Beatriz Pizano
Artistic Director
Aluna Theatre

Beatriz is a graduate from UBC with a Major in Psychology.  She also studied Fine and Performing Arts at Simon Fraser University and at  Emily Carr School of Art and Design.  Further, she has been a professional actor since 1988 with numerous credits in theatre, film and television.   In 2001 she founded Aluna Theatrewhich in a short time hasestablished itself as the leading professional Latin/Canadian theatre company in Toronto.  Recently, the company was awarded the Capacity Building Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts Equity Office.  Beatriz has been a recipient of numerous awards and grants for her work, including:  The Metcalf Professional Development grant 2006-2007 to be the Associate Artistic Director at Nightwood Theatre, the Chalmers Professional Development in 2006 which took her Belgrade, Serbia to work with the Dah Theatre and at to LaMamma Umbria in Italy.   In 2004-2005 she was awarded the Urjo Kareda Emerging Artists grant from the Tarragon Theatre where she spent the season as an intern writer/director. She has been an assistant director for: Richard Rose, Eda Holmes, Laszlo Marton. Directing Credits include:   Extreme Women (Nightwood Theatre)  Bear with Me (written and performed by Diane Flacks, 2007 Magnetic North Festival)  I think of You Erendida (Theatre Revolve- co-director) The Dinner Party (Rhubarb Festival 2006), Capturing Freedom (Summerworks Festival 2005); For Sale (2 Dora Mavor Moore Awards in 2004); The Fire Story for Write from the Hip(2003), meeting playce (Summerworks Festival 2003).   WRITING CREDITS:  The Communion (Tarragon Playwright’s unit, 2007 CrossCurrents Festival at the Factory Theatre), Madre (2005 Nightwood Theatre’s Playwrights unit)  For Sale (Dora nominated as Outstanding New Play), meeting playce (co-creator), Tangueratas (co-writer, Chicano/Latino Literary Contest winner and Southwest Festival of New Plays in Texas contest winner). Film writing credits include: In Between; A Devil at my Table.