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Playwrights Unit History
Each year, the Tarragon invites six writers into its Playwrights Unit, a small and cohesive group intended to nurture and support playwrights as they develop new work for the stage over the course of a twelve month period. In 1982, Urjo Kareda, then artistic director, formed the Playwrights Unit which he ran with associate artistic director Andy McKim until 2001.
Artistic director Richard Rose currently runs the unit, which often includes both emerging and established writers, as well as other theatre artists (directors, actors) who have decided to cross over to playwriting. While the unit provides the much-needed opportunity to create a play with support and guidance from fellow writers and senior artistic staff, it is also important as a forum for the exchange of theatrical ideas, and the exploration of different writing processes. Past members of the Playwrights Unit include Morwyn Brebner, Susan Coyne, Brendan Gall, Jonathan Garfinkel, Michael Healey, Rosa Laborde, and Hannah Moscovitch.
Each year the activities of the Playwrights Unit culminate in Play Reading Week, a week of free public readings of their work.
Playwrights Unit History
Following the playwright's name is the title of the play they worked on.
TP: play produced at Tarragon
P: play produced elsewhere
2007
Salvatore Antonio: The Coronation of Medusa Regina
Kate Hewlett: The Swearing Jar
John Lazarus: My Next Guest
Edwige Jean-Pierre: Saint Bitch
Joseph Jomo Pierre: Shakepeare’s Nigga
Erin Shields: A New Nation
2006
Tara Beagan: As Bad As I Am
Brendan Gall: Alias Godot TP
Jonathan Garfinkel: The House of Many Tongues
Hannah Moscovitch: East of Berlin TP
Greg Nelson: The Fall TP
Beatriz Pizano: The Communion
2005
Alan Dilworth: The Unforgetting
David Egan: Love Songs From Unlikely Places
Briony Glassco: Rescue Me
Anita Majumdar: Dave-Das
Soheil Parsa: Hallaj
Richard Sanger: Vavilov
2004
Kate Hennig: More
Rosa Laborde: Léo: TP
David Macfarlane: Fishwrap: TP
Rick Roberts: Ladies in Waiting
Nicole Stamp: Ten Things
Jennifer Tarver: Dream Play
2003
Daryl Cloran: The Believer Project
Susan Coyne: Alice's Affair: TP
Fabrizio Filippo: Project Benny
Adam Nashman: The Exhibitionists
Teresa Pavlinek: Made You Look
Alex Poch-Goldin: Cringeworthy / The Gospel According to Jude
2002
Susan Coyne: Kingfisher Days: TP / Untitled
Matthew Edison: Grimsby / Untitled / George and Margaret
Mike McPhaden: The Three Christs of Ypsilani
Sonja Mills: Margaret Gross
Anton Piatigorsky: The Fireplace
Emma C. Roberts: Excellence, Ontario: P
Paula Wing: Virgil / Number One & Jamie: P
2001
Carol Anderson: Black Eyed Peas and Fleur-de-Lys
Mark Brownell: Medici Slot Machine: P
Leah Davidson: Riot / Moonprince
Richard Greenblatt: Red Diaper Babies
A. Shay Hahn: One Bottle of Brandy
Adam Pettle: Sunday Father: P / Tough Jews
Teresa Pavlinek: Made You Look
2000 Playwrights II
Comprised of previous PU members
Andre Alexis: Easter
Chris Earle: Russell Hill: TP
Diane Flacks: Dinah's Walk
Ken Garnhum: Helen Herring
Michael Healey: Plan B: TP
Deborah Kimmett: Guarded
Michael MacLean: Greenland: P
1999
Maja Ardal: Midnight Sun: TP
Samantha Wright: Static: P
Sylvija Jestrovic: Happiness Channel: P
Ivana Shein: The Right Kind of Lover
Philippa Domville: Selkie Story: P
Kate Lynch: Blonde Assassins: P
Colleen Wagner: Jabberwalkie
1998
Shirley Barrie: Two Tonic: P
Michael Healey: Kreskinned: TP (co-written with Kate Lynch)
David Huband: The Big Victim
Kate Lynch: Kreskinned: TP (co-written with Michael Healey)
Michael Maclean: Greenland: P
Charles Picco: The Pirate Season: P
1997
Morwyn Brebner: Liquor Guns Karate: TP
David Cope: Blood in the Car
Florence Gibson: Belle : P
Brenda McFarlane: Bill Stone is Dead
Jonathan Wilson: Kilt: TP
1996
Drew Carnwath: Untitled
Marion deVries: Displaced Persons
Ken Jessome: After the Thirsty Duck
Betty Quan: Waiting for Mao
David Rubinoff: Untitled
Richard Sanger: Two Words for Snow: P
1995
Andrew Akman: Kugelman's Grab
David Bateman: Art is so Beautiful, Life is so Ugly: P
Sabina Fella: Fed by the Fairies: P
Anne Holloway: The Whore Van from Hell
M.J. Kang: Blessings: TP
Lisa Walter: The Perfect One
1994
Adam Barken: Untitled
Karen Hines: Boom: P
Geoff Kavanagh: The Water Crawlers: P
John P. Moore: A Child's Dream of Flight
Maureen Paxton: One B-Movie & Five Cartoons
Toby Rodin: The Slow Eviction of Ruby Rosenholtz: P
1993
Chris Earle: Why Chromosome
Diane Flacks: Gravity Calling: TP
David Gow: Farthing Family Fortune: P
Andrew Kelm: Sexual Healing: P
Alisa Palmer: Wearing the Bone: P
Helen Porter: The Life & Times of Renee Babcock
1992
Todd Hammond: 1212: P
Kate Miles: Litany Underground: P
Michael Redhill: Song of Matthew
Jason Sherman: Three in the Back, Two in the Head: TP
Mary Lou Fallis: Untitled
Rona Waddington: Earhart: P
1991
Marsha Barber: Circus of Wonders
Laurie Fyffe: The Paradise Express: TP
Deborah Kimmett: Miracle Mother: TP
Mark Krause: Reel Fish: P
Carol Sinclair: Brownie From Hell: P
Richard van Dusen: Hot Pigs: P
1989-90
Michael Achtman: Lot's Wife
Andre Alexis: Night
Beth Herst: A Woman's Comedy: TP
Mark McKinney: Untitled
James O'Reilly: Tabula Rose / Work: P
Sandy Senko: Untitled
Sue LePage -- associate artist of the 89-90 Playwrights Unit
1988-89
Dave Carley: Sanctuary
Mary Hawkins: Tangle
Mary Ellen Mahoney: Dreamland Comin' On
Tom McCamus: The Death of Eddie Einstein
Bruce McCulloch: The Dog: P
James Polk: Famous
Jim Warren: The Man with the Oblong Eyes
1987-88
David Burgess: The Great One: P
Lloy Coutts: Simulacra
Ken Garnhum: Beuys, Buoys, Boys: TP
Ken Keobke: Sacrifice
Daniel MacIvor: Somewhere I Have Never Travelled: TP
Kim Renders: The Murder Play
Maristella Roca: White Cow in Heat & Invasions
David Sereda: Unititled
1986
Micahel Connolly: Bad Weather: P
Nigel Hunt: Corners
Pat Langner: Holeshot Dreams: P
Joan MacLeod: Jewel: TP / Toronto, Mississippi: TP
Colleen Murphy: All Other Destinations Are Cancelled: TP
1986-87
Audrey Butler: Black Friday: P
Sharry Corman: Say Zebra: P
Michael Devine: Restless & Starlost
Gene Gray: Unexpected Moves: TP
John Mighton: Scientific Americans: P
Kevin Teichroeb: Turtle Jazz: P
1984-85
Robyn Butt: Ghosthouse Blues: P
David Demchuk: Great Canadian Women: P
John Gregory: Camaro: P
Don Hannah: Rubber Dolly: TP / The Wedding Script: TP
Ian McAndrew: I'll Go Where Hugo: P
Carolyn Nalberg: War Bride
Helen Weinzweig: A Classical Education
1985-86
Myra Fried: Shower
Caitlin Hicks: Six Palm Tree: P
Donald Munro: Double Exposure: P
Jeff Rounds: The Milkman at the Door
Jeff Siamon: Chucky French: P / Wolfie
Richard Zelniker: Scorched
1983-84
Jeff Cohen: Avodan
Wilson Coneybears: All Together Now
Paul Milliken: Still Here / Expression of Freedom: P
Mark Strong: Going to the Castle
Kathleen Turner: Learn by Heart
Janice Wiseman: Gingerbread House
1982-83
Randy Brown: Precipitation
Atom Egoyan: Dispatches
Brad Fraser: Chainsaw Love: P
Robin Fulford: Kangaroo
John Krizanc: Prague: TP
Shawn Selway: Untitled
Copyright © Tarragon Theatre, 2007