Norm Foster

Norm Foster has been called Canada’s preeminent comic playwright. He is the most produced playwright in the history of the country and he receives, on average, an astounding one hundred and fifty productions of his plays each year. It has been said that on any given day of the year, there is a Norm Foster play either in rehearsal or in performance somewhere in the world.

Halifax Chronicle-Herald columnist Ron Foley writes, “Foster’s stage writing remains one of Canada’s greatest theatrical treasures”, and The Calgary Herald describes him as “one of the funniest writers of intelligent comedy in Canadian theatre today.”

The Foster Festival applauds Norm’s 2017 appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada, for his body of work. The Order of Canada is the highest civilian honour in the nation.

As of 2026, Mr. Foster has written an astounding 90 plays to his credit. His plays include, but are not limited to:

• The Bean (World Premiere 2026)
• Euchre Night (World Premiere 2026)
• Whit’s End (World Premiere 2024)
• Those Movies (World Premiere 2024)
• On A First Name Basis
• Here On The Flight Path
• Halfway There (World Premiere 2016)
• Old Love
• Lunenburg (World Premiere 2017)
• Screwball Comedy (World Premiere 2017)
• Wrong For Each Other
• Come Down From Up River (World Premiere 2018)
• Renovations For Six (World Premiere 2018)
• The Writer (World Premiere 2019)
• Beside Myself (World Premiere 2019)
• 1812 (World Premiere 2022)
• Danny & Delilah (World Premiere 2023)
• The Melville Boys
• The Foursome
• Mending Fences
• The Love List
• Outlaw
• Jenny’s House of Joy
• Skin Flick
• Hilda’s Yard
• The Ladies Foursome
• The Affections of May

He is the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama-Logue Award for his play, The Melville Boys and in 2009 he was a finalist for the Premier’s Award For Excellence In The Arts. He also received the Order of Canada in 2017 and the Key to the City of St. Catharines which was presented to Norm by Mayor Walter Sendzik during the Festival’s 2018 season.

As an actor, Norm has toured in his plays Here On The Flight Path, On A First Name Basis, and Jonas and Barry in the Home.  He has performed in theatres across the country in such plays as Art, Strawberries in January, Waiting for Godot, and in his own plays, The Long Weekend, Mending Fences, The Love List, Skin Flick, Outlaw, Self-Help, Old Love, and The Foursome.