Brian Quirt

Brian is Artistic Director of Nightswimming, a Toronto-based dramaturgical company that commissions and develops new works of theatre, dance and music, and conducts theatrical research through its unique Pure Research program. He is the current Past-President of LMDA, having served as President from 2006-08. With Nightswimming, Brian has commissioned more than a twenty new works of dance and drama, many of which have gone on to acclaimed productions in Toronto and elsewhere. He directed the premiere of Anosh Irani's Bombay Black, commissioned by Nightswimming, produced by Cahoots Theatre, and named the outstanding new play of the 2005/06 Toronto theatre season.

He has been nominated for three Dora Awards, two for Direction and one for his adaptation of the Iranian play Aurash with Soheil Parsa. He received the LMDA's 2003 Elliott Hayes Award for Dramaturgy in recognition of his work in creating and directing Nightswimming. His own works include the adaptations of Jane Urquhart's The Whirlpool and Michael Redhill's Lake Nora Arms, and the original play The Death of General Wolfe. He directed the premiere productions of two Jason Sherman plays, as well as Michael Healey's first play, Kicked, and is currently developing Judith Thompson's latest play through Nightswimming.

Two of his productions toured in 2007/08: Andy Massingham's Rough House and Anosh Irani's Bombay Black, and he directed the premiere of Pierre Brault's 5 O'Clock Bells. In 2008/09, Brian's own piece, Blue Note, will receive a workshop production at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto (Sept. 16-21), and he will dramaturg Ned Dickens' 7-play cycle, City of Wine.

For more information on Brian's work at Nightswimming, please visit www.nightswimmingtheatre.com.