{"id":19697,"date":"2026-09-08T11:47:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T15:47:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.playwrights.ca\/?page_id=19697"},"modified":"2026-09-09T12:46:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T16:46:27","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.playwrights.ca\/fr\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"Histoire"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div><\/div>
\n

1963<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

PWM is founded by Western Quebec Division of the Dominion Drama Festival.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

PWM was the brainchild of Canadian playwrights Dan Daniels, Carol Libman<\/a>, Eve Sevack and John Whalen, with the support of theatre artists Norma Springford and Doris Malcom of the Quebec Drama Association, and actors Walter Massey and Victor Knight. The organization\u2019s first mission was to tackle the then scarcity of English-Canadian plays and playwrights. Soon after its conception, PWM became a leading voice in the creation of new plays.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

1963<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1970<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Roy Higgins\u2019 leadership.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Under Roy Higgins\u2019 artistic direction in the seventies, PWM took steps toward becoming a producing theatre and purchased a building in Old Montr\u00e9al. However, the tension between production and development became too great and the project was dismantled.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

1970<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1975<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Bob White becomes PWM\u2019s first Dramaturg-Artistic Director and turns focus to dramaturgy.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With a stance of protecting the development process from production pressures, Bob White strengthened the organization\u2019s focus on dramaturgy and development. Subsequent Artistic Directors Per Brask and Brian Richmond continued to build on this legacy and worked to expand the organization\u2019s reach from coast to coast.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

1975<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1981<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Translation programming is added.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Artistic Director Rina Fraticelli added translation to PWM\u2019s programming, advancing the organization\u2019s artistic practice and expanding PWM\u2019s reach.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

1981<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1984-1998<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Leadership changes.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Michael Springate, Svetlana Zylin, Michael Devine, and Peter Smith succeeded Rina Fraticelli as Artistic Directors, each contributing to PWM\u2019s profile both locally and nationally.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

1984-1998<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1998<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Strengthening of focus on dramaturgy and translation.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Artistic Director Paula Danckert increased PWM\u2019s artistic stability by introducing the permanent position of Dramaturg-in-Residence. In 2006, with support from Briony Glassco, she established the R\u00e9sidence de Traduction Glassco \u00e0 Tadoussac<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

1998<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2007<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Emma Tibaldo becomes Artistic and Executive Director.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During Emma Tibaldo’s tenure as Artistic and Executive Director, PWM created more permanent staff positions \u2013 including ongoing contracts for dramaturgs. Many new programs were introduced, such as the Mentorat pour traductrices et traducteurs \u00e9mergents de la Fondation Cole<\/a>, the professional development workshop series \u201cd'Exploration des pratiques!<\/a>\u201d, the Groupe des jeunes cr\u00e9ateurs<\/a>, digital dramaturgy programming, and the R\u00e9sidence d\u2019\u00e9criture th\u00e9\u00e2trale de Gros-morne<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

2007<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2018<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

PWM ends membership structure.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having worked for years toward a comprehensive curatorial model for the selection of projects, the decision was made in 2018 to officially transition PWM away from the membership model. This shift enabled PWM to better support the evolving artistic community and collaborate more effectively with emerging and established artists alike.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

2018<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2021<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Fatma Sarah Elkashef becomes Artistic Director. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After a period of introspection led by PWM\u2019s Board of Directors in collaboration with Arts Consulting Group, PWM\u2019s staffing structure shifted to better support the organization and introduced a co-leadership model. Fatma Sarah Elkashef, Artistic Director, and Lesley Bramhill, Managing Director, were established as the first co-leadership team. During this year, PWM launched the first call for applications for Dramaturgical Collaboration<\/a> and deepened the organizational commitment to accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

2021<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2022<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Anne-Sophie Grenier becomes the Managing Director.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Joining Fatma Sarah Elkashef to co-lead the organization, Anne-Sophie Grenier was introduced as the Managing Director. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

2022<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2023<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

PWM turns 60! <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Over the past 60 years, PWM has collaborated on the development of more than 1800 new works for theatre and performance. PWM continues to strengthen, develop and celebrate relationships with collaborating artists through its ongoing programming.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

2023<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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