Rigour. Imagination. Collaboration.

Jonathan Seinen

I am a theatre artist. Born in Terrace, British Columbia, Canada, on unceded Tshimshian Territory, and raised in Alberta, Canada, I am based in Toronto and New York. I recently completed an MFA in Theatre Directing at Columbia University, and was awarded the 2020 John Hirsch Prize for Directing from the Canada Council for the Arts.

I have worked across Canada as a theatre director, producer, actor, playwright, creator, and educator, for the past decade, since graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada’s Acting program.

I am also the Artistic Co-Director of Architect Theatre, Founding Member of both Saga Collectif and Boys in Chairs Collective, and was Artistic Associate with lemonTree creations (2008-2017).

Directing credits include: Columbia University productions of: Cabaret, Our Town, Measure for Measure, Saga Collectif’s Dora Award nominated Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) and Black Boys, and Deathwatch (Pride Toronto/lemonTree).

Acting credits include: Body Politic (lemonTree/Buddies/Dora Award for Outstanding New Play), Liberation Days (Theatre Calgary/Western Canadian Theatre), A God In Need of Help (Tarragon Theatre), The Normal Heart (Studio 180/Buddies In Bad Times Theatre), and As You Like It (Citadel Theatre).

With Architect Theatre, I co-created and performed in two research-based works about resource extraction: Highway 63: The Fort Mac Show (Theatre Passe Muraille/Tour) and Like There’s No Tomorrow (SummerWorks), and directed This Must Be The Place: The CN Tower Show for Theatre Passe Muraille.

I co-created Charisma Furs with Katie Sly, which was published in Q2Q: Queer Canadian Performance Texts (Playwrights Canada Press), nominated for a 2019 LAMDBA Literary Award.

As a participant in the Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction, I was the Assistant Director for Timon of Athens at the Stratford Festival of Canada. I have also Assistant Directed at the Centaur Theatre and the National Arts Centre.

With Boys in Chairs Collective, I am developing a new piece, Access Me, which will premiere in an upcoming season.

Thanks for your interest in my work.