Alisa Palmer

Alisa Palmer is a theatre director, playwright, and producer whose work crosses genres. Palmer’s work is characterized by vivid performances, a bold use of music, and a passionate commitment to the body politic. Ms. Palmer has premiered and toured original and provocative theatre creations for close to thirty years and has directed numerous world premieres of Canadian plays including East of Berlin by Hannah Moscovitch, Sibs by Diane Flacks and Richard Greenblatt (Tarragon Theatre), Body Politic by Nick Green (Buddies in Bad Times) Belle Moral (Shaw Festival and NAC) and most recently Hamlet-911 (Stratford Festival) both by Ann-Marie MacDonald. Ms. Palmer spent eight seasons at the Shaw Festival (selected credits: The Women, Sunday in the Park with George, The Philanderer and Pal Joey) and directed the box office breaking production of Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) featuring the playwright in the leading role (Canadian Stage). As Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre, Ms. Palmer oversaw the premiere of landmark plays including Djanet Sears’ Harlem Duet and Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God, and Alex Bulmer’s Smudge, the first professional play by a visually impaired theatre maker. Ms. Palmer directed Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls at Soulpepper and Cloud 9 (Mirvish Entertainment), where she was also Resident Director for the World Premier of Lord of the Rings. Currently Ms. Palmer is the Executive Artistic Director of the National Theatre School of Canada, English Section. Ms. Palmer is the recipient of numerous awards, including numerous Dora and Chalmers Awards. She is a three-time finalist for the Siminovitch Prize for Directing and is a proud recipient of a Harold Award. Ms. Palmer is Artistic Producer of Vita Brevis Arts.