Lib Spry is a Canadian director, playwright, and academic. She is a co-founder of Company of Sirens and Straight Stitching Productions and served as the artistic director of Passionate Balance.

Career

In 1986, Spry co-founded the feminist theatre company, Company of Sirens, with Lina Chartrand, Aida Jordão, Catherine Glen,

Shawna Dempsey Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan are a Canadian performance art duo who, since 1989, have collaborated on performances, films, videos, publications and public art projects. Both out lesbians, Dempsey and Millan collaborate most commonly on humo ...

, and Cynthia Grant. With Company of Sirens, Spry created the play, ''The Working People's Picture Show'', which was first staged in 1987. With

Shirley Barrie Shirley Barrie (1945-2018) was a Canadian writer. She was the co-founder of the Wakefield Tricycle Company and Tricycle Theatre. Her plays include ''Straight Stitching'', ''Carrying the Calf'', and ''Tripping Through Time''. Early life and educ ...

, Spry co-founded Straight Stitching Productions in 1989. Spry served as the artistic director of the Ottawa-based theatre company, Passionate Balance. In 1992, she co-developed, with Rob Thompson, the play ''Collateral Damages''. The play used techniques of the

Theatre of the Oppressed The Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) describes theatrical forms that the Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal first elaborated in the 1970s, initially in Brazil and later in Europe. Boal was influenced by the work of the educator and theorist ...

. In 2012, Spry directed ''Where the Blood Mixes'' by

Kevin Loring Kevin Loring (born November 24, 1974) is a Canadian playwright and actor. As a playwright, he won the Governor General's Award for English-language drama, the Herman Voaden Playwriting Competition and the Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding ...

. In 2013, Spry was set to direct the mini-musical, ''Marg Szkaluba'' ''(Pissy's Wife)'', written by Ron Chambers, at the Rialto Theatre in Montreal; however, the show was indefinitely postponed when the show's star,

Carolyn Fe Carolyn Fe is a Filipina singer and actress based in Montreal. She has released three full-length albums and an EP with the Carolyn Fe Blues Collective. Fe is also the recipient of 2018 Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards for Best Supporting Actress f ...

, became ill. Spry has taught at the

University of Ottawa The University of Ottawa (french: Université d'Ottawa), often referred to as uOttawa or U of O, is a bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on directly to the northeast of Downtown Ottaw ...

, Queen's University, and

Concordia University Concordia University (French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the th ...

. She currently teaches at

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

Personal life

Spry has an MFA in

creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literar ...

from

Goddard College Goddard College is a progressive education private liberal arts low-residency college with three locations in the United States: Plainfield, Vermont; Port Townsend, Washington; and Seattle, Washington. The college offers undergraduate and grad ...

and a PhD in cultural studies from Queen's University. Her parents are Graham and

Irene Spry Irene Mary Spry, OC (née Biss: Standerton, Transvaal Colony, August 28, 1907 – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, December 16, 1998) was an economic historian and social democrat awarded two honorary doctorates and named to the Order of Canada for her co ...

and she has two brothers named Robin and Richard.

Plays

* ''Bungsu and the Big Snake'' * ''Collateral Damages'' (co-written with Rob Thompson) * ''Peace and Plenty'' (co-written with Peggy Sample) * ''Playing Robin Hood'' * ''A Princess Never Should'' * ''Trance for Matron'' * ''The Working People's Picture Show'' (co-created with Lina Chartrand, Aida Jordão, Catherine Glen, Shawna Dempsey, and Cynthia Grant)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spry, Lib Canadian women dramatists and playwrights Date of birth missing (living people) Living people 20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights Canadian theatre directors Canadian artistic directors Goddard College alumni Queen's University at Kingston alumni Year of birth missing (living people)