Biography

Primarily a Director, Actor, and Playwright, Justen is a Canadian theatre artist currently based in Toronto. He has also worked in London, UK and Edmonton, Canada.

Justen has worked as a director and actor on mainstage season shows, independent productions, festivals, and fringes. Over his career, he has acquired experience in many theatre genres, including contemporary, comedy, drama, Shakespeare, musical theatre, and period. As a queer artist himself, Justen is especially passionate about queer theatre.

In addition to his experience as a director and actor, Justen is a playwright who has written three plays, all of which having been produced. His most recent is The Fantastical Adventures of [Not] Being With You, followed by Addition: An Unconventional Love Story, and Selection.

In 2005, Justen received his Bachelor of Arts - Drama from University of Alberta. Since then, his passion for knowledge has led him to training in areas including clown, physical theatre, dance, aerial arts, voice, and stage combat. A desire for new challenges backed by his skills and training have also led Justen to enjoy expanding his repertoire to include experience as Board Member, Artistic Director, Producer, Marketer, and Designer.

Possessing a love of language and narrative, especially any work that plays with conventions of either, Justen is always open to new and exciting challenges. Having been involved in many premiere productions as director, playwright, actor, or selection committee member, he finds new work especially exciting. Justen is constantly searching for theatre that does what other mediums can’t.

Justen’s work as a director has been described as “sharp…engaging” [Time Out London], “refreshing” [The Stage], “witty” [Edmonton Journal], “touching” [What’s on Stage], “gripping” [Vue Weekly], and “joyous” [Edmonton Sun]. “Bennett’s direction is masterful” [Fringe Review].

Justen is a self-confessed geek, enjoying sci-fi, fantasy, board games and technology. (He even made this webpage!) Justen also has such a hardcore sweet tooth that his heart can often be won with any form of sugar.

Available for theatre projects in and outside Toronto, Justen can be contacted at justen@justenbennett.ca.