2021
In 1979, Chris joined the Mulgrave Road Co-op Theatre in Guysborough. Through collective creation and as an individual writer, Chris created six plays with Mulgrave Road that have toured to dozens of locations in all three Maritime provinces. He served as Artistic Director from 1987 to 1989. Working with Stage Cabaret in Halifax in 1980, Chris authored Pogie. It was published and later toured Nova Scotia and Newfoundland before
being picked up by theatres in Ontario and BC. Chris became writer-in-residence at Mermaid Theatre in Wolfville, NS in 1984 and went on to create three touring plays with Mermaid. Chris abandoned solo writing for Mermaid and founded Mermaid Youtheatre in 1990 in order to encourage younger writers and actors.
He remained Associate Director of Mermaid until 2012.
With Tessa Mendel, Chris co-founded Halifax Theatre for Young People in 2008 and adapted for the stage prose works by Sheree Fitch and Alistair MacLeod. Encouraging other Canadian writers was also a goal for Chris while serving as Managing Director of the Chester Playhouse from 1996 to 2004. He traveled widely around Europe with the Liverpool International Theatre which he directed from 2006 until 2010.
Chris has lived in Mahone Bay since 1983 apart from several years living and working in Nunavut. In all of his endeavors, Chris has been supported by his longtime partner Deborah Hickman and their two children.
