Chris Abraham

Chris Abraham (born 1974) is a Canadian theatre director, most noted as the artistic director of the Crow's Theatre company in Toronto, Ontario since 2007.Anne Nothof, [https://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Abraham%2C%20Chris "Abraham, Chris"]. Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, May 3, 2023.

Originally from Montreal, Quebec, he studied theatre at the University of Toronto and the National Theatre School of Canada. He was subsequently one of the founding partners in Go Chicken Go, a theatre company of recent NTS graduates.Vit Wagner, "Theatre and schnitzel: acting a la carte". Toronto Star, June 19, 1997. Productions he directed for Go Chicken Go included Peter Handke's Offending the Audience, Anton Piatigorsky's Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension,Ray Conlogue, "Director's road to acclaim began with bottle drives; Toronto's Chris Abraham is getting the attention of stage veterans". The Globe and Mail, October 12, 1998. Darren O'Donnell's Boxhead,Robert Cushman, "Too much in such a boxy play". National Post, June 10, 2000. and Abraham's own adaptation of Georg Büchner's Lenz.

In 2001 he was the director of Kristen Thomson's stage play I, Claudia.Robert Cushman, "She, Claudia, has a few thoughts on the subject". National Post, April 5, 2001. He subsequently also directed a film adaptation, which premiered at the 2004 Toronto International Film FestivalKatrina Onstad, "Who was that masked actress?: Kristen Thomson reveals the true face of I, Claudia". National Post, October 1, 2004. and was named to TIFF's year-end Canada's Top Ten list."Best films tells diverse stories; Top Ten Canadian movies honoured New filmmakers being recognized". Toronto Star, December 15, 2004.

He took over artistic direction of Crow's Theatre in 2007, following the retirement of the company's founding artistic director Jim Millan.Alison Broverman, "As the crow flies away". National Post, November 21, 2006.

He is married to actress Liisa Repo-Martell.Aisling Murphy, [https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/in-conversation/the-actors-uncle-vanya-in-conversation-with-liisa-repo-martell/ "The Actor’s Uncle Vanya : In Conversation with Liisa Repo-Martell"]. Intermission, August 25, 2022.

Awards

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
Award

! Year

! Category

! Work

! Result

! Ref(s)

rowspan=13| Dora Mavor Moore Awards

| rowspan=3| 1999

| Best Direction, Independent Theatre

| rowspan=2| Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension

| {{won}}

| "Dora winners list". Toronto Star, June 22, 1999.

Outstanding Set Design, Independent Theatre

| {{nom}}

| rowspan=2| "Dora awards are darkest without the Don ; Soulpepper play a glaring omission from strong field of best show nominees". Toronto Star, June 19, 1999.

Outstanding New Play or Musical, Independent Theatre

| Lenz

| {{nom}}

2001

| Best Direction, Independent Theatre

| Boxhead

| {{nom}}

|

2003

| Best Direction, General Theatre

| Russell Hill

| {{nom}}

| "Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 22, 2003.

2006

| Best Direction, Independent Theatre

| Cringeworthy

| {{nom}}

| Kamal Al-Solaylee, "Odd couple lead the Dora pack". The Globe and Mail, June 7, 2006.

2007

| rowspan=2| Best Direction, General Theatre

| Insomnia

| {{nom}}

| Robert Cushman, "The Dora Plethora; Our theatre critic gives his two cents on the nominees and who's likely to win". National Post, June 23, 2007.

rowspan=2| 2009

| I, Claudia

| {{nom}}

| Michael Posner, "Dora nominations announced in Toronto". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 2009.

Best Direction, Independent Theatre

| Eternal Hydra

| {{won}}

| Michael Posner, "Play by Ojibwa artist, 23, takes six awards". The Globe and Mail, June 30, 2009.

rowspan=2| 2013

| rowspan=4| Best Direction, General Theatre

| The Little Years

| {{won}}

| rowspan=2| J. Kelly Nestruck, "A Cinderella story at the Dora Awards". The Globe and Mail, June 25, 2013.

Someone Else

| {{nom}}

2020

| Julius Caesar

| {{nom}}

| {{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Mae|date=June 29, 2020|title=2020 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners|url=https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/awards/2020-dora-mavor-moore-award-winners/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809081504/https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/awards/2020-dora-mavor-moore-award-winners/ |archive-date=2020-08-09 |access-date=August 6, 2020|website=Intermission Magazine|language=en-CA}}

2024

| The Master Plan

| {{pending}}

| Aisling Murphy, [https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/news/dora-noms-2024/ "TAPA announces 2024 Dora Award nominees"]. Intermission Magazine, May 28, 2004.

Gemini Awards

| 2005

| Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series

| I, Claudia

| {{won}}

| "Eyeballs vs. awards at Geminis". Sudbury Star, November 21, 2005.

rowspan=2| Siminovitch Prize in Theatre

| 2001

| Protégé

|rowspan=2| Self

| {{won}}

| "Siminovitch Prize awarded to Toronto director". Cornwall Standard-Freeholder, October 30, 2001.

2013

| Recipient

| {{won}}

| Richard Ouzounian, "When the theatre student becomes the master: $75,000 Siminovitch Prize goes to Crow's Theatre artistic director Chris Abraham, 12 years after he was named protege under initial winner". Toronto Star, October 22, 2013.

References