Affiliation: Shaw Festival, Artistic Director
Areas of Expertise: Theatre
Board Committee(s) Serving on: All Board Committees
Personal Statement: I’ve been lucky enough to spend my whole working life in the theatre, directing plays and teaching acting. As that implies, my main area of interest has always been the work of the actor. We are fascinated by brave, clear, imaginative acting, and I am passionate in my desire to find out more and more about what makes it happen – and what prevents it from happening. I spent the greater part of my career as a freelance director, working all over the world with many different companies. Everywhere I would go, I would learn more about acting, and I hope I taught something, too. Eventually, as I approached my 50th birthday, I realised that I could only make a lasting contribution to theatre if I had a company of actors with whom I could work over a period of years. This is why I took the Shaw job, but it is not the only reason I have stayed. Since beginning here, I have found myself equally inspired by the work of all the artists and artisans at The Shaw, and by the challenge of learning how to lead and liberate all the talent by which I am surrounded. I am blessed in amazing colleagues and can think of no greater pleasure than watching them reach heights of excellence of which I can only dream.
