Catherine Banks

Catherine Banks was born in Nova Scotia in 1957. Her interest in writing began early. Her love of drama and her understanding of its power comes from time spent in her grandmother's kitchen, listening to her stories and ravings of real life dramas. But it was the work of Michel Tremblay that inspired her to begin writing plays. She has been lucky to have a number of mentors who have encouraged and supported her development as a playwright; these include: Tessa Mendel, Marina Endicott, Laura McLauchlan, Mary Vingoe, Paula Danckert, Lois Brown, Pam Halstead, and Janis Spence.

Catherine Banks' first play The Summer of the Piping Plover was produced in 1991 by UpStart Theatre, Halifax. Her play Three Storey, Ocean View, (Mulgrave Road Theatre; dir. Philip Adams) toured Nova Scotia in the fall of 2000 and got the all-important second production when it was produced by Equity Theatre Showcase Toronto, directed by Pam Halstead in October of 2003.

Her one-person show Bitter Rose has been produced twice (1999, 2006) at the LSPU HALL. The 2000 production by Women's Theatre and Creativity Centre in Halifax was remounted in 2004 when it was taped for BRAVO! Singular Series 2 and again in 2006 when it was performed at Winnipeg's FemFest. Her new play Bone Cage was selected for On the Verge '05 a national showcase for new work at the National Arts Centre and got its premiere production in the fall of 2007.

Catherine's newest plays are Rilla-my-Rilla, based on Rilla of Ingleside by LM Montgomery, and Missy and Me.

Catherine is a founding member and Past President of Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, and is currently the Atlantic Rep. for Playwrights Guilds of Canada.

Selected list of Publications

Bone Cage. PLCN Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-88754-787-4

Another Perfect Piece - Monologues from Canadian Plays, PLCN Press, ISBN 978-0887545184

Taking the Stage - Monologues from Contemporary Women Playwrights, PLCN Press

Awards

1989 Eula’s Offer. 2nd prize, Kings Theatre Competition.

1995 Three Storey, Ocean View. Silver Medal, du Maurier National Play Competition.

2002 Three Storey, Ocean View. Nominated for Merrit Award (best play written by a Nova Scotia playwright).

2002 Bone Cage. Special Merit Award, Theatre BC National Playwright Competition publications.

2004 Bitter Rose Monologue selected for Monologue Collection (Playwrights Can Press).

Plays available from the Playwrights Guild of Canada

Bone Cage (2007)
Three Storey, Ocean View (2003)
Bitter Rose (2001)
The Summer of the Piping Plover (2000)

You can send mail to Catherine Banks
c/o Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia