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Winner will receive $75,000 and select a protégé to receive $25,000

Why Not Theatre is pleased to share the exciting news that our founder and Co-Artistic Director Ravi Jain has been selected as a finalist for the 2022 Siminovitch Prize. Over a three-year cycle, the Siminovitch Prize celebrates a professional mid-career director, playwright or designer whose work is transformative and influential. Aimed at creating exposure and elevating Canadian theatre, the Prize is life-changing for Laureates, who are given the public recognition and financial resources to take greater creative risks. This year’s shortlist shines a spotlight on directors from across the country who are blazing new paths in Canadian theatre.

“We are delighted that the Siminovitch Prize jury has recognized what we at Why Not most value and celebrate,” said Co-Artistic Director Miriam Fernandes, “that Ravi’s work is bold, groundbreaking and rooted in a radical vision of equity and artistic innovation. We are thrilled to see him honoured in this way”. “The Siminovitch Prize is undoubtedly Canada’s most important theatre prize,” said Why Not Theatre Executive Director Karen Tisch, “and it is gratifying to see our founder, colleague and friend among this year’s stellar group of shortlisted artists. Congratulations to Ravi and all the finalists on this wonderful recognition.”

Ravi Jain is a multi-award-winning artist known for making politically bold and accessible theatrical experiences in both small indie productions and large theatres. As the founding Artistic Director of Why Not Theatre, Ravi has established himself as an artistic leader for his inventive productions, international producing/collaborations and innovative producing models aimed at better supporting emerging artists. Ravi was shortlisted for the 2016 and 2019 Siminovitch Prize and won the 2012 Pauline McGibbon Award for Emerging Director and the 2016 Canada Council John Hirsch Prize for direction. In 2022, he was 1 of 5 winners of the Metcalf Foundation’s Johannas Prize. He is a graduate of the two-year program at École Jacques Lecoq, and was selected to be on the roster of clowns for Cirque du Soleil. With Why Not Theatre, he is currently touring his groundbreaking American Sign Language-English production Prince Hamlet across North America, and collaborating with Miriam Fernandes on his most ambitious artistic protect to date: a contemporary two-part, six hour retelling of the Sanskrit epic, Mahabharata, co-produced with Shaw Festival, with support from the National Arts Centre, and in association with the Barbican, London.

Commenting on the 2022 Siminovitch Prize shortlist, Jury Chair Guillermo Verdecchia said: “The jury was impressed by the range and quality of work being made across the country… What struck us about the shortlisted artists was the specificity of their individual voices and practices, the restless pursuit of their aesthetic questions and concerns, and the rigour of their work. Each is a recognized and celebrated leader in their community and often further afield. Each shortlisted artist is making excellent, exciting work that challenges and delights their collaborators and their audiences.” 

Ravi Jain will join the other 2022 Siminovitch Prize finalists for “The Craft of Directing”, a panel discussion on the craft of theatre directing on October 27, 2022. The Siminovitch Prize winner will then be announced on December 1, 2022 as part of an evening honouring theatre direction in Canada. The event will include the premiere of short documentaries about each of the four Siminovitch Prize finalists and the announcement of the winner’s selected protégé. For more information on these events, visit: https://siminovitchprize.com/events/

About Why Not Theatre

We push boundaries, build community, and find new ways. Rethink how stories are told. And who gets to tell them. We MAKE great work that takes chances, and tours all over the world. We SHARE everything we have because more artists mean more stories. We PROVOKE change because we believe art should be for everyone. At Why Not we make things, better.