Bob has been a dramaturg and director in the Canadian theatre for forty five years, with a strong reputation for developing Canadian plays including the work of Paul Ledoux, George F. Walker, Brad Fraser, Eugene Stickland and Stephen Massicotte, among many others. In January of 2013, he was appointed Director of New Plays at the Stratford Festival after four seasons as a consulting director. For the 2017 Season at Stratford, Bob was dramaturg on The Breathing Hole, The Virgin Trial and The Madwoman of Chaillot . Previous projects at the Festival include Bunny, The Last Wife, Christina, The Girl King, Hirsch, Taking Shakespeare and the Jillian Keiley productions of The Diary of Anne Frank and Alice Through the Looking Glass.

Previous to his Stratford engagement, Bob was attached to Calgary’s Alberta Theatre Projects for twenty three years, the last nine as Artistic Director. He was Co-director at the Banff Playwrights Colony (1997-2009), Artistic Director of Factory Theatre, Toronto (1978-87) and Dramaturge, Playwrights Workshop Montreal (1975-78).

Bob has also directed more than seventy five productions across the country—from Cowhead, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia—but mostly in Calgary and Toronto and has received eight nominations and three wins for “Outstanding Direction” at Calgary’s Betty Mitchell Awards. Other awards include membership in the Order of Canada, Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD), University of Calgary, and The Diamond Jubilee Medal.

With the 2017 Siminovitch Prize, Bob completes his three year term as Chairman of the Jury.