of all aspects of the Centre’s operations, including financial management and accounting, communications, and programming.  CCTC programming activities included ongoing workshops of new work, Working Title (later StageLab), an annual mini-festival of readings and productions, and a lunchbox chat series with local, national and international theatre creators.  Production dramaturgy, production management and direction of Athabasca’s Going Unmanned, a new multi-media play that was developed with the Centre’s assistance.

Tour Coordinator (Part time)                                                                 2008 – 2011

Prairie Tales Short Film and Video Tour

 

Co-curator, programmer and administrator for an annually assembled anthology of short films and videos made by Albertan media artists.  Directly responsible for all aspects of operation including curation, promotion, communications – including web and print content – bookings, budgeting, funding and coordinating its visiting artist program.  For 2010-2013, secured increased funding to add subtitles for audiences with hearing loss and to create an additional program for families and younger audiences.

 

 
Executive Director (Interim)                                                                   February – August 2008
Film and Video Arts Society – Alberta (FAVA)

Guided the Edmonton independent media arts co-op through a period of structural and administrative transition over a seven-month period.  Increased the organization’s public funding, managed day-to-day business and finances, including overseeing a major equipment acquisition, represented the co-op at events, conferences and on committees, initiated standardization of a selection of operational procedures, and managed and oversaw the restructuring of the organization’s staff of five.

awards & grants

Awards and Recognition

Nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role (Pastor John in The Blue Hour)
Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards, 2020

Nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (The Judge in Fatboy)
Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards, 2015

Scholarships

MFA/DES Scholarship,$15,000
University of Alberta, 2006

MFA/DES Scholarship, $15,000
University of Alberta, 2005

Universiade ’83 Scholarship, $1,000
Universiade ’83 Foundation, 1994
To students who best combine the qualities of superior academic achievement and excellence in athletics or fine arts.

Grants

$18,000
Edmonton Arts Council, 2014
Individual Artist Grant to produce Proud in Edmonton, Alberta.

$8,500
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, 2014
Theatre Project Grant to produce Proud in Edmonton, Alberta.

$1,000
Edmonton Arts Council, 2014
Emergency Fund Grant to produce The Fever in Edmonton, Alberta.

$12,000
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, 2008
Theatre Project Grant to write, produce and direct U: The Comedy of Global Warming in Edmonton, Alberta

$15,000
Edmonton Arts Council, 2008
Individual Artist Grant to write, produce and direct U: The Comedy of Global Warming in Edmonton, Alberta

$5000
Toronto Arts Council, 2004
Project Grant to produce a new work, Dig, by Glenda Stirling in Toronto (grant co-written with Glenda Stirling)

$3000+
Canada Council for the Arts, 2003
Professional Development Grant to assist Lorne Pardy as director of The Doll House at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa

$3000
Theatre Ontario, 2003
Professional Development & Training Grant to assist Lorne Pardy as director of The Doll House at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa (this grant had to be returned because a Canada Council Grant was received for the same proposal).

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