It’s so appropriate that director Kelly Straughan began building her theatrical reputation at the Toronto Fringe.
Back in the 2007 festival, I remember being impressed with her work in Timebomb, a piece she both wrote and directed. A blend of text and movement – the chorus was a physical unit commenting on the main action – it proved a hit with audiences and reviewers, garnering a patrons’ pick holdover and nods from NOW for best ensemble and direction. No surprise that she trained as a dancer as well as having a masters in directing.
Straughan followed up Timebomb with similar accolades for the 2008 Fringe show Wake.
Fast forward to 2012, and she’s just been selected as Gideon Arthurs’ successor as executive director of the Fringe.
Straughan has been busy during those intervening years on both the artistic and administrative fronts. Her directing credits include Soulless, OR, (SummerWorks), This Is About The Push (Fringe), The Red Queen Effect (Next Stage) and, as artistic director for Seventh Stage Theatre, 9 Parts Of Desire.
She’s also worked as assistant artistic director at the Tarragon and associate artistic director at Nightwood.
You can catch her work onstage now as director of Stockholm, a Seventh Stage/Nightwood production at the Tarragon Extra Space.
Articulate and passionate, Straughan has proven her skill at coordinating the different elements in an artistic work, a talent she’ll bring to the multifaceted Fringe. She’ll work with Arthurs on the upcoming Fringe (July 4-15) before he heads off to his new job as the Tarragon’s general manager.
