ABOUT WEYNI

Weyni Mengesha is a Canadian stage and film director known for her groundbreaking work and community engagement. In her current role as Artistic Director for Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto - Weyni is passionate about curating programming to ignite cultural conversations.

Mengesha has directed plays in Toronto, London, New York, and Los Angeles—earning her an NAACP nomination for Best Direction as well as nominations and awards for stage direction including Drama League (New York), Drama Critics Circle (Los Angeles) and Dora (Toronto). Many of Weyni's shows have gone on to receive critical acclaim—touring nationally and internationally while breaking box office records

Mengesha made her U.S. debut in 2016 at Theatre @Boston Court directing Bars and Measures, which received three Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award nominations and an NAACP nomination for direction. She made her New York debut with Martin Zimmerman's Seven Spots from the Sun at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, along with the Off-Broadway debut of Kim's Convenience that went on to become a television series for C.B.C., Global, and Netflix. In 2019 she became artistic director of Soulpepper theatre in Toronto, a renowned artist-driven company that offers year-round programming and training for artists from across the country. She is also cultivating her television and film career with numerous short films and episodic T.V. shows under her belt and a feature in development.

Weyni is also a committed educator, mentor of new talent, and producer of youth arts initiatives. She was the co-director of the acclaimed A.M.Y. Project (Artists Mentoring Youth) from its inaugural showcase in 2005 until 2011—and continues to be a member of their advisory board. She also co-founded Sound the Horn in 2004, where she served as artistic director of the organization for seven years—providing a training and a performance platform to hundreds of young artists from Ethiopian and Eritrean communities across North America. In addition, she continues to be a guest teacher for artistic training programs across Canada, including the National Theatre School of Canada, the Canadian Film Centre (C.F.C.), and The Soulpepper Academy.

In 2018 Mengesha was named one of The 50 most influential Torontonians by Toronto Life magazine.