PETER COLLEY

Playwright-Screenwriter-Librettist

Plays produced in 32 countries.

"Cagney" nominated 2016 Outer Critics Circle Award "Outstanding New Musical", and Best Actor and Best Choreography.
"Cagney" nominated 2016 Off-Broadway Alliance Award "Best New Musical"
"Cagney" nominated 2016 Drama Desk Awards - "Best Actor In A Musical", "Best Choreographer In A Musical"
"Cagney" nominated for 4 2016 Astaire Awards - "Best Male Dancer (2)", "Best Female Dancer" and "Best Choreographer". Winner: Best Male Dancer.


OTHER AWARDS:
Nominated: 2000 Humanitas Prize for screenwriting.
Semi-finalist: Eugene O'Neill Awards.
Winner: 2008 New American Play Award TCG (Edgerton Foundation)
Winner: 2009 NAPTA award (New Zealand).
Winner: 2010 Florida Carbonell Awards "Best New Work". 

"A Canadian national treasure". The Record.

The Toronto Star calls Peter Colley: "Canada's Master Of Mayhem" for his suspenseful stage thrillers.

"Peter Colley's play was the most memorable theatre experience of my life.  It made me realize what live theatre could be." Calgary Herald

 


London 2023 with Tony winning director John Rando and
Tony nominee and Emmy Winner Josh Bergasse.


 


Pre-Broadway production September-October 2019 at the Pioneer Theatre in Salt Lake City.
 For details: click here.

NEW!

For more information and reviews CLICK HERE

SUMMER 2019:

DRAYTON ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS AT THE ST. JACOB"S COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE
AND THE HURON COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE
CLICK HERE or the above poster for details on the production history of "You'll Get Used To It"



- A COMEDY-THRILLER -
FREE COPIES AVAILABLE 
FOR THEATRES
For more info click
 on the poster or: click here

Now available in an Italian translation:
"Quando La Morte Chiama".
For details click here.

 
FREE COPIES AVAILABLE 
FOR THEATRES
Premiered in Calgary at The Vertigo
Theatre
.  For more info click
 on the poster or:
click here.

 


- CANADA IN WWII -
FREE COPIES AVAILABLE
FOR THEATRES

For more info: click here


THE MAN IN THE DESERT about the life of Lawrence after his Arabia days was a semi-finalist for the 2007 Eugene O'Neill awards, and was performed to very good reviews in 2007 at Theatre In The Park, Raleigh, North Carolina. 


For more information on 
THE MAN IN THE DESERT
  click here

CAGNEY has its Los Angeles premiere following its New York runs
at THE YORK THEATRE (2015) and THE WESTSIDE THEATRE (2016-2017)
 


El Portal Theatre Los Angeles


CLICK HERE TO READ NEW YORK REVIEWS

See the video:


I’LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT



Still running in Shanghai and Beijing, recently opened in Poland, for details, click here.
2019 upcoming tour in Sweden and Istanbul, Turkey.  Recently remounted at the Western Canada Theatre Company - voted by the audience as their favorite production of the last 30 years.

"Midnight" Rocks in Los Angeles premiere!
At The Colony Theatre in Los Angeles (which Encyclopedia Britannica called one of "25 Notable US Theater Companies"). 
RUN EXTENDED!

"A
roller-coaster play with the kind of stomach-dropping twists that will make you hoot with laughter even as you clutch your theater companion's sleeve."
Los Angeles Times 

READ THE LOS ANGELES REVIEWS AND SEE CAST PHOTOS CLICK HERE


PREMIERED IN 2015 - A BRAND NEW COMEDY THRILLER
at the Lighthouse Festival Theatre.
Helps break theatre's box-office record!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

Produced at Theatre Orangeville 2016, 2018: Guelph LT, Blackhorse Theatre, The Roxy in Owen Sound, Brighton Barn Theatre, 2019: The Livery Theatre.


2016 at the St. Jacob's Playhouse, Ontario
2017 at the Dunfield Theatre, Cambridge, Ontario
2017 at the King's Wharf Theatre, Penetanguishine, Ontario
"Terry Fox Musical is a triumph!" Hamburg Independent
"An instant classic." Wellington Advertiser
"Nothing short of transcendent... neither soppy nor overly sentimental,
just Terry's story in all its uplifting rawness and emotional complexity." Hamilton Spectator


Three vaudevillians recount their days in vaudeville with songs and sketches.  This show ran for almost a year in Toronto.  For more info, click here

RECENT SELECT OTHER PRODUCTIONS:

I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT
With productions in Sweden, Turkey and Malta, "I'll Be Back Before Midnight" has now been produced in 32 countries. 2016-17 National Tour of Germany.  2015/16 at the Vertigo Theatre (Calgary) and the Western Canada Theatre.  Also ongoing  - Shanxi People's Dramatic Arts Co in Xi'an China, and a revival in Shanghai; a new Polish translation called "Wrócę Przed Północą".  Recent productions: a three theatre Canadian mini-tour by Drayton Entertainment at the St. Jacob's Playhouse, Huron Country Playhouse / Kings Wharf, The Cortland Repertory Theatre upstate New York and the beautiful Mill At Sonning Theatre on the banks of the Thames near London.  Other recent productions include Mexico, The Millbrook Playhouse (US), The Lighthouse Festival (Canada), and The Metro Theatre in Vancouver (it is the Metro's 50th anniversary season and they have chosen the 7 most successful plays in the last 50 years for their season).  In 2011, "Midnight" at Teatro Erba in Turin, Italy in Italian, Shanghai China at the Shanghai Modern Theatre (see posters below) in Mandarin, and Nairobi, Kenya.  2011 also featured professional productions at St. Michael's Playhouse in Vermont, and the The Showboat in Canada.  2010 it premiered in Spain and Lisbon, Portugal for the first time, and the American Heartland Theatre, Kansas City.  The KC production starred Darren Kennedy (CSI, Without A Trace).  It received excellent reviews from the Kansas City Star and the KC Metro - for information on this production, photos, video, reviews etc click here.  "Midnight" was nominated for 9 New Zealand NAPTA Awards, and won three including "Best Play".   

 

It was produced in Munich, Germany at the famous Theater Blutenburg where it ran for many months in a  German translation.  Productions in the U.S., Ireland, Jamaica, South Africa and Australia, a National Tour of Britain, Nairobi, Kenya, and New Zealand.  The world famous Cambridge Footlights (Monty Python, Beyond The Fringe, Borat) produced I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT.  For details CAMBRIDGE FOOTLIGHTS click here.

I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT named as "Best of Calgary Theatre" by the Calgary Sun.  "It’s no surprise I’ll Be Back Before Midnight has thrilled audiences in 32 countries and become the most produced Canadian play ever."

WHEN THE REAPER CALLS
For 2015 a new Polish translation called "Wrócę Przed Północą", plus a new Italian translation titled "Quando La Morte Chiama" was performed in Rome in 2012, as well as a production in Shanghai in Mandarin, and Cape Town, South Africa.  Produced in Hamburg, Germany, and in 2010 at The Abbey Theatre in Scotland, and at the Sudbury Theatre Centre.   2011 at The Lighthouse Theatre (Canada), The Meaford Opera House and The City Playhouse near Toronto.  This play won 5 awards at the Western Ontario Drama League's annual festival in Canada.  British premiere in 2007, New Zealand premiere in 2009 (The Waiuku Theatre and The Dolphin Theatre) and by the Columbia Entertainment Company in the US. The play won 4 New Zealand NAPTA theatre awards in 2010 including "Best Comedy".  WHEN THE REAPER CALLS has been published by Samuel French Ltd in London. 

YOU'LL GET USED TO IT - THE WAR SHOW
2014, Theatre Cambrian, recent productions: Hamilton Theatre, Ontario, The Rose Theatre, Brampton, The Kanata Theatre, Ottawa, the Langham Court Theatre, Victoria BC, The Newmarket Stage and the Georgetown Music Theatre and in 2014 at the Meadowvale Music Theatre and Theatre Cambrian.  


FREE COPIES AVAILABLE
FOR THEATRES
For more info click on
 the poster or: click here

Poster design: Elliott Smith


A high-stepping new
musical about the screen's
 greatest tough-guy. 

For more info: click here

Winner 2010 Carbonell Award "Best New Work" and an Edgerton Foundation "New American Play Award" starring Broadway's Robert Creighton as Cagney (ANYTHING GOES / DROOD / LITTLE MERMAID). ENTIRE RUN SOLD OUT!   



THE DONNELLYS
Canada's most famous crime
For more info: click here


FREE COPIES AVAILABLE 
FOR THEATRES

For more info: click here

2015
OFF-BROADWAY AT THE YORK THEATRE 2015 & WESTSIDE THEATRE 2016-17
SEE PHOTOS AND REVIEWS  CLICK HERE

WINNER The 34th Florida Carbonell Awards*  
"Best New Work"  (play or musical)
WINNER "New American Play" award, Edgerton Foundation (TCG)

A New Musical on the life of James Cagney.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK ON THE POSTER ABOVE OR CLICK HERE.

 * THE CARBONELL AWARDS: "Along with New York’s Drama Desk and Chicago’s Jefferson Awards, the Carbonell Awards are among the nation’s senior regional arts awards." 

Peter's new musical play (Music & Lyrics by Christopher McGovern and Robert Creighton) on the life of James Cagney premiered at The Florida Stage in 2009 starring Robert Creighton as Cagney (from Broadway's LITTLE MERMAID / ANYTHING GOES / DROOD).   ENTIRE RUN SOLD OUT!   


THE DONNELLYS
A musical version of Canada's most notorious crime - newly revised.
Click on the poster for more information

   
Italy and China - Click on poster for more info

    
Nairobi, Kenya 2011  -  The Cortland Repertory Theatre, NY, 2013

UPCOMING FILM PROJECTS:


HIGH FLIGHT is a WWII action romance
currently in development with Open-Shut Productions, Los Angeles.

I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT UK National Tour

UK National Tour - including The Grand Theatre Swansea shown at left (to see more pictures of theatres CLICK HERE)

UK Tour venues include: Theatre Royal Winchester, The Capitol Theatre, Hull New Theatre, Theatre Royal Margate, The Darlington Civic, The Grand Theatre Swansea, The Lighthouse Theatre at Poole, Devonshire Park Eastbourne.  Ian Dickens Productions, the largest UK producer of touring plays (300 productions), announced that the recent tour broke the company's box office records. 

I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT - at the Blyth Festival in its fourth revival at the theatre which premiered the play, the Vertigo Theatre in Calgary, the Spokane Civic Theatre and in the Nantucket Arts Festival.  The Totem Pole Playhouse, Pennsylvania (one of only 11 professional Equity summer stock companies left in the US).  Also Canberra Repertory Theatre, Australia.  Danish translation as "TILBAGE FØR MIDNAT!".  Arena Players ("Long Island's Oldest Professional Theatre"), Topeka Rep Theatre.  WHEN THE REAPER CALLS: Kanata Theatre, Guelph Theatre

REVIEWS:
I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT at The Coliseum Theatre, Nr. Manchester, England, where it received excellent notices (to see the Coliseum reviews, poster, photos, CLICK HERE).  

    

          

A new 2014 Polish translation called WRÓCĘ PRZED PÓŁNOCĄ by Bogusława Plisz - Góral and a Danish translation at Jomfru Ane TeatretAlso a new Portugese translation called "Voltarei Antes Da Meia-Noite" by Teatroesfera, Lisbon, Portugal, a Dutch translation called "Voor Middernacht Ben Ik Terug!" and a German translation titled "Gänsehaut" which was a recent hit at Theater Blutenburg, Munich, Germany.

Peter was interviewed twice in the New York-based "The Dramatist" magazine about his playwriting, and Writer's Digest named Peter's dialogue software among the "Best Software For Writers" and it has now been sold in 43 countries.  In 2010 Peter organized the Los Angeles Dramaturgy Symposium with speakers from The Ahmanson and Taper Theatres, the La Jolla Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse and others. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION -  NEWSPAPER REVIEWS, PRODUCTION HISTORY ETC -  CLICK ON TITLES BELOW LEFT

PLAYS:
bullet I'll Be Back Before Midnight
(mystery-thriller)
bulletThe Ghost Island Light NEW!
(mystery-thriller)
 
bulletShadow Of A Blonde - A Murder In Noirville  NEW!
(a film noir style mystery-thriller)
bulletCagney! NEW!
(a musical on the life of James Cagney)
bulletThe Man In The Desert 
(The story of Lawrence after Arabia)

bulletYou'll Get Used To It - The War Show 
(musical)
bullet When The Reaper Calls
(comedy-mystery)
bullet Stolen Lives 
(true-life drama)

bulletThe Mark of Cain  (a.k.a. The Murderer In The Mirror)
(mystery-thriller)

bullet The Donnellys
(true-life drama with music)
bullet The Vaudevillians
(musical revue)

FILMS:

bullet Illusions
bullet The Mark Of Cain

TV

bullet Mythic Warriors (CBS)
bullet The Zack Files (Fox)
bulletWatership Down (British ITV)
bulletDue South (CBS)

 

AWARDS

(For full size headshot for programs etc. click here)

Peter Colley is an award-winning Canadian playwright and screenwriter. From his start as Playwright in Residence at the Grand Theatre in London (Ontario) and being one of the youngest playwrights produced at Canada's National Arts Centre, his plays have gone on to be produced in 32 countries, 48 of the 50 states in the US, and every province in Canada. His plays have been translated into many languages. He has won or been nominated for the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Off-Broadway Alliance, New York Theatre Guide Best Show, New American Play Award, Eugene O'Neill Playwriting Award (semi-finalist), Carbonell "Best New Work", New Zealand NAPTA, and many other awards. As a screenwriter he has won a Humanitas Award, and two of his plays have been made into feature films. He has written for the CBC, CBS, Fox Family Channel, British ITV, and WNET TV (New York). His musical about the life of actor James Cagney ran for over 500 performances in New York and is due to open on London's West End at the historic Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2021.

Other awards include one international, seven national and five regional awards for writing.  His plays have been translated into many languages including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Swedish, Czechoslovakian, Danish, Polish, Croatian, and Mandarin Chinese.  One of his plays (I'll Be Back Before Midnight) was named in a Toronto Globe & Mail retrospective on Canadian theatre as  "the most produced Canadian play ever".  This play has grossed over $50 million worldwide.  For his work collecting WWII stories from veterans, presented in his play "The War Show", The Record called Mr. Colley "a national treasure".  

For his suspense-filled stage thrillers Richard Ouzounian, chief theatre critic of the Toronto Star, called Peter: "Canada's Master of Mayhem". 

Peter Colley has been published by Samuel French Inc., (New York and London), Baker's Plays of Boston, Macmillans, and Simon & Pierre.  Two of his plays have been made into feature films, with Mr. Colley writing both screenplays.  

He has written extensively for CBS Television, as well as Fox Family Channel, British ITV, CBC Canada, WNET TV (New York).  

FOR A MORE DETAILED BIOGRAPHY/ RESUMÉ CLICK HERE: Biography

Peter Colley is also the creator of an educational software program for writers called Great Dialogue Software™.  This software has been sold in 43 countries.  For more details, click here, or click on the logo below.  

 

THEATRE COMPANIES: For free perusal copies of Peter's plays email:

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THEATRES WHICH HAVE PERFORMED PETER'S PLAYS INCLUDE: 
Theatre Royal, Windsor (England); The Grand Theatre, London (Ont.); The National Arts Centre, Ottawa; Theatre Royal Winchester (England); The Florida Stage; The Coliseum, Manchester (England); The Vancouver Playhouse; Theatre Royal, Margate (England); Teatro Ghione, Rome; The Salisbury Playhouse (England); Theatre New Brunswick; The Palace Theatre (England); The Tarragon, Toronto; The Saint Lawrence Centre, Toronto; The City Theatre, Pittsburgh; Theatre-By-The-Sea, Portsmouth (US); The Octagon Theatre (England); The American Heartland Theater, Kansas City; The Capitol Theatre (England); The Blyth Festival (Canada); The Charlottetown Festival (Canada); The Grand Theatre, Swansea (Wales); The Neptune Theatre Halifax (Canada); Canberra Repertory Theatre (Australia), ETH Hamburg, (Germany), The Century Theatre (England), The Wangherie Theatre (New Zealand), Theater Blutenburg, Munich, (Germany), Alliance Francaise (Kenya), Salon Varietes (Spain), Queen's Park Theatre (Barbados), Teatroesfera, Lisbon (Portugal); The Hamilton Princess (Bermuda); The Xinguang Arts Center, Shanghai (China); Teatro Erba, Turin  (Italy), St. Michaels Playhouse, Vermont, Teatro Del Lago, Jalisco (Mexico), Shanxi People's Dramatic Arts Co in Xi'an China, MADS, Malta; and thousands more in 32 countries.  


TO SEE PICTURES OF SOME OF THE THEATRES: 

CLICK HERE

The Grand Theatre, London (Ont.), where Peter started his career as the Resident Playwright for 3 years. 

    
Gaiety Theatre, Isle Of Man                 

   
            National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Canada

For more information on Peter Colley's Great Dialogue Software™  click on the above logo. This popular educational software for writers has been sold in 43 countries.

 

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Please include company name

Peter is a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada, The Dramatists Guild of America, The Writers Guild of America, The Writers Guild of Canada and The Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights