Norman Foster, (born February 14, 1949) 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 ...
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 ...
, considered to be Canada's most produced playwright. Foster discovered his talents as a playwright in
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton (; ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The city is situated in the west-central portion of the province along the Saint John River, which flows west to east as it bisects the city. The river is the do ...
, while he was working as host of a popular morning radio show. He accompanied a friend (Peter Spurway) to an audition, and landed his first acting job, as Elwood P. Dowd in ''Harvey'', without ever having even seeing a play. Intrigued with the theatre, he set his pen to paper and wrote his first play titled ''Sinners''.
In 1983 and 1984,
Theatre New Brunswick
Theatre New Brunswick is the only English language professional theatre company in New Brunswick, Canada. It began operation in 1968, and has been successfully operating since that time.
Artistic directors
*Walter Learning (1968-1978)
*Malcolm Bla ...
mounted the first professional productions of ''Sinners'' and Foster's next play ''The Melville Boys''. In the years following, TNB introduced ''My Darling Judith'' (1987), ''The Affections of May'' (1990), ''The Motor Trade'' (1991), ''Wrong for Each Other'' (1992), and ''Office Hours'' (1996).
An extremely prolific writer, Foster has had more than fifty plays produced on professional stages. Other well-known plays include ''The Love List'', ''The Long Weekend''; ''Bedtime Stories''; ''Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun''; ''Storm Warning''; ''Skin Flick''; ''Outlaw''; ''Hilda's Yard''; ''On A First Name Basis''; ''Old Love''; ''Mending Fences,'' ''Here on the Flight Path, The Foursome and The Ladies Foursome''. Frequently compared to American playwright
Neil Simon
Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received mo ...
, Foster pens plays that are known for their humour, accessibility, and insight into the everyday tribulations of life. Foster's work is frequently produced by theatre groups across North America, and as far away from his home in Canada as Canberra and Perth (https://www.broadwayworld.com/perth/article/Harbour-Theatre-Presents-THE-LADIES-FOURSOME-20210212), Australia. Beginning in June 2016, The Norm Foster Theatre Festival in St. Catharines, Ontario celebrated the work of this Canadian playwright.
The
Playwrights Guild of Canada
Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC) is a Canadian charity that works to advance the creative rights and interests of professional Canadian playwrights; promote Canadian plays, and foster community of writers. It was founded in 1972.
History
PGC has ...
awarded him lifetime membership in 2016.
In December 2016, Foster was named an Officer of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
.
In 2018, he was awarded the key to the city in St. Catharines, Ontario.
He also acts, often in his own work. For example, he appears as Jonas in some productions of Jonas & Barry in the Home.
References
20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights
21st-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights
Living people
1949 births
People from Newmarket, Ontario
Writers from Ontario
Canadian male dramatists and playwrights
20th-century Canadian male writers
21st-century Canadian male writers
Officers of the Order of Canada
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