With Best Soldier, Ann-Marie MacDonald brings her most deeply personal project to The Theatre Centre. Working toward a solo performance, the piece will be rooted in autobiographical material that centres movement and dance. The project asks big questions digging into the power of memory, the roots of illness, and what it means to heal. It investigates the experience of being trapped in a body that feels invaded by poltergeists and vandals – some of whom bring an urgent message, some of whom are only there to raise hell. Ann-Marie is physically fearless and a very funny performer, and we look forward to seeing what lies at the intersection of Pina Bausch, military drill, and Don Campbellock.

Additional credits: Collaborators Rose Plotek and Rebecca Harper; consultant Yousef Kadoura

Ann-Marie MacDonald is a novelist, playwright, actor, and broadcast host.  Her work has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Chalmers, the Governor General’s, Gemini, Dora Mavor Moore, John Drainie, the Gascon-Thomas, the Canadian Authors Association, the Canadian Booksellers Association, and the Commonwealth Prize.  Her writing for the stage includes the plays, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet), Belle Moral:  A Natural History, and Hamlet-911; the libretto for the chamber opera, Nigredo Hotel, and book and lyrics for Anything That Moves; her novels are Fall On Your Knees, The Way the Crow Flies, Adult Onset, and Fayne.  Ann-Marie graduated from the Acting Program of The National Theatre School of Canada in 1980.  In 2019 she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. She is married to theatre director, Alisa Palmer, with whom she has two children.

Alisa Palmer: An internationally trained, award-winning theatre director, playwright, and theatre producer with a career spanning over 25 years, Alisa’s work crosses genres, including the classics, contemporary plays, creation projects, musicals and operas. Alisa’s work is characterized by vivid performances, a bold use of music, powerful visuals and a passionate commitment to the body politic.

Alisa’s productions have been celebrated in theatres across Canada including the recent national tour of the critically acclaimed, two-part adaptation of Fall on Your Knees.

Alisa is founder and Artistic Producer of Vita Brevis Arts, a company committed to the development of urgent and ambitious theatre projects.