A Brief History of Time...

Playwrights' Style

Canada was a dramaturgical desert for playwrights in 1963. Most theatres in the country produced virtually no Canadian plays, and in the annual report for 1960-61, The Canada Council for the Arts stated plaintively that:

The health of the theatre cannot depend only upon its actors, directors and designers. It is vitally dependant upon its playwrights and upon the quality of the work they produce. The Council is of the opinion that living theatre demands living playwrights, and that Canadian theatre demands Canadian playwrights.

In 1963 the Western Quebec division of the Dominion Drama Festival decided to do something about it. They brought together a number of playwrights who formed the nucleus of Playwrights' Workshop Montreal.

The very idea of how a play should be workshopped, dramaturged and developed in Canada has grown out of this organization. Among the pioneers were Dan Daniels, Carol Libman, Aviva Ravel, Norma Springford, Walter Massey, Victor Knight, Justice Rinfret and Guy Beaulne. Many of these founders are still making significant contributions to the theatre of this country and this city.

In the first decade, dozens of scripts were given readings, critiques, and workshops by volunteers and colleagues. In the seventies, Playwrights' Workshop briefly attempted to become a landlord and production house, but the tension between production and the development process became too great. With the hiring of Bob White, the first Artistic Director, Playwright's Workshop was finally on track.

Bob expanded the developmental and dramaturgical thrust of Playwrights' Workshop, got the larger theatrical community involved, and brought in audiences who were actually excited by the process of creating a new body of theatre. Per Brask followed Bob's lead, and after him Brian Richmond. In the early eighties, Rina Fraticelli moved the workshop temporarily into the same venue as Théâtre Expérimental des Femmes, and welded a rich and enduring translation mandate for the organization. Michael Springate oversaw Playwrights' Workshop's move into the 4001 Berri venue, where Svetlana Zylin made huge strides in Production Dramaturgy, Field Dramaturgy, and residencies for visiting artists. When the offices moved to their location at the Strathearn Centre, Michael Devine continued the tradition of exploring and expanding the opportunities for playwrights across Canada.

From 1994 to Montreal's Great Ice Storm in January, 1998, Peter Smith devoted his energies to fostering communication and exchanges between artists from diverse communities and disparate origins. During his tenure as Artistic Director (with Rebecca Scott as the General Manager) he oversaw Playwrights' Workshop's move from the Strathearn Centre to boul. St. Laurent. He also created the Extended Workshop and Writers' Unit programs, and expanded artistic residencies, translation projects, and Playwrights' Workshop's connection to Montreal's theatre community.

Paula Danckert, new Artistic Director for 1998

Paula Danckert picks up where Peter leaves off. She began as the Artistic Director in the Winter of 1998 and plans to increase Playwrights' Workshop connections to producing theatre companies across Canada while continuing Playwrights' Workshop's tradition of being the home base for many theatre artists in Montreal.

Over thirty-five years of commitment to literally hundreds of playwrights across thecountry have given Playwrights' Workshop a vast body of living Canadian theatre. And the quest is ongoing.