MasterPlayWorks

"Stetson is a writer's writer. The love and pain in his scripts is delicately wrought, the writing full of careful, shaped metaphors intelligently orchestrated beyond the bounds of notice. . . He is not a romantic writer, not contemplative and self confessed . . .his work is full of practical passion." D. R. Downton,

Queen of the Cadillac

Another outstanding exception to the suffocating consensus of ideas is Kent Stetson's Queen of the Cadillac . . . a poetic fantasy about the rupture between the past and the present.

Globe and Mail, Review of the best in Canadian Theatre.

Inquiries:

Mr. Charles Northcote
Literary Manager
The Core Group
89 Bloor St. W. Suite 300
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 1M1

(416) 955-0819

Citations/Critiques

Laureate: The 2001 Governor General's Literary Award, English Drama. "In The Harps of God, Kent Stetson creates a new theatrical language – both authentic to the Newfoundland idiom and as powerful and economic as poetry. An epic tragedy in three acts, the play explores faith and meaning and pays tribute to the survival of a people and a nation. With this masterful work, Kent Stetson has raised the bar to a new level in Canadian playwrighting." Citation, The Canada Council for the Arts; Rideau Hall, November 14, 2001.

Laureate: The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation's inaugural Wendell Boyle Award. “Horse High, Bull Strong, Pig Tight is a lyrical evocation of the Island and a way of life that seems recent, (1950-2001) but that is swiftly fading from memory. Well researched and written with affection, Mr. Stetson’s play celebrates the richness and rhythm of everyday language and life in rural Prince Edward Island. For this outstanding contribution to both theatre and heritage, we are pleased to present the Wendell Boyle Award to Mr. Kent Stetson.” Citation, February 18, 2002.

Laureate: 2002: The Canadian Author's Association Carol Bolt Award for Excellence in Drama. “The Harps of God is a carefully crafted play of survival that is an intelligent, poetic tragedy covering a wide sweep of the human condition, both on the large scale and on that of individuals. It is a masterpiece of reality in depicting the suffering of a group of scalers, adrift on pack ice in the Great Sealing Disaster of 1914, as they face the reality of their mortality. The author has successfully depicted the harshness of the elements, the inner truths of their personal beliefs, and the struggle to maintain dignity in establishing believable characters... The play is distinctly Canadian in all its elements, yet never forces this aspect on the reader/listener. This is a compelling drama that touches on moral versus survival issues." Citation, May, 2002.

The Prince Edward Island Council of the Arts and the PEI Writer’s Federation Distinguished Contribution to the Literary Arts On Prince Edward Island award, presented jointly June 3, 2007. "Not unlike many (Prince Edward) Islanders, Kent's career has taken him away from home. . . But he has never allowed himself to be too long away from this place. His roots are unmistakably in our red soil, from which he has drawn character and confidence. His integrity, and compassion for the human condition, informs both his work and his life. Citation, June 3, 2007. Ron Irving, C.M.

What the Critics Say

“The one thing that all Canadians need to know about Kent Stetson is that he's the author of The Harps of God, probably the best single play written about this country.” Matt Radz, Theatre Critic, The Montreal Gazette, Montreal, Canada.

"Though not all of the plays that have won The Governor General's Award for Literature have been magnificent... this year's GG winner, The Harps of God, truly deserves the accolade; it is a terrific read, and theatrically its ambitions are breathtaking." Gaetan Charlebois, Hour.

"Through his character and kindred devices, Stetson makes his play - Horse high, Bull Strong, Pig Tight - as thoughtful and intelligent as it is amusing. Stetson's dialogue is sharp, his descriptive imagery is painterly in its artfulness whether he's evoking the fiery demise of a tarpaper shack or the sparkling ascent of partridges emerging from a snow bank." Sean McQuaid, The Buzz

Queen of the Cadillac "...is a definite winner ...an important play by an outstanding playwright ...a circus of enormous exuberance... A mixture of the magic mysticism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and black humor of Joe Orton. It succeeds in mixing fire and ice. An evening to remember." Ray Conlogue, The Globe & Mail

Warm Wind in China explores humanity ". ..with compassion and brilliance, rage and despair, love and courage in the face of death." Ian McKay, New Maritimes

The Hangashore: (Eight part tv comedy series 'Tales from Pigeon Inlet', CBC Newfoundland) "Ingenious characterizations. It's been directed with sweet spunk by Kent Stetson, who grabs the small town flavour." Devo, Variety

1.    Receipt: Award for Distinguished Contribution to the literary Arts on Prince Edward Island, June 3, 2007.

2.    Appointment to the Order of Canada, July 1 2007.

3.    Completion of 26 short dramatic pieces for the RCMP Heritage Museum in Regina, Nov 2006 – March 2007.

4.    Completion of script for multi-media installation at the Red Point Mi’kmaq Heritage Museum, New Brunswick.

5.    International conference on Climate Change, Montreal, autumn,2006. Script for opening ‘Gia Spectacle’.

On-Going:

•    Arranging Canadian tour with Patrick Verscheuren of the Theatre Ephéméride (Val de Reuil, Normandy) production of Horse High, Bull Strong, Pig Tight, translated by noted Parisian translator Isabelle Famchon, who also translated The Harps of God (La Mer de cristal). HHBSPT opens in France Nov 11, 2007, tours Canada (Quebecois and Franco-Canadian Theatres) Oct 2008)

•    In discussions with Triptych Media and The NFB for full length animated feature film of The Harps of God. David Blackwood to set visual style, Richard Rose to direct.

•    Completing 4d text Excess. See Story line, attached.

•    Re-visiting epic musical Caledonia, seeking new composer.

•    Completing first novel, New Arcadia (a New World Grail Romance) commissioned by Kim MacArthur, MacArthur and Company. Publication date. Spring 2008.

•    Dramaturgy: Rough Justice . . . terrific new play by Eastern Townshipper Robert Hackett.

•    International Seminars, Play writing: Atelier la Roque Alric
    (see: www.masterplayworks.com)

•    Bermuda: dramaturg and to direct Kelvin Hasting’s Smith’s The Law of the Sea, Spring 2008.    (See: The Bermuda Lecture,www.masterplayworks.com)

HORSE HIGH, BULL STRONG, PIG TIGHT: by the Playwright,

THE ANCHORESS BRANGENA: premiere, by and with Wanda Graham.

Awards, Honors

WINNER: THE 2001 GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARDS, ENGLISH DRAMA; THE HARPS OF GOD.

THE 2001 CANADIAN AUTHORS ASSOCIATION CAROL BOLT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN DRAMA; THE HARPS OF GOD.

THE PEI MUSEUM and HERITAGE FOUNDATION'S INAUGURAL WENDELL BOYLE AWARD for HORSE HIGH, BULL STRONG, PIG TIGHT.

PRIZE WINNER: THE 2001 HERMAN VOADEN NATIONAL PLAYWRITING COMPETITION: NEW ARCADIA

RECIPIENT: 2001 TELEFILM CANADA SCREENWRITTER'S ASSISTANCE AWARD: RINGFINGER

THE HARPS OF GOD; The Harps of God in a new edition by McArthur and Company.

Workshops, Teaching

McGILL UNIVERSITY, Play Writing , introductory and advanced.

Screenwriter/Story Editor/Script Consultant

Radio Dramatist

Direction, Theatre

(Selected Tititles)

Direction: Film & Television (Selected titles)

Awards, Honors

PUBLICATIONS