George Ryga
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Alberta, CA
Website: http://https://www.georgeryga.com/
In the three decades of his writing life George Ryga (1932-1987) produced over two hundred original works. These include novels, stage plays, teleplays, radio plays, short stories, articles, essays and a book of poetry. His most renowned work, The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, is easily one of Canada’s most moving plays, and the first to be produced at the National Arts Centre Theatre in English (1969). It has been adapted into a ballet by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and an opera by composer/librettist Victor Davies. He is still considered British Columbia’s greatest playwright and the week-long Ryga Arts Festival plays tribute to his legacy every September in Summerland, BC.