Who We Are


Team

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO LEARN OUR STORIES.

Fatma Sarah Elkashef
Artistic Director

sarah@playwrights.ca

Alanna Wrenshall
General Manager

alanna@playwrights.ca

Leila Ghaemi
Artistic Producer & Young Creators Unit Dramaturg

leila@playwrights.ca

Aki Matsushita
Dramaturg

aki@playwrights.ca

potatoCakes_digital
Digital Dramaturgs

potatocakesdigital@playwrights.ca

Jesse Stong
New Stories and Young Creators Unit Alumni Dramaturg

jesse@playwrights.ca

Maureen Labonté
Translation Dramaturg

maureen@playwrights.ca

Heather Eaton
Programs and Development Manager

heather@playwrights.ca

Helena Canhoto
Professional Development and Training Coordinator

helena@playwrights.ca

Quinlan Green
Communications Manager

quinlan@playwrights.ca

Headshot photography by Emilia Hellman. Maureen Labonté’s and Heather Eaton’s by Nasuna Stuart-Ulin, Aki Masushita’s by JB Proulx.


History

PWM was the brainchild of Canadian playwrights Dan Daniels, Carol Libman, 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’s 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.

1963

PWM is founded by Western Quebec Division of the Dominion Drama Festival.

PWM was the brainchild of Canadian playwrights Dan Daniels, Carol Libman, 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’s 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.

Under Roy Higgins’ artistic direction in the seventies, PWM took steps to becoming a producing theatre and purchased a building in Old Montréal. However, the tension between production and development became too great and the project was quickly dismantled.

1970

Roy Higgins’ Leadership

Under Roy Higgins’ artistic direction in the seventies, PWM took steps to becoming a producing theatre and purchased a building in Old Montréal. However, the tension between production and development became too great and the project was quickly dismantled.

With a view to protecting the development process from production pressures, Bob White strengthened the organization’s focus on dramaturgy and development. Subsequent ADs Per Brask and Brian Richmond continued to build on this legacy and worked to expand the organization’s reach from coast to coast.

1975

Bob White becomes PWM’s first Dramaturg-Artistic Director and turns focus to dramaturgy

With a view to protecting the development process from production pressures, Bob White strengthened the organization’s focus on dramaturgy and development. Subsequent ADs Per Brask and Brian Richmond continued to build on this legacy and worked to expand the organization’s reach from coast to coast.

Artistic Director Rina Fraticelli added translation to PWM’s programming, advancing our artistic practice and expanding PWM’s reach.

1981

Translation programming is added

Artistic Director Rina Fraticelli added translation to PWM’s programming, advancing our artistic practice and expanding PWM’s reach.

Michael Springate, Svetlana Zylin, Michael Devine and Peter Smith succeeded Rina Fraticelli as artistic directors, each contributing to PWM’s profile both locally and nationally.

1984

Leadership changes

Michael Springate, Svetlana Zylin, Michael Devine and Peter Smith succeeded Rina Fraticelli as artistic directors, each contributing to PWM’s profile both locally and nationally.

As Artistic Director, Paula Danckert increased PWM’s artistic stability by introducing the permanent position of Dramaturg-in-Residence. In 2006, with support from Briony Glassco, she established the Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac.

1998

Consolidation under Paula Danckert’s leadership

As Artistic Director, Paula Danckert increased PWM’s artistic stability by introducing the permanent position of Dramaturg-in-Residence. In 2006, with support from Briony Glassco, she established the Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac.

During Emma Tibaldo‘s tenure as AD, PWM opened up to interdisciplinary work beyond script-based approaches, it become an officially-recognized centre thanks to Exploring Practice, the studio was transformed to become a hub of dramaturgical activities, and PWM created more permanent staff positions – including that of permanent dramaturgs.

2007

Emma Tibaldo becomes Executive and Artistic Director

During Emma Tibaldo‘s tenure as AD, PWM opened up to interdisciplinary work beyond script-based approaches, it become an officially-recognized centre thanks to Exploring Practice, the studio was transformed to become a hub of dramaturgical activities, and PWM created more permanent staff positions – including that of permanent dramaturgs.

Under Emma Tibaldo’s leadership, PWM establishes the Gros Morne Playwrights’ Residency in collaboration with the CEAD, the Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators, and further developed the Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac which, to date, has translated 63 plays for the stage.

2010

PWM extends programming further

Under Emma Tibaldo’s leadership, PWM establishes the Gros Morne Playwrights’ Residency in collaboration with the CEAD, the Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators, and further developed the Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac which, to date, has translated 63 plays for the stage.

A landmark decision was made to abolish PWM’s membership structure during the 2018 Annual General Meeting. PWM was transformed from a member-based service organization to a nationally-mandated theatre development centre.

2018

PWM transforms membership structure

A landmark decision was made to abolish PWM’s membership structure during the 2018 Annual General Meeting. PWM was transformed from a member-based service organization to a nationally-mandated theatre development centre.

After a period of introspection, led by PWM’s board of directors in collaboration with Arts Consulting Group, PWM’s organizational structure shifted to better support our internal leadership. Fatma Sarah Elkashef, Artistic Director, and Lesley Bramhill, Managing Director, are established as the new co-leadership team. In 2022, Anne-Sophie Grenier joins PWM as Managing Director.

2021 – 2022

PWM welcomes new co-leadership team

After a period of introspection, led by PWM’s board of directors in collaboration with Arts Consulting Group, PWM’s organizational structure shifted to better support our internal leadership. Fatma Sarah Elkashef, Artistic Director, and Lesley Bramhill, Managing Director, are established as the new co-leadership team. In 2022, Anne-Sophie Grenier joins PWM as Managing Director.


Group of 5

Header image for the Group of 5 webpage. Name of the group and image of the Firestation 14, expected home of the group.

What is the Group of  5?

The Group of 5 is a collective of 5 professional independent English-language theatre companies seeking to share a creative and administrative space to establish a sustainable arts ecosystem. The Group of 5 aims to provide its members with a permanent and viable infrastructure – a physical space – where members can share resources, create, and grow our community.

Who is in the Group of 5?

The five dynamic theatre companies in the Group of 5 are:

What guides the Group of 5?

The vision for the Group of 5 is to sustain the development and presence of professional English-language theatre in the Quebec and Montreal arts landscape. The collective would galvanize exchanges and resources sharing among its members – both past and present–with the aim to strengthen the English-language minority community and expand upon the scope, inclusivity, and vibrancy of Quebec theatre.

We believe a shared space and the resulting collective ecosystem will expand the boundaries of theatrical creation.

The Group of 5 is radio-controlled by the following five principles:

  1. BEING LEADERS in the community
  2. BUILDING a collective infrastructure
  3. SECURING a foundation for English-language theatre in Montreal
  4. PROMOTING exchange and cooperation between artists
  5. EXPERIMENTING with new technologies
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