Deanne TAYLOR

DEANNE TAYLOR Over the course of her career as a performer, playwright, producer, director, activist, and mentor, Deanne Taylor has been one of the most innovative and politically engaged theatre artists in the country. Born in Berkeley, California, to Canadian parents Violet and Malcolm Taylor, Deanne was schooled in Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. She found her calling early, beginning her professional career at age nine, when she was cast as Maggie Muggins in the popular CBC children's show. After graduation Deanne travelled widely in Europe, the Middle East and India, living in Morocco and then in London, England. There she studied film, took part in the local music scene and helped create the city's first repertory film house, Electric Cinema. Upon returning to Toronto Deanne quickly engaged at the cutting edge of Canadian art and culture playing a key role in Toronto's exploding Queen St. West artistic scene - first with Women & Film, then turning to performance and theatre. Together with Jenny Dean and Janet Burke, The Hummer Sisters, backed by Andy Patterson and The Government, delivered a kinetic kind of 'stand-up journalism' through the medium of Deanne's brilliantly witty lyrics. In 1982 they stepped offstage and into the political arena when they collectively ran for mayor of Toronto, against incumbent Art Eggleton. Their campaign slogan, 'ART vs. Art' pointed to a future in which show biz and politics have become indistinguishable. In 1976, she co-founded VideoCabaret International with her partner playwright Michael Hollingsworth. With its high-tech, low-budget approach to spectacle, Deanne's work with VideoCabaret created a whole new - and highly entertaining - grammar of stage performance. What began in the small rooms of Theatre Passe Muraille, Factory Theatre, and the Cameron House ended up playing to audiences in New York and London as well as on the Soulpepper, Stratford Festival, and national touring stages. Deanne wrote, produced and performed a remarkable array of works - plays, (video) cabarets, musicals, and an opera. From The Patty Rehearst Story, Nympho Warrior, and Where's Fluffy? to 2nd Nature, Life & Times of Brian Mulroney, and City for Sale. During the 1970's and 1980's Deanne also wrote, produced and performed in a number of "Vox Pop" cabarets responding to municipal and national, concerns and events. When not creating insightful productions on these issues Deanne was engaged in city planning processes as an activist, policy wonk, and commentator. Together, Michael and Deanne developed their own innovative "black box" style of theatre and since 1982 have collaborated on Hollingsworth's epic 21-play cycle about Canadian history, called The History of The Village of The Small Huts. In recent years, Deanne has also been engaged with new play development, playwrights' and directors' workshops, mentorship of a lucky few very talented individuals, and production/co-direction of the company's seasons. She also oversaw moving VideoCabaret's HQ from the Cameron House to a more spacious venue on the aptly named Busy St. in Toronto's east end. Deanne kept her cancer a secret for a long time. She was fully focused on living every bit of her life and didn't want anyone else to be distracted by her illness. "Tragedy tomorrow, Comedy tonight!" she declared. Deanne passed peacefully, at home on December 15th, in the company of husband Michael, close friend and associate Cliff Cardinal, her wonderful care team; and with her brother, isolated in Vancouver, by phone. Deanne leaves her husband and partner of 45 years, Michael Hollingsworth, her brother Burke Taylor (Sue Harvey), her aunt Beth Smith, stepmother Helen Taylor, her devoted and much-loved Toronto "coven of sisters, co-conspirators, and purveyors of fine casseroles", her extended creative family at VideoCab, her Caribbean family-by-choice, Ann, Naette, and Golda Lee, her wonderful tireless caregivers, Niki, Navjot, Lovepreet, Zara, and Sharon, as well as a host of colleagues, friends, and family who miss her already. The family wants to express special thanks to the Toronto circle of sisters and others who rallied to sustain Deanne through challenging times, and to the Canadian Health Care system doctors, nurses, technicians, and PSWs, who, together with the team from Home Instead, gave Deanne their "All", sharing and supporting her fight for life. Thanks too to Suzanne DePoe, Marni Jackson, and Leslie Lester for... "everything", and to Michael Cooper for sharing one this wonderful photo. We also thank life-long friend Marni for her fuller bio of Deanne, (posted on the VideoCab website and FB page), from which this notice was heavily cribbed. A celebration of Deanne's life will be held at a future date when gathering is permitted. Donations in memoriam may be made to VideoCabaret http://www.videocab.com/ or at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/videocabaret/.