Nick Green is a Dora Mavor Moore, Elizabeth Sterling Haynes, and Tom Hendry award-winning playwright and book writer based in Toronto. His long list of writing credits includes Body Politic, Dinner with The Duchess, Happy Birthday Baby J, Every Day She Rose (written with Andrea Scott), as well as musicals In Real Life (with composer Kevin Wong) and Dr. Silver (with composers Britta and Anika Johnson.) He is a celebrated and decorated playwright and yet somehow these accomplishments are some of the least interesting things about him. He is a full-time social worker who does impactful work on behalf of Toronto’s young people every day. Over the pandemic, he created and curated the Social Distancing Festival connecting artists and innovators from all over the world. An expert in fibre crafts, he can crochet a very nice hat within an hour. He is a self-proclaimed foodie who can find the best hole-in-the-wall restaurant in any city before you can finish the sentence “Where are we eating tonight?”. He knows just as much about contemporary classical choral music as he does about the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and can discuss both with equal levels of passion and insight. He is a parent to two beautiful dogs, a gourmet cook, a lover of baths, an expert gift-giver, a thoughtful citizen of the world and of course, a bold and brilliant writer. His new play, Casey and Diana, which premiered with a sold-out run at the Stratford Festival this past Summer will open at Soulpepper on January 25 and everyone in the city should go. It will crack you open and heal you in a way that only the very finest art can do.
-Written by Britta Johnson, Nick’s friend and collaborator
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Which ’hood are you in?
I live in what some people call the Upper Beaches, which is near Woodbine and Danforth. That said, I’m trying to push a rebrand to the “Arts and Crafts District” because of all the amazing fabric, pottery, baking, painting, and hobby stores. The rebrand is going pretty slowly so far, given that I am literally the only person who says it.
What do you do?
I am a professional playwright and musical theatre book writer. I’ve been doing it for about 20 years and every day is a new and exciting challenge. I’m also a trained social worker and have a whole other life doing that work.
What are you currently working on?
My play Casey and Diana had its world premiere at the Stratford Festival last summer, and I am so lucky to be having that production brought to Toronto this January/February at Soulpepper Theatre. The show chronicles Princess Diana’s famous visit to Casey House, Canada’s first AIDS hospice. This was a significant, stigma-breaking event that is a beautiful part of Toronto’s history. It’s a total dream working with this wonderful cast and crew to bring this show to the city in which it all took place.
Where can we find your work?
There will be a presentation of a new musical of mine called In Real Life, written with Kevin Wong, presented at the Musical Stage Company’s Festival of New Musicals in May. There are also two other upcoming yet-to-be-announced productions in 2024, so stay tuned!
