Jace van der Veen

[Moira day]

        I recently received word through the Theatre Alberta newsletter
that Jace van der Veen, the former Artistic Director of Northern Light
Theatre died on July 23, 200 after a 6 month battle with cancer.

        "Jace was at Northern Light Theatre from 1983 to 1988.  During this
time, he encouraged the development of original Canadian works.  His
greatest strength was in theatrical dramaturgy.  From 1990 to 1993, he was
the director of the Alberta Conference for Theatre, the forerunner of
Theatre Alberta.  He also taught dramaturgy and directing at the college
and university level.

        Jace completed his Master's degree in Amsterdam. He spent time
translating Canadian plays into Dutch and Dutch plays into English, and it
was a very happy time for him." - Theatre Alberta Newsletter. Fall 2000 p.9

        While I never worked with Jace personally, it was impossible to go
anywhere in Edmonton: AT conferences, the drama department, Northern Light
Theatre, Studio Theatre - all the theatres in the city - heck, anywhere
there was a breath of drama in the air in Alberta - without encountering
his tall, lanky figure, and warm, energetic, charismatic personality at
some turn of the process.  In the best sense of that word, he was someone
who crossed boundaries easily and made himself an asset to others wherever
he went. He will be missed.

Moira

Moira Day, Associate Professor of Drama
moiraday at duke.usask.ca