Meet Martin!

Martin comes to us with a distinguished 26-year history in theatre, opera, and musical theatre, moving seamlessly between the creative spotlight and the executive boardroom. A multi-faceted artists in the Canadian arts landscape, his experience spans work as a producer, administrator, performer, singer, director, choreographer, designer, playwright, author and radio host both in Canada and Europe.

A mainstay of the Alberta arts community, Martin performed with the Edmonton Opera for nearly twenty years, later stepping into the administrative ranks to serve as the company's Artistic Administrator—a dual leadership role he also held with Opera Nuova. His deep commitment to cultivating independent local theatre is further highlighted by his ten-year tenure as the Managing and Artistic Director of Two ONE-WAY Tickets To Broadway Productions and Miles From Broadway, both celebrated Edmonton-based musical theatre companies. Some of Martin’s directing and choreography highlights include Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, La Cage Aux Folles, RENT, Narnia, the musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sunset Blvd, South Pacific, Oklahoma! and West Side Story. Beyond his staff roles, Martin has frequently lent his strategic vision to the sector by serving on the Boards of Directors for numerous theatre companies throughout the region.

Driven by the belief that the stage is a catalyst for human connection, Martin is deeply passionate about audience and community building. For him, a performance doesn’t end when the curtain falls; it is an ongoing dialogue that bridges the gap between the art and the public. Throughout his 25-year career in Edmonton’s arts scene, he has viewed audiences not merely as passive spectators, but as vital collaborators in the creative process. Whether through his decade leading an independent musical theatre company or his work with major institutions, Martin intentionally designs initiatives that demystify the arts, champion local talent, and make live performance accessible, diverse, and deeply resonant for the community it serves. (ask us about our Dark Monday special events we host a couple times during our season)

What truly sets Martin apart is his equal focus on the "business side of show business." His passion for sustainable arts administration stems from a robust formal education in business, management, and finance. He holds credentials from the Business Academy in Slovakia, an applied Bookkeeping Certification from NAIT, an active Certified QuickBooks Online Advanced ProAdvisor designation through Intuit, and certificates from the Foundations of Leadership program at Mount Royal University.

By pairing this rigorous financial and organizational training with decades of hands-on stage experience, Martin brings a fine-tuned, uniquely relevant, and invaluable perspective to Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions and dedication to the cultural fabric of the country, Martin was awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal for his work in Canadian Theatre.