Corey Payette is proud of his Oji-Cree heritage from Northern Ontario and has worked as a playwright, actor, composer, and director across Canada. He is the Artistic Director of Urban Ink (Vancouver), past Artist-in-Residence with National Arts Centre [NAC] English Theatre, and founder of Raven Theatre. He was the Artistic Associate for The Indigenous Cycle at the NAC which resulted in the creation of a new department of Indigenous Theatre to begin in 2019. Credits: Children of God (Urban Ink, NAC, The Cultch, Citadel Theatre, Western Canada Theatre), Moonlodge (Urban Ink/NAC), Our Town (Caravan Farm), Les Filles du Roi (Fugue/Raven/Urban Ink), and Sedna (Caravan Farm Theatre). His original musical Children of God (book/music/lyrics & direction) toured to the Segal Centre (Montreal), York Theatre (Vancouver), then to Vernon, Nelson, Cranbrook, and Surrey in Winter 2019. His next new musical has been commissioned by Bard on the Beach (Vancouver). Awards: John Hirsch Prize (Canada Council) and Best New Musical and Outstanding Direction (Ovation Awards).
