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Eliza is an avid reader and writer — frequenting book shops, libraries and cafes turned writing spots around the city. Eliza's primary writing interests include children's literature, playwriting, poetry, and adaptation. Eliza is an award-winning solo performer, having created such works as: O, Harvey & The Extraordinary and BLOOM, workshopped as the Creator-in-Residence with Bad Hats Theatre. Her first children's novel Harvey and the Extraordinary, based on her play of the same title, hit shelves in November 2021. The Czech language edition Hubert a Kromobyčejná Miri, was published in December 2022. Eliza is a member of the Canadian Children's Book Centre, and the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers. Read more about Eliza's plays, as well as her book below.
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Eliza's first children's novel Harvey and the Extraordinary, illustrated by Anna Bron and published by Annick Press, was released November 2021. Read more about the book on Annick Press' website, and be sure to check out the media page here.
Harvey and the Extraordinary is available anywhere books are sold, however if you're a reader in Toronto, consider supporting the following local bookstores:
The Czech language edition of Harvey and the Extraordinary, Hubert a Kromobyčejná Miri, is available as of December 2022.
As a recipient of a 2023 Recommender Grant for Theatre Creators, Eliza is presently redeveloping her play Harvey & The Extraordinary with the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council, and recommender Young People's Theatre.
Eliza had the privilege of working on Bad Hats Theatre's new Bad Shorts series as the writer of "A Great Silence". The short film premiered as a part of Bad Hats Theatre's March Break Digital Festival, and can now be viewed on the Stratford Festival's streaming service: STRATFEST@HOME Kid's Corner. Eliza worked in collaboration with a visual artist and composer to create a new piece inspired by the theme of hearing. Find details on the full team, and watch "The Great Silence" below.
Theatre Creation
O
Hamlet opens tomorrow night and Leigh is ready to make her debut as Ophelia: wigged, primped, and donning her flower crown. During a brief hold in her tech rehearsal, Leigh takes the audience through basic acting skills for the ingénue and shares candid personal anecdotes sparking a series of unsettling realizations. A love letter to women in theatre during the #metoo era, O examines the stage life and death of the ingénue – the stories they tell, and the women behind them. Will we continue to accept that success for an actress means crying and dying through a career? Or can we find a way to keep our heads above water while turning the tide? Look out, Hamlet, #timesup.
O is a one-woman, solo show written and performed by Eliza Martin, inspired by the character of Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Eliza began exploring the early ideas of the piece under the guidance of Professor David Matheson prior to her graduation from the University of Toronto and Sheridan College in 2014. O was then developed and created in partnership with Ali Joy Richardson as director and dramaturge in 2016. O has been performed in two separate workshops, as an early exploration at the University of Toronto in 2014, before being redeveloped and performed in the 15th annual Paprika Festival in 2016. Eliza's most recent, forty-five minute version of O was performed in 2017 at the Artscape Wychwood Barns under the direction of Rebecca Ballarin. The production then went on tour in November of 2018 as was performed on 42nd Street as part of the United Solo Festival (the world's largest solo show festival) in New York City (United Solo Award Best Satire, All About Solo, Critics' Choice).
Eliza Martin- Writer & Performer
Rebecca Ballarin - Director
Lucy McPhee - Production Stage Manager
Steph Raposo - Lighting Designer
Nick Potter - Sound Designer
Rachel Blair - Script Advisor
Karina Mena - NYC Stage Manager
Neil Silcox - Production Photographer
With Ben Hayward as the voice of Rod
and Lucy McPhee as the voice of Carol
O was originally created in partnership with Ali Joy Richardson and performed in the 2016 Paprika Festival
Rebecca Ballarin - Director
Lucy McPhee - Production Stage Manager
Steph Raposo - Lighting Designer
Nick Potter - Sound Designer
Rachel Blair - Script Advisor
Karina Mena - NYC Stage Manager
Neil Silcox - Production Photographer
With Ben Hayward as the voice of Rod
and Lucy McPhee as the voice of Carol
O was originally created in partnership with Ali Joy Richardson and performed in the 2016 Paprika Festival
Harvey & The Extraordinary
Harvey & The Extraordinary invites you to follow the trail of painted cardboard signs and join Mimi and her hamster Harvey for their professional and not-so-silent debut! With big dreams to join the circus, Mimi sets out to put on her very own show in her garage for a special guest of honour. Harvey & The Extraordinary explores the joy and heartbreak of childhood and what it means to maybe, just maybe, be simply ordinary.
Harvey & The Extraordinary is Eliza Martin's second solo show. This site-specific piece was developed throughout the spring 2017 with Neil Silcox as the director and dramaturg. Harvey & The Extraordinary had it's first workshop in July 2017 before the shows sold-out run in the 2018 Toronto Fringe Festival (My Entertainment World - 2018 Critics' Pick Award Nominee, Outstanding Solo Performance).
Harvey & The Extraordinary is being redeveloped through the spring of 2023, with the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council.
BLOOM
Young Nora is given the impossible task of planting and caring for her Grandmother's garden all on her own. Donning her rubber boots and gardening gloves, and using the guidance of letters from her Grandmother and her own determination and humour, Nora makes new friends and some buzzing new enemies along the way, tackling the adventure that the wild blooms bring in the world of her backyard.
A solo performance for young audiences, BLOOM is a touching and hilarious story of grief and growth through the eyes of a child.
A solo performance for young audiences, BLOOM is a touching and hilarious story of grief and growth through the eyes of a child.
BLOOM is Eliza Martin's third solo show and workshopped in August 2019. BLOOM was developed as a part of New Bad Ideas - Bad Hats Theatre's newest development stream.
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