Leah Cherniak

Leah Cherniak (born 1956) is a Canadian playwright, actor, and teacher. She is a co-founder of Theatre Columbus (now called Common Boots).

Leah Cherniak
Born	(1956-08-22) August 22, 1956 (age 68)[1]
Nationality	Canadian
Alma mater	University of Toronto
Notable work	The Attic, the Pearls and Three Fine Girls

Early life and education

Cherniak graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in 1979.^[1] She later studied at École Jacques Lecoq, where she met Martha Ross.^[2]

Career

Cherniak co-founded Theatre Columbus with Martha Ross in 1984. Originally, the company was called The Gargoils.^[2] In 2015, Theatre Columbus changed their name to Common Boots Theatre.^[3]

Teaching

Beginning in 1985, Cherniak taught clown at the National Theatre School. In 2001, Cherniak began teaching dance at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and George Brown College.^[1]

Directorial credits

Theatre

• Up Against the Wallpaper – Nightwood Theatre (1989)
• The Tell-Tale Heart – Theatre Columbus (1995)^[4]
• Froth (1996)^[5]
• Three Birds Alighting on a Field – George Brown Theatre (2000)^[6]
• Lonely Nights and Other Stories – Theatre Columbus, co-directed with Maggie Huculak (2001)^[7]
• Rue Alridge – Tarragon Theatre (2004)^[8]
• Edward the "Crazy Man" – Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People (2008)^[9]
• 6 Essential Questions – Factory Theatre (2014)^[10]
• Clown – Ryerson School of Performance (2018)^[11]
• The Ward Cabaret – Harbourfront Centre Theatre (2020), co-directed with David Buchbinder^[12]
• Perpetual Archaeology – Crow's Theatre written by and starring Alex Bulmer (June 2023)^[13]

Film

• Things Dead People Say – short film (2020)^[14]

Acting credits

Theatre

Year	Show	Role	Notes	Ref.
1995	The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls	Jelly		[15]
2015	The Dybbuk, Or Between Two Worlds	Frayde		[16]
2018	Animal Farm	Bessie		[17]
2019	Scadding	Ensemble		[18]

Plays

• Until We Part – co-written with Martha Ross^[2]
• The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine – co-written with Robert Morgan and Martha Ross^[19]
• Still Clowning – co-written with Martha Ross^[20]
• The Fragments – co-written with Suvendrini Lena and Trevor Schwellnus^[21]
• The Theory of Relatives – co-written with Daniel Brooks, Diane Flacks, Richard Greenblatt, Leslie Lester, and Allan Merovitz^[22]
• The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls – co-written with Jennifer Brewin, Martha Ross, Ann-Marie MacDonald, and Alisa Palmer^[15]
• More Fine Girls – co-written with Brewin, Ross, MacDonald, and Palmer, sequel to The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls^[23]
• Scadding ' co-created with Jennifer Brewin, Alex Bulmer, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, John Gzowski, Maggie Huculak, Anand Rajaram, Jenny Salisbury and Stephon Smith^[18]
• The Betrayal – co-written with Oliver Dennis, Maggie Huculak, Robert Morgan, Martha Ross and Michael Simpson^[24]

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Work	Results	Notes	Ref.
1987	Dora Mavor Moore Awards – Small Theatre	Best Production	Fertility	Won	with Martha Ross	[25]
1988		Outstanding Direction	The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine	Nominated		[26]
		Outstanding New Play		Nominated
1989		Outstanding Direction	Paranoia	Nominated		[27]
1990			Dr. Dapertutto	Nominated		[28]
1991	Dora Mavor Moore Awards – Ancillary awards	Pauline McGibbon Award	N/A	Won		[29]
1994	Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award	General Theatre	The Theory of Relatives	Nominated	with Daniel Brooks, Diane Flacks, Richard Greenblatt, Leslie Lester, Allan Merovitz	[22]
	Dora Mavor Moore Awards – Small Theatre	Outstanding New Play		Nominated		[30]
1995		Outstanding Performance by a Female–Play	The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls	Nominated		[31]
		Outstanding New Play or Musical		Nominated	with Ann-Marie MacDonald, Martha Ross with Alisa Palmer, Jennifer Brewin
1996	Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award	General Theatre		Nominated		[32]
	Dora Mavor Moore Awards – General Theatre	Outstanding Direction	The Diary of Anne Frank	Nominated		[33]
1998		Outstanding Direction of a Play	The Betrayal	Nominated		[34]
1999	Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award	General Theatre		Won	co-winner with Oliver Dennis, Maggie Huculak, Robert Morgan, Martha Ross and Michael Simpson	[24]
2003	Dora Mavor Moore Awards – General Theatre	Outstanding Direction of a Play	The Miracle Worker	Nominated		[35]
2005	Dora Mavor Moore Awards – Independent Theatre	Outstanding Direction of a Play	The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine	Nominated		[36]