LEAH SIMONE BOWEN, Story and Librettist 

Leah-Simone Bowen is an award-winning playwright, director, performer, educator and the former Artistic Producer of Obsidian Theatre, Canada’s leading culturally specific theatre company dedicated to the Black voice. As a writer, Leah’s work has been produced and published across Canada and the United States. In addition to her work in Theatre, she is a podcast and audio producer and the creator and co-host of the hit irreverent history series The Secret Life of Canada, which was the first independently created show to be picked up by the CBC. In 2021, CBC Radio One announced her as the new permanent host of Podcast Playlist, a weekly show that also airs across the US on PRX. Leah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Film Studies from the University of Alberta and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Theatre and Performance studies from York University. She would like to thank the Stratford Festival for its support in the development of this adaptation as well as her family, friends and artistic colleagues for their steadfastness throughout the creation of this piece. Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha is dedicated to the memory of Priscilla Ann Walkes.