معرفی
Matthew MacKenzie is a celebrated Indigenous Canadian playwright and faculty member in the Department of Dramatic Arts at Brock University's Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. A citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta, he brings extensive professional experience from his role as co-Artistic Director of Punctuate! Theatre, an Indigenous-led company based in Edmonton. He is set to teach Indigenous Theatre at Brock starting January 2024, following a national tour of his award-winning play.
MacKenzie’s research and artistic practice centers on Indigenous theatre, social justice, decolonial performance, and autobiographical storytelling. His work often explores identity, displacement, and cross-cultural relationships, particularly through the lens of Métis and Ukrainian diasporic experiences. He emphasizes equity and agency in independent theatre, encouraging new models of creation outside traditional institutional frameworks.
His acclaimed play First Métis Man of Odesa reflects a powerful convergence of personal and global events, blending themes of love, war, and resilience. The work has been recognized with top honors at Canada’s oldest and largest professional theatre awards, highlighting its artistic and cultural significance.
- Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Production (2023)
- Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play (2023)
- Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction (2023)
As a mentor and educator, MacKenzie is committed to empowering the next generation of theatre artists through independent creation and community-driven narratives. He actively supports student-led initiatives and advocates for inclusive, diverse, and socially engaged performance practices. While no specific grants are mentioned, his independent theatre model emphasizes self-sustained funding and grassroots development.
MacKenzie collaborates closely with his artistic partner and wife, Mariya Khomutova, through Punctuate! Theatre, which serves as both a creative laboratory and national platform for innovative, socially conscious performance. Their collaborative work exemplifies transdisciplinary, research-creation approaches in the arts.
