Since it’s first touring production, the Dora-Award nominated The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Carson Productions and its founder, Tom Carson continue to make their mark on Canadian Theatre.

Click for Tom’s professional resume, his biography and photos of productions he has directed.

Highlights

1992
Tom Carson begins his career in Theatre for Young Audiences at Youtheatre in Montreal, Quebec. Youtheatre creates, develops and produces some of the finest theatre for young people in the country. Acting as the “Artistic & Administrative Associate” to Executive Director Michel Lefebvre, he gains expertise in all areas of creating, developing and producting quality theatre for children and youth.

Tom begins his artistic association with Brookstone Performing Arts in Toronto, developing and directing new work for both children and adults. This association will continue until 2003.

1996
Tom directs his first professional production for children, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe by LeClanche duRand for Brookstone Performing Arts in Toronto. The play receives critical acclaim and is called “a world of wonders” in the local media (NOW magazine, Toronto), and is nominated for “Outstanding Production -- Theatre for Young Audiences” at Toronto’s Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

Tom is a Guest Director at Concordia University Theatre Department in Montreal, affirming his commitment to theatre education. The course culminates in a production of The Good Woman of Setzuan by Brecht in the D.B. Clarke Theatre.

Tom also develops a relationship with the Theatre Arts Department at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario. He acts as guest director for Ibsen’s Peer Gynt. Tom will continue this relationship, and will return to direct two more productions there, as well as act as an adjudicator, over the next ten years.

1997
Tom directs Dennis Hassell’s adaptation of The Wind in the Willows at Brookstone Performing Arts which is nominated for “Outstanding Production -- Theatre for Young Audiences” at Toronto’s Dora Mavor Moore Awards. This means that Tom has two nominations at the Doras in a single theatrical season.

Tom directs Simon Johnston’s Tales From The Arabian Nights at Youtheatre in Montreal. The production is invited to appear at the London International Children’s Festival in London, Ontario.

2000
Tom establishes Carson Productions, and co-produces a new production of The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe which tours the Toronto area, as well as Montreal and Eastern Ontario. This production garners another nomination for “Outstanding Production -- Theatre for Young Audiences” at Toronto’s Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

2002
Tom begins work on his play for teens, The Bones of William Shakespeare. The project receives funding from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec. Click here for a timeline of this project.

2003
Tom moves to Milton, Ontario, and becomes the General Manager of Smile Theatre in Toronto. Shortly after, Tom becomes the General & Artistic Manager. Smile Theatre is the only professional theatre company in Canada devoted to performing exclusively for senior citizens. In Tom’s first season, the company wins the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Arts for maintaining a high level of artistic excellence while demonstrating exceptional community and private sector support.

2005
Tom pursues his performance poetry for children, and is awarded a grant from the Ontario Arts Council literary section, “Word of Mouth” program. He develops One For Every One as well as other pieces.

2007
Tom begins planning for the Carson Academy, the educational arm of Carson Productions. Tom envisions, and begins work on the Books Alive project, an electrifying new literacy performance project for children.

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