Welcome to Equity in Theatre

Jana O’Connor is an Edmonton-born performer, producer, theatre instructor and playwright. She has worked with a number of local companies including Teatro la Quindicina, Concrete Theatre, Panties Productions, Northern Light Theatre and Rapid Fire Theatre. She made her debut at the Citadel Theatre in last season's production of Tom Wood's new play, Make Mine Love.  She is also a cast member/writer on the national CBC Radio sketch comedy show, The Irrelevant Show.  Jana has been a roving performer for many years, bringing her unique and colourful characters to the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival, and to her work as an Artist on the Wards for the University of Alberta Hospital. Jana was Rapid Fire Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director and shaped the initial curriculum for their Academy. She has taught her first love, improv, to participants of all ages for many years. She has also taught theatre to youth and adults both at the Citadel Theatre’s Foote Theatre School and at the Freewill Shakespeare Festival's 'Camp Shakespeare'. Jana has also directed a troupe of teen actors in her adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays for the Freewill Players. Jana has begun to distinguish herself as a playwright. She won the Alberta Playwright’s Network Discovery Prize in 2007 for her short play The Lonely Hearts. Her first Theatre for Young Audiences play, The Early Bloomer, was produced by Concrete Theatre in their 2009/2010 season. A production of The Lonely Hearts, appeared at the 2013 Edmonton International Fringe Festival, and was nominated for tow Elizabeth Sterling Haynes awards - Best New Play and Best Production. She was honoured to be the Artistic Director for the City of Edmonton’s Olympic Torch Relay Celebration in 2010, an event that spanned eight sites along the relay route, and showcased nearly two hundred of the city’s incredible local artists. Jana was awarded one of seven 2010 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Awards for her work as a playwright.