Hi! My name is Elena (or Eli) Belyea (they/she) and I’m a playwright, filmmaker, actor, and producer.
I’m Artistic Director of independent theatre company Tiny Bear Jaws (which I run with my creative partner Tori Morrison) and a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s conservatory Playwriting program.
I was born and raised in amiskwaciwâskahikan, colonially known as Edmonton, on Treaty 6 territory. My first ever acting role was at the age of 5 (I played the Old Women Who Lived in the Shoe).
I’ve had works produced across Turtle Island and internationally (including Austria, Berlin, Hungary, New York, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Quebec City).
“I was in the company of genius for 105 minutes at the Big Secret Theatre. Belyea is a brilliant dialogue writer.”
- Louis B. Hobson, Calgary Herald
My work often explores the subjects of intimacy, queerness, technology, power, and love. I’m interested in creating work that’s boundary-breaking in content and form. I love to play, try new things, and go outside my comfort zone. I believe in storytelling as a means of fostering empathy, encouraging conversation, and facilitating productive discomfort.
I’ve collaborated with a variety of theatre companies, including Nightwood Theatre (Toronto), Downstage (Calgary), Buddies in Bad Times (Toronto), Théatre Prospero (Montreal), Undercurrents/Ottawa Fringe (Ottawa) Swallow-A-Bicycle (Calgary), , One Yellow Rabbit Theatre (Calgary), Sunset Theatre (Wells), L’Unithéatre (Edmonton), Major Matt Mason Collective (Calgary), and the Tarragon Theatre (Toronto), where I was the recipient of their 2018-2019 RBC Emerging Playwright Award. My work has been supported by the Banff Centre for the Arts, Caravan Theatre, and Playwrights Workshop Montreal. I was a member of Nightwood Theatre’s 2016-2017 Write From The Hip Playwriting Unit.
I’ve received commissions from Outside the March, the University of Windsor, Verb Theatre, and the Citadel Theatre.
“Belyea keeps the jokes coming at lightning-fast pace.”
- Dave Breakenridge, Edmonton Journal
My play “Smoke” was recently published in fall 2022 by Playwrights Canada Press.
In 2023, I was the recipient of the Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical (Calgary) for my portrayal of “The Singer” in Verb Theatre’s production of "We’re Gonna Die” (by Young Jean Lee, directed by Kathryn Smith). That same year, Tiny Bear Jaws’ production of “Smoke” won the 2023 Sterling Award for Outstanding Indie Production (Edmonton).
Writing and performing my own solo shows are also a big part of my work. My most significant productions have been “Miss Katelyn’s Grade Threes Prepare for the Inevitable” (which has had over 75+ performances in French and English and was published in French), “This Won’t Hurt, I Promise” (one of four official holdovers at the 2023 Edmonton Fringe Festival) and “I Don’t Even Miss You” (which has had runs in Edmonton + Ottawa, and will tour nationally in 2025-2026).
“The combination of rigorous intellect and unbridled imagination makes Elena’s theatrical voice and vision a rare and precious gift.”
- Iris Turcott, Dramaturg
I’m also half of queer sketch duo “Gender? I Hardly Know Them” (we’ll get you laughing whatever your pronouns) with a combined 10K followers on Tiktok + Instagram (@genderihardlyknowthem). We did a national tour in 2022 with stops in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver, and currently have a web series in post-production.
I was part of the first-ever cohort of Spindle Films’ Trans and Non-binary Filmmaking Mentorship Program.
“When Elena Belyea …[takes] the stage, they are not only highly entertaining but [an] unflappable and unstoppable [force] of nature.”
- Louis B. Hobson, Calgary Herald
I’ve been teaching at creative writing and theatre camps and workshops for the past 15 years at the University of Alberta, the University of Virginia’s Young Writers’ Workshop, Artstrek, Youthwrite, and Citadel Theatre’s Foote Theatre School to name a few. I was the keynote speaker at the Alberta GSA Conference in 2019, and Shaping the Future (through Ever Active Schools) in 2020.
I lead workshops (online or in-person) on things like playwriting, grant writing, producing, and solo show creation. If you’re interested in knowing when these are happening, as well as everything else I’m up to, you can sign up for my mailing list.
I’m always excited to meet new people + hear about their projects.
If you think I might be a fit for something you’re working on, please reach out. I’d love to hear from you!