Charlie Rhindress

Who is Charlie Rhindress?

Charlie Rhindress is an actor, playwright and director living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia and educated at Mount Allison University, he is a co-founder and former Artistic Director of Live Bait Theatre, based in Sackville, New Brunswick. To date, Rhindress has written 11 full-length plays, including The Maritime Way of Life, which was nominated for a Canadian Comedy award as best new play, and Flying On Her Own, based on the life of the late Canadian singer/songwriter, Rita MacNeil. It was published by Playwrights Canada Press in 2008. He has also written or co-written more than 30 dinner theatre plays and two plays for teens.

Rhindress has acted in films including Red Rover and Black Eyed Dog, and at theatres across Canada. His directing credits include the premiere of Cathy Jones' one woman show, Me, Dad and the Hundred Boyfriends at Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto and The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr at Neptune Theatre in Halifax, for which he received a Merritt award nomination as Best Director. He is the former Associate Artist for Neptune and the current Artistic Producer of Eastern Front Theatre.

The Canadian Encyclopedia says that Rhindress's work "suggests that New Brunswick is fertile ground for popular comedy. Of particular note is Rhindress's The Maritime Way of Life, a dark satire on traditional East Coast lifestyles and personalities. Despite its vicious sarcasm, extensive cross-dressing, and absurd humour, The Maritime Way of Life is very popular with Atlantic audiences." Three of Rhindress's plays have been produced at Ship's Company Theatre in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia: Ivor Johnson's Neighbours, The Maritime Way of Life and Making Contact.