Touchstone Theatre is a professional theatre company in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

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, founded in 1976 by a group of

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...

theatre graduates. Touchstone's focus is on the development and production of Canadian works. Since 2016, the Artistic Director has been Roy Surette, who previously held the position in the 1990s. Former Artistic Directors are Ian Fenwick, Gordon McCall, John Cooper and

Katrina Dunn Katrina Dunn (born in British Columbia, Canada) is an actor, director, and producer. She has been the Artistic Director of Touchstone Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 1997 to 2016. Career Training and work Dunn trained in dan ...

, who served in that position from 1997 to 2016.

Activities

Touchstone Theatre's stated mandate is that it "''develops and presents professional theatrical productions. We explore the contemporary Canadian play through content and form. We stimulate public interest in Canadian cultural perspectives.''" In fulfillment of its mandate, much of Touchstone's activities have fallen into one of three categories: it mounts premiere productions of plays by British Columbian playwrights; it mounts second productions of important plays that premiered in other areas of Canada; and it produces works developed within the company. Touchstone has helped launch and develop the careers of numerous playwrights and actors. Touchstone, with the Playwrights Theatre Centre, also fosters the creation of new works through its "Flying Start" initiative (previously the "Playwright in Residence" program). Under the program, Touchstone spends two years working with a playwright to develop a play through workshops and dramaturgy to production. Since 2011, in partnership with the

Arts Club Theatre Company The Arts Club Theatre Company is a Canadian professional theatre company in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 1958. It is the largest urban not-for-profit theatre company in the country and the largest in Western Canada, with productions tak ...

, Touchstone produces the "In Tune Conference", which supports new Canadian musicals in a national event which takes place every two years.

History

As of its 40th anniversary in the 2015-2016 season, Touchstone will have produced 36 World Premiers and works by 42 Canadian playwrights. Touchstone has helped launch and develop the careers of numerous playwrights and actors. At the start of the 1997-1998 season, Katrina Dunn succeeded Roy Surette as Artistic Director. Dunn created the "Playwright in Residence" program, which has resulted in many plays, including Kevin Kerr's

Governor General's Awards The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...

-winning ''Unity (1918)''. In 2010, the Touchstone program focussed on female Canadian playwrights. In 2003, Touchstone partnered with Rumble Productions to found the

PuSh International Performing Arts Festival The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is produced over three weeks each January in Vancouver, British Columbia. The PuSh Festival presents work in the live performing arts. The Festival showcases international, Canadian and local artis ...

, a performing arts festival held every January in Vancouver, BC.

Awards

Touchstone's body of work has garnered many awards and nominations, including numerous Jessie Awards. By the end of Touchstone's 38th season in 2014, Touchstone had earned 106 Jessie nominations and won 57 Jessie Awards. In 2010, Artistic Director Katrina Dunn was recognized by the Women’s Caucus of 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 ...

, who awarded Dunn with its "Bra D'Or" for supporting and promoting the work of Canadian female playwrights.

Chronology of plays

Touchstone Theatre had produced the following plays, some in partnership with other theatre companies. *1976/1977 **''The Exception & the Rule'' by

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...

**''The Farce of Pierre Patelin'' by Anonymous **''King Stag'' by Carlo Gozzi *1977/1978 **''Faces in the Fast Lane'' A collective creation **''Broken Dolls'' A collective creation **''Gullband'' by

Susan Musgrave Susan Musgrave (born March 12, 1951) is a Canadian poet and children's writer. She was born in Santa Cruz, California, to Canadian parents, and currently lives in British Columbia, dividing her time between Sidney and Haida Gwaii. She has been n ...

*1978/1979 **''The Unseen Hand'' by

Sam Shepard Samuel Shepard Rogers III (November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017) was an American actor, playwright, author, screenwriter, and director whose career spanned half a century. He won 10 Obie Awards for writing and directing, the most by any write ...

**''Hot Rods & Heavy Water'' by Michael Puttonen **''Angel City'' by Sam Shepard *1979/1980 **''HIGHBALL!'' by Ronald Weihs *1980/1981 **''Revenge'' by Howard Brenton **''Games'' by Ivan Klima *1981/1982 **''The Man Himself'' by Alan Drury **''The Crackwalker'' by

Judith Thompson Judith Clare Thompson, OC (born September 20, 1954) is a Canadian playwright who lives in Toronto, Ontario. She has twice been awarded the Governor General's Award for drama, and is the recipient of many other awards including the Order of Canad ...

*1982/1983 **''The Wolf Boy'' by Brad Fraser **''Clay'' by Lawrence Jeffery *1983/1984 **''Children of the Night'' by Paul Ledoux **''Checkin’ Out'' by Kelly Rebar *1984/1985 **''Sex Tips for Modern Girls'' A collective creation **''White Biting Dog'' by Judith Thompson *1985/1986 **''Going Down for the Count'' by Peter Eliot Weiss **''El Crocodor'' A collective creation **''Nancy Prew: Clue in the Fast Lane'' by Beverley Cooper *1986/1987 **''Life Skills'' by David King **''Farther West'' by John Murrell *1987/1988 **''Red Channels'' by Jennifer Martin & Leslie Mildiner **''Zaydok'' by Dennis Foon **''Three Penny Opera'' by Bertolt Brecht &

Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fru ...

*1988/1989 **''Bones'' by Peter Anderson **''Toronto, Mississippi'' by Joan MacLeod **''Jewel'' by Joan Macleod **''Lost Souls & Missing Persons'' by Sally Clark *1989/1990 **''Where is Kabuki?'' by Don Druik **''Homework & Curtains'' by John Lazarus **''Local Colour'' by David King *1990/1991 **''The Invisible Detective'' by Peter Eliot Weiss with song by Ken MacDonald and

Morris Panych Morris Stephen Panych (born 30 June 1952) is a Canadian playwright, director and actor. Early life Panych was born in Calgary, Alberta and grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. He studied at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and the Univers ...

**''Unidentified Human Remains & The True Nature of Love'' by Brad Fraser *1991/1992 **''Lion in the Streets'' by Judith Thompson **''A Map of Senses'' by Gordon Armstrong *1992/1993 **''The Number 14'' A collective creation **''The Hope Slide'' by Joan MacLeod **''Iceberg Lettuce'' by Katherine Schlemmer *1993/1994 **''Whale Riding Weather'' by Bryden MacDonald **''Lilies'' by Michel Marc Bouchard **''WAK!'' by Sheri-D Wilson and Savannah Walling *1994/1995 **''The Visit'' by Friedrich Dürrenmatt **''The Erotic Art Show'' by Kathryn Allison *1995/1996 **''When We Were Singing'' by Dorothy Dittrich **''The Orphan Muses'' by Michel Marc Bouchard *1996/1997 **''Sex in Heaven'' by Gordon Armstrong **''Sled'' by Judith Thompson **''Boy Wonder'' (In partnership with Ballet British Columbia and Vancouver New Music) *1997/1998 **''The Weekend Healer'' by Bryden MacDonald **''Grace'' by Michael Lewis MacLennan *1998/1999 **''The Good Person of Setzuan'' by Bertolt Brecht, Marguerite Steffin and Ruth Berlau **''Passion'' by Conrad Alexandrowicz **''Cherry Docs'' by David Gow *1999/2000 **''It’s All True'' by Jason Sherman **''Je me souviens'' by Lorena Gale **''15 Seconds'' by François Archambault *2000/2001 **''Kilt'' by Jonathan Wilson **''Kicked'' by Michael Healey **''Unity(1918)'' by Kevin Kerr *2001/2002 **''Sucker Falls'' by Drew Hayden Taylor **''Emphysema'' by Janet Munsil **''Hosanna'' by Michel Tremblay *2002/2003 **''Lisa Lisa'' by Rick Dobran **''Apple'' by Vern Thiessen **''The Family Way'' by Kathleen Oliver *2003/2004 **''Unity(1918)'' by Kevin Kerr **''The League of Nathans'' by Jason Sherman *2004/2005 **''Strawberries in January'' by Evelyne de la Chenelière **''The Trigger'' by Carmen Aguirre *2005/2006 **''Little Mercy’s First Murder'' Book & lyrics by Morwyn Brebner, music by Jay Turvey and Paul Sportelli **''Prodigal Son'' by Shawn Macdonald *2006/2007 **''Life After God'' by Michael Lewis MacLennan **''Hippies and Bolsheviks'' by Amiel Gladstone *2007/2008 **''How It Works'' by Daniel MacIvor **''The Dissemblers'' by Jason Bryden **''Tideline'' by Wajdi Mouawad, translated by

Shelley Tepperman Shelley Tepperman is a Quebec-based Canadian writer and translator. She has been nominated for the Governor General's Award for French to English translation multiple times. Early life and education Tepperman was born in Toronto. She has a BA i ...

*2008/2009 **''Age of Arousal'' by

Linda Griffiths Linda Pauline Griffiths (7 October 1953 – 21 September 2014) was a Canadian actress and playwright best known for writing and starring in the one woman play ''Maggie and Pierre'', in which she portrayed both Pierre Trudeau and his then-estran ...

**''East of Berlin'' by Hannah Moscovitch **''Influence'' by Janet Munsil **''Palace of the End'' by Judith Thompson *2009/2010 **''Any Night'' by Daniel Arnold, Medina Hahn and Ron Jenkins **''Demon Night'' by Shawn Macdonald **''Herr Beckmann's People'' by Sally Stubbs *2010/2011 **''Mimi (Or A Prisoner's Comedy'' Lyrics and music by Allen Cole, book and lyrics by Melody A. Johnson and Rick Roberts **''Hard Core Logo: Live'' Adaptation by Michael Scholar, Jr., based on the book by Michael Turner, film by Bruce McDonald, and screenplay by Noel S. Baker. Original Music by

Joe Keithley Joseph Edward "Joey Shithead" Keithley ( né Keighley; June 3, 1956)
is a Canadi ...

, lyrics by Michael Turner **''Love Songs'' By Ana Sokolovic *2011/2012 **''Almighty Voice and His Wife'' by Daniel David Moses **''Goodness'' by Michael Redhill **''Shelter from the Storm'' by Peter Boychuk **''True Love Lies'' by Brad Fraser *2012/2013 **''Dancing With Rage'' by Mary Walsh **''Eternal Hydra'' by Anton Piatigorsky **''Haunted'' by Daniel Karasik **''In Tune Conference'' *2013/2014 **''Hirsh'' Created by Alon Nashman and Paul Thompson **''Night'' by Christopher Morris **''The Concessions'' by Briana Brown **''The Romeo Initiative'' by Trina Davies *2014/2015 **''In Tune 2015'' **''Late Company'' by Jordan Tannahill **''The Road Forward'' Created by

Marie Clements Marie Clements (born January 10, 1962) See p. 147. is a Canadian Métis playwright, performer, director, producer and screenwriter. Marie was founding artistic director of urban ink productions, and is currently co-artistic director of red diva pr ...

*2019/20 **''Certified'' by

Jan Derbyshire Jan "JD" Derbyshire is a Canadian theatre artist, comedian, and writer. She has performed her one-woman show, ''Certified'', across Canada, including in Vancouver where it won two Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards. Early life and education Der ...

References

External links

Touchstone Theatre website
{{authority control Arts organizations established in 1976 Theatre companies in British Columbia Theatre in Vancouver