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Kim Blackwell is a veteran director and producer of epic scale dramatic theatre productions. Her passion for creating and sharing transformative art has been showcased in the productions she has directed over the past 30 years. For the past 26 years, she has been serving in various capacities at 4th Line Theatre, now leading the organization as the Managing Artistic Director since 2014.

Early Life :
Blackwell was born October 3, 1966. Raised in Peterborough, Ontario, she attended Edmison Heights Public School and Adam Scott CVI Secondary school. After graduating from Adam Scott Collegiate, Kim attended Trent University where she studied History and English Literature. It was there she discovered her love of history, which fuelled her passion to showcase this through the Arts. Over the years Blackwell has lived in Fort McMurray, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Plattsmouth, Nebraska, Biloxi, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Career:
Kim Blackwell’s extensive career has allowed her to work for some of the top arts organizations in the country including the Canadian Stage Company, Nightwood Theatre, Tapestry New Opera and Dancemakers. She is also a member of Maja Ardal’s Contrary Company. Blackwell has worked in various capacities with the Union Theatre in Peterborough for ten years and has directed plays, which were presented at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and the Gordon Best Theatre. Kim then went on to form her own theatre company, Black Well Productions where she produced several plays in Peterborough and Toronto. She was also the Founding Executive Director of Celebrate Canada in the Kawarthas, a marketing collective, where she worked with 140 eco-tourism and arts and culture organizations from 1997 – 2001.

She has continued to put her networking, administrative, marketing and publicity skills to good use at 4th Line Theatre over the past 26 years where she oversees all operations, administration and artistic elements of the organization. She has spearheaded the Emerging VOICES Program, which pairs young people from the region with professional theatre artists as they work together on projects related to 4th Line Theatre’s annual productions. Her work doesn’t stop there as a veteran 4th Line director/producer, 2020 will mark her 26th season with 4th Line Theatre where she has directed twenty-four productions including twelve world premieres.

Selected Credits Include:
Artistic Director (2014 - Present), Artistic Producer (2009 – 2014), Artistic Associate (2001-2009), directing: The Fool of Cavan: A Christmas Caper (2019), Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable (2019), The Other: A Strange Christmas Tale (2018), The Shadow Walk of Millbrook (2016), The Hero of Hunter Street(2016), The Bad Luck Bank Robbers (2015, 2016), The Real McCoy (2013), Queen Marie, St. Francis of Millbrook (2012), The Berlin Blues (2011), The Right Road to Pontypool (2009, 2010), Schoolhouse (2007, 2008), The Art of Silent Killing, That Summer, Crow Hill, The Cavan Blazers, Attrition, Gimme That Prime Time Religion and many development workshops; stage managing: The Cavan Blazers, Crow Hill, 1837: The Farmer’s Revolt, Moodie Traill, The Farm Show, Stone Angel, Winslows of Derryvore, The Orchard. Kim recently directed Maja Ardal’s HER2, a Nightwood/Buddies in Bad Times Theatre co-production, Pocket Rocket (Lost and Found Theatre), Les Soeurs (The Sisters) at Erring 2014 and Chicken Grease is Nasty Business at the Summerworks Festival for which she received a NOW Magazine nod for Outstanding Direction. Selected other directing credits include Once A Flame, Fire in the Stable, The Shadow of Genius (Heritage Pavilion); Getting Lucky (Rhubarb!, 2005); Unlucky(Summerworks, 2003); The Ugly Man; Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet); Poor Super Man; Unidentified Human Remains… She also directed a sold-out run of Freedom 85! in the 2008 Fringe Festival and at the 2009 New York City Frigid Festival where it received excellent critical attention and the Audience Choice Award and the See It Twice Award. She was nominated for the John Hirsch Award for Directing Excellence in 2009 (Canada Council) and 2014 (Ontario Arts Council). She was the winner of a 2013 KETS Award for “People Who Rock Our World.” She was the only Canadian invited to train with Felix Barrett, the renowned Artistic Director of Punchdrunk (Sleep No More) in his immersive and promenade theatre style. Kim was inducted into Peterborough’s Pathway of Fame in September 2016.

References:

 * https://kawarthanow.com/2019/06/11/kim-blackwell-marks-25-years-at-4th-line-theatre-in-millbrook/
 * https://themillbrooktimes.ca/4th-line-theatre-celebrated-as-a-testament-to-the-power-of-the-arts/
 * https://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/6714829-serena-ryder-among-13-names-added-to-peterborough-pathway-of-fame/
 * http://inspirethewomensportraitproject.com/kim-blackwell/