The Manitoba Association of Playwrights is a non-profit service organization that supports Manitoba artists in the creation and development of new work for theatre and live performance.  

History

 

 

 

Founded in 1979, Manitoba Association of Playwrights (MAP) is the only organization in Manitoba devoted exclusively to new theatre creation. MAP has nurtured and supported countless plays that have graced our provincial, national and international stages.

Rory Runnells served as MAP's Co-ordinator, Artistic Director, and Executive Director from 1981 - 2017. Under Rory’s leadership, MAP built this playwriting community from the ground up. Our second Executive Director, Brian Drader, picked up where Rory left off. Brian is a Governor General’s Literary Award-nominated and LAMDA Literary Award-winning playwright, and has worked as dramaturg on hundreds of new Canadian plays. A long-time educator (and former director of the National Theatre School of Canada's playwriting program), Brian re-centred MAP on pedagogy (meaning the growth and development of our playwrights, dramaturgs, and playwriting community) and developed our current service portfolio, rooting everything we do in solid dramaturgical practice.

Daniel Thau-Eleff took over as Executive Producer in the summer of 2025, and couldn't be more proud to continue the work Rory started and Brian continued.

MAP started as and remains a membership-driven organization. Growing from a dozen individuals in the early 80’s, we now have over one hundred and seventy (170) members, consisting of playwrights and other theatre creators, as well as theatre enthusiasts and supporters. MAP is a founding tenant in the historic ArtSpace Building in Winnipeg's Exchange District (1986 to present), where our facilities include the MAP office, our 600 sq. foot Rory Runnells Studio, two writing offices, and our Sydney & Margret Jarvis Playwrights Resource Centre.

MAP's Vision

To be a home for Manitoba playwrights and storytellers, and to nurture, support, develop, and champion their creations.  

 

Core Values

  • Stories have the power to change the world - Theatre is an art form that entertains, educates, startles, and transforms society.
  • New plays sustain our art form - The creation of new plays is crucial to the existence of a living theatre.
  • We honour the artist - The development of new work thrives in a safe environment that supports and encourages creative freedom and exploration.
  • One-size-fits-one - Each storyteller is an individual, with a unique vision, voice, and process.
  • All voices deserve to be heard - MAP champions equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in all their forms, and is committed to the process of reconciliation.   

 

Respectful Workplace Policy

MAP is committed to providing safe and respectful working environments free from harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination, microaggressions, and other unwelcome behaviour for all employees, artists, arts workers, and volunteers.  We invite you to read our Respectful Workplace Policy here.

Accessible Employment Policy 

MAP is committed to principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity for people living with disabilities.  We invite you to read our Accessible Employment Policy here.

MAP's 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

MAP's Strategic Plan is a comprehensive guiding document detailing our goals and strategies (2022-25, extended to 2026). The full document can be accessed here.  

 
 

Daniel Thau-Eleff - Executive Producer

mbplayprograms@gmail.com 

Daniel is an award-winning playwright, performer, director, and artistic producer of Moving Target Theatre. He has performed his personal/political solo-shows across Canada. He has also led over 40 community-building Theatre for Living workshops.

Daniel recently partnered with Manitoba Harm Reduction Network on Peer Voices and Imagining Safety, a series of powerful short videos which address the opiate crisis, and studied the process for his Master's thesis. Daniel was recognized for his theatre work with the 2018 Manitoba Human Rights Commitment Award. Daniel previously worked at MAP as Program Co-ordinator and Associate Managing Director (2019-2025).

 
 
  

 

Daniela Smith-Fernandez - Company Manager

EMAIL TBA

Daniela Smith-Fernandez is a Chilean-Canadian artist and writer based in St Boniface. Proudly bicultural and multilingual, she is fluent in English, Spanish and French and generally a huge language geek. Somewhere along the way she got a degree in anthropology, studied tailoring, spent a few years living in Montreal, taught kids art and worked as a bartender.

This summer Daniela is presenting her first play at the Fringe Festival, Jean-François: plus que parfait. This French language show (presented with subtitles) is a sexy and absurd look at bilingualism in Canada. As an active part of Manitoba’s francophone community, she is interested in bringing together the French and English theatre scenes. She also runs Curtains Up, a blog covering Winnipeg theatre in both languages as well as other related themes.

Meet the Board

Michelle Boulet
President

Kara Joseph
Treasurer

Charlene Van Buekenhout
Secretary

Crystal Kolt
member at large

Victoria Perrie
member at large

Elio Zarrillo
member at large

Carman Johnston
member at large