Michael Dobbin

Artistic Director – 1980 to 1984

Arriving in Kamloops in 1979, Michael Dobbin was named Western Canada Theatre’s new Artistic Director with the departure of Frank Glassen. Originally born in Calgary and receiving his theatre training at the University of Calgary, Michael gained early director and administrative experience through a summer company he established that worked in Jasper and Calgary. Michael’s company was a success, and he was able to move to London and help manage the Roundhouse Theatre in the West End. Following his time in Britain, Michael became the managing director of the Vancouver Playhouse for five successful years. Bringing with him a long list of credentials, both administratively and theatrically, Michael envisioned grand prospects for WCTC’s future in becoming a regional theatre. Michael continued to be a driving force behind WCTC until 1984, when he was offered the executive director position at Alberta Theatre Projects.

 

Born and raised in Calgary, Michael received his theatre training at the University of Calgary (where he has been named a ‘Distinguished Alumnus”). He gained early director and administrative experience through a summer theatre—Palisade Arts—which he co-founded, operating in Jasper and Calgary. From that success, he was able to move to the UK and worked on the management team at the Roundhouse Theatre in the West End, London. After returning to Canada, he briefly freelanced as an actor until he was, in 1974, named managing director of the Vancouver Playhouse, where he served for five successful years and was one of the co-founders of the Playhouse Theatre School.

Bringing with him a long list of credentials, both administratively and theatrically, Dobbin envisioned grand prospects for WCTC’s future in becoming a genuine regional theatre. He was the driving force leading the eager staff and board team at WCTC during a time of great growth—huge increases in audience size, start of Stage One Theatre School, construction of The Pavilion, and financial stability being some of the most significant accomplishments.

In 1983, he accepted the call to Alberta Theatre Projects, in Calgary where he became Producing Director/CEO; tasked with completing and opening the new Martha Cohen Theatre in 1985. ATP went on, during his tenure, to become Canada’s leading contemporary theatre. In 2000 he founded his Creative City Consultancy. Next, he moved to the nation’s capital where, shortly thereafter, he served as interim General Director at Opera Lyra Ottawa.

D. Michael Dobbin was president of Professional Association of Canadian Theatres/PACT for four years, a founder of the Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance, the BC Touring Council, and the Alberta Major Performing Arts Consortium as well as being a board member for The Canadian Conference of the Arts, and several other advocacy organizations. He has served as an advisor and taught for theatre departments at Mount Royal College, Banff Centre for the Arts, Cariboo College, The Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts, and the University of Calgary.

Long active in Canadian play development, in 1987 he founded and produced the annual national playRites Festival of New Canadian Plays at Alberta Theatre Projects. He has premiered more than fifty full-length works and directed or produced over 250 plays and musicals and operas in Canada, London, Singapore, and Hong Kong. He has served as artistic/creative consultant to the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts, National Arts Centre, Magnetic North Theatre Festival, Opera Lyra, Belfry Theatre, Singapore’s W!LD RICE Theatre, and many others.

Known to say he will never fully retire, he is now happily free-lancing as actor, director, and mentor; working with companies and individuals whose artistic ideals and social values parallel his own. He lives permanently at The Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) in Vancouver, with long winter stretches in Mexico where he is a popular stage director in the city of San Miguel de Allende.

Last updated 2015, when Michael was made Honorary Life Member of WCT, on the occasion of our 40th Anniversary.