Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Winnipeg Jewish Theatre
Professional theatre company in Winnipeg, Manitoba, founded in 1987 as an amateur theatre to encourage a better understanding of Jewish culture within the community; to cultivate the creation of new Canadian Jewish plays; and to provide education in theatre arts. It became a professional theatre in 1992. Bev Aronovitch was the founding artistic director, followed by Kayla Gordon, Mariam Bernstein, Michael Nathanson, and the current artistic director, Ari Weinberg.
The company has an audience base of 4000. Since 1994, it has commissioned works from Canadian writers.
Productions included Hannah Senesh, Today I Am a Fountain Pen, The League of Nathans by Jason Sherman, Lies My Father Told Me, A Shayna Maidel, Talley's Folly, Crossing Delancey, The Substance of Fire, The Diary of Anne Frank, Family Secrets, Too Jewish, Louie's Dilemma by Alex Poch-Goldin, None is Too Many by Jason Sherman, Einstein's Gift and Lenin's Embalmers both by Vern Thiessen.
The Company has also entered into co-productions with Persephone Theatre, Prairie Theatre Exchange and in 2000, the Saidye Bronfman Centre (touring their production of The Last Night of Ballyhoo there).
The playwright-in-residence for the 2022 season is Emil Sher.
The theatre is located in the Asper Jewish Community Campus.
Website: www.wjt.ca
Last updated 2022-03-09
Since October 2002, Athabasca University has hosted the web site, with an editorial board of theatre scholars from across Canada.
To submit an entry, please consult the guidelines for submissions.
Email your submission to: Anne Nothof, Professor Emerita, Athabasca University.
The Encyclopedia collects and disseminates information on plays, playwrights and theatre practitioners. It does not respond to requests for information, auditions, bookings, or tickets.
The Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia web site was originally conceived and developed in 1996 by Gaetan Charlebois—theatre critic, playwright, and actor.
