Canada Council for the Arts Announces 2012 John Hirsch Prize Winners

Christopher Morris of Toronto, a former member of the Blyth Festival Theatre company, is one of two winners of the Canada Council for the Arts 2012 John Hirsch Prize. Gaétan Paré of Montreal was the other recipient.

Christopher is a director, actor and playwright. He was a member of the Blyth Festival Acting Company (and a creator) for Death of the Hired Man by Paul Thompson (2000) and also appeared in Sometime, Never by Nora Harding (2001). As Artistic Director of Human Cargo, the theatre company he founded in 2007, he challenges the established norms in Canadian Theatre, reinventing process, content and form.

“What Christopher Morris and Gaétan Paré are bringing to Canadians is on the cutting edge of new creation,” said Robert Sirman, Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts. “These young and dynamic directors are profoundly engaged in theatre in Canada – fitting choices for an award bearing the name of John Hirsch.”

Made possible by a bequest from the estate of the late John Hirsch, the prizes are a tribute to the extraordinary contribution Mr. Hirsch made to theatre in Canada, most notably as founder of the Manitoba Theatre Centre, head of drama for CBC television and artistic director of the Stratford Festival.

Learn more about the award here.