An internationally trained, award-winning theatre director, playwright, and theatre producer
with a career spanning over 25 years, Alisa’s work crosses genres, including the classics,
contemporary plays, creation projects, musicals and operas. Alisa’s work is characterized by
vivid performances, a bold use of music, powerful visuals and a passionate commitment to the
body politic.

Alisa’s productions have been celebrated in theatres across Canada including the recent
national tour of the critically acclaimed, two-part adaptation of Fall on Your Knees. She spent
eight seasons at the Shaw Festival and three seasons at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival
where she directed the world premiere of Hamlet-911 by Ann-Marie MacDonald. She is the
former artistic director of Nightwood Theatre where she commissioned and produced landmark
productions including Harlem Duet by Djanet Sears, and Smudge by Alex Bulmer, Canada’s first
professional play by a visually impaired playwright. Alisa was also resident director for the
world premiere of The Lord of the Rings for Mirvish Entertainment.

A passionate supporter of Canada’s theatre community, Alisa has served on the Toronto Arts
Council, Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Conseils des arts du Montreal
and the Steering Committee for the Canadian Arts Summit, where she served as Chair from in
2020 to 2022. Alisa recently completed an eleven-year tenure as the first Executive Artistic
Director of the English Section of the National Theatre School of Canada, Canada’s only arts
school training in both official languages. Alisa is founder and Artistic Producer of Vita Brevis
Arts, a company committed to the development of urgent and ambitious theatre projects.