Leah Cherniak

Leah Cherniak (born 1956) is a Canadian playwright, actor, and teacher. She is a co-founder of Theatre Columbus (now called Common Boots).

Early life and education

Cherniak graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in 1979. She later studied at École Jacques Lecoq, where she met Martha Ross.

Career

Cherniak co-founded Theatre Columbus with Martha Ross in 1984. Originally, the company was called The Gargoils. In 2015, Theatre Columbus changed their name to Common Boots Theatre.

Teaching

Beginning in 1985, Cherniak taught clown at the National Theatre School. In 2001, Cherniak began teaching dance at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and George Brown College.

Directorial credits

Theatre

• Up Against the Wallpaper – Nightwood Theatre (1989)
• The Tell-Tale Heart – Theatre Columbus (1995)
• Froth (1996)
• Three Birds Alighting on a Field – George Brown Theatre (2000)
• Lonely Nights and Other Stories – Theatre Columbus, co-directed with Maggie Huculak (2001)
• Rue Alridge – Tarragon Theatre (2004)
• Edward the "Crazy Man" – Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People (2008)
• 6 Essential Questions – Factory Theatre (2014)
• Clown – Ryerson School of Performance (2018)
• The Ward Cabaret – Harbourfront Centre Theatre (2020), co-directed with David Buchbinder
• Perpetual Archaeology – Crow's Theatre written by and starring Alex Bulmer (June 2023)

Film

• Things Dead People Say – short film (2020)

Acting credits

Theatre

Plays

• Until We Part – co-written with Martha Ross
• The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine – co-written with Robert Morgan and Martha Ross
• Still Clowning – co-written with Martha Ross
• The Fragments – co-written with Suvendrini Lena and Trevor Schwellnus
• The Theory of Relatives – co-written with Daniel Brooks, Diane Flacks, Richard Greenblatt, Leslie Lester, and Allan Merovitz
• The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls – co-written with Jennifer Brewin, Martha Ross, Ann-Marie MacDonald, and Alisa Palmer
• More Fine Girls – co-written with Brewin, Ross, MacDonald, and Palmer, sequel to The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls
• Scadding ' co-created with Jennifer Brewin, Alex Bulmer, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, John Gzowski, Maggie Huculak, Anand Rajaram, Jenny Salisbury and Stephon Smith
• The Betrayal – co-written with Oliver Dennis, Maggie Huculak, Robert Morgan, Martha Ross and Michael Simpson

Awards

References