# Marie Clements

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Canadian writer

For the American serial killer born Marie Clément, see [Mary Clement](/source/Mary_Clement).

Marie Clements Born Marie Humber Clements (1962-01-10) January 10, 1962 (age 64) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Education Mount Royal College Occupations Actor, writer, director

**Marie Clements** (born January 10, 1962)[1] is a Canadian [Métis](/source/M%C3%A9tis_in_Canada) playwright, performer, director, producer and screenwriter. She was the founding artistic director of Urban Ink Productions, and is currently[*[when?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*] co-artistic director of Red Diva Projects, and director of her new film company Working Pajama Lab Entertainment.[2] Clements lives on [Galiano Island](/source/Galiano_Island), [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia). As a writer she has worked in a variety of media including [theatre](/source/Theatre), [performance](/source/Performance), [film](/source/Film), [multi-media](/source/Multi-media), [radio](/source/Radio) and [television](/source/Television).[3][4][5]

## Early life

Clements was born in [Vancouver](/source/Vancouver), [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia). Early in her life she studied dance, speech, singing, piano and music, but she dreamed of being a [foreign correspondent](/source/Foreign_correspondent). She studied journalism at [Mount Royal College](/source/Mount_Royal_College) in [Calgary](/source/Calgary), [Alberta](/source/Alberta).[1]

## Career

During the 1980s, Clements worked as a radio news reporter[6] and is still a freelance contributor to CBC radio.[7] She has also worked in the writing department of the television series *[Da Vinci's Inquest](/source/Da_Vinci's_Inquest)*[7] which had a plot line similar to *The Unnatural and Accidental Women* which is based on the murders of several Indigenous women in [Vancouver](/source/Vancouver)'s [Skid Row](/source/Downtown_Eastside) district.

She has been a playwright in residence at the [National Theatre School of Canada](/source/National_Theatre_School_of_Canada), the [Banff Centre for the Arts](/source/Banff_Centre_for_the_Arts), the [Firehall Arts Centre](/source/Firehall_Arts_Centre) and the [National Arts Centre](/source/National_Arts_Centre). She has been writer-in-residence at several Canadian universities, including [Simon Fraser University](/source/Simon_Fraser_University)[8] and [University of British Columbia](/source/University_of_British_Columbia)[9]

*[Theatre Research in Canada](/source/Theatre_Research_in_Canada)* dedicated a special issue of the journal to the celebration of Clements's contribution to Canadian theatre.[5]

In 2010, Clements founded Working Pajama Lab, which specializes in the development, creation and strategic weaving of story across film, TV, digital media and live performance.[9] She also founded Red Diva Project the same year when she was commissioned to create the Aboriginal Pavilion's closing performance at the [2010 Winter Olympics](/source/2010_Winter_Olympics) in Vancouver.

Clements's plays often consider several overlapping themes, such as the themes of racism, sexism and violence explored in *The Unnatural and Accidental Women*. Her theatrical style is a blending of Aboriginal storytelling, ritual and western theatrical conventions.[5] As a playwright, director and dramaturge, she "explores important issues of women, aboriginals, and the realities of the urban core in innovative, highly theatrical stagings".[1]

While touring the Canadian north, Clements wrote her first play, *Age of Iron* (1993). She says it was "sheer cold boredom and a serious desire to understand and integrate the elemental connections between Greek mythology and Native thought" that inspired her to write it.[1]

Clements's plays often "reframe...authorized Western histories" to encourage spectators acknowledgement of alternative histories and critically engage with the process of [historiography](/source/Historiography). Both *Burning Vision* (staged by Tom Bentley-Fisher for The Barcelona International Grec Festival) and *The Unnatural and Accidental Women* engage with elements of Canadian history that are pushed to the periphery and press issues of "counter-hegemonic remembrance practices".[10]

Her importance as a Canadian playwright is reflected in the number of award nominations, the numerous translations of her works and the number of scholarly articles dedicated to her plays.[11]

In 2024, she was the recipient of the [Matt Cohen Award](/source/Matt_Cohen_Award) from the [Writers' Trust of Canada](/source/Writers'_Trust_of_Canada) for her body of work.[12]

## Awards

- 2004 Awarded the Canada - Japan Literary Award – *Burning Vision*

- 2004 Nomination for the George Ryga Literary Award - *Burning Vision*

- 2004 Nomination for the Governor General's Literary Award for Drama - *Burning Vision* (finalist)

- 2002 Nomination for [Siminovitch Prize in Theatre](/source/Siminovitch_Prize_in_Theatre) – Outstanding contribution to Canadian Theatre

- 2001 Nomination [Jessie Richardson Theatre Award](/source/Jessie_Richardson_Theatre_Award) – Outstanding Original Play- *Burning Vision*

- 1998 Jessie Richardson Theatre Award – The P.T.C. Award – Outstanding Original Play In Development – *The Unnatural and Accidental Women*

- 1998 Sundance Screenwriting Competition – Finalist – *Now look what you made me do*

- 1997 Praxis Screenwriting Competition – Shortlisted – *Now look what you made me do*

- 1996 Minneapolis Playwright's Center – Fellowship Award – *Now look what you made me do*

- 1994 Nomination Jessie Richardson Awards – Outstanding Ensemble Creation – *Wet Dreams*

- 1994 Nomination Jessie Richardson Awards – Outstanding Ensemble Performance – *Wet Dreams*

- 1994 Nomination Jessie Richardson Awards – Sydney Risk Award – *Age of Iron*

- 1993 Nomination Jessie Richardson Awards – Outstanding Original Play – *Age of Iron*[4]

[13]

## Writings and appearances

### Plays

- *Age of Iron* (1993)

- *Now Look What You Made Me Do* (1997)

- *The Girl Who Swam Forever* (1997)

- *[The Unnatural and Accidental Women](/source/The_Unnatural_and_Accidental_Women)* (2000)

- *Burning Vision* (2002)

- *Copper Thunderbird* (2007)

- *The Edward Curtis Project : A Modern Picture Story* (2010)

- *Tombs of the Vanishing Indian* (2012)

- *Iron Peggy* (2020)[14]

### Film

- *Da Vinci's Inquest* (2002), actor (Melanie Frum)

- *[Unnatural & Accidental](/source/Unnatural_%26_Accidental)* (2006), screenwriter, actor (Native Bartender)

- *Making History: Louis Riel and the North-West Rebellion of 1885*[15]

- *[The Road Forward](/source/The_Road_Forward)* (2017), writer/director[16]

- *[Red Snow](/source/Red_Snow_(2019_film))* (2019)

- *[Bones of Crows](/source/Bones_of_Crows)* (2022)

- *[Lay Down Your Heart](/source/Lay_Down_Your_Heart)* (2022)

### Radio

- *Vancouver Rose* - ongoing CBC Radio Commentary 2002

- *The Meter is Running* - Sounds Like Canada, CBC Radio 2003

- *Women in Fish Series* - A four-part documentary, CBC Outfront 2005

- *hours of water- radio drama* - CBC Radio Drama 2005

- *Tombs of the Vanishing Indian* (in development)[*[when?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*]

### Multi-media

- *Urban Tattoo* (1999)

- *The Women in Fish Interactive Installation*

- *Hours of Water* (2004)

- *The Red Diva Project* (2008)

- *The Edward Curtis Project* (2013)

- *[Missing](/source/Missing_(opera))* (2017)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Marie_Clements_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Marie_Clements_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Marie_Clements_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Marie_Clements_1-3) Gilbert, Reid (2007). "Marie Clements". *Baylor Journal of Theatre and Performance*. **4** (1): 147–151. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [10.5325/bayljtheaperf.4.1.0147](https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/bayljtheaperf.4.1.0147).(subscription required)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Red Diva Projects"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190130051716/http://www.reddiva.ca/#!mc/c786). Red Diva Projects. Archived from [the original](http://www.reddiva.ca/#!mc/c786) on January 30, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Biography"](https://www.mcm2.ca/biography). Marie Clements Media. Retrieved November 15, 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bravofact.com_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bravofact.com_4-1) ["Marie Clements"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150222164514/http://www.bravofact.com/2012/12/18/marie-clements/). *bravoFACT*. Archived from [the original](http://www.bravofact.com/2012/12/18/marie-clements/) on February 22, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ReferenceA_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ReferenceA_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ReferenceA_5-2) Gilbert, Reid (June 1, 2010). ["Introduction: Marie Clements"](https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/TRIC/article/view/18427). *[Theatre Research in Canada](/source/Theatre_Research_in_Canada)*. **31** (2). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1196-1198](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1196-1198). Retrieved November 15, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Guly, Christopher. ["Marie Clements' searing artistic vision"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130601104253/http://www.canadacouncil.ca/aboutus/artistsstories/writing/id128030575037523966.htm). The Canada Council for the Arts. Archived from [the original](https://www.canadacouncil.ca/aboutus/artistsstories/writing/id128030575037523966.htm) on June 1, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-marieclements.ca_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-marieclements.ca_7-1) ["Bio"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080619080646/http://www.marieclements.ca/bio.asp). Marie Clements. Archived from [the original](http://www.marieclements.ca/bio.asp) on June 19, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Writer in Residence - Department of English"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170828085918/http://www.sfu.ca/english/writer-in-residence.html). Simon Fraser University. Archived from [the original](https://www.sfu.ca/english/writer-in-residence.html) on August 28, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-fccs.ok.ubc.ca_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-fccs.ok.ubc.ca_9-1) ["Writer in Residence"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150222164155/http://fccs.ok.ubc.ca/news-events/residencies/writer-in-residence.html). The University of British Columbia. Archived from [the original](http://fccs.ok.ubc.ca/news-events/residencies/writer-in-residence.html) on February 22, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Hargreaves, Allison (2011). "'A precise instrument for seeing': remembrance in *Burning Vision* and the activist classroom". *Canadian Theatre Review*. **147** (147): 49–54. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1353/ctr.2011.0048](https://doi.org/10.1353%2Fctr.2011.0048). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [145411632](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:145411632).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Interview with Marie Clements"](https://bobcat.library.nyu.edu/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=nyu_aleph009433430&context=L&vid=DLTS&lang=en_US&search_scope=default_scope&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,%22marie%20clements%22&offset=0). Retrieved April 9, 2015 – via New York University Libraries.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Sheung-King, Martha Baillie among Writers' Trust literary prize winners"](https://www.cbc.ca/books/sheung-king-martha-baillie-among-writers-trust-literary-prize-winners-1.7386578). [CBC Books](/source/CBC_Books), November 19, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Marie Clements"](http://talonbooks.com/authors/marie-clements). Talonbooks. Retrieved November 15, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Marie Clements. Theatre Bio"](http://media.wix.com/ugd/a3cd5c_17f764c43a32b54677222295201cdafb.pdf) (PDF). Retrieved July 7, 2023. - ["Copper Thunderbird by Marie Clements - Study Guide"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044235/http://www4.nac-cna.ca/pdf/eth/0607/copper_thunderbird_guide.pdf) (PDF). National Arts Centre English Theatre. April 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www4.nac-cna.ca/pdf/eth/0607/copper_thunderbird_guide.pdf) (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Marie Clements"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1837961/). *IMDb*. Retrieved November 15, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["The Road Forward: an innovative documentary explores Indigenous activism through songs"](http://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/wednesday-april-26-2017-bob-mankoff-marie-clements-and-more-1.4082549/the-road-forward-an-innovative-documentary-explores-indigenous-activism-through-songs-1.4082561). *CBC Radio*. Retrieved April 28, 2017. - ["Dene/Métis filmmaker inspired by 1930s Indigenous activists"](http://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/reclaiming-retelling-and-revisioning-indigenous-stories-1.4079554/dene-m%C3%A9tis-filmmaker-inspired-by-1930s-indigenous-activists-1.4079646). *CBC Radio*. Retrieved April 28, 2017.

## Further reading

- Farfan, Penny. "Historical Landscapes in Contemporary Plays by Canadian Women." *Contemporary Women Playwrights: Into the 21st Century*. Eds. Farfan, Penny, and Ferris, Lesley. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

- Floriane Moro: *Vanishing Indians, Missing Women, and Indigenous Presence in the Work of Marie Clements.* Thesis [Magistra artium](/source/Magister_artium), [John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies](/source/John_F._Kennedy_Institute_for_North_American_Studies), [FU Berlin](/source/FU_Berlin), Chair: Birte Wege, Berlin 2017

## External links

- [Marieclements.ca](http://www.marieclements.ca/)

- [Marie Clements](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1837961/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Marie Clements](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Clements) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Clements?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.