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Chris Abraham (born 1974) is a Canadian theatre director, most noted as the artistic director of the Crow's Theatre company in Toronto, Ontario since 2007.^[1]

Originally from Montreal, Quebec, he studied theatre at the University of Toronto and the National Theatre School of Canada.^[1] He was subsequently one of the founding partners in Go Chicken Go, a theatre company of recent NTS graduates.^[2] Productions he directed for Go Chicken Go included Peter Handke's Offending the Audience,^[2] Anton Piatigorsky's Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension,^[3] Darren O'Donnell's Boxhead,^[4] and Abraham's own adaptation of Georg Büchner's Lenz.^[1]

In 2001 he was the director of Kristen Thomson's stage play I, Claudia.^[5] He subsequently also directed a film adaptation, which premiered at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival^[6] and was named to TIFF's year-end Canada's Top Ten list.^[7]

He took over artistic direction of Crow's Theatre in 2007, following the retirement of the company's founding artistic director Jim Millan.^[8]

He is married to actress Liisa Repo-Martell.^[9]

Awards

Award	Year	Category	Work	Result	Ref(s)
Dora Mavor Moore Awards	1999	Best Direction, Independent Theatre	Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension	Won	^[10]
		Outstanding Set Design, Independent Theatre	Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension	Nominated	^[11]
		Outstanding New Play or Musical, Independent Theatre	Lenz	Nominated	^[11]
	2001	Best Direction, Independent Theatre	Boxhead	Nominated
	2003	Best Direction, General Theatre	Russell Hill	Nominated	^[12]
	2006	Best Direction, Independent Theatre	Cringeworthy	Nominated	^[13]
	2007	Best Direction, General Theatre	Insomnia	Nominated	^[14]
	2009	Best Direction, General Theatre	I, Claudia	Nominated	^[15]
	2009	Best Direction, Independent Theatre	Eternal Hydra	Won	^[16]
	2013	Best Direction, General Theatre	The Little Years	Won	^[17]
	2013		Someone Else	Nominated	^[17]
	2020		Julius Caesar	Nominated	^[18]
	2024		The Master Plan	Pending	^[19]
Gemini Awards	2005	Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series	I, Claudia	Won	^[20]
Siminovitch Prize in Theatre	2001	Protégé	Self	Won	^[21]
Siminovitch Prize in Theatre	2013	Recipient	Self	Won	^[22]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Anne Nothof, "Abraham, Chris". Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, May 3, 2023.
^ ^a ^b Vit Wagner, "Theatre and schnitzel: acting a la carte". Toronto Star, June 19, 1997.
^ Ray Conlogue, "Director's road to acclaim began with bottle drives; Toronto's Chris Abraham is getting the attention of stage veterans". The Globe and Mail, October 12, 1998.
^ Robert Cushman, "Too much in such a boxy play". National Post, June 10, 2000.
^ Robert Cushman, "She, Claudia, has a few thoughts on the subject". National Post, April 5, 2001.
^ Katrina Onstad, "Who was that masked actress?: Kristen Thomson reveals the true face of I, Claudia". National Post, October 1, 2004.
^ "Best films tells diverse stories; Top Ten Canadian movies honoured New filmmakers being recognized". Toronto Star, December 15, 2004.
^ Alison Broverman, "As the crow flies away". National Post, November 21, 2006.
^ Aisling Murphy, "The Actor’s Uncle Vanya : In Conversation with Liisa Repo-Martell". Intermission, August 25, 2022.
^ "Dora winners list". Toronto Star, June 22, 1999.
^ "Dora awards are darkest without the Don ; Soulpepper play a glaring omission from strong field of best show nominees". Toronto Star, June 19, 1999.
^ "Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 22, 2003.
^ Kamal Al-Solaylee, "Odd couple lead the Dora pack". The Globe and Mail, June 7, 2006.
^ Robert Cushman, "The Dora Plethora; Our theatre critic gives his two cents on the nominees and who's likely to win". National Post, June 23, 2007.
^ Michael Posner, "Dora nominations announced in Toronto". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 2009.
^ Michael Posner, "Play by Ojibwa artist, 23, takes six awards". The Globe and Mail, June 30, 2009.
^ J. Kelly Nestruck, "A Cinderella story at the Dora Awards". The Globe and Mail, June 25, 2013.
^ Smith, Mae (June 29, 2020). "2020 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners". Intermission Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-08-09. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
^ Aisling Murphy, "TAPA announces 2024 Dora Award nominees". Intermission Magazine, May 28, 2004.
^ "Eyeballs vs. awards at Geminis". Sudbury Star, November 21, 2005.
^ "Siminovitch Prize awarded to Toronto director". Cornwall Standard-Freeholder, October 30, 2001.
^ Richard Ouzounian, "When the theatre student becomes the master: $75,000 Siminovitch Prize goes to Crow's Theatre artistic director Chris Abraham, 12 years after he was named protege under initial winner". Toronto Star, October 22, 2013.