Weyni Mengesha
Represented by: Kish Iqbal- Resume
- Demo Reel
- Photos
- Press & Links
Resume
| AWARDS and HONOURS | ||
| DGC Award Best Short Film | Georgeena | 2021 (Nomination) |
| Drama League Award Outstanding
Digital Theatre Production |
Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! | 2021 (Nomination) |
| Dora Award Outstanding Direction | A Streetcar Named Desire | 2019 (Nomination) |
| Dora Award Outstanding Production | A Streetcar Named Desire | 2019 (Nomination) |
| DGC Award Best Short Film | With Me | 2019 (Nomination) |
| NAACP Theatre Award Best Direction | Bars and Measures | 2016 (Nomination) |
| Dora Award Best Production | Father Comes Home from the Wars | 2016 (Won) |
| Dora Award Best Direction | Father Comes Home from the Wars | 2016 (Nomination) |
| Dora Award Best Direction | Butcher | 2016 (Won) |
| Calgary Critics Award Best Direction | Butcher | 2014 (Nomination) |
| Toronto Critics Award Best Production | Lungs | 2014 (Won) |
| Dora Award Best Direction | Lungs | 2014 (Nomination) |
| Toronto Critics Award Best Direction | Stairs | 2012 (Won) |
| Dora Award Best Direction | Blood.claat | 2010 (Nomination) |
| Dora Award Best Direction | A Raisin in the Sun | 2008, 2010 (Nomination) |
| Dora Award Best New Play | Blood.claat | 2003-2010 (Won) (dramaturge) |
| Dora Award Best Direction | Blood claat | 2003-2010 (Nomination) |
| Dora Award Best Original Composition | ‘da Kink in my Hair | 2001-2005, 2010 (Nomination) |
| Finalist of the 2009 Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts | ||
| Recipient of the Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Artist of the Year Award (Presented by Mayor Miller) | ||
| African Canadian Woman’s Achievement Award | 2008 (Won) | |
| Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts | (Won) | |
| AronImage Award for Community Leadership
Harold Award for Artistic Excellence (Nominated by Djanet Sears) |
(Won)
(Won) |
|
| THEATRE: | ||
| The Guide to Being Fabulous | Director (2023) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| Treemonisha (Upcoming) | Director (2023) | Volcano Theatre |
| Billie, Sarah and Ella: Revolutionary Women In Jazz | Director (2023) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| Da Kink in My Hair | Director (2022) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| Queen Goneril | Director (2022) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| Pipeline | Director (2022) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| Power of Sail | Director (2022) | Geffen Playhouse |
| Jesus Hopped The A-Train | Director (2020) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| A Streetcar Named Desire | Director (2019) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| Soulpepper Theatre Company
Treemonisha: A Ragtime Opera |
Artistic Director
Director (2019) |
From January 2019 to present
Volcano Theatre |
| Kim’s Convenience (remount) | Director (2017) | 42nd Street Theatre (NYC) |
| Seven Spots on the Sun | Director (2017) | Rattlestick Theatre (NYC) |
| Butcher | Director (2017) | Why Not/Mirvish Theatre |
| Bars and Measures | Director (2016) | Boston Court (Pasadena, CA) |
| Father Comes Home from the Wars | Director (2016) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| Breath of Kings, Part I and II | Director (2016) | Stratford Shakespeare Festival |
| Butcher | Director (2016) | Why Not Theatre Centre |
| Kim’s Convenience (remount) | Director (2015) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| Butcher | Director (2014) | Alberta Theatre Projects |
| Lungs | Director (2014) | Tarragon Theatre |
| Kim’s Convenience (premiere) | Director (2012) | Soulpepper Theatre |
| The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs | Director (2012) | Tarragon Theatre |
| Another Africa | Director (2011) | Volcano Theatre |
| Hosanna | Director (2011) | Stratford Shakespeare Festival |
| Blood.claat | Director (2010) | Great Canadian Theatre Company |
| Yellowman | Director (2009) | Nightwood Theatre/Obsidian Theatre Company |
| A Raisin in the Sun | Director (2008, 2010) | Soulpepper Theatre Company/Theatre Calgary |
| The Taxi Project | Director/Dramaturge (2007-2008) | PEN Canada |
| BliNK | Director (2008) | Soulpepper Theatre Company/Luminato |
| Blood.claat | Director/Dramaturge (2003-2010) | Theatre Passe Muraille/NY Hip Hop Theatre Festival |
| ’da kink in my hair | Director/Dramaturge (2001-2005, 2010) | Theatre Passe Muraille/Mirvish Ent./Hackney Theatre |
| Associate Artistic Director | New Play Development | Theatre Passe Muraille (2004-2006) |
| FILM/TELEVISION: | ||
| Duchess, Duchess, Duchess (short) | Director | Steppenwolf Theatre |
| Pretty Hard Cases | Director | CBC |
| 21 Black Futures: Georgeena | Director | CBC Gem |
| Kim’s Convenience | Director (1 Episode) | CBC/Eone/Thunderbird/Strada |
| With You (Short) | Director | Try Fool Films Inc. |
| Dino Dana | Director (1 Episode) | Sinking Ship Entertainment |
| Hero.Traitor.Patriot (short) | Co-Director/Editor | Magic Hour Productions |
| LA’d (series) | Director (2 eps) | Red Tent Entertainment |
| Lord Have Mercy (series) | Assistant Director (12 eps) | Vision Television |
| Lord Have Mercy (series) | Floor Director (2 eps) | Vision Television |
| TEACHING EXPERIENCE: Soulpepper Academy (2021) Canadian Film Centre, Directing (2020) Rumble Theatre National Directors Lab (masterclass teacher) (2018) Sound The Horn- Creative Director/Teacher (2004-2012) |
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| National Theatre School of Canada—Scene Study | ||
| TRAINING: | ||
| Graduate of York University’s Theatre Directing Program 1997-2001 | ||
| Soulpepper’s Academy 2006-2008 | ||
Demo Reel
Photo Gallery
Press & Links
- www.weynimengesha.com
- WEYNI MENGESHA // artist profile
- How stories shaped Weyni Mengesha into the theatre director she is today
- Canadian Opera Company Tops 2016 Dora Awards; All the Winners!
- Cousins Weyni and Araya Mengesha are taking on Shakespeare together
- Star Director Weyni Mengesha On Her Latest Project, Butcher
- DIRECTOR WEYNI MENGESHA ON NEW PRODUCTION BUTCHER
- The List: 10 things award-winning theatre director Weyni Mengesha can’t live without
- Director Weyni Mengesha on remounting Tarragon Theatre’s award-winning show