Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Potter, Gerry
Director, producer, educator, Gerry Potter has been instrumental in the formation, development and production of many Canadian plays in Edmonton, Alberta. Following his graduation from the University of Alberta with an MFA in Directing, he founded Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre, (Workshop West Theatre) in 1978. Inspired by Quebec’s Quiet Revolution, he promoted Canadian cultural nationalism through theatre, producing new plays from across Canada, and devising works by experimenting with form and style, from collective creation to the dramatic interpretation of a notable novel by Henry Kreisel, The Rich Man for the 1987-88 season.
“Theatre magically transforms people — emotionally, intellectually, physically, spiritually,” Potter says. “You learn to work with other people, you learn discipline, you learn to use your imagination, you learn to tap into your creativity… That is what drew me into theatre in the first place.”
He directed more than forty plays for Workshop West, dramaturged over sixty, and created opportunities for emerging artists, despite the many financial hurdles and production challenges. After retiring from his directorship at Workshop West in 1984, he mentored Indigenous youth, co-founded Rising Sun Theatre for adults with intellectual disabilities, and continued to champion inclusive and original creation.
More recently, he has produced several films that focus on individual rights and marginalization, including Professor Precarious, which exposes the environment of unstable employment of sessional instructors in post-secondary education across Canada.
On July 14, 2025, on his 75th birthday, Gerry Potter was awarded the Sterling Award for Outstanding Contribution to Edmonton Theatre.
Source: Heather Inglis and Bradley Moss, Introduction to Gerry Potter for Sterling Awards, 2025.
Jonah Dunch. “A Place Where People Can Play,” WWPT Newsletter, 2023.
Last updated 2025-07-23
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The Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia web site was originally conceived and developed in 1996 by Gaetan Charlebois—theatre critic, playwright, and actor.
