'''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.<ref name=cte>Anne Nothof, [https://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Abraham%2C%20Chris "Abraham, Chris"]. ''Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia'', May 3, 2023.</ref>
Originally from Montreal, Quebec, he studied theatre at the University of Toronto and the National Theatre School of Canada.<ref name=cte/> He was subsequently one of the founding partners in Go Chicken Go, a theatre company of recent NTS graduates.<ref name=alacarte>Vit Wagner, "Theatre and schnitzel: acting a la carte". ''Toronto Star'', June 19, 1997.</ref> Productions he directed for Go Chicken Go included Peter Handke's ''Offending the Audience'',<ref name=alacarte/> Anton Piatigorsky's ''Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension'',<ref>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.</ref> Darren O'Donnell's ''Boxhead'',<ref>Robert Cushman, "Too much in such a boxy play". ''National Post'', June 10, 2000.</ref> and Abraham's own adaptation of Georg Büchner's ''Lenz''.<ref name=cte/>
In 2001 he was the director of Kristen Thomson's stage play ''I, Claudia''.<ref>Robert Cushman, "She, Claudia, has a few thoughts on the subject". ''National Post'', April 5, 2001.</ref> He subsequently also directed a film adaptation, which premiered at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival<ref>Katrina Onstad, "Who was that masked actress?: Kristen Thomson reveals the true face of I, Claudia". ''National Post'', October 1, 2004.</ref> and was named to TIFF's year-end Canada's Top Ten list.<ref>"Best films tells diverse stories; Top Ten Canadian movies honoured New filmmakers being recognized". ''Toronto Star'', December 15, 2004.</ref>
He took over artistic direction of Crow's Theatre in 2007, following the retirement of the company's founding artistic director Jim Millan.<ref>Alison Broverman, "As the crow flies away". ''National Post'', November 21, 2006.</ref>
He is married to actress Liisa Repo-Martell.<ref>Aisling Murphy, [https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/in-conversation/the-actors-uncle-vanya-in-conversation-with-liisa-repo-martell/ "The Actor’s Uncle Vanya : In Conversation with Liisa Repo-Martell"]. ''Intermission'', August 25, 2022.</ref>
==Awards== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! Award ! Year ! Category ! Work ! Result ! Ref(s) |- | rowspan="14" | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | rowspan=3| 1999 | Best Direction, Independent Theatre | rowspan=2| ''Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension'' | {{won}} | <ref>"Dora winners list". ''Toronto Star'', June 22, 1999.</ref> |- | Outstanding Set Design, Independent Theatre | {{nom}} | rowspan=2| <ref>"Dora awards are darkest without the Don; Soulpepper play a glaring omission from strong field of best show nominees". ''Toronto Star'', June 19, 1999.</ref> |- | Outstanding New Play or Musical, Independent Theatre | ''Lenz'' | {{nom}} |- | 2001 | Best Direction, Independent Theatre | ''Boxhead'' | {{nom}} | |- | 2003 | Best Direction, General Theatre | ''Russell Hill'' | {{nom}} | <ref>"Dora Award nominees". ''Toronto Star'', May 22, 2003.</ref> |- | 2006 | Best Direction, Independent Theatre | ''Cringeworthy'' | {{nom}} | <ref>Kamal Al-Solaylee, "Odd couple lead the Dora pack". ''The Globe and Mail'', June 7, 2006.</ref> |- | 2007 | rowspan=2| Best Direction, General Theatre | ''Insomnia'' | {{nom}} | <ref>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.</ref> |- | rowspan=2| 2009 | ''I, Claudia'' | {{nom}} | <ref>Michael Posner, "Dora nominations announced in Toronto". ''The Globe and Mail'', June 4, 2009.</ref> |- | Best Direction, Independent Theatre | ''Eternal Hydra'' | {{won}} | <ref>Michael Posner, "Play by Ojibwa artist, 23, takes six awards". ''The Globe and Mail'', June 30, 2009.</ref> |- | rowspan=2| 2013 | rowspan=4| Best Direction, General Theatre | ''The Little Years'' | {{won}} | rowspan=2| <ref>J. Kelly Nestruck, "A Cinderella story at the Dora Awards". ''The Globe and Mail'', June 25, 2013.</ref> |- | ''Someone Else'' | {{nom}} |- | 2020 | ''Julius Caesar'' | {{nom}} | <ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Mae|date=June 29, 2020|title=2020 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners|url=https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/awards/2020-dora-mavor-moore-award-winners/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809081504/https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/awards/2020-dora-mavor-moore-award-winners/ |archive-date=2020-08-09 |access-date=August 6, 2020|website=Intermission Magazine|language=en-CA}}</ref> |- | 2024 | ''The Master Plan'' | {{nominated}} | <ref>Aisling Murphy, [https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/news/dora-noms-2024/ "TAPA announces 2024 Dora Award nominees"]. ''Intermission Magazine'', May 28, 2004.</ref> |- |2024 |Outstanding Creative Direction (Director), Musical Theatre Division |''Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812'' |{{Won}} |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-13 |title=TAPA - Recipients |url=https://tapa.ca/doras/recipients/ |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=TAPA |language=en-CA}}</ref> |- | Gemini Awards | 2005 | Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series | ''I, Claudia'' | {{won}} | <ref>"Eyeballs vs. awards at Geminis". ''Sudbury Star'', November 21, 2005.</ref> |- |rowspan=2| Siminovitch Prize in Theatre | 2001 | Protégé |rowspan=2| Self | {{won}} | <ref>"Siminovitch Prize awarded to Toronto director". ''Cornwall Standard-Freeholder'', October 30, 2001.</ref> |- | 2013 | Recipient | {{won}} | <ref>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.</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abraham, Chris}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian theatre directors Category:Film directors from Montreal Category:University of Toronto Faculty of Arts and Science alumni Category:National Theatre School of Canada alumni Category:Dora Mavor Moore Award winners Category:Canadian Screen Award winning directors