Touchstone Theatre

Touchstone Theatre is a professional theatre company in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, founded in 1976 by a group of University of British Columbia theatre graduates. Touchstone's focus is on the development and production of Canadian works. The current Artistic Director is Katrina Dunn, who has served in that position since 1997. Former Artistic Directors are Ian Fenwick, Gordon McCall, John Cooper and Roy Surette.

Touchstone Theatre's stated mandate is that it "develops and presents professional theatrical productions. We explore the contemporary Canadian play through content and form. We stimulate public interest in Canadian cultural perspectives."

In fulfillment of its mandate, much of Touchstone's activities have fallen into one of three categories: it mounts premiere productions of plays by British Columbian playwrights; it mounts second productions of important plays that premiered in other areas of Canada; and it produces works developed within the company. Touchstone has helped launch and develop the careers of numerous playwrights and actors. Touchstone, with the Playwrights Theatre Centre, also fosters the creation of new works through its "Flying Start" initiative (previously the "Playwright in Residence" program). Under the program, Touchstone spends two years working with a playwright to develop a play through workshops and dramaturgy to production.

Since 2011, in partnership with the Arts Club Theatre Company, Touchstone produces the "In Tune Conference", which supports new Canadian musicals in a national event which takes place every two years.

As of its 40th anniversary in the 2015-2016 season, Touchstone will have produced 36 World Premiers and works by 42 Canadian playwrights. Touchstone has helped launch and develop the careers of numerous playwrights and actors.

At the start of the 1997-1998 season, Katrina Dunn succeeded Roy Surette as Artistic Director. Dunn created the "Playwright in Residence" program, which has resulted in many plays, including Kevin Kerr's Governor General's Awards-winning Unity (1918). In 2010, the Touchstone program focussed on female Canadian playwrights.

In 2003, Touchstone partnered with Rumble Productions to found the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, a performing arts festival held every January in Vancouver, BC.