Dr. Baņuta Rubess

Dr. Baņuta Rubess pioneered feminist theatre, diaspora theatre, and contemporary opera to national renown in Canada and Latvia. She has lived in four countries and writes in two languages. In Canada, she created groundbreaking works for Nightwood Theatre, Theatre Direct, and Tapestry Opera Works. As Associate Artist at Theatre Passe Muraille, she threw open the doors to a new generation of theatre creators. In 1998, she moved with her family to Riga, Latvia, where she created productions across the country, and was a regular columnist for the national newspaper. Baņuta returned to Toronto in 2012. A Rhodes Scholar with a doctorate in history, she also has a MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. She has been nominated for many awards and has won Best Play, Best Director, Best Short Story. She recently completed a memoir about her father, yoga, and war, called Bruno Slept Here. Baņuta Rubess is a fellow in partnership with the DRG Foundation supporting the Franco- Canadian cultural exchanges.