Sharon Pollock
Sharon Pollock was a notable Canadian playwright, actor, and director, born on April 19, 1936, in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She initially pursued her education at the University of New Brunswick before marrying and raising five children, later relocating to Calgary, where she became deeply involved in the local theater scene. Pollock's writing career took off with her 1972 comedy "A Compulsory Option," but she is perhaps best known for her exploration of feminist themes, particularly in her acclaimed play "Blood Relations," which centers on the notorious figure Lizzie Borden.
Her work often reexamined pivotal moments in Canadian history, giving voice to women's experiences and empowerment. Over her extensive career, Pollock garnered numerous awards, including two Governor General's Literary Awards and recognition from various arts organizations. In 2012, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in acknowledgment of her significant contributions to theater. Pollock's legacy as one of Canada's foremost playwrights endures, reflecting her commitment to challenging authority and advocating for women's narratives on stage. She passed away on April 22, 2021, in Calgary at the age of eighty-five.
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Subject Terms
Sharon Pollock
- Born: April 19, 1936
- Birthplace: Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
- Died: April 22, 2021
- Place of death: Calgary, Alberta
Biography
Mary Sharon Chalmers was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, on April 19, 1936. Her father, Everett Chalmers, was a distinguished physician; her mother was a nurse who committed suicide in 1954. She grew up in the eastern townships of Quebec. In 1952, she enrolled in the University of New Brunswick, but in 1954 she left to marry Ross Pollock, a Toronto insurance broker. They had five children, but in the early 1960s they separated, and she returned to Fredericton; the marriage ended in divorce. In 1966, she moved to Calgary, Alberta, with the actor Michael Ball, who was the father of her sixth child. Sharon Pollock considers Calgary her real home.
At the University, Pollock was active in acting and directing. Back in Fredericton and later in Calgary, she performed regularly. Her career as a playwright began with the comedy A Compulsory Option, which premiered in Vancouver in 1972. Pollock went on to write, direct, and act in stage plays; write plays for children and scripts for radio and television; serve as a dramaturge; and teach playwriting.
In her early works, Pollock reappraised events in Canada’s history that she believed had been misrepresented. However, with Blood Relations, the first of her plays to have a female protagonist, she began focusing specifically on feminist issues. Thus, in Blood Relations, the playwright speculates as to why Lizzie Borden attacked her father and her stepmother. In the semiautobiographical Doc, a writer comes to terms with her father, a physician, and the memory of her mother, who committed suicide. Although Pollock can empathize with her male characters, she was always drawn to women seeking empowerment, such as the hero of Fair Liberty’s Call, who disguises herself as a man and fights in the American Revolution.
Pollock won many awards over the years. She was the recipient of the Dominion Drama Best Actress Award in 1966. In 1971, she won the Alberta Playwriting Competition Award for A Compulsory Option. In 1981, her radio play Sweet Land of Liberty won both an Association of Canadian Television and Radio Artists Award, and a Nellie Drama Award; that same year, she received a Golden Sheaf award for her television film The Person’s Case. Pollock also won the Alberta Award of Excellence, 1983; the Chalmers Award, 1984; the Alberta Writers’ Guild Award, 1986; an Alberta Literary Foundation Award and a Canada-Australia Literary Award for achievement as a dramatist in 1987; a Japan Foundation Award, 1995; and the Harry and Martha Cohen Award for Significant Contribution to Calgary Theater, 1999. Pollock received two Canada Council Governor General’s Literary Awards, one in 1982, for Blood Relations, and another in 1986, for Doc. In 1984, the Canada Council gave her a Senior Arts grant. In 1986, Pollock was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of New Brunswick. In 2012, Pollock was designated an Officer of the Order of Canada by the Canadian government for her contributions to the theater as a writer, actor, and director.
Sharon Pollock is considered one of her country’s finest playwrights. In her life and in her work, she steadfastly stood firm against the demands of authority. Her many and various achievements made her one of the most respected figures in the world of English-Canadian drama.
Pollock died on April 22, 2021, in Calgary. She was eighty-five years old.
Bibliography
Genzlinger, Neil. "Sharon Pollock, Playwright Who Explored Canada's Identity, Dies at 85." The New York Times, 7 May 2021,www.nytimes.com/2021/05/06/theater/sharon-pollock-dead.html. Accessed 12 Sept. 2022.
Grace, Sherrill. Making Theatre: A Life of Sharon Pollock. Talonbooks, 2008.
Nothof, Anne. "Pollock, Sharon." Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, 24 Apr. 2021, www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Pollock%2C%20Sharon. Accessed 12 Sept. 2022.