The purpose of A Collection of Canadian Plays is to present to the Canadian public good plays which have received regional acclaim but not national publicity. We hope to achieve the widest possible dissemination of original Canadian plays, not only for those who may be interested in mounting their own productions, but also for those playgoers who may wish to recapture the pleasures of an evening well spent in the theatre.

In selecting the plays we have attempted to give as broad as possible a representation, both geographical and in terms of the different approaches.

We have used in many instances actual stage photographs to illustrate these works, but whenever the character of the play required it, we used art illustrations as well as art photography. By this method we have succeeded in introducing, along with our authors, some authors whom we consider to be an equally important part of a series of this nature.

This volume contains Marsh Hay, by Merrill Denison; The Unreasonable Act of Julian Waterman, by Ron Taylor; Two Short Plays: The Twisted Loaf; Soft Voices by Aviva Ravel; Vicky, by Grahame Woods; The Vice President, by John Schull.

Rolf Kalman moved to Montreal from Hungary in the early 1950's. He founded Simon & Pierre, a publishing company he named after his two cats, in 1972, which began as an offshoot from his days spent as an editor for Performing Arts magazine. Before that he worked at odd jobs around the CBC, mostly with televised theatre production. "(A Collection of Canadian Plays) is my gift to Canada. It's a gift in return for my Canadian citizenship."

Rolf Kalman's profile page

The format that Rolf Kaiman and his associates have chosen for A Collection of Canadian Plays is both durable and beautiful. This series of handsome books began to appear in 1972 and the end is not yet in sight.

Ann Messenger

The texts of the plays are set out in handsome type with generous and artistic use of empty space. Each volume is profusely illustrated with original drawings, photographs of productions, historical prints, and other appropriate decoration. The books are big and attractively bound. They would look well on the coffee table and will endure on library shelves.