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Eliza Martin is a Toronto-based writer, arts educator and award-winning theatre artist. She combines many creative disciplines in her work with children and youth, as a child and youth counsellor (M.A. CYC).
Eliza was born and raised in Toronto's east end. She graduated from Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts with a Drama Specialist before attending the Theatre and Drama Studies program at the University of Toronto and Sheridan College. She graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Arts (Theatre Specialist, English Major) from the University of Toronto and an Acting Diploma from Sheridan College. She began working with children and youth through the arts as well as education early in her career, and holds a Master of Arts in Child and Youth Care (M.A. CYC) from X University. She now works in child and youth mental health. As a creator, Eliza is interested in work that is hopeful, imaginative, and inclusive. She aims to celebrate the beauty in the seemingly small moments, and tell stories with humour, heart, and whimsy. She believes that the greatest art connects, unifies, and transforms. Eliza’s other interests include yoga, art, camping, ballet, and semi-constant coffee drinking. She's passionate about community arts, independent bookstores, veggie burgers, and sloths. She enjoys spending time reading, being outdoors, and hanging out with her friends and family. |
Eliza's recent theatre credits include Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Shakespeare BASH'd, Nora in BLOOM, a workshop with Bad Hats Theatre, Leigh in O at the United Solo Festival in New York City, Mimi in Harvey and The Extraordinary, Liza in Theatre By Committee's Best Kept Secrets, Isabella in The Changeling --a staged reading with Shakespeare BASH'd, Molly in the Lower Ossington Theatre's Peter and The Starcatcher, Petandra in Paul and Petandra in the 2016 InspiraTO Festival (Peoples' Choice Award), Gloria in Hart House Theatre's Boeing Boeing, Hedvig in Re:Current Theatre's the Wild Duck Project, Cecily in Hart House Theatre's The Importance of Being Earnest, Messala in Spur-Of-The-Moment Shakespeare Collective's Julius Caesar Project (Toronto Fringe Festival), Hellena in The Rover, Mary Warren in The Crucible (Theatre Erindale) as well as u/s Louise in Gypsy (Hangar Theatre), Emily in Bodies and Patricia in Hiding Like Elephants (Hangar Wedge Series). Eliza starred in Seven to Forty Cinema's short film No Connection, which was an Official Selection of 2016 GCN Film Festival, 2016 Future of Film Showcase and 2016 Korean International Expat Film Festival.
Eliza workshopped her one-woman show O, an exploration of Hamlet’s Ophelia as an early version in 2014 before creating and developing O in partnership with Ali Joy Richardson in the 15th annual Paprika Festival in 2016. The show has since been performed at Artscape Wychwood Barns in 2017 before heading to New York City in 2018 as a part of the United Solo Festival (United Solo Award Best Satire, All About Solo, Critics' Choice). Her second solo show Harvey & The Extraordinary was workshopped in July 2017 under the direction and dramaturgical support of Neil Silcox, and returned to rave reviews and a sold out run in the 2018 Toronto Fringe Festival (My Entertainment World - 2018 Critics' Pick Award Nominee, Outstanding Solo Performance). Eliza developed her third solo show BLOOM, as the New Bad Ideas 2019 Creator in Residence with Bad Hats Theatre. Eliza is a co-founder of Re:Current Theatre, a Toronto Monologue Slam Champion, and an alumna of the 2013 Hangar Theatre Lab Academy in Ithaca, New York. Her first children's novel Harvey and the Extraordinary, based on her play of the same title, was published by Annick Press in November 2021. When not on-stage or scribbling, she can be found working with children and youth in a hospital setting, teaching with Purple Carrots Drama Studio, or facilitating creative workshops around the city.
Eliza workshopped her one-woman show O, an exploration of Hamlet’s Ophelia as an early version in 2014 before creating and developing O in partnership with Ali Joy Richardson in the 15th annual Paprika Festival in 2016. The show has since been performed at Artscape Wychwood Barns in 2017 before heading to New York City in 2018 as a part of the United Solo Festival (United Solo Award Best Satire, All About Solo, Critics' Choice). Her second solo show Harvey & The Extraordinary was workshopped in July 2017 under the direction and dramaturgical support of Neil Silcox, and returned to rave reviews and a sold out run in the 2018 Toronto Fringe Festival (My Entertainment World - 2018 Critics' Pick Award Nominee, Outstanding Solo Performance). Eliza developed her third solo show BLOOM, as the New Bad Ideas 2019 Creator in Residence with Bad Hats Theatre. Eliza is a co-founder of Re:Current Theatre, a Toronto Monologue Slam Champion, and an alumna of the 2013 Hangar Theatre Lab Academy in Ithaca, New York. Her first children's novel Harvey and the Extraordinary, based on her play of the same title, was published by Annick Press in November 2021. When not on-stage or scribbling, she can be found working with children and youth in a hospital setting, teaching with Purple Carrots Drama Studio, or facilitating creative workshops around the city.
