Lezlie Wade studied acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York and George Brown Theatre School. She studied directing at The Lincoln Center Director's Lab, The Director's Project at the Shaw Festival and Soulpepper. She is a member of Canadian Actors Equity, Actra, and Playwrights Guild of Canada. She was co-founder of Theatre in Port where she remained as Artistic Director from 1998 - 2000, she was also Artistic Director of The Georgian Theatre Festival from 2003 - 2005 leading the company through three transitive years including an outstanding 2005 summer in a 200 seat tent. Lezlie was nominated for the Pauline McGibbon award in 2001.

DIRECTING credits include: THE YALTA GAME/ Shaw Festival Director's Project; Assistant Director SUMMER AND SMOKE, MACK & MABEL/ The Shaw Festival; ELEGIES/ Acting Up Stage Co.; WAITING FOR THE PARADE/ University of Toronto, BOOK OF DAYS/ Canadian Premiere for Theatremanation, MINIPUTT/ Theatre Orangeville; THE FOURSOME/ Victoria Playhouse, THAT SUMMER, COWGIRLS, COTTON PATCH GOSPEL, FOR THE PLEASURE OF SEEING HER AGAIN/ The Georgian Theatre Festival; A CHRISTMAS CAROL/ Sudbury Theatre Centre; MAN OF LAMANCHA, ART/ Waterloo Stage; SYLVIA, RELATIVELY SPEAKING/ Theatre in Port; SLEUTH, BUSINESS OF MURDER/ Showboat Festival Theatre; EIGHT TO THE BAR/ Bluewater Summer Playhouse

ACTING credits include: Babe- CRIMES OF THE HEART, Sally - TALLEY'S FOLLY, Kate - OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY, Leocadia - LARONDE/ Showboat Festival Theatre; Brenda Parker - BEDFULL OF FOREIGNERS, Rosmary - IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY/ Drayton Entertainment; Gwendolyn Pigeon - THE ODD COUPLE/ Stage West; Wendla - SPRING AWAKENING/ Pink Ink, Rita - EDUCATING RITA/ Theatre in Port; May - THE AFFECTIONS OF MAY/ Georgian Theatre Festival; Belle - A CHRISTMAS CAROL/ Workshop West; Monica - SINNERS, Octavia (originated role) - Dear Santa/ Theatre Orangeville.

WRITING credits include: A CHRISTMAS CAROL- four hander musical version with puppets produced at Carousel Theatre, Vancouver, The Globe Theatre, Regina, Workshop West & Shadow Theatre, Edmonton, Smile Theatre Company, Theatre Orangeville, Showboat Festival Theatre, and Sudbury Theatre Centre.

POOR LYDIA IS LOST - Children's play about the environment toured for Showboat Festival

 

with theatremanation...
 

THE CHIMES - Musical adaptation of Charles Dickens Christmas story
 

MAKE 'EM LAUGH - one-woman play about Fanny Brice - toured for Smile Theatre Co.
 

QUEEN OF THE MIST - musical about historical figure Annie Edson Taylor, first person and only woman to go over Niagara Falls and live.

Career Highlights:

• Associate Artist CanStage 2007/2008 Season
• Shaw Festival Director’s Project 2007
• ELEGIES – Acting Up Stage Co.
• Artistic Director Georgian Theatre Festival 2003 – 2005
• BOOK OF DAYS – Theatremanation 2002
• Soulpepper Director’s Lab 2002
• Lincoln Center Director’s Lab 2001
• Co-founder/ Artistic Director Theatre in Port 1997 – 2000