Realwheels Theatre Announces New Artistic Director Tomas Mureika

Jessie Award-winning Realwheels Theatre will welcome Tomas Mureika as the organization's new Artistic Director.

Mureika is a Canadian-American entertainment veteran with over 30 films and theatrical productions among his credits. His artistic journey began with a string of hit plays and musicals at the New Brunswick Drama Festival, where he became the only individual in the Festival's 40-year history to win top prizes for Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Play for a single production, Seniors, which went on to garner trophies for the Writers' Federation's Best Canadian Play and the Paul Zindel-judged International Young Playwright's Award.

Tomas continued his success by receiving the Special Adjudicator's Award at the Quebec Drama Festival (QDF) for writing, directing, producing, and acting in Easter, which led to extended theatrical runs in Montreal and Los Angeles. He served as Artistic Director for Players' Theatre and Black Rock Theatre in Montreal, and holds a BA (Film/Theatre) from McGill University as well as an MFA (Filmmaking) from the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Cinema-Television.

Mureika worked in Los Angeles for 20 years. His career highlights during that time include independently financing, writing, directing, producing, editing and acting in his debut feature film, Driftwood, which premiered at the L.A. County Museum of Art (LACMA); editing and writing for three international music publications; composing and providing lead vocals for art-rock band Four Squared Images (FSI); and writing and serving as key publicist for the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation (TASF).

Tomas was unexpectedly diagnosed with Parkinson's in his mid-40s. He mourned the seemingly-undeniable "reality" that he might never again work on a live theatre stage. He had even met his long-time love and wife doing theatre, and used his directing, acting, and writing skills as a stay-at-home Dad to their precocious daughter. And then, just like that, the universe afforded him the most unexpected opportunity, perfectly tailored to his experiences and gloriously revising the story of his new "reality".

"Serving as an incoming Artistic Director of a theatre company is very much like navigating a delicate tightrope balancing act," says Mureika. "You have the challenges of building on the works of those who have come before while seamlessly transitioning into evolving the collective in new and excitingly bold directions. This task is made much easier when you find you have in fact been invited into a family - a company of caring, talented, and passionate artists dedicated to their craft. This is what Realwheels is - one of the most generous, gifted, and giving collections of people I have ever been fortunate enough to encounter. There is a reason the company has been thriving for nearly 20 years now."

Outgoing Artistic Director Rena Cohen first joined Realwheels in 2009 as Managing Director in partnership with founding Artistic Director James Sanders, before taking on the responsibilities of both positions. Directing plays like Act of Faith and Comedy on Wheels; producing shows like SexyVoices and Creeps, which garnered 3 Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards; launching a playwright-in-residence program, and pioneering the Realwheels Acting Academy highlight a few of her accomplishments that helped Realwheels make big strides in Vancouver's disability-inclusive arts.

"I'm delighted to pass the artistic direction of Realwheels to Tomas Mureika, who brings to the role lived experience of disability as well as intelligence and enormous enthusiasm!," says Cohen. "I wish Tomas great success in the challenging and important work ahead, as Realwheels continues to play a leadership role in the movement toward cultural equity for the disability community."

"This is a truly proud and important transition for Realwheels," adds Board President, Amy Amantea. "Over the last decade, Rena has grown Realwheels from a one-person company that staged a production every three years, to a strong five-member team with operating funding, and numerous projects and shows each year! These are no small shoes to fill, but we are confident Tomas brings the skills and expertise to lead us to our next milestones. As an Artistic Director living with a disability, Tomas picks up the torch that founder James Sanders lit 18 years ago. We're excited to have Tomas join our team, and look forward to his creative vision and artistic acumen, his commitment to inclusion and equity, and his understanding of the lived experience of disability."

Please join us in welcoming Tomas Mureika as Realwheels Theatre's new Artistic Director.

For more information on Realwheels Theatre, visit www.realwheels.ca.

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