Identity area
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Authorized form of name
Michal, Ray
Parallel form(s) of name
- Michal, Raymond G.
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Dates of existence
1937-1991
History
Ray (Raymond G.) Michal was a theatre director and the co-founder of the City Stage Theatre Centre in Vancouver, B.C.
Ray Michal studied math and physics at the University of Manitoba before becoming involved in amateur theatre in Winnipeg. In 1965-1967 he completed a post-graduate course in theatre at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
After directing student productions at UBC's Frederick Wood Theatre, Michal began his professional directing career in 1968 with the Holiday Theatre Repertory company (later Playhouse Holiday Theatre), an affiliate of the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company which toured works for youth audiences. He also directed works for other Vancouver-based companies, such as the Arts Club Theatre. Between 1969 and 1971, Michal was the Artistic Director and Director of the School of Drama at Playhouse Holiday Theatre.
In 1972, Ray Michal co-founded City Stage Theatre Centre with George Plawski. Michal was the managing director of the company, and directed most of the company’s productions. City Stage was his primary professional activity from 1972 until the company was wound up at the beginning of 1987, though during that time he had appeared as an actor in one episode of the Beachcombers television series and two films (The Journey of Natty Gann and The Grey Fox).
After the wind-up of City Stage, Ray Michal continued to produce and direct works for a number of Canadian theatre companies and toured "Tonight... Piaf", which had been a success for City Stage since its debut in 1978.
In 1991, Ray Michal passed away at the age of 54.
In his honor, the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards created the Ray Michal Prize for Outstanding Work and/or Body of Work by an Emerging Director, awarded annually.
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Draft
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Created 2013-09-09 SW
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Sources
Entry for Ray Michal, Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Ray Michal entry, www.imdb.com
Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards web site: www.jessies.com
Obituary of Ray Michal, Vancouver Sun, December 12, 1991