FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ELYNE QUAN SUCCEEDS SHIRLEY BARRIE AS PRESIDENT OF THE PLAYWRIGHTS GUILD OF CANADA (PGC)

June 20, 2011 – Toronto, Ontario … At the Playwrights Guild of Canada’s Annual General Meeting held at Lower Ossington Theatre (Toronto), June 5, 2011, Elyne Quan was formally announced as the successor to outgoing president Shirley Barrie. Elyne will occupy this position for the next two years.

“It will be an honour to serve my fellow professional playwrights across the country in my new role as President,” says Elyne. “I plan to carry forward with the revitalization of PGC, started under Shirley’s term, and I look forward to addressing the needs of our members, both long-standing and new.”

Elyne is a writer, actor, director and dramaturg. Originally from Edmonton, she now resides in Toronto.  She holds a MFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University and a BA Honors degree in Drama from the University of Alberta. 

Writing credits include the Sterling Award winning Lig & Bittle (with Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull), Stray, Look Both Ways, Souvenirs of Home, Trust, What (Part III of Rice, Concrete Theatre), One Block Radius and a radio play, Direct Dial (CBC Radio). Her latest play, Retrospective, was commissioned by the Canadian Centre for Theatre Creation (CCTC) in Edmonton and received workshop assistance from the Playwrights Theatre Centre in Vancouver. She is currently working on three new full-length plays, a TYA play, a TV series, and a graphic novel.

Previous to her position as President, Elyne held the positions of Vice-President (2010-2011), Contracts Committee Chair (2006-2010) and Alberta Regional Rep (2005-2006) on the National Council of PGC.

Shirley Barrie has served as President of PGC from 2009 – 2011. During her tenure as President, PGC has been able to cut its deficit in half; put structures in place to re-energize membership; and attracted new members. Shirley also oversaw the development and successful launch of a new interactive website that gives PGC members more opportunities to promote their work and gain access to opportunities for professional development. 

Playwrights Guild of Canada is a registered national arts service association mandated to advance the creative rights and interests of professional Canadian playwrights, promote Canadian plays nationally and internationally and foster an active, evolving community of writers for the stage. 

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Kadon Douglas
Communications Coordinator
Playwrights Guild of Canada
E: kadon@playwrightsguild.ca
P: 416-703-0201