Lezlie Wade

Region: Overseas

About / Bio

Lezlie Wade is a multifaceted theatre artist—director, writer, lyricist, and producer—whose career spans over three decades of creating bold, thought-provoking work across Canada and beyond. A graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse under Sanford Meisner and George Brown Theatre School, she honed her craft at the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, where she spent eight and two seasons respectively, directing classics like H.M.S. Pinafore, An Ideal Husband, and Spamalot (Stratford 2020/23, also consulting for Eric Idle on the 2023 New York production).

As a founding artistic leader, Lezlie built and transformed companies including Theatre in Port (1998–2001), Words in Action (2001–2005), and The Georgian Theatre Festival (Producing Artistic Director, 2003–2005), securing major grants and steering organizations into new venues while nurturing emerging talent through youth programs and playwright development.

Her original musicals have earned national and international recognition. The Tale of the Gifted Prince (book & lyrics), optioned by the Somerled Foundation, was workshopped at Dreamworks ASCAP with Stephen Schwartz, Open Jar NYC, and Finger Lakes, with a world premiere slated for Theatre Calgary in 2026. Other works include Sticky Fingers (Yellow Door, 2021), Dead Reckoning (Canada Council grant, USA Film Festival 2021), Robin Hood, Nobody’s Children, and Weird (a 90-minute Macbeth adaptation in development).

Lezlie’s directing credits span Broadway (Jesus Christ Superstar, assistant to Des McAnuff), Toronto premieres (RENT, Obeah Opera, A Man of No Importance—Dora-nominated), and regional stages from Theatre Aquarius to Grand Theatre London.

Her film Red Letter Day won Best Musical Film at the New York International Film Festival and screened globally.A celebrated mentor, she has directed at the National Theatre School, Sheridan College, and University of Windsor, and received the David Edney Writing Award (Stratford, 2018), Tyrone Guthrie Award (2017), and multiple OAC grants. Her writing appears in Intermission Magazine, The Lake Report, and Write On!.

Based in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Lezlie continues to champion new voices, female stories, and innovative musical theatre that entertains, provokes, and inspires.
lezliefwade.com

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Agent contact details

Michael Petrasek
[email protected]

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Genres

Books

Childrens writing

Film

Online writing

Short story

Television

Theatre

Showreels

View showreel 1

Sample of work

(see website)

Writer's credits

MUSICALS

STICKY FINGERS – book & lyrics Musical Yellow Door Theatre Project ‘21

Original Kids Theatre ‘22

NOBODY’S CHILDREN – book & lyrics Musical Yellow Door Theatre Project ‘22

Scott Christian Composer

WEIRD – book & lyrics Musical Adaptation

Librettist / Jonathan Monro Composer Workshopped at St. Clair College ’21

ROBIN HOOD -book & lyrics Musical Yellow Door Theatre Project ’19

QUEEN OF THE MIST -book & lyrics Musical Smile Theatre Company ‘07

THE GIFTED PRINCE -book & lyrics Musical Somerled Arts Foundation

- - ASCAP Dreamworks – with Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Flaherty & Dick Scanlan
  - Open Jar development workshop 2020
  - Bound for Broadway – Kaufmann Center NYC 2019
  - 42nd St. Studio workshop 2019
  - Manhattan Theatre Club workshop 2018
  - NAMPT 2018 & 2019
  - AMPT 2017 Workshop Northwestern University – Amanda Dehnert director

FILM

RED LETTER DAY

- - Librettist/Director/Editor The Film House Yellow Door Theatre ’21
  - Washington Film Festival
  - Kineko Film Festival
  - Golden Bee International Kid’s Film Festival
  - International film Festival of Tokyo

DEAD RECKONING

Yellow Door Theatre 2020

- - USA Film Festival / Kidfest screening

STICKY FINGERS Screenplay 2022

PLAYS

THE LODGER Drama

- - Adaptation from the book my Maria Belloc Lowndes

PROVENANCE Drama

- - (reading)Road Less Traveled Prod., Buffalo, NYC 2016 – Kyle La Conti Dir.
  - Theatre Aquarius reading 2017

A WRINKLE IN TIME – book Play (Currently in development)

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Drama Carousel Theatre B.C ‘06 Theatre Orangeville / 2005

The Globe Theatre / 2003

Sudbury Theatre Centre / 2002

THE CHIMES Drama Theatre in Port / 2002

PUBLICATIONS:

Intermission Magazine: Will Female Stories Ever Have a Place in Canadian Theatre? ’24

The Local Report: Carroll and Rampersad to Direct at the Royal Shakespeare Co. ’24

Write On! Magazine: Christmas Story 2023

Lake Report : Christmas Story 2020

Monthly article Owen Sound Sun Times 2003 -2005

Mosaic Magazine: It Doesn’t Get Better Than This 2005

Mosaic Magazine: Farewell 2005

NOVELS

STICKY FINGERS Youth 7 – 14

PUBLICATIONS

Intermission Magazine – Will Female Stories Ever Have a Place in Canadian Theatre?June 29/24

The Lake Report – Carroll and Rampersad to direct at Royal Shakespeare Co. June 15/ 24

Mosaic Magazine – Can Canadian Directors make a living in Theatre? Oct. 21 / 15

Owen Sound Sun Times – Monthly Column on the arts from Sept. 13 – Sept. 15

OTHER

Work with Dramaturg Ken Cerniglia (Hadestown, Newsies, Aladdin, Peter and the Starcatcher)

2019 La Mama International Playwright Symposium Spoletto Italy – Lisa Krohn

2016-2017 Member of Emanuel Fried Writer’s Workshop / Road Less Traveled Buffalo, NY

AWARDS

Stiles and Drewe Best new song Prize – short-list –Mercury Musical Developments in the UK. ’22 & ‘24

New York International film award 2021

Hollywood New Directors honourable mention 2021

David Henley Award – Stratford Festival – One month residency to write in Paris

OAC creators reserve awards – Theatre Aquarius 2017 & 2018

Guthrie Award – Stratford Festival – 2027

MEMBERSHIPS: Playwrights Guild of Canada, Dramatist Guild of America, Writers Guild of Great Britain, Mercury Musical Development MMD UK. CAEA, ACTRA

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