Heide, Christopher

• Heide, Christopher Philip

Christopher Heide is a poet and playwright. Born in 1951 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, where his father was stationed, he spent his childhood moving between Armed Forces bases in England and across Canada. After completing secondary school in Ottawa, he moved to East Dover, Nova Scotia, where he began to write and publish poetry and short fiction. After moving to Halifax with his wife, Deborah Hickman, he started to write for theatre and radio. In 1976 he received a grant to attend Banff Playwrights Colony and in 1977 he was a playwright-in-residence at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, where he wrote his first full-length play, On the Lee Side.

In 1979 he joined Mulgrave Road Co-op Theatre Company in Guysborough, Nova Scotia, co-creating The Coady Co-op Show and later writing Bring Back Don Messer. He served Mulgrave as artistic director between 1987-1989. He was also a playwright-in-residence at Mermaid Theatre in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, before being appointed director of Mermaid Youtheatre. In 2005 he became artistic director of Chester Playhouse.

Writing for radio, television and the theatre, Heide has had dozens of plays professionally produced in almost every Canadian province and abroad. He also has three books of poetry in print and has been the recipient of several awards for his writing. His work has included community development projects, in particular working with children and youth. He is also active in various professional associations and was a co-founder of the Dramatists Co-op of Nova Scotia.

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