Guest Speaker:  Friday, August 7, 2015
Location:  National Club, 303 Bay Street
Topic:  YPT Toronto's Most Important Theatre - Let Me Tell You Why?
 
Allen worked as a junior high school teacher in the city where he was born and raised, Edmonton. He quit teaching early on, however to attend the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School and worked for a number of years as an actor. After several fortunate opportunities, his primary focus became directing.
 
Allen has worked across Canada directing contemporary and classical theatre, new plays, opera and musicals, aboriginal theatre, and theatre for young audiences. He has also dedicated much of his career to teaching in a variety of contexts including professional theatre training.
 
Prior to becoming Artistic Director of Young People’s Theatre in 2002, Allen was Artistic Associate of Alberta Theatre Projects where he helped found playRites, a national festival of new plays that ran for 27 years. From 1995-2003, he was Artistic Director of Prairie Theatre Exchange in Winnipeg where he worked to revitalize PTE’s national reputation for contemporary theatre. Today, his focus at YPT is on deepening the vital link between innovative, professional theatre and young people’s education and development.