John Van Burek, Artistic Director and founder
of Pleiades Theatre
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Mr. Van Burek has been a professional theatre artist for thirty-five years. He has directed over 100 productions, including plays, operas and special events, and he has translated over 40 plays. He was the founding Artistic Director of Théâtre français de Toronto, which he ran for close to twenty years. Through his translations, often in partnership with the late Bill Glassco, he introduced the work of Michel Tremblay, one of Canada’s preëminent playwrights, to the English-speaking world. In addition, he has translated works by Gratien Gélinas, Goldoni, Suzanne Lebeau, Marivaux and Molière. He is currently working on a translation of Albert Camus’ Les Justes. Mr. Van Burek has taught at the National Theatre School of Canada, York University, Ryerson Theatre School, the Nottingham School of the Performing Arts (U.K.), University of Victoria and at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. For four years, he was a member of the Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal and he is a member of l’Ordre de la Pléïade (Paris). He has received many awards and distinctions, including the Toronto Drama Bench Award for Distinguished Contribution to Canadian Theatre, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and most recently, he was given the prestigious Silver Ticket Award by the Toronto Association of Performing Arts. Mr. Van Burek sits on the Board of the Toronto Arts Council.Arts. Mr. Van Burek sits on the Board of the Toronto Arts Council. |
Andrey Tarasiuk, Producer
| Andrey Tarasiuk brings a wealth of experience, accumulated over twenty-five years of working in theatre across Canada and in the U.S. A graduate of the National Theatre School, Andrey received a baptism by fire when he was thrust into the role of Technical Director and Lighting Designer for the Moscow Circus when it landed in Canada. He was a close colleague of Bill Glassco at the Tarragon, where he became the first Associate Artistic Director. He moved on to Toronto Free Theatre where, among other things, he launched the Dream in High Park and worked closely with playwrights on the development of new plays. When Centre Stage and the Toronto Free amalgamated into Canadian Stage, Andrey returned to help Bill Glassco with that enormous task. From there he took the reins at Theatre Direct Canada, which he transformed into a powerful player in theatre for young audiences with a special focus on adolescents. His next assignment took him to The Stratford Festival of Canada where he was put in charge of new play development. Over the eight years that he was there, he went on to become Associate Artistic Director with major responsibilities in programming, casting and directing. His long personal and professional history with John Van Burek then led to his assuming the job of Interim General Manager before taking on the job of Producer at Pleiades Theatre. |
Lauren Brotman , Outreach Director
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Lauren is a Dora Award winning actor for And By The Way…Miss (Theatre Direct), through which she conducted workshops in high schools and performed to sold-out houses at Harbourfront. She is a recipient of the Christopher Plummer Fellowship Award (Globe Theatre - U.K./International Fellow). She is co-founder of Bound to Create Theatre (committed to youth training), and hum and glow theatre (Theatre Creator’s Reserve Grant for their youth play The Best I Can). Lauren was awarded the Jessica Fraser Award (Outstanding Contributions to Theatre for Young Audiences). She is a youth mentor with Theatre Revolve and part of the BASH! Artist Development Program at Canadian Stage.
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Board of Directors
- Subrata Bhattacharjee, Lawyer, Heenan Blaikie LLP
- Catherine Graham
- Shauna Gundy (Past Chair), Educator
- Dr. Peter Keefe, Psychiatrist, University of Toronto & Mount Sinai Hospital
- Maryam Khoshyomn (Treasurer), Risk and Reporting Analyst, RBC Dominion Securities, Capital Markets & Securities
- Heather McFarlane, Account Manager, Small Businesses, Scotiabank
- Marnie McGarry (Chair), Volunteer Fundraiser
- Geoffrey Miller, PAR-Med Properties Services Inc.
Founding Board Members, retired
- Dr. Harry Arthurs
- Billie Bridgman
- Jennifer Duchesne
- Gerry Eldred
- David Silcox (former chair)
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