I started off the week having brunch at the charming L’Entrepots with my longtime collaborator David Paquet and the irrepressible Sam Buggeln, Artistic Director of Ithaca NY’s powerhouse company, The Cherry Arts. Having already produced the English-language professional premiere of David’s Jessie Award-winning play The Shoe, Sam is making it a double with his upcoming production of David’s Governor-General’s Award-winning play The Weight of Ants. This was my first time meeting Sam, and I look forward to continuing this juicy collaboration.

David Paquet enchants the next generation

A conversation with students working on Zach Fraser’s production of The Weight of Ants at John Abbott College in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec.

At John Abbott College, Quebec

Above my head: a poster from the 2014 J.A.C. production of For Home and Country, directed by Andrew Cuk.

Next, I travelled to Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue with David Paquet and Zach Fraser to speak to Zach’s bright and inquisitive students, who are producing The Weight of Ants at John Abbott College.

Then came the biggest news of the week: two of my projects have been shortlisted for the Playwrights Guild of Canada’s Tom Hendry Awards!

• Salesman in China, co-written with Jovanni Sy, is nominated for the Carol Bolt Award for best new play.
• Home Deliveries, my translation of Catherine Léger’s Deux femmes en or, is nominated for best comedy!

Have a listen to the PlayMe podcast above to hear all of the shortlisted plays in all the categories. I will be tuning in to the awards announcements on the Playwrights Guild’s YouTube channel on Oct. 27 to hear the results. It’s a formidable field of artists this year, and I’m happy to be a part of the party.