Alisa Palmer is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
theatre director
A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera, dance, drama, musical theatre performance, etc. by unifying various endeavors a ...
and
playwright
A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays.
Etymology
The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...
. She was the artistic director of
Nightwood Theatre
Nightwood Theatre is Canada's oldest professional women's theatre and is based in Toronto. It was founded in 1979 by Cynthia Grant, Kim Renders, Mary Vingoe, and Maureen White and was originally a collective. Though it was not the founders' ori ...
from 1993 to 2001. Palmer is currently the artistic director of the English section of the
National Theatre School of Canada
The National Theatre School of Canada (NTS, french: École nationale de théâtre du Canada) is a private institution of professional theatre studies in Montreal, Quebec. Established in 1960, the NTS receives its principal funding from grants aw ...
.
Early life
Born and raised in
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
, Canada, Alisa Palmer completed a degree in history at
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
. Her theatre education was based in Montreal and included training with
Philippe Gaulier
Philippe Gaulier (born in Paris, 4 March 1943) is a French master clown, pedagogue, and professor of theatre. He is the founder of École Philippe Gaulier, a prestigious French theatre school in Étampes, outside Paris. He studied under Jacques Lec ...
of
L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq
École internationale de théâtre Jacques Lecoq is a school of physical theatre located on Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis in the 10th arrondissement of Paris.
Founded in 1956 by Jacques Lecoq, the school offers a professional and intensive two-ye ...
(
Bouffon
Bouffon (English originally from French: "farceur", "comique", " jester") is a modern French theater term that was re-coined in the early 1960s by Jacques Lecoq at his L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris to describe a speci ...
and Masque Neutre),
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Ju ...
(acrobatics), L'École de Mime Corporel de Montréal under Jean Asselin as well as periods of study with Brazilian director
Augusto Boal
Augusto Boal (16 March 1931 – 2 May 2009) was a Brazilian theatre practitioner, drama theorist, and political activist. He was the founder of Theatre of the Oppressed, a theatrical form originally used in radical left popular education movemen ...
.
Career
Palmer's first interaction with Toronto-based
Nightwood Theatre
Nightwood Theatre is Canada's oldest professional women's theatre and is based in Toronto. It was founded in 1979 by Cynthia Grant, Kim Renders, Mary Vingoe, and Maureen White and was originally a collective. Though it was not the founders' ori ...
was at the 1987 Groundswell Festival, where she performed with the
improv group, Hysterical Women. Following that festival, Palmer directed two shows before joining Nightwood's leadership team. In 1993 Palmer and
Diane Roberts
Diane Roberts is an American author, columnist, essayist, radio commentator, reviewer and professor. She is the author of three books and a documentary-maker for the BBC.
Career
Roberts has been a commentator for NPR since 1993, were appointed co-artistic directors of Nightwood Theatre, succeeding
Kate Lushington
Kate Lushington is a Canadian theatre artist and teacher. From 1988 to 1993, Lushington was the artistic director of Nightwood Theatre. Lushington has worked with The Clichettes and is the writer of ''The Apocalypse Plays: A Legacy Project''.
E ...
. In 1995, Palmer was appointed the sole artistic director of the company. Palmer's leadership at Nightwood was instrumental in confirming the company's move away from a collective to a "legitimate" theatre company.
In 1995, Palmer directed the play ''
The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls'', which she co-created with
Ann-Marie MacDonald
Ann-Marie MacDonald (born October 29, 1958) is a Canadian playwright, author, actress, and broadcast host who lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. MacDonald is the daughter of a member of Canada's military; she was born at an air force base near ...
,
Leah Cherniak
Leah Cherniak (born 1956) is a Canadian playwright, actor, and teacher. She is a co-founder of Theatre Columbus (now called Common Boots).
Early life and education
Cherniak graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in 1979. She later s ...
,
Jennifer Brewin
Jennifer Brewin is a Canadian writer, director, and artistic director. She is known for co-creating ''The Attic, the Pearls and Three Fine Girls'' and her other work with Common Boots Theatre, formerly known as Theatre Columbus and the Caravan F ...
, and Martha Ross. The play was performed by Theatre Columbus, a clown-inspired company created by Leah Cherniak and Martha Ross, and co-starred MacDonald, Cherniak, and Ross. ''The Attic'' was nominated for several
Dora Mavor Moore awards
The Dora Mavor Moore Award (also known as the Dora Award) is an award presented annually by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts which honours theatre, Dance in Canada, dance and opera productions in Toronto. Named after Dora Mavor Moore, ...
in the Small Theatre division, including for Outstanding New Play or Musical and for Outstanding Direction.
In 2011, Palmer and all of the original cast members except Cherniak, staged a sequel to ''The Attic'' called ''More Fine Girls''. ''More Fine Girls'' was performed at
Tarragon Theatre
The Tarragon Theatre is a theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and one of the main centers for contemporary playwriting in the country. .
While working at Nightwood, Palmer directed such shows as Bridget McFarthing's ''Blatantly Sexual'' (1993), Lisa Walter's ''Difference of Latitude'' (1994), Sabina Fella's ''Fed by Fairies'' (1996),
Diane Flacks
Diane Flacks is a Canadian comedic actress, screenwriter and playwright.
Early life and education
Flacks was raised in the Jewish faith. Her early education took place in Jewish parochial schools. Flacks studied drama at Leah Posluns Institu ...
's ''Random Acts'' (1997), a workshop production of
Caryl Churchill
Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes. 's ''
The Skirker'' (1998), and
Alex Bulmer
Alex Bulmer is a Canadian playwright and theatre artist. Bulmer is the co-founder of the theatre companies SNIFF Inc. and Invisible Flash. She wrote the play ''Smudge'' and was a writer for the 2009 Channel 4 series ''Cast Offs''.
Early life and ...
's ''Smudge'' (2000). Palmer also acted and wrote while with Nightwood. Palmer's play ''Wearing the Bone'' was performed by Nightwood Theatre as part of the 1993–94 season. In 1996, Palmer acted in
Baņuta Rubess
Baņuta Rubess (born 1956) is a Canadian theatre director, playwright, and professor. She co-wrote '' This is For You, Anna'' as a member of the Anna Project. Rubess was a co-recipient of the 1988 Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award for childr ...
's ''Froth: a spectacle about shopping & hysteria''. Palmer co-wrote the book for the musical ''Anything That Moves'' with Ann-Marie MacDonald; ''Anything That Moves'' premiered at Nightwood under Palmer's direction as part of the 1999–2000 season. Palmer left Nightwood in 2001.
Palmer has directed with the
Shaw Festival
The Shaw Festival is a not-for-profit theatre festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. It is the second largest repertory theatre company in North America. The Shaw Festival was founded in 1962. Originally, it only featured production ...
for eight seasons from 2005 to 2012. At the Shaw Festival, Palmer directed several shows including Ann-Marie MacDonald's ''Belle Moral: A Natural History'' (2005),
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...
's ''
Sunday in the Park with George
''Sunday in the Park with George'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It was inspired by the French pointillist painter Georges Seurat's painting ''A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatt ...
'' (2009),
Clare Boothe Luce
Clare Boothe Luce ( Ann Clare Boothe; March 10, 1903 – October 9, 1987) was an American writer, politician, U.S. ambassador, and public conservative figure. A versatile author, she is best known for her 1936 hit play '' The Women'', which h ...
's ''
The Women'' (2010), and
Githa Sowerby
Katherine Githa Sowerby (6 October 1876 – 30 June 1970), also known under her pen name K. G. Sowerby, was an English playwright, children's writer, and member of the Fabian Society. A feminist, she was well-known during the early twentieth cen ...
's ''A Man and Some Women'' (2012).
In 2007, Palmer directed
Caryl Churchill
Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes. 's ''
Top Girls
''Top Girls'' is a 1982 play by Caryl Churchill. It centres around Marlene, a career-driven woman who is heavily invested in women's success in business. The play examines the roles available to women in old society, and what it means or takes fo ...
'' for
Soulpepper Theatre
Soulpepper is a theater company based in Toronto, Ontario. It is the largest non-profit theater in the city.
History
Soulpepper was founded in 1998 by twelve Toronto artists aiming to produce lesser-known theatrical classics. Soulpepper has sinc ...
. She won a
Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play for her direction of ''Top Girls''.
Palmer later directed
Marsha Norman
Marsha Norman (born September 21, 1947) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play '' 'night, Mother''. She wrote the book and lyrics for such Broadway musicals as ''The Se ...
's ''
'night, Mother'' for Soulpepper in 2008.
Palmer was a resident director of Mirvish Productions' world premiere of ''
The Lord of the Rings
''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's boo ...
'' in Toronto.
In 2016, Palmer directed
Nick Green's ''Body Politic'' for Buddies in Bad Times. Palmer is also the founder of Vita Brevis, a theatre company involved in the creation and promotion of new works.
Palmer made her
Stratford Festival
The Stratford Festival is a theatre festival which runs from April to October in the city of Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Founded by local journalist Tom Patterson in 1952, the festival was formerly known as the Stratford Shakespearean Festival ...
debut in 2014, directing
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...
's ''
Hay Fever
Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, i ...
''. Palmer was scheduled to direct ''Hamlet-911'', a modern adaptation of Hamlet written by MacDonald, as part of the 2020 Stratford Festival, but was postponed due to
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. Palmer's production of ''Hamlet-911'' was moved to Stratford's 2022 season.
Palmer and
Hannah Moscovitch
Hannah Moscovitch (born June 5, 1978) is a Canadian playwright who rose to national prominence in the 2000s. She is best known for her plays ''East of Berlin'', ''This Is War'', "Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story", and '' Sexual Misconduct of the Mi ...
co-adapted Ann-Marie MacDonald's novel, ''
Fall on Your Knees
''Fall on Your Knees'' is a 1996 novel by Canadian playwright, actor and novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald. The novel takes place in late 19th and early 20th centuries and chronicles four generations of the complex Piper Family. It is a story of ...
'' for the stage. The National Arts Centre is set to premiere the show, under Palmer's direction, in 2023.
National Theatre School
Palmer first taught at the
National Theatre School of Canada
The National Theatre School of Canada (NTS, french: École nationale de théâtre du Canada) is a private institution of professional theatre studies in Montreal, Quebec. Established in 1960, the NTS receives its principal funding from grants aw ...
(NTS) at the age of 23. At the time, Palmer worked primarily with francophone students. In 2007, Palmer directed
Edward Bond
Edward Bond (born 18 July 1934) is an English playwright, theatre director, poet, theorist and screenwriter. He is the author of some fifty plays, among them '' Saved'' (1965), the production of which was instrumental in the abolition of the ...
's ''Restoration'' at the NTS. Palmer has been the artistic director of the English section of the National Theatre School since 2013. Palmer succeeded former director Sherry Bie.
Plays
* ''Wearing the Bone''
* ''Anything That Moves'' (musical) — Co-written by Ann-Marie MacDonald (lyrics and book), Alisa Palmer (book), and Allen Cole (music)
*''A Play About the Mothers of the Plaza del Mayo''
*''
The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls'' — Co-written by Ann-Marie MacDonald, Leah Cherniak, Jennifer Brewin, Martha Ross, and Alisa Palmer
*''More Fine Girls'' — Co-written by Ann-Marie MacDonald, Leah Cherniak, Jennifer Brewin, Martha Ross, and Alisa Palmer
*''Body Politic''
*''Fall on Your Knees'' — Co-written with Hannah Moscovitch, adapted from Ann-Marie MacDonald
Personal life
Palmer met Canadian writer
Ann-Marie MacDonald
Ann-Marie MacDonald (born October 29, 1958) is a Canadian playwright, author, actress, and broadcast host who lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. MacDonald is the daughter of a member of Canada's military; she was born at an air force base near ...
at the 1987
Groundswell Festival
Nightwood Theatre is Canada's oldest professional women's theatre and is based in Toronto. It was founded in 1979 by Cynthia Grant, Kim Renders, Mary Vingoe, and Maureen White and was originally a collective. Though it was not the founders' ori ...
. Palmer and MacDonald married in July 2003 following the
legalization of same sex marriage in Ontario.
The two adopted a baby girl later that year.
Palmer and MacDonald have two daughters.
Awards
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palmer, Alisa
Canadian theatre directors
Canadian women dramatists and playwrights
Canadian lesbian writers
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Writers from New Brunswick
Canadian LGBT dramatists and playwrights
20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights
21st-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights
20th-century Canadian women writers
21st-century Canadian women writers
Dora Mavor Moore Award winners
National Theatre School of Canada faculty
Canadian artistic directors
McGill University alumni
21st-century LGBT people
Lesbian dramatists and playwrights