Eric is an award-winning director, deviser, playwright, educator, and the Artistic Director of Calgary’s acclaimed Ghost River Theatre (GRT). Eric’s work is fueled by his dyslexic brain and is characterized by a striking audio-visual aesthetic that embraces the impossible, constantly reframing and rediscovering what theatre is and what it is capable of. Eric’s passion for the creative process has inspired the diversity of his performance experience, spanning sensory, experiential, site-specific, immersive, and devised performance, as well as large-scale contemporary, classical, and design-driven theatre and dance.

As a sought-after teacher, Eric has shared his unique approach to theatrical creation with students and professionals worldwide. For GRT, Eric has taught its 4-Day and National 3-Week Devised Theatre Intensives for the last 15 years. He has taught for the Young Vic in London UK, Prague Quadrennial of Performance and Design, Kathy Knowles Theatre Company in Accra, Revolutions International Festival in Albuquerque, and across Canada at various post-secondary institutions and festivals. Eric has been honoured to be the Playwright in Residence at Alberta Theatre Projects, be named to Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40, and receive the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Artist Award for his body of work as a theatrical innovator.

Recent GRT credits include: Concept/Co-Creator, Echoes of the Land (Betty Award Best Musical Direction); playwright /director STRUCK (Betty Nomination Best New Play); director/co-playwright SensoryBox; director/co-playwright GIANT (Betty Mitchell Nomination Outstanding Director & New Play – Award for Outstanding Ensemble); concept/direction/co-creation of Intuition Project; co-adaptor, sound designer and director Tomorrow’s Child (Edinburgh Fringe), director/co-playwright TheLast Voyage of Donald Crowhurst (Betty Mitchell Awards for Outstanding Production, Direction, NewPlay and shortlisted for the Gwen Pharis Ringwood Prize in Playwriting).

Additional credits include directing a lab workshop of Troilus & Cressida for Stratford Festival; concept/co-creator I am Canada, Canadian Museum for Human Rights; concept/co-creator TropiCalgary, GLOW Festival; director/co-creator A Date With The Night for The Globe Theatre; director/dramaturg a new version of Hannah Moscovitch’s The Huron Bride for Vertigo Theatre; director the Canadian premiere of The Kite Runner for Theatre Calgary/Citadel Theatre; director/co-playwright Once Upon an Atom Bomb with Jennie Esdale and David Rhymer for the Green Fools Physical Theatre; director/co-playwright Peril in Paris with Ethan Cole (Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding New Play) a new musical for Lunchbox Theatre; director/dramaturg The Forbidden Sacrifice for the Kathy Knowles Theatre Company in Ghana.

For Film and TV, Mr. Rose recently co-wrote the feature documentary Close the Divide (AMPIA Award Best Documentary Screenwriter). He co-wrote / co-directed a new 5-part streaming series, So Dark the Sky (TOWebFest Award for Best Sci-fi Series), which has been screened at over 15 international festivals. He is currently co-writing a feature film with Kyle Thomas, which is in development for North Country Cinema.

Matthew McKinney is a filmmaker, actor, and graduate of the University of Alberta’s BFA Acting program. A native Calgarian, he splits his time working as the production manager at the Calgary International Film Festival, with his videography company, 2150 Creative, and entertaining his cat, Wylie. He was last on stage performing as Everett Klippert at the International Gay Theatre Festival in Ireland. Other theatre credits include: The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst (Ghost River Theatre & ATP), Snow Angel (Quest Theatre), and Legislating Love (Sage Theatre). FILM/TV: Going to the Chapel (Director), A Teacher (Server), Miracle in East Texas (Mr. Wimple), Three Colours and a Canvas (Hurk). Thanks for coming and enjoy the show! www.matt-mckinney.com