Iris Turcott and Canadian Dramaturgy

Some people make a difference. This is true in all walks of life. In the world of Canadian dramaturgy, Iris Turcott made a difference. A big one.

You'll find a tribute by Daniel MacIvor here.

A statement from the National Arts Centre here.

Below the Facebook posting you'll find a string of Tweets that capture just a few of the things people said about Iris passing.

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POSTED ON FACEBOOK SEPTEMBER 23RD BY DRAMATURG AMY LYNN STRILCHUK 

Iris Turcott made and held space for writers to be seen and heard.
She solicited scripts. She showed up. She made people feel seen.
She wiped away the film of doubt that crept in that day.

Do you know how rare this is? How vital this is?

Here's a hard truth: we talk about artists as commodities. A lot. Which ones are sellable, which ones are memorable. We complain about unsolicited scripts and slush piles and how little time we have for ourselves, let alone each other.

It's easy to forget there are humans being brave and vulnerable in this process of telling stories meant to connect people over the humanness of being human.

Let's make the fucking time.

Iris did.

And look what that did.

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IRIS TURCOTT & TWITTER

Derrick Chua@d_chua 2h2 hours ago

Factory Theatre is open today until 7pm, to anyone who would like to drop by and remember / celebrate / say goodbye to Iris Turcott.

NTS@NTSofCanada Sep 23

Iris Turcott, dramaturg & instructor at NTS, passed away. She will be deeply missed by students, alumni & staff.

Canadian Stage@canadianstage Sep 23

We are deeply saddened by the passing of dramaturge Iris Turcott. Our thoughts are with your family and our community at this time.

John Coulbourn@Jcoulbourn Sep 23

I knew Iris Turcott well enough to know that Canadian theatre is so much richer today for her presence and poorer today for her loss.

Daniel MacIvor@danielmacivor 3d3 days ago

In Memoriam: Iris Turcott http://bit.ly/2cqwA8A 

Derrick Chua@d_chua 3d3 days ago

Lovely In Memoriam for Iris Turcott, by Daniel MacIvor, in NOW Magazine: https://nowtoronto.com/stage/in-memoriam-iris-turcott/ …

Rosemary Thompson@RosiePThompson 3d3 days ago

In Memoriam: Iris Turcott-The NAC`s flag is flying at half mast for #IrisTurcott @CanadasNAC http://bit.ly/2cyBAen 

Vanessa Porteous@ATPvporteous Sep 22

I'm shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Iris Turcott. She was so passionately supportive of Canadian creators. What a loss.

pitheatre@pitheatre 3d3 days ago

In our obsessive pursuit of the future we must never forget our past. Thank you Iris Turcott. (RW)

NTS@NTSofCanada 3d3 days ago

Iris Turcott, dramaturg & instructor at NTS, passed away. She will be deeply missed by students, alumni & staff.

Morro and Jasp@morroandjasp 3d3 days ago

Heavy hearts for the passing of our dear friend Iris Turcott who always lovingly greeted us with a loud "Hey clown and other clown" #weloveu

Canadian Stage@canadianstage 3d3 days ago

We are deeply saddened by the passing of dramaturge Iris Turcott. Our thoughts are with your family and our community at this time.

One Yellow Rabbit@oneyellowrabbit 3d3 days ago

Yesterday, the Cdn theatre community lost "a warrior woman, a theatre warrior, a goddamn theatre Goddess in fact."

 Tarragon Theatre@tarragontheatre 3d3 days ago

A beautiful tribute by @danielmacivor for the great Iris Turcott. https://nowtoronto.com/stage/in-memoriam-iris-turcott/ …

Michael Rubenfeld@LeRubenfeld 3d3 days ago

Good-bye Iris Turcott. For those who do not know who she is, here is a memoriam written by one of Canada's great... http://fb.me/3jGeRL2Ao

National Arts Centre Verified account @CanadasNAC 3d3 days ago

National Arts Centre Flags Fly at Half-Staff in Honour of Theatre Dramaturg Iris Turcott http://nac-cna.ca/en/media/newsrelease/14826 …

Concrete Theatre YEG@ConcreteYEG 3d3 days ago

Our deepest condolences to the friends and family of Iris Turcott. She touched so many. She will be dearly missed.

Mieko Ouchi@miekoouchi 3d3 days ago

Gutted to hear of Iris Turcott's passing. Feel incredibly lucky to have spent time with this amazingly fierce, loving, supportive woman. xo

Nightswimming@NightswimmingTh 4d4 days ago

@CanadasNAC honours dramaturg Iris Turcott by flying flags at half-mast. Excellent. http://nac-cna.ca/en/media/newsrelease/14826 … / BQ

J. Kelly Nestruck Verified account @nestruck 4d4 days ago

Flags @CanadasNAC flying at half-mast in honour of dramaturg Iris Turcott.

Briana Brown@bayfieldbri 4d4 days ago

A legacy of pushing and supporting generations of storytellers to find and own their individual voices. With absolute humour.

Raoul Bhaneja@raoulbhaneja Sep 22

RIP dramaturg Iris Turcott and actor Ken James. Toronto lost two theatrical veterans over the last few days.

Brad Fraser@fraser_brad Sep 22

It is far easier to find a good boyfriend than it is to find a good dramaturge. And good boyfriends can be very hard to find. #IrisTurcott

Anton Piatigorsky@apiatigorsky Sep 22

RIP Iris Turcott - an honest, wise, helpful and dedicated dramaturge. The hardest job in the theatre, and she did it with aplomb.

Naomi Wright@thisnaomiwright Sep 22

Flights of angels Iris Turcott.

TheatreMuseumCanada@theatremuseumc Sep 22

TheatreMuseumCanada Retweeted Brad Fraser

Very sad day here. RIP Iris Turcott.

DM St. Bernard@BelladonnaNHP Sep 22

"So I hear your kid's supposedly some kind of fucking genius," Iris Turcott once delighted/ scandalized my very Catholic mom. Bye, Iris.

J. Kelly Nestruck Verified account @nestruck Sep 22

Iris Turcott's too-short entry in the Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia:

http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Turcott%2C%20Iris …

J. Kelly Nestruck Verified account @nestruck Sep 22

Saddened to hear of the passing of Iris Turcott - a dramaturge who worked with dozens of Canada's most prominent playwrights.

Brad Fraser@fraser_brad Sep 22

RIP Iris Turcott, warrior, dramaturge and friend. Deeply missed.  

Leigh Ann Vardy@LeighAnnVardy Sep 22

Sorry to hear about the death of Iris Turcott, amazing woman and champion of Canadian Theatre

Derrick Chua@d_chua Sep 22

Saddened to hear that Iris Turcott has passed away after a short fight with cancer. A true champion of Canadian theatre, esp its playwrights

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HERE ARE JUST A FEW TWEETS MENTIONING IRIS AT WORK OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS

Playwrights Canada@PlayCanPress 21 Jun 2015

Audience: Daniel MacIvor's Who Killed Spalding Gray? part of @Luminato's 7 Monologues (Points if u find Iris Turcott)

 Factory Theatre@FactoryToronto 12 Nov 2014

Moderator Iris Turcott asks D&M about their artistic strategy behind adapting Faulkner's "59 narrative sections". #TSGJefferson

Wayne@wayne_burns 17 Oct 2014

Working with the LEGENDARY Iris Turcott this morning @FactoryToronto. #Mechanicals

sarahgartonstanley@sarahgstanley 17 Apr 2014

Opening Tonight: #beatriceandvirgil @FactoryToronto #yannmartel adapted by Lindsay Cochrane with Iris Turcott http://bit.ly/1r2bEoM 

sarahgartonstanley@sarahgstanley 15 Apr 2014

Preshow chat wt. Yann Martel & Iris Turcott @FactoryToronto #BeatriceAndVirgil no surprise he’s incredibly articulate

The Ontarion@theontarion 24 Nov 2013

Guest lecture by Canadian dramaturge Iris Turcott in Massey Hall http://theontarion.com/22640 

Travis Bedard Verified account @travisbedard 26 Oct 2013

Marjorie Chan@magicalmudge 15 Oct 2013

Writers off to York University! @FactoryToronto dramaturge Iris Turcott giving notes to @Bruised_Berry in the car!

Nightswimming@NightswimmingTh 26 Sep 2013

CONGRATS to dramaturg Iris Turcott @FactoryToronto on receiving @PGuildCanada Honorary Award! http://www.playwrightsguild.ca/tom-hendry-awards …. /BQ

Theatre Ontario@theatreontario 25 Sep 2013

Congrats to Linda Griffiths and Iris Turcott, being honoured by Playwrights Guild of Canada at the Tom Hendry Awards http://www.playwrightsguild.ca/news/linda-griffiths-and-iris-turcott-be-honoured-pgc%E2%80%99s-2013-tom-hendry-awards …

 Franny McB@Franny_McB 14 May 2013

@amyleelavoie, Iris Turcott, and a bunch of happy subscribers talking #Stopheart, South Porcupine and much more

Art Gems@artgems 9 Apr 2013

2 weeks til Art Gems. Mingle with our Celebrity artists Jan Wong, Peter Keleghan, Leah Pinsent and Iris Turcott. Fabulous #art. artgems.ca.

Michael Dufays@DufaysInc 5 Apr 2013

Inspiring meeting with #iristurcott from @FactoryToronto. Sometimes u just need a little push from someone who believes in U -Thnk U Iris xo

Bryan Eaton@B_Grade 5 Apr 2013 Toronto, Ontario

Iris Turcott on the phone. The best.

kat@bitwhizzle 7 Mar 2013

@rmspiar I was thinking more along the lines of Iris Turcott! ;) #watchoutAngelicaHuston!

Bryan Eaton@B_Grade 15 Jun 2012 Toronto, Ontario

Watching Yann Martel & Iris Turcott get all artistic with one of his stories, feeling pretty awkward 'cause I haven't read any of his work

Chloë Whitehorn@fishbowlmuse 31 May 2012

Making headway on Oedipus Wrecks (which is not the title 'cause Iris Turcott told me not to call it that). Got an ending, now need middle.

Factory Theatre@FactoryToronto 16 Mar 2012

Dramaturge Iris Turcott is interviewed - Londoner helps create theatre - Londoner - Ontario, CA: http://bit.ly/zEaaHH  

Region: 

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