Website: Banff playRites Colony

Founded: 1972

Location:
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Box 1020
Banff, Alberta
T1L 1H5

Program Directors: John Murrell and Bob White

Contact Information:
John Murrell - (403) 762-6189
Casey Prescott - (403) 762-6100

Mandate: A writer's colony with an artist-defined program designed to meet the needs of each participating playwright, providing skilled dramaturgy, a small acting company to serve as readers, and a convivial and supportive atmosphere that puts the writer's concerns first and foremost.

Membership: none - the Colony is presented through an alliance of The Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Theatre Projects, and The Banff Centre. ATP reserves approx 3-6 spots at the Colony for its own projects. All other Colony plays are chosen through a process independent of ATP.

Application Deadline: Check the web site for program guides.

Serving: approx. 15-18 playwrights in residence each season; supported by approx. 20 translators, dramaturges and directors, and actors. The colony serves playwrights engaged in text-based creation at all stages of development.

Other Staff: Linda Gaboriau (Associate Director – Coordinator of Translations)
Maureen LaBonté (Program Dramaturge)

• Playwrights select specific dramaturges to work with on their projects; if unavailable the Colony appoints a senior dramaturge.
• Creative dialogue is encouraged among playwrights who are at different stages in the writing process and at different stages in their careers.
• Playwrights also have shared access to a small company of professional actor/readers.
• Australia Council for the Arts exchange
• France/Banff Translation Exchange

For thirty years, the Banff Colony has served as the major Playwrights'' retreat in the country. Hundreds of writers have had the opportunity for residencies, and most of the country's major writers have spent time at Banff.

Recent work developed at Banff includes Michael Healey's Plan B , Tomson Highway's Ernestine Shushwap gets her Trout and Stephen Massicotte's Mary's Wedding , among many, many others.