Nightwood Theatre is Canada's oldest professional women’s theatre company. Based in Toronto, it was founded in 1979 by Cynthia Grant, Kim Renders, Mary Vingoe and Maureen White.

For thirty-two years Nightwood has produced, developed and toured landmark, award-winning plays by Canadian women. The company’s work has led to the creation of plays as diverse as Good Night Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)by the acclaimed playwright and novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald

Ann-Marie MacDonald

Ann-Marie MacDonald is a Canadian playwright, novelist, actor and broadcast journalist who lives in Toronto, Ontario. The daughter of a member of Canada's military, she was born at an air force base near Baden-Baden, West Germany....

, Harlem Duet by Djanet Sears

Djanet Sears

Djanet Sears is a Canadian playwright, actor and director. She was born in 1959 in England, to a Guyanese father and a Jamaican mother. Sears was raised in England and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan...

 (Dora, Chalmers

Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award

The Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Awards were a Canadian literary award, given to Canadian plays produced by any professional Canadian theatre company, and having at least ten performances in the Toronto area....

and Governor General’s Awards), The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God, by Djanet Sears (6 Dora nominations, award for Outstanding Choreography), The Danish Play by Sonja Mills (two Dora Award nominations - Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Female Performance) and over 50 new Canadian works by women.

Nightwood advocates for women, provides a training ground for emerging talent, promotes diversity and engages artists in play development and theatre production. Play development, mentorship and youth outreach are also at the centre of the company’s activities, including a free summer program for teen girls called Busting Out!
Kelly Thornton has been the Artistic Director since 2001. Producer Monica Esteves joined the company in 2006.