Fiery Soul

John Hirsch arrived in Winnipeg in 1947, a 17-year-old Hungarian orphan of the Holocaust, knowing no English. Ten years later, he cofounded the Manitoba Theatre Centre, establishing a model for regional theatres across North America. This comprehensive biography traces Hirsch's life, from his difficult childhood to his eventual professional success, as he went on to direct award-winning productions in Los Angeles, New York City, and Toronto—from Guys and Dolls to The Tempest—and work with actors such as Anthony Hopkins and Maggie Smith. Revealing why Hirsch was notorious for his fiery temper and budget-blowing sets, the book details his stormy four years as CBC’s head of TV drama in the 1970s and his even more volatile tenure as artistic director at the Stratford Festival from 1981 to 1985.