Jon Kaplan (1947–2017) was a Canadian theatre critic. He was the senior theatre writer at ''

NOW Magazine ''Now'' (styled as ''NOW''), also known as ''NOW Magazine'' is an online publication based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Throughout most of its existence, ''Now'' was a free alternative weekly newspaper. Physical publication of ''Now'' was suspen ...

''.

Early life and education

Kaplan grew up in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. He graduated from

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , pro ...

in 1969 with a degree in English before moving to Canada. He later received a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in English from

York University York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...

. His thesis was on Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre.

Career

Kaplan began his career as a theatre critic in Toronto in the 1970s writing reviews for ''

The Body Politic ''The Body Politic'' was a Canadian monthly magazine, which was published from 1971 to 1987.

''. A few years later, he began working for ''

''. Kaplan would go on to become ''NOW'''s senior theatre writer and to work for the magazine for 35 years. He wrote his last review for ''NOW'' two weeks before his death in 2017.

Awards and nominations

Kaplan has received both the Harold Award and the Brenda Donohue Award.

Death and legacy

Kaplan died at age 69 on April 28, 2017, from brain cancer. He was survived by his husband, Don Cole. The Jon Kaplan Legacy Fund and the associated annual Jon Kaplan Awards are named in his honour. The Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award, awarded as part of Toronto's

Dora 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 and opera productions in Toronto. Named after Dora Mavor Moore, who helped estab ...

, is also named for Kaplan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaplan, John 1947 births 2017 deaths Deaths from brain cancer in Canada Canadian theatre critics Brandeis University alumni York University alumni Journalists from Florida