Jackie Maxwell
JACKIE MAXWELL became the Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival in November 2002. Her first directing credit at the Shaw Festival was the acclaimed production of William Inge’s Picnic in 2001. As Artistic Director Designate in 2002, she directed Bernard Shaw’s Candida and the musical Merrily We Roll Along. For the 2003 season Ms. Maxwell began the journey of leading the festival’s creative evolution while directing Susan Coyne’s new translation of Chekhov’s Three Sisters and The Coronation Voyage by Canada’s Michel Marc Bouchard.In 2004, Ms. Maxwell lent her artistic vision to Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion and Githa Sowerby’s Rutherford and Son, which toured after its regular run in the Court House to Ottawa’s National Arts Centre. In 2005 Ms. Maxwell will direct Gypsy, the first musical ever to be presented in the Festival Theatre, and will reunite with Inge by directing his play Bus Stop. Along with her many freelance directing credits, which range from new Canadian plays to Shakespeare to opera, Ms. Maxwell was also the Artistic Director for the Factory Theatre in Toronto (1987-95) and from 1996-2000 she was the Head of New Play Development at the Charlottetown Festival. She has been a Guest Faculty member of the University of Toronto’s Graduate Centre for Drama for the last eight years. Born and raised in Belfast Northern Ireland, Ms. Maxwell acquired an Honours degree in Drama at the University of Manchester, England. Bio as of June, 2005. American Theatre Wing programs, interviews and/or credits include: Working in the Theatre (video) Exploring Summer Theatre - June, 2005 - Watch now.