Leadership
Kelly Thornton is an award-winning director and dramaturg. Since 2001, she has been the Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre. Prior to this she worked in new play development as an assistant dramaturg at CanStage and Factory Theatre and at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre as Rhubarb! Festival Director, curating, for two seasons, the largest festival of new works in Canada. She has been directing for the stage for over ten years. Selected credits include Veronique Olmi’s Mathilde, translated by Morwyn Brebner (Nightwood), The Comedy of Errors for Canstage’s Dream in High Park, The Danish Play (Nightwood, Aveny-Teatret, Denmark, Edmonton’s Magnetic North Theatre Festival and National Arts Centre, Ottawa) and This Hotel (Theatre Passe Muraille/Planet 88- six Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations including Outstanding Direction). Other credits include the world premiere of China Doll (Nightwood, Governor General’s Award Finalist), Peep Show (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre), Finding Regina (Theatre Passe Muraille /Globe Theatre), Bear With Me (Nightwood/Buddies), Jekyll (Les Vaches), The Dumb Waiter (SummerWorks), Friedrich Durrenmatt’s The Visit (Alumnae Director’s Award). In 2003 Kelly was honoured with the prestigious Pauline McGibbon Award for her outstanding work as a Director.
Monica Esteves joined Nightwood Theatre in 2006 as Producer and General Manager. Originally a stage and production manager, Monica established herself as an independent theatre producer and arts manager. She was the Artistic Producer and one of the founding members of The Company Theatre whose production of A Whistle in the Dark earned critical acclaim, Dora Mavor Moore nominations and sold out run. Monica also produced BirdLand Theatre’s acclaimed production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Simultaneous to those endeavours, Monica was the Company Manager and Assistant to the Artistic Producer at CanStage (The Canadian Stage Company). As a professional stage manager, Monica’s credits include multiple productions at CanStage, Tarragon Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Videocabaret, Theatrefront, Nightwood Theatre, The Saidye Bronfman Centre, Resurgence Theatre, Mirvish Productions, The Stratford Festival and various independent productions. She was the Production Manager for the inaugural season of The Montreal Young Company. Monica is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.
