Haysam Kadri named artistic director of Alberta Theatre Projects

Haysam Kadri has been named as the artistic director for the Alberta Theatre Projects. (File/Tim Nguyen)

Alberta Theatre Projects, one of the country’s top developers of new Canadian plays, announced Thursday that their next creative leader will be an Albertan.

Haysam Kadri, who has spent the past 11 years as the artistic director of Calgary’s Shakespeare Company, will become the company’s next artistic director.

The announcement hopefully brings to an end several years of disruption at the beloved, award-winning Calgary theatre company, following the death in 2020 of artistic director Darcy Evans. Kadri stepped in during the pandemic as interim artistic director, then stepped aside when the company named Vancouver’s Rohit Chokhani artistic director and executive director.

When Chokhani and ATP suddenly parted ways in November 2022, the company embarked on a period of self-reflection that led to a decision to separate the artistic director and executive director positions.

“The entire board is incredibly pleased that Haysam has agreed to join us as artistic director,” said ATP board chair Vishal Saini, “He is a proven and respected leader who knows ATP, and the broader theatre community, well. The board is unanimous in our support for Haysam and our optimism for the future of ATP with him in this critical role.”

Kadri grew up in Calgary, and has been involved with some of the city’s finest productions of the past 15 years, including Othello, The Motherf-er With a Hat, King Lear, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Hamlet, starring former Calgarian and Pakistani television and film star Ahad Raza Mir.

"It's absolutely amazing news. Haysam is someone who has given the theatre community so much love and commitment," Mir said in an email to CTV News Wednesday. "He's given great performances, produced powerful shows and trained so many actors; he's basically an institute."

Mir says the ATP is an institution for those in the industry, adding he would come back to do a show "in a heartbeat."

"I grew up going to ATP and admiring not just the shows, but the mandate of the company. Haysam will take the company to new heights."

Kadri is a graduate of the Stratford Festival’s Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre and spent six seasons with the company. He’s taught drama at Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary, Ambrose University, and Red Deer College. He’s mentored dozens of young Calgary actors, many of whom made their professional stage debuts with the Shakespeare Company.

He’s a Calgary artist who has championed Calgary talent.

“As an artist growing up in Calgary, I have always strived to invest my energy here at home,” said Kadri. “Becoming artistic director for one of the country’s top contemporary theatre companies is an exciting challenge. I love ATP, and the opportunity to play this leadership role is a great honour.”