Walter Learning
Encyclopedia
Walter John Learning is a Canadian
theatre director, actor
, and founder of Theatre New Brunswick
.
in Newfoundland
. Learning attended Bishop Feild College
in St. John's
and the University of New Brunswick
in Fredericton, New Brunswick
. After receiving his BA
, he was awarded a Teaching Fellowship to pursue his MA
, and a Commonwealth Scholarship to work on his PhD
at the Australian National University
in Canberra
. Learning returned to Canada in May 1966. He was Director of Drama at the UNB Summer Session, and in the Fall returned to Memorial University of Newfoundland
. He became a Lecturer in the Philosophy
Department where he remained for two years.
In May 1968, Learning moved back to Fredericton to become the General Manager of the Beaverbrook Playhouse
. There he founded Theatre New Brunswick which presented its first production in January 1969. For the next forty years, TNB remained Canada's only full time touring regional theatre. Learning remained as General Manager of The Playhouse and Artistic Director
of Theatre New Brunswick for ten years. In that time, TNB produced more than 85 productions. During his tenure at TNB, Learning met and became close friends with, prominent Canadian poet Alden Nowlan
. The two collaborated on a number of play scripts including: Frankenstein, The Dollar Woman, A Gift to Last
, and The Incredible Murder of Cardinal Tosca. In June 1978, Learning left Fredericton for Ottawa
to take the position of Head of the Theatre Section of the Canada Council for the Arts
.
Learning remained at the Canada Council until 1982 when he moved to the west coast to become Artistic Director of the Vancouver Playhouse
. After five years, he returned east to Prince Edward Island
where he became the Artistic Director of the Charlottetown Festival
. From 1992 to 1995 Learning was a freelance broadcaster, writer, actor, and director, and from 1995 to 1999 he returned to Theatre New Brunswick as Executive Producer.
During his long career, Learning has guest directed at many theatres including the Stratford Festival, where he directed William Hutt
in A Man for All Seasons
. Other theatres include Neptune Theatre
, the Dallas Theater Center
, Persephone Theatre
, Festival Antigonish
, Lighthouse Theatre, Bastion Theatre, and Upper Canada Playhouse. Learning has been a frequent director at Australia
's Canberra Repertory Society. He has also appeared as an actor at many theatres across Canada and has guest-starred in a number of television shows and films, including playing the role of hockey pioneer Charles Hay
in the mini-series Canada Russia '72
, a film depicting the famous 1972 Summit Series
.
Learning is currently freelancing as an actor and director.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
theatre director, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and founder of Theatre New Brunswick
Theatre New Brunswick
Theatre New Brunswick is the only professional theatre company in New Brunswick Canada. It began operation in 1968, and has been successfully operating since that time.-Artistic directors:*Walter Learning *Malcolm Black...
.
Biography
Walter Learning was born in 1938 in the small village of Quidi VidiQuidi Vidi
Quidi Vidi is a neighbourhood in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador....
in Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
. Learning attended Bishop Feild College
Edward Feild
Bishop Edward Feild was a university tutor, university examiner, Anglican clergyman, inspector of schools and second Bishop of Newfoundland, born Worcester, England...
in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
and the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
in Fredericton, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. After receiving his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, he was awarded a Teaching Fellowship to pursue his MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, and a Commonwealth Scholarship to work on his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. Learning returned to Canada in May 1966. He was Director of Drama at the UNB Summer Session, and in the Fall returned to Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
. He became a Lecturer in the Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
Department where he remained for two years.
In May 1968, Learning moved back to Fredericton to become the General Manager of the Beaverbrook Playhouse
The Playhouse (Fredericton)
The Fredericton Playhouse is a non-profit organization venue for hosting local talent acts and touring performers. It was originally constructed in 1964 at the behest of Lady and Lord Beaverbrook, and between the years of 1969 and 2003, the venue was home to Theatre New Brunswick...
. There he founded Theatre New Brunswick which presented its first production in January 1969. For the next forty years, TNB remained Canada's only full time touring regional theatre. Learning remained as General Manager of The Playhouse and Artistic Director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
of Theatre New Brunswick for ten years. In that time, TNB produced more than 85 productions. During his tenure at TNB, Learning met and became close friends with, prominent Canadian poet Alden Nowlan
Alden Nowlan
Alden Albert Nowlan was a critically acclaimed Canadian poet, novelist, and playwright-History:Alden Nowlan was born into rural poverty in Stanley, Nova Scotia, adjacent to Mosherville, and close to the small town of Windsor, Nova Scotia, along a stretch of dirt road that he would later refer to...
. The two collaborated on a number of play scripts including: Frankenstein, The Dollar Woman, A Gift to Last
A Gift To Last
A Gift to Last is a CBC Television Christmas special broadcast in 1976, a subsequent family drama series that ran from 1978-1979, and a stage play based on the pilot episode....
, and The Incredible Murder of Cardinal Tosca. In June 1978, Learning left Fredericton for Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
to take the position of Head of the Theatre Section of the Canada Council for the Arts
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
.
Learning remained at the Canada Council until 1982 when he moved to the west coast to become Artistic Director of the Vancouver Playhouse
Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company
The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company is a regional theatre company, producing plays since 1962. Its first production was The Hostage by Brendan Behan, which opened on October 2, 1963...
. After five years, he returned east to Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
where he became the Artistic Director of the Charlottetown Festival
Charlottetown Festival
The Charlottetown Festival is a seasonal Canadian musical theatre festival which runs from late May to mid-October every year since 1965.Named after its host city, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, since its inception the festival has showcased Canada's most popular and longest-running musical,...
. From 1992 to 1995 Learning was a freelance broadcaster, writer, actor, and director, and from 1995 to 1999 he returned to Theatre New Brunswick as Executive Producer.
During his long career, Learning has guest directed at many theatres including the Stratford Festival, where he directed William Hutt
William Hutt (actor)
William Ian DeWitt Hutt, was a Canadian actor of stage, television and film. Hutt's distinguished career spanned more than fifty years and won him many accolades and awards...
in A Man for All Seasons
A Man for All Seasons
A Man for All Seasons is a play by Robert Bolt. An early form of the play had been written for BBC Radio in 1954, and a one-hour live television version starring Bernard Hepton was produced in 1957 by the BBC, but after Bolt's success with The Flowering Cherry, he reworked it for the stage.It was...
. Other theatres include Neptune Theatre
Neptune Theatre (Halifax)
The Neptune Theatre is the largest professional theatre company in Atlantic Canada with a capacity of 497 and is located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It performs a mixture of new and classical plays....
, the Dallas Theater Center
Dallas Theater Center
The Dallas Theater Center is a major regional theater in Dallas, Texas . It produces classic, contemporary and new plays. The theater was based in the Kalita Humphreys Theater, a building designed by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, from 1959 to 2009...
, Persephone Theatre
Persephone Theatre
Persephone Theatre, is a theatre company based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The theatre company was founded in 1974 by Janet and Susan Wright and named after the greek goddess Persephone. The first season performances were held at the Mendel Art Gallery, with the second season at the...
, Festival Antigonish
Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre
Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre runs every year from July through September, in the town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Founded in 1987, FAST presents a summer-long repertory season with a range of productions which appeal to all age groups.-External links:...
, Lighthouse Theatre, Bastion Theatre, and Upper Canada Playhouse. Learning has been a frequent director at Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's Canberra Repertory Society. He has also appeared as an actor at many theatres across Canada and has guest-starred in a number of television shows and films, including playing the role of hockey pioneer Charles Hay
Charles Hay
Charles Cecil Hay was a Canadian ice hockey player, organizer, and administrator. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the "Builder" category, Hay is best known for his work with Hockey Canada and his efforts to organize the 1972 Summit Series...
in the mini-series Canada Russia '72
Canada Russia '72
Canada Russia '72 is a 2006 Canadian documentary-style miniseries about the 1972 Summit Series. The two-part miniseries was directed by T. W. Peacocke and written by Barrie Dunn and Malcolm MacRury...
, a film depicting the famous 1972 Summit Series
Summit Series
The Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972...
.
Learning is currently freelancing as an actor and director.
Plays
- Frankenstein: The Man Who Became God - Clarke, Irwin, Toronto 1973 (with Alden NowlanAlden NowlanAlden Albert Nowlan was a critically acclaimed Canadian poet, novelist, and playwright-History:Alden Nowlan was born into rural poverty in Stanley, Nova Scotia, adjacent to Mosherville, and close to the small town of Windsor, Nova Scotia, along a stretch of dirt road that he would later refer to...
) - The Dollar Woman - Playwrights Co-op, Toronto 1981 (with Alden Nowlan)
- The Incredible Murder of Cardinal Tosca - Clarke, Irwin, Toronto 1987 (with Alden Nowlan)
- A Gift To LastA Gift To LastA Gift to Last is a CBC Television Christmas special broadcast in 1976, a subsequent family drama series that ran from 1978-1979, and a stage play based on the pilot episode....
(with Alden Nowlan) from the teleplay by Gordon PinsentGordon PinsentGordon Edward Pinsent, CC, FRSC is a Canadian television, theatre and film actor.-Early life:Pinsent, the youngest of six children, was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, the son of Flossie ; originally from Clifton, Newfoundland, and Stephen Arthur Pinsent, a papermill worker and cobbler;...
Books
- Gifts to Last: Stories from the Maritimes and Newfoundland, ed. Fredericton: Goose Lane Editions ISBN 0-86492-206-X
External links
- Home Page
- Walter Learning at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...
- Walter Learning directs It Runs in the Family at Canberra Repertory Company, Canberra, Australia