Weyni Mengesha started her career directing 'da Kink in my Hair', helping build it into an international sensation; and composing its Dora-nominated score. The show went on to make history, selling out some of the largest houses in the country and becoming a national television show. In 2018, Mengesha was appointed the Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto.
Weyni Mengesha Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre
Theatre BFA 2005
Tanya Palmer is the Producer and Director of New Play Development at Goodman Theatre in Chicago. She coordinates the New Stages Festival every year. She has served as dramaturg on many Goodman productions, including Vigils, The Long Red Road, and Ruined. She has also served as the Director of New Play Development at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Tanya Palmer Producer and Director of New Play Development at Goodman Theatre
Theatre MFA 2000
James Roy founded the Blyth Festival in 1975. It is one of the most successful Canadian theatre festivals. For a short period of time he was the Artistic Director the Belfry Theatre and the Manitoba Theatre Centre. He joined CBC Radio in 1990 and stayed in radio for over 20 years. He was the lead of the team that launched Radio One. He is now the president of Amazing Agency.
James Roy Founding Artistic Director of the Blyth Festival
Theatre BA 1974
Jillian Keiley is an award-winning theatre director, winning the Siminovitch Prize for Directing in 2004 and the Canada Council’s John Hirsch Prize in 1997. She founded Artistic Fraud in 1995 and became the Artistic Director of National Arts Centre English Theatre in 2012. Some of her productions have included A Christmas Carol, Twelfth Night, and Tartuffe. She frequently directs for the Stratford Festival.
Jillian Keiley Artistic Director of English Theatre at the National Arts Centre
Theatre BFA 1994
Elizabeth Bradley has had a long expansive career across North America. She was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Gold Medal for her contributions to the arts in Canada. She headed the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University before she was recruited in 2008 to serve as the Chair of the Department of Drama at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
Elizabeth Bradley Former Head of Theatre at Carnegie Mellon and now Head of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU
Theatre BFA 1976
Anusree Roy is a Dora award-winning playwright and performer. Her first piece, entitled 'breathlessness' premiered in 2006. Her play Pyassa premiered in 2007 and won two Dora Awards for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Performance. She has written many plays since and won many awards, including another Dora award for Outstanding New Play in 2011 with her play Brothel #9. She continues to write and perform today.
Anusree Roy Playwright and performer
Theatre BA 2006
Richard Rose is the current Artistic Director of Tarragon Theatre. Before joining the Tarragon in 2002, Richard was Founding Artistic Director at Necessary Angel from 1978 to 2002, Associate Director for Canadian Stage Company, and Director of the Stratford Festival Young Company. He has directed plays across Canada and the United States, earning him four Dora Awards and numerous other nominations.
Richard Rose Artistic Director of the Tarragon Theatre and founding artistic director of Necessary Angel Theatre Co.
Theatre BFA 1978
Luke Reece is a theatre producer, playwright, spoken word poet and arts educator. He is the Producer for Obsidian Theatre, and a Member of the Toronto Poetry Project. Reece is one of Toronto’s most decorated slam poets, becoming the Toronto Poetry Slam (TPS) Grand Champion in 2017, winning the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word as the captain of the TPS team and then again in 2018 as the team coach.
Luke Reece Canadian Slam Poetry Champion; Producer, Obsidian Theatre Company; Co-founder & Director Little Black Afro and Dark Nights
Theatre BA '15
