Ensemble Bios

Leslie Frankish

Ms Leslie Frankish returns to the Shaw Festival as designer for A Man and Some Women.

Previous Shaw Festival set and costume design credits include Heartbreak House (2011), All My Sons, The Lady’s Not for Burning, Mrs Warren’s Profession (1997), The Children’s Hour, Rashomon, The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles (1996), The Petrified Forest, The Philanderer (1995), Sherlock Holmes, Ivona Princess of Burgundia, The Busman’s Honeymoon, The Silver King, Blithe Spirit, Pygmalion (1992), Lulu, Misalliance (1990) and Good News.

Leslie’s set designs for Pygmalion and Misalliance have been exhibited at the Prague Quadrennial International Theatre Exhibition.

Leslie’s background is in Architecture and Landscape Architecture. This combined with interests in Literature, History and Fashion led her to Theatre Design. In 1980, Leslie attended the Banff School of Fine Arts to translate her architectural training to theatre design. Since then, Leslie has designed for major theatres across Canada — over 130 productions garnering 35 nominations for outstanding theatre design — and is a recipient of Dora Mavor Moore, Jessie and Sterling awards.

Selected set and costume design credits elsewhere are The Homecoming (Stratford Shakespeare Festival), Angels in America I & II, La Bete, Singer, A Delicate Balance, Into the Woods (Canadian Stage Company); Hard Times, Lilies/Les Feluettes (National Arts Centre); Measure for Measure, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Pride & Prejudice, Peter Pan, A Christmas Carol (Citadel Theatre); The Caretaker, A Little Night Music, Hosanna (Vancouver Playhouse); Wozzeck, Eugene Onegin, Cunning Little Vixen (Pacific Opera Victoria).

Recently, Leslie had the great honour to show the world the quiet magnificence of Canada in her appointment as the Senior Production Designer of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.