Aaron Willis

Second season: Assistant director of Much Ado About Nothing. Stratford: Assistant director of Evita. Directing: Other People (Mutual Friends Co-op), YICHUD (Seclusion), co-directed with Richard Greenblatt (Theatre Passe Muraille and Convergence Theatre), Miss Caledonia, co-directed with Rick Roberts (SummerWorks/Blyth Festival), The Gladstone Variations: The Tearful Bride (Convergence Theatre). Acting: YICHUD (Seclusion); The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh and Wrecked (Roseneath Theatre); Zadie’s Shoes (GCTC); Abattoir (Kaeja d’Dance/Harbourfront); The Russian Play (Factory Theatre); The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare in the Rough); (nod) (Theatre Gargantua); Waiting for Lefty and Awake and Sing! (The Co.); Well (Tarragon); The Piper (Necessary Angel). TV: Flashpoint. Training: George Brown Theatre School; BA Honours Drama, University of Alberta. Awards: Acting: Dora nomination for Wrecked. Directing: Dora nomination for The Gladstone Variations. Aaron received the Tyrone Guthrie/Jean Gascon Award in 2009 and was nominated for the 2012 John Hirsch Director’s Award. Education: Aaron has been a teaching artist with the Festival’s Education department since 2008, facilitating Shakespeare and drama workshops for elementary and high-school teachers and students throughout Ontario and Michigan. He also teaches scene-study classes at Act 2 Studio (Ryerson University) and is a regular artist-educator with Luminato. Et cetera: Aaron is co-Artistic Director of Convergence Theatre with his wife, actress and playwright Julie Tepperman; together they co-created and produced YICHUD (Seclusion), The Gladstone Variations and AutoShow. Convergence Theatre was voted the “Best Site-Specific Theatre Company in Toronto” by NOW Magazine (2008) and Aaron and Julie were listed as one of Toronto’s “most respected theatre duos” by NOW Magazine (2009).