Pleiades Theatre Artistic Director Ash Knight Has Died

On behalf of the Pleiades Theatre Board of Directors and the entire Pleiades team, Board Chair Carla Flamer has confirmed the sudden passing of Artistic Executive Director, Ash Knight, after a brief battle with cancer.

A beloved actor, director, and mentor, Ash's journey with Pleiades Theatre spanned nearly a decade of artistry, education, and leadership. He first joined Pleiades in 2017 as an Education Artist, bringing his passion for storytelling into classrooms through Pleiades's in-school programming. His natural leadership and vision quickly became part of the company's growth. He stepped into a vital leadership track as Associate Artistic Producer from 2021 to 2022 under the late Andrey Tarasiuk, before taking over full creative leadership as Artistic Executive Director in 2023.

Ash was a fierce champion for first and second-generation Canadian voices. His passion was the development of world premiere work, which included most recently: Peter N. Bailey's Tyson's Song (Dora Award winner for Outstanding New Play, 2024); The Roof Is Leaking by Sanskruti Marathe and Davinder Malhi (2025); and KARMA by Aksam Alyousef (2026).

His dedication, warmth, and sense of humanity shaped the soul of Pleiades Theatre, and his long-time support will continue to resonate with theatre creators across the country.

A private funeral service will be held for immediate family.