Tara Beagan (born December 20, 1975) is a Nlakaʼpamux playwright and actress from Calgary, Alberta, Canada,Anne Nothof, "Beagan, Tara". Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, May 24, 2022. most noted as the winner of the Siminovitch Prize in Theatre in 2020.Robyn Grant-Moran, "Playwright Tara Beagan wins $100,000 Siminovitch Prize for theatre". The Globe and Mail, November 26, 2020.
She won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play, Independent Theatre in 2005 for Thy Neighbour's Wife,J. Kelly Nestruck, "Urinetown is No. 1 at Doras: Outdoes Hairspray". National Post, June 28, 2005. for which she was also a nominee for Outstanding Performance by a Female, Independent Theatre."2005 Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, June 9, 2005. In 2006, she acted in Dead Dog in the City, Thomas King's revival of his earlier radio comedy series The Dead Dog Café Comedy Hour.
In 2009, she received a Dora nomination for Outstanding New Play, Independent Theatre for Miss Julie: Sheh'mah.Robert Cushman, "The play is the thing, not artificial categories; Dora stipulations make for some odd award nominees". National Post, June 27, 2009. In 2010, she premiered The Woods, a historical play set in 1640 which was part of The Mill series with plays by Damien Atkins, Hannah Moscovitch, and Matthew MacFadzean.Richard Ouzounian, "This wooden attempt at history puts audience through The Mill". Toronto Star, March 25, 2010.
From 2011 to 2013, she served as artistic director of Native Earth Performing Arts. She subsequently founded the theatre company Article 11 with Andy Moro.Dan Davidson, "The many voices of Tara Beagan resonate widely". Whitehorse Star, December 30, 2014.
Her plays have included Jesus Chrysler,Martin Morrow, "Jesus Chrysler: a play in search of a meaning". The Globe and Mail, December 2, 2011. Free As Injuns,J. Kelly Nestruck, "N for Native, A for American, D-minus for drama". The Globe and Mail, March 3, 2012. Reckoning, Dreary and Izzy,Christine Hinzmann, "Family matters; Theatre North West presents Dreary and Izzy". Prince George Citizen, January 22, 2016. Honour Beat,Joe Belanger, "Honour Beat 'powerful, important' Canadian theatre". London Free Press, February 8, 2020. Deer Woman,Randall King, "On with the shows: After 18 long months real, live theatre is ready to return – with audiences in the seats". Winnipeg Free Press, October 7, 2021. and The Ministry of Grace.Louis B. Hobson, "Review: Richly layered characters keep The Ministry of Grace on the right path". Calgary Herald, April 17, 2023.
She won the Governor General's Award for English-language drama at the 2025 Governor General's Awards for Rise, Red River.Nicole Thompson, "Kyle Edwards wins Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction". Toronto Star, November 6, 2025. She was also nominated in the same year for The Ministry of Grace, one of the first times in the entire history of the award that a writer received two separate nominations for different plays in the same year, rather than a single joint nomination for a multi-play anthology volume.
Personal life Beagan is of mixed Canadian Irish (father) and Nlaka'pamux (mother) descent.
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