Paul Hopkins began his love affair with the language and lessons of Shakespeare at the Montreal theatre company he now calls home. Since Repercussion’s first production of Romeo and Juliet in 1993 in which he played the title role, he has dreamed of finding a way back to the Montreal Shakespeare-in-the-Park experience.
A passionate promoter, supporter and innovator of theatre, Hopkins has taken the lead at Montreal’s Repercussion Theatre in the role of Artistic Director. In this role, he will be responsible for leading the company through the creation of new and exciting productions, drawing on and nurturing the ample wealth of talent within Montreal and bringing together the diverse communities of performers and audience members in settings that inspire and unite. ‘By creating a dialogue between audience and actors, everyone plays a valuable role in a powerful, reciprocal relationship.’
Hopkins’ work as an actor at theatre companies across the country has instilled a great love of the classics, most prominently Shakespeare. His love of the bard’s work fuels a belief that ‘through classic works, our lives can be enriched on many levels.’
Prior to joining Repercussion Theatre, Hopkins performed with the Shakespeare & The Queen’s Men troupe, an experimental project with the University of Toronto that replicated the process used in Shakespeare’s day, producing three plays in repertory.Hopkins also spent two years acting on the stages of the Stratford Festival of Canada, where he was selected for Stratford’s prestigious Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre Training. Early in his career, he also performed with the Atlantic Theatre Festival under the direction of the great, Michael Langham.
Hopkins has appeared in numerous television and film projects in lead and guest/recurring roles including: More and Further Tales of the City, The Art of War, andVampire High. In front and behind the scenes, Hopkins has acted in and produced several profitableand critically acclaimed productions including The Glass Menagerie and Men are from Mars... with Montreal’s Arbat Theatre. These shows had the distinction of closing with sell out crowds and garnering critical praise from the Montreal arts media.
For Santropol Roulant, Hopkins fused theatre, food, cabaret and fundraising in aid of theMeals-on-Wheels organization. The Hopkins-produced Mobster Lobster, Gong Fondue and Basta Pasta cabaret shows each exceeded fundraising goals and brought togethera mélange of performers (clowns, singers, dancers, actors and musicians) under one roof. Since their creation, the yearly cabarets have become a staple of Santropol
Roulant’s fundraising efforts.
Hopkins holds a BFA (Specialization in Theatre Performance) from Concordia Universityand has attended the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre Training.
