LISTED AS ONE OF THE GLOBE & MAIL'S BEST BOOKS OF 2024

A collection of memories chronicling love, grief, and a life lived on and off stage

Raised on a farm and educated in a prairie Bible school, Layne Coleman escapes the confines of his stiflingly religious upbringing at an early age to pursue a life in theatre. He migrates to Saskatoon and later Toronto where he immerses himself in the Bohemian lifestyle of the 1980s theatre scene, carving out a career as a successful actor, playwright, and eventual Artistic Director of the Theatre Passe Muraille. While there, his path intersects with that of his future wife, a captivating and glamorous French-Canadian journalist. Their transformative relationship is ultimately cut short when she tragically loses her life at 48, following a painful battle with cancer.

What follows is a raw and bruised account of Coleman’s struggle to make sense of his new identity as a widower and single father. Unfolding through a series of vignettes, Coleman’s memoir takes us into the heart of loss as he wrestles with mental health and addiction while confronting his own mortality and moral compass.

Shattering yet hopeful, An Open-Ended Run is an exploration of a life spent in the arts and a man’s search for meaning in the face of grief.

Layne Coleman is an actor, director, and playwright. He was a co-founder of the 25th Street Theatre in Saskatoon and was its Artistic Director from 1980 to 1983. He was Interim Artistic Director of Theatre Passe Muraille from 1991 to 1992 and Artistic Director from 1997 to 2007. He has written several plays, acted in both television and film, and taught acting at the University of Saskatchewan. In 2007, he was awarded a Silver Ticket Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Canadian Theatre. In 2022, he won a Dora Mavor Moore Award for the Best Performance in a Lead Role. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, he now lives in Toronto.

Layne Coleman's profile page

“With a performer's gift of seeming to see himself as actions unfurl, An Open-Ended Run is a memorable memoir about life’s messiness and the beauty that emerged despite and because of the pain.”—Mike Good, Foreword Reviews
"Coleman is a wise and masterful storyteller.” —Dwayne Brenna, author of New Albion and Nights That Shook the Stage

“A frequently outrageous yet ultimately poignant romp through the life of Layne Coleman: artist, addict, widower, father, and irrepressible seeker of joy, even amidst despair. Reading this was a restorative act.” —Jennifer DeLeskie

“Simple, fresh, deep, and true. A love story for the ages. Beautiful, beautiful writing. A heart and soul worth visiting.” —Jim Garrard, playwright, director, actor, former head of Toronto Arts Council, founder of Theatre Passe Muraille

“Coleman’s story is a love letter to humanity, illustrating the true meaning of being alive and open to love—savouring its joys, swallowing its pain, and continually learning and relearning to live through it all. A truly captivating and unforgettable read from start to finish.” —Nina Lee Aquino, Artistic Director, English Theatre, National Arts Centre

“As each successive story unfolds in this rich, rewarding memoir, what emerges is a portrait of the soul of a prairie boy adventurously, recklessly, and sometimes dangerously immersing himself in the alternative Toronto theatre scene while searching for his holy grail—only to have her die in his arms prematurely. Told with bold, graceful, sometimes mournful elegance, charming laugh-out-loud wit, and an elderly man’s hard-earned wisdom, Layne Coleman’s wonderful stories about complex characters in fascinating relationships holds you in its spell until its remarkable life-affirming conclusions. An Open-Ended Run is an emotional celebration that punches, wails, betrays, caresses, loves, thrills and, most of all, rewards, with its clear-eyed lack of self-pity and a never-give-up sensibility. You’ll want to want to read it twice.” —Bill Hominuke, co-writer/director/producer, The Shape of Rex

“Layne Coleman writes about art, desire, and loss with both knee-buckling passion and self-satirizing wit. And what a love story! The full human range is here, in an unfolding of light and dark moments that is a sheer joy to read.” —Marni Jackson, author of Don’t I Know You?

“Deeply personal, the grief and ecstasy are equally palpable.” —Marjorie Chan, Artistic Director, Theatre Passe Muraille

“Vulnerable and raw, Layne Coleman is the reluctant hero of his own story. His is a captivating journey to become a major voice in Canadian theatre while navigating breathtaking loss. His prose makes you feel as though he’s sharing his story with you in real time and for the first time. Layne’s story...offers a rare glimpse into the nascent days of homegrown Canadian theatre, a time when the cultural landscape was dominated by British and American influences. It’s an essential read for those interested in the performing arts and the cultural landscape of Canada.” —Jennifer Brewin, Artistic Director, Globe Theatre