Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Sharp, Eo
Quebec-based set and costume designer, who has designed for small, Alternative and Experimental Theatre, and for large Canadian theatre companies such as the National Theatre, Shaw, and Stratford for over twenty-five years. Born in Toronto, Eo Sharp graduated with a BFA from the University of Toronto, and began her career in theatre as a house and box-office manager. She came to Montreal to study design at the National Theatre School of Canada.
She has worked with the Montreal troupes SIN 4 (Deus Meus, Looking for Romeo); and The Other Theatre (Human Collision/Atomic Reaction which played the 1999 edition of the Festival de Théâtre des Amériques, now Festival TransAmériques). She also designed for Neptune Theatre (World Without Shadows, March, 1999).
More recently, Eo Sharp has designed sets and costumes for nine productions at the National Arts Centre, under the artistic direction of Peter Hinton, including Saint Carmen of the Main (2010), A Christmas Carol (2010); Buried Child; The Changeling (2009), All for Love, Falstaff and The Snow Show. She also collaborated with Peter Hinton on productions of The Swanne: Parts II and III (Stratford Festival), A Doll’s House (Segal Centre for Performing Arts), snowman (Imago Theatre), and girls! girls! girls! (Teatro Comenici/Festival Théâtre des Amériques). In 2013, she designed costumes and sets for Mary Stuart and The Thrill at Stratford; and in 2014, scenic design for King Lear. For Shaw Festival, she provided scenic and costume design for Pygmalion (2015), and Alice in Wonderland (2016). For Canadian Stage, set and costume design for The Children (2018).
Eo Sharp has won the MECCA Award for Best Design for Looking for Romeo (Sin 4 Productions) and Human Collision/Atomic Reaction (The Other Theatre/Festival Théâtre des Amériques). In 2013, she won a META Award for Red (cross>Segal Centre for Performing Arts.
She has taught at Bishop's and Concordia Universities, and the National Theatre School of Canada since 2008.
Eo Sharp's work is marked by a keen imagination and an ability to create sets and dramatic visual statements on limited budgets. Her work for Deus used simple Venetian blinds to stunning effect. In Human Collision, elevated racks of clothing summed up the theme of temporality and the fading past.
Profile by Gaetan Charlebois and Anne Nothof.
Last updated 2021-10-12
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.
