Famous Canadian Playwrights

Alex Awards winning Irish-Canadian playwright, literary historian, short story writer, novelist, and screenwriter Emma Donoghue is best known for authoring award winning novels like Room and Hood. Room, an international best-seller, was adapted into a film bearing same title that not only emerged as a critical and commercial success but also garnered four Oscar nominations at the 88th Academy Awards.

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is a Canadian TV host and actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Appa in the television adaptation of Ins Choi's play Kim's Convenience. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee's performance in the series earned him four Canadian Screen Awards under the Best Actor in a Comedy Series category.

Japanese-Canadian actor Hiro Kanagawa has appeared in many films such as Godzilla and series such as Legends of Tomorrow. He is also an award-winning playwright, noted for plays such as Indian Arm. He also voiced Reed Richards in the series Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes.

Robertson Davies was a Canadian novelist, critic, playwright, professor, and journalist. One of the most popular Canadian authors of all time, Davies was honored with several prestigious awards such as the Dominion Drama Festival Award, the Stephen Leacock Award, the Lorne Pierce Medal, and the Governor-General's Literary Award.

Douglas Coupland is a Canadian novelist and artist who popularized the term “Generation X” mentioned in his international bestseller Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture. He has published several novels, collections of short stories, and works of non-fiction. His art is frequently exhibited at the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art. 

Canadian actor and playwright Lisa Codrington is best known as Gail from the sitcom Letterkenny. She traced her Barbadian ancestors back in the CBC documentary Big Sugar and also appeared in supporting or minor roles in series such as The Handmaid's Tale and plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Ins Choi is a Korean-Canadian playwright and actor. He is best known for his 2011 play Kim's Convenience, which was adapted into a successful TV series of the same name. He also contributed as the main screenwriter of the award-winning TV series. Apart from Kim's Convenience, Choi is also credited with creating other shows like The Beats and the Breaks.

Peter Wildeblood was an Anglo-Canadian novelist, journalist, gay rights campaigner, and playwright. One of the first men to declare his homosexuality in the UK, Wildeblood's career was largely overshadowed by his struggles against the law. Peter Wildeblood penned down his experiences as an openly gay man in a book titled Against the Law.

Ann-Marie MacDonald is a Canadian actress, playwright, author, and broadcast host. Her maiden novel, Fall on Your Knees, received the Commonwealth Writers Prize. Ann-Marie MacDonald is perhaps best known for her play Goodnight Desdemona, which earned her several awards including the Governor General's Award for Drama, the Canadian Authors Association Drama Award, and the Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award. 

Robert Lepage is a Canadian actor, playwright, film, and stage director. He is credited with founding a multidisciplinary production company called Ex Machina, where he serves as the artistic director. Regarded as a master of contemporary theatre, Robert Lepage has been honored with several prestigious awards such as the National Arts Centre Award and the Governor General's Performing Arts Award.

Mariko Tamaki is a Canadian writer and artist best known for her graphic novels like This One Summer and Skim. In 2016, she started writing for both DC Comics and Marvel. Mariko Tamaki is the recipient of several prestigious awards such as the Joe Shuster Award, Ignatz Award, and Doug Wright Award.

Mavis Gallant was a Canadian writer who specialized in writing short stories. A critically acclaimed writer, Gallant was honored with several prestigious awards including the Matt Cohen Prize. In addition to short stories, Mavis Gallant also wrote novels, plays, and essays.

Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and playwright Bernard Slade is best known for creating the iconic 1970s’ series The Partridge Family. Hugely successful on Broadway, he had also penned scripts for series such as Bewitched and Love on a Rooftop, and films such as Stand Up and Be Counted.

Canadian author Mazo de la Roche is best known for her 16-book Jalna series of novels. She became one of the most-loved family saga novelists of her time. She dictated much of her later work her adopted sister Clement, as she suffered from arthritis in her hands.

Alden Nowlan was a Canadian novelist, poet, and playwright. Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most popular Canadian poets, Nowlan served as the University of New Brunswick's writer-in-residence in Fredericton. He was also the recipient of several prestigious awards, such as the Governor General's Award, which he won for his collection Bread, Wine and Salt.

Marie-Claire Blais is a French Canadian writer, poet, and playwright. Born into a blue-collar family, she was unable to pursue full-time education. However, she did attend a few classes at Université Laval and began her literary career at the age of 20. She eventually became a successful author with numerous novels, plays, and poetry collections to her name. 

Michel Côté is a Canadian actor best known for playing important roles in films like Life After Love, Cruising Bar, and C.R.A.Z.Y. In 2005, he received the Genie Award under the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role category for his portrayal of Gervais Beaulieu in C.R.A.Z.Y.

Canadian author W.O. Mitchell is remembered for his novels on Prairie life, the most notable being Who Has Seen the Wind. Initially a high school teacher, he first gained attention with a few short stories. He also wrote for Maclean's magazine and created the weekly radio series Jake and the Kid.

Acadian novelist and playwright Antonine Maillet initially taught literature and folklore at various institutes, such as the University of Montreal. She later worked as a scriptwriter and host for Radio-Canada, before penning popular works such as the play The Sagouine and the award-winning books Don l'Orignal and Pélagie-la-Charrette.

Ron Sparks is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, and producer best known for his appearances as a frequent guest on the popular radio comedy show The Debaters. Sparks has also appeared in TV shows like Video on Trial. As an actor, he is known for his performance in Stars on Trial. Sparks has many Canadian Comedy Awards under his belt.

James Reaney was a Canadian poet, playwright, and professor. He developed an early love for literature and theater and studied English at University College, University of Toronto. He pursued an academic career while also focusing on his writing. He was the recipient of Canada's highest literary award, the Governor General's Award, thrice. He also enjoyed drawing and painting. 

Gratien Gélinas was a Canadian writer, actor, director, producer, playwright, and administrator. Credited with co-founding modern Canadian theatre and film, Gélinas was made a Knight of the Order of Quebec. Gratien Gélinas is also credited with founding the Comédie-Canadienne. 

Martha Chaves is a Nicaraguan-Canadian actress, comedian, playwright, and activist. She is best known for her stand-up comedy, which she performs in English, Spanish, Italian, and French. She has featured in famous comedy festivals, including Just for Laughs. In 2017, Martha Chaves was honored with the prestigious Canadian Comedy Award under the Best Standup Comic category.

Matheson Lang was a Canadian-born actor and playwright. He is best remembered for playing important roles in William Shakespeare's plays like Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet. Matheson Lang was one of the first theatre stars to appear in a film in 1916.

Charles Heavysege was a Canadian dramatist and poet best remembered for his acclaimed play, Saul. He was one of the earliest Canadian poets to publish his works in Canada. Although he was initially known only in Canada, Charles Heavysege had achieved international acclaim by the 1860s.

Steven Shehori is a Canadian writer, journalist, playwright, director, actor, comedian, and author. He is best known for Stephen Harper The Musical, the first play ever to be staged at Just For Laughs. Steven Shehori is also credited with producing more than 100 live comedy shows.

Constance Lindsay Skinner was a Canadian writer, historian, critic, and editor. She is best remembered for her contributions to the Rivers of America Series, which was published by Farrar & Rinehart. Constance Lindsay Skinner is also remembered for her novel Good-Morning Rosamond, which was adapted into a three-act comedy.

Cory Mack is a Canadian writer, comedian, and producer who has performed in popular comedy festivals, such as Just for Laughs. Mack, who is closely associated with the Canadian Comedy Awards (CCAs), was honored with the Roger Abbott Award in 2011 for contributing towards the development of the CCAs. Cory Mack is also credited with establishing the annual YYComedy Festival.