# Leah Cherniak

Leah Cherniak (born 1956) is a Canadian playwright, actor, and teacher. She is a co-founder of Theatre Columbus (now called Common Boots).

## Early life and education

Cherniak graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in 1979. She later studied at École Jacques Lecoq, where she met Martha Ross.

## Career

Cherniak co-founded Theatre Columbus with Martha Ross in 1984. Originally, the company was called The Gargoils. In 2015, Theatre Columbus changed their name to Common Boots Theatre.

### Teaching

Beginning in 1985, Cherniak taught clown at the National Theatre School. In 2001, Cherniak began teaching dance at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and George Brown College.

### Directorial credits
#### Theatre

* Up Against the Wallpaper — Nightwood Theatre (1989)
* The Tell-Tale Heart — Theatre Columbus (1995)
* Froth (1996)
* Three Birds Alighting on a Field — George Brown Theatre (2000)
* Lonely Nights and Other Stories — Theatre Columbus, co-directed with Maggie Huculak (2001)
* Rue Alridge — Tarragon Theatre (2004)
* Edward the “Crazy Man” — Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People (2008)
* 6 Essential Questions — Factory Theatre (2014)
* Clown — Ryerson School of Performance (2018)
* The Ward Cabaret — Harbourfront Centre Theatre (2020), co-directed with David Buchbinder
* Perpetual Archaeology — Crow's Theatre written by and starring Alex Bulmer (June 2023)

#### Film

* Things Dead People Say — short film (2020)

### Acting credits
#### Theatre

| Year | Show | Role |
| 1995 | The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls | Jelly |
| 2015 | The Dybbuk, Or Between Two Worlds | Frayde |
| 2018 | Animal Farm | Bessie |
| 2019 | Scadding | Ensemble |

## Plays

* Until We Part — co-written with Martha Ross
* The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine — co-written with Robert Morgan and Martha Ross
* Still Clowning — co-written with Martha Ross
* The Fragments — co-written with Suvendrini Lena and Trevor Schwellnus
* The Theory of Relatives — co-written with Daniel Brooks, Diane Flacks, Richard Greenblatt, Leslie Lester, and Allan Merovitz
* The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls — co-written with Jennifer Brewin, Martha Ross, Ann-Marie MacDonald, and Alisa Palmer
* More Fine Girls — co-written with Brewin, Ross, MacDonald, and Palmer, sequel to The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls
* Scadding — co-created with Jennifer Brewin, Alex Bulmer, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, John Gzowski, Maggie Huculak, Anand Rajaram, Jenny Salisbury and Stephon Smith
* The Betrayal — co-written with Oliver Dennis, Maggie Huculak, Robert Morgan, Martha Ross and Michael Simpson

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Results | Notes |
| 1987 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Small Theatre | Best Production | Fertility | Won | with Martha Ross |
| 1988 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Small Theatre | Outstanding Direction | The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine | Nominated | |
| 1988 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Small Theatre | Outstanding New Play | The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine | Nominated | |
| 1989 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Small Theatre | Outstanding Direction | Paranoia | Nominated | |
| 1990 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Small Theatre | Outstanding Direction | Dr. Dapertutto | Nominated | |
| 1991 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Ancillary awards | Pauline McGibbon Award | N/A | Won | |
| 1994 | Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award | General Theatre | The Theory of Relatives | Nominated | with Daniel Brooks, Diane Flacks, Richard Greenblatt, Leslie Lester, Allan Merovitz |
| 1994 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Small Theatre | Outstanding New Play | The Theory of Relatives | Nominated | with Daniel Brooks, Diane Flacks, Richard Greenblatt, Leslie Lester, Allan Merovitz |
| 1995 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Small Theatre | Outstanding Performance by a Female - Play | The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls | Nominated | |
| 1995 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Small Theatre | Outstanding New Play or Musical | The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls | Nominated | with Ann-Marie MacDonald, Martha Ross with Alisa Palmer, Jennifer Brewin |
| 1996 | Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award | General Theatre | The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls | Nominated | with Ann-Marie MacDonald, Martha Ross with Alisa Palmer, Jennifer Brewin |
| 1996 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — General Theatre | Outstanding Direction | The Diary of Anne Frank | Nominated | |
| 1998 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — General Theatre | Outstanding Direction of a Play | The Betrayal | Nominated | |
| 1999 | Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award | General Theatre | The Betrayal | Won | co-winner with Oliver Dennis, Maggie Huculak, Robert Morgan, Martha Ross and Michael Simpson |
| 2003 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — General Theatre | Outstanding Direction of a Play | The Miracle Worker | Nominated | |
| 2005 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards — Independent Theatre | Outstanding Direction of a Play | The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine | Nominated | |