John Juliani
Encyclopedia
John Juliani was a Canadian
actor
, writer
, producer
, director
and educator. His career spanned four decades in a number of different media, including radio and film. In addition to his artistic contributions, Juliani was a strong advocate of Canadian theatre and the arts. He is the father of actor Alessandro Juliani
.
and was the first alumnus of that school to serve there as a guest teacher. Early in his career, Juliani performed at the Stratford Festival of Canada
and was a member of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival Company.
In 1966, Juliani joined the theatre department of Simon Fraser University
as an instructor. At that time, he also established the Savage God Theatre Company. Juliani took the name from a comment made by William Butler Yeats
after Yeats had seen a production of Alfred Jarry
's Ubu Roi
to signify literary and theatrical revolution.
During 1973 and 1974, under a grant
from the Canada Council
, Julian traveled and studied world theatre. Afterwards, in 1974, Juliani established the graduate studies program in theatre at York University
. In 1976, Juliani moved to Edmonton
where he produced work with Savage God in both that city and Toronto
.
In 1982, Juliani joined radio drama department of the CBC
in Vancouver, where he was the executive producer of special projects until 1997.
In 1983, Juliani earned a Genie Award
nomination for best original screenplay
for his film, Latitude 55°, which he also directed. That film earned a total of six Genie nominations.
Juliani was an active member of artists’ unions and organizations, including Equity
, serving on its West Coast Advisory Committee, and ACTRA
. He was the National President of the Directors Guild of Canada
for 1986–1987 and later spent a decade as chairman of the B.C. District Council of the DGC. Juliani also served as President of the Union of British Columbia Performers (ACTRA) from 1998 until his death. Juliani was also a founding member of the editorial board of the Canadian Theatre Review.
In Vancouver, under Juliani’s guidance, Savage God undertook a number of projects, including The Shakespeare Project, a programme of staged reading
s of the entire works of Shakespeare. The project commenced in January 2000, and had been intended to span a number of years. With Juliani’s sudden death after a short battle with liver cancer
, Savage God produced the remaining plays in a three day “Bard-a-Thon” in June 2004, ending with a production of Hamlet
.
In addition to founding Savage God, Juliani was a co-founder and co-artistic director of "Opera Breve", a self-styled "micro" company.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, producer
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...
, director
Theatre direction
A theatre director or stage director is a practitioner in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production by unifying various endeavours and aspects of production...
and educator. His career spanned four decades in a number of different media, including radio and film. In addition to his artistic contributions, Juliani was a strong advocate of Canadian theatre and the arts. He is the father of actor Alessandro Juliani
Alessandro Juliani
Alessandro Juliani is a Canadian actor, singer, and voice actor. He is notable for playing Tactical Officer Lieutenant Felix Gaeta on the Sci Fi Channel television program Battlestar Galactica, and Emil Hamilton in Smallville...
.
Career
Juliani trained at the National Theatre School of CanadaNational Theatre School of Canada
The National Theatre School of Canada is a private college located in Montreal, Quebec.Established in Montreal in 1960, the National Theatre School of Canada offers professional training in English and French in a setting that unites all the theatre arts: acting, playwriting, directing, set and...
and was the first alumnus of that school to serve there as a guest teacher. Early in his career, Juliani performed at the Stratford Festival of Canada
Stratford Festival of Canada
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is an internationally recognized annual celebration of theatre running from April to November in the Canadian city of Stratford, Ontario...
and was a member of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival Company.
In 1966, Juliani joined the theatre department of Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
as an instructor. At that time, he also established the Savage God Theatre Company. Juliani took the name from a comment made by William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
after Yeats had seen a production of Alfred Jarry
Alfred Jarry
Alfred Jarry was a French writer born in Laval, Mayenne, France, not far from the border of Brittany; he was of Breton descent on his mother's side....
's Ubu Roi
Ubu Roi
Ubu Roi is a play by Alfred Jarry, premiered in 1896. It is a precursor of the Theatre of the Absurd and Surrealism. It is the first of three stylised burlesques in which Jarry satirises power, greed, and their evil practices — in particular the propensity of the complacent bourgeois to abuse the...
to signify literary and theatrical revolution.
During 1973 and 1974, under a grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
from the Canada Council
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
, Julian traveled and studied world theatre. Afterwards, in 1974, Juliani established the graduate studies program in theatre at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
. In 1976, Juliani moved to Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
where he produced work with Savage God in both that city and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
In 1982, Juliani joined radio drama department of the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
in Vancouver, where he was the executive producer of special projects until 1997.
In 1983, Juliani earned a Genie Award
Genie Award
Genie Awards are given out to recognize the best of Canadian cinema by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. From 1949-1979, the awards were named the Canadian Film Awards...
nomination for best original screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
for his film, Latitude 55°, which he also directed. That film earned a total of six Genie nominations.
Juliani was an active member of artists’ unions and organizations, including Equity
Canadian Actors' Equity Association
Canadian Actors' Equity Association is an association of performers in English Canada who are engaged in live performances before paying audiences in theatre, opera and dance...
, serving on its West Coast Advisory Committee, and ACTRA
ACTRA
The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists is a Canadian labour union representing performers in English-language media. It has 22,000 members working in film, television, radio, and all other recorded media....
. He was the National President of the Directors Guild of Canada
Directors Guild of Canada
The Directors Guild of Canada is a Canadian labour union, founded in 1962, which represents more than 3,700 professionals from 48 different occupations in the Canadian film and television industry. The DGC represents directors, assistant directors, location managers, production assistants and...
for 1986–1987 and later spent a decade as chairman of the B.C. District Council of the DGC. Juliani also served as President of the Union of British Columbia Performers (ACTRA) from 1998 until his death. Juliani was also a founding member of the editorial board of the Canadian Theatre Review.
In Vancouver, under Juliani’s guidance, Savage God undertook a number of projects, including The Shakespeare Project, a programme of staged reading
Staged reading
A staged reading is a form of theatre without sets or full costumes. The actors, who read from scripts, may be seated, stand in fixed positions, or incorporate minimal stage movement....
s of the entire works of Shakespeare. The project commenced in January 2000, and had been intended to span a number of years. With Juliani’s sudden death after a short battle with liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
, Savage God produced the remaining plays in a three day “Bard-a-Thon” in June 2004, ending with a production of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
.
In addition to founding Savage God, Juliani was a co-founder and co-artistic director of "Opera Breve", a self-styled "micro" company.