BIOGRAPHY

Amber O’Reilly is a French-Canadian multilingual poet, spoken word and theatre artist from Yellowknife and based in Winnipeg since 2013. Her poetry and critical writing have appeared in CV2, Prairie Fire, TOK Magazine, R-Magazine, Oratorealis, the Winnipeg Free Press, PrésentEs!, La Liberté  and L'Aquilon. She has performed at Northwords NWT, Speaking Crow, Winnipeg Poetry Slam, Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Thin Air Winnipeg International Writers Festival, the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, and the Festival international de slam/poésie en Acadie. Her French-language poetry collection Boussole franche is published with Les Éditions du Blé. 

Her play Annie et Tom du lundi au vendredi will be performed at Festival à haute voix (Jan 14-Feb 5, 2021) at Théâtre l'Escaouette in Moncton, and an excerpt will be read at the 12th Women Playrights International Conference in Montreal (June 18-23, 2022). She is also the author of several short theatre and film works. Her passion for languages has led her to speak French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and English.

Amber serves as Board Chair of Thin Air Winnipeg International Writers Festival and Board Secretary of Association des auteur-e-s du Manitoba français.

An artist at heart, Amber lives with her husband Patrick and their dog Hunter.

CURRICULUM VITAE



AMBER O'REILLY

- Multilingual Poet, Spoken Word & Theatre Artist
- Event Host
- Member: Manitoba Writer’s Guild (MWG), Association des auteur-e-s du Manitoba français (AAMF)
- Board Member : AAMF, Thin Air Winnipeg International Writers Festival (Chair)

Publications
2019 Contemporary Verse 2 Volume 42 Issue 2 Emergence (Fall 2019) — Noctambulle, Porte-poussières, fausse couche
2019 TOK Magazine – Beltane Birch Grove, we leave our initials, what’s in a game, sn/apshot
2019 R-Magazine – Lampes de chevet
2018 Winnipeg Free Press National Poetry Month Feature – space flight
2018 L’Aquilon – Monde au féminin International Women’s Month Feature
2017 Oratorealis Journal – English
2015-19 La Liberté - Deux regards sur une pièce Theatre Reviews for Théâtre Cercle Molière
2015 L’Aquilon – Points de repère & À cette terre
2009-2011 L’Aquion – Youth Column

Performances/Readings
2019 Give Your Slam - Thin Air International Writers Festival – Event Host & Performance
2019 St-Bonifest September 21 – Poetry Reading – Café Postal
2019 Sarasvàti Productions FemFest September 14-21– All the World’s A Stage Walking Tour – Bison Books
2019 RMNP Artist-in-residence Poetry Reading in French & English – Poor Michael’s Emporium, Onanole, MB
2019  RMNP Artist-in-residence Poetry Reading in French & English – Parkland Regional Library, Dauphin, MB
2019 Literary Cabaret – Manitoba Book Salon – Théâtre Cercle Molière
2019 Bell Let’s Talk Day – Université de Saint-Boniface
2018 Festival international de poésie/slam en Acadie – November - New Brunswick
2018 Thin Air Winnipeg International Writers Festival – Livres en fête – Estampes II & La plume et le pinceau
2018 Winnipeg Fringe Fest – Slam! Ensemble
2018 Winnipeg Free Press National Poetry Month Launch
2018 Petite fabrique poétique éphemère – Showcase of French-speaking Manitoba writers
2018 Accueil francophone Youth Forum
2017 Conseil jeunesse provincial Francophone Youth Gala
2017 Loud in the Library: A Spoken Word Event - University of Winnipeg Open Mic
2016-present Event host and performer – Alliance française du Manitoba’s Spoken Word Open Mic evenings
2015 Winnipeg Fringe Fest – Poetry in the Garden
2015 Member of Winnipeg Poetry Slam’s Team at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word
2015 Finalist in the Winnipeg Film Group’s collaboration between poets and filmmakers, F-Wordz
2013-present Speaking Crow, Winnipeg Poetry Slam, Thin Air Winnipeg International Writers Festival
2012 Member of Pearson College’s winning team at the Victorious Voices High School Tournament
2007-10 Aurora Fiddle Society Musical Performances

Theatrical Productions
2019 Le bois…  – Marathon de creation 2 Théâtre Cercle Molière – Original production
2018 Gamme plurielle – Plurality Scales – Marathon de création 2 Théâtre Cercle Molière – Original production

Collective or Independent Student Productions
2014 Les voisins – Théâtre Chiens de Soleil (Université de Saint-Boniface) - Actress
2011-12 One World Multidisciplinary Annual College-wide show – Performer, Spoken Word Consultant
2012 Metamorphoses – Actor
2011 All’s Fair in Love and War: Love of the Nightingale (Excerpt) – Director, Set Designer
2011 The Sheep Pen – Playrwright, Director, Set Designer, Stage Manager
2010 Frozen to Free – Playwright, Director, Set Designer, Stage Manager
2010 The Laramie Project – Assistant Stage Manager

Awards
2019 Riding Mountain Artist Residency – 3 weeks - Manitoba Arts Council Grant
2008 Roch Carrier Short Story Award
2007 Great Northern Canada Writing Contest Winner - Northwords Writers Festival

Employment & Contracts
2019-present Engagement Officer – Winnipeg Art Gallery
2018-present Monthly Cultural contributor to ICI Radio-Canada Manitoba’s morning radio show Le 6 à 9
2016-2019 Communications Coordinator – On Screen Manitoba – Winnipeg
2016-17 Youth Writer-in-Residence - Returning to Spirit – Winnipeg

Volunteer Experience
Poetry in Voice
2019 Bilingual Accuracy Judge – National Semi-Finals & Finals, Volunteer Recruitment in Winnipeg

Association des auteurs du Manitoba français
2018 Board Member : Communications, Social Media, Event Coordination

Cinémental, Manitoba’s Festival of French Language Films
2017-18 – Board Member: Communications, Social Media, Box Office, Q&A Host

Winnipeg Poetry Slam
2015-18 – Doorperson, Sacrificial Poet, Scorekeeper, Timekeeper

Thin Air International Writers Festival
2016-18 – Usher, Cashier, Volunteer Blogger and Photographer, Hospitality Suite, Raffle Ticket Sales, Survey Collection

Canadian Festival of Spoken Word
2016 – Sacrifical Poet, Cashier, Postering, Social Media Promotion

Education & Professional Development
2019       Atelier de développement dramaturgique – Louis-Dominique Lavigne – Théâtre l’Escaouette (Moncton, NB) (Dramaturgical Development Course)
2019       Mentorship with ARC Magazine Poet-in-residence Adèle Barclay
2019       Playwriting Circle led by Rheal Cenerini – Théâtre Cercle Molière
2019       Demystifying Careers in Theatre Workshop Series – Théâtre Cercle Molière
2019       Diaspora Dialogues Short-Form Mentorship (Poetry) with Méira Cook
2019       Workshop: Speaking & Making Peace Through Writing : Expressions on the World in which We Live
2019       Creative Manitoba Upping your Game Creative Entrepreneurship
2019       Playwriting Masterclass with Hannah Moskovitch – Prairie Theatre Exchange
2018 Étude de théâtre d’objets – Théâtre de la Pire Espèce – Théâtre Cercle Molière (Object theatre weeklong study &
performance)
2018 Démystifier les métiers du théâtre: Dramaturgie – Émilie Malosse – Théâtre Cercle Molière
2018 Atelier d’écriture dramaturgique – Louis-Dominique Lavigne – Théâtre l’Escaouette, Moncton, NB (Intensive Playwriting Course)
2018 Contemporary Poetries – A Creative Writing Workshop – Di Brandt
2017-18 Creative Manitoba Careers in the Arts Mentee in Poetry with Lori Cayer
2018 No More Starving Artists Auspicious Arts Incubator Workshop - John Paul Fischbach
2018 Beginnings & Beyond a Creative Writing Workshop - Jennifer Still
2018 Creative Manitoba Creative Entrepreneurship Day
2018 Creative Manitoba Expert Advice for Indie Artists: Jessica Watson – Creative Confidence Coaching, Bev Pike – Grant
Writing, Kathe Meseman – Bookkeeping/Taxes, Kerri Twigg – Personal Branding, Elise Dawson – Social Media &
Self-Promotion
2018 Winnipeg Film Group Cinepoetry Workshop – Ciel Sainte-Marie
2018 Shivering Strings Fiddle Workshop & Concert
2018 Managing Your Priorities Seminar - Jordan Miller of Cre8ery Gallery & Studio
2017 Vulnerability Is Strength: A Poetry Workshop - Mugabi Byenkya
2017 MWG Workshop: Building An Author Platform - Doreen Pendragcs
2017 MWG Info Session on Professional Writers Association of Canada - Doreen Pendragcs
2010-12 Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific
  • International Baccalaureate Higher Level Theatre
  • Creative Writing Zine Co-Founder
  • Member of winning Victorious Voices 2012 Slam Poetry Team

Media Appearances/Interviews
2019       La Liberté                                            Sarasvàti Productions FemFest
2019       Envol 91 FM CKXL                             Spoken Word Project– Alliance française du Manitoba
2019       Envol 91 FM CKXL                             Riding Mountain Artist Residency
2019       ICI Radio-Canada Manitoba            Le 6 à 9 – Riding Mountain Artist Residency
2019       ICI Radio-Canada Manitoba            Cabaret multidisciplinaire réussi à Saint-Boniface
2019       ICI Radio-Canada Manitoba            Le 6 à 9 – Participation in the Manitoba Francophone Book Salon
2019       R-Magazine                                         Jeu de mots avec Amber O’Reilly, une franco-ténoise de spoken word multilingue
2018       La Liberté                                            Participation in the La plume et le pinceau event as part of Nuit Blanche and Thin Air
2018       ICI RadioCanada Acadie                  Participation in the Intensive Playwriting Course at Théâtre l’Escaouette, Moncton
2018       ICI Radio-Canada Manitoba            Le 6 à 9 – Participation in Playwriting Course
2018       L’Aquilon                                             Moncton côté jardin… (Article by Denis Lord, July 2018)
2018       ICI Radio-Canada Manitoba            Artist Career Discussion & Event Promotion
2018       Envol 91 FM                                       Event Promotion Interview with hosts Yan Dallaire & Larbi Toumi
2017       CKUW P.I. New Poetry                      Reading & Interview with host Carmelo Militano
2016       Shaw Cable TV                                  F-Wordz Spoken Word Showcase

Languages
Fluency in French, English and Spanish, spoken and written
Intermediate knowledge of written and spoken Portuguese (Brazilian)