Niall McNeil

To kick off the year with a bang, we are proud to present the playwright, actor, director, and filmmaker, Niall McNeil, who will share his story and insights on creativity through the lens of the global theme 'Koorsoo', a Persian word meaning faint glimmer of hope.

Niall McNeil is an artist living with Down Syndrome who has been involved with theatre from an early age through his lifelong association with the Caravan Farm Theatre in Armstrong BC. Niall was an ensemble member of Vancouver’s Leaky Heaven Performance Society from 1999-2006 under Director Steven Hill. In 2010 Niall performed in A Christmas Carol as a member of the English Acting Company of the National Arts Centre, Director Peter Hinton. Niall and Marcus Youssef have co-written two Jessie Richardson award winning plays, Peter Panties Leaky Heaven (Neworld Theatre, 2011) and King Arthur’s Night (Neworld Theatre, 2017). Niall acted in Marie Clements short film Pilgrims in 2012. Niall was a creative collaborator and subject of National Film Board of Canada feature length Documentary film Lay Down Your Heart. Directed by Marie Clements. Audience award winning at Vancouver International Film Festival 2022. The Originals (2024) is Niall’s debut Documentary film as Writer and Director. Commissioned by TELUS ORIGINALS The Originals premiered at Vancouver’s DOXA Film Festival in 2024. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: MY LIFE (2025) is Niall’s debut theatrical production as Writer and Director of a new play. Created in collaboration with choreographer Billy Marchenski, BBML had its world premiere at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Produced by Niall McNeil Productions.

Each month we ask our presenters some probing questions to give us a deeper glimpse into their life and relationship with creativity:

How do you use your creativity in your life and work?
Since I was little, I’ve made stories. As I got older I got better and better every day at drawing, month to month. I like to do carpentry and build things, painting over top of wood and canvas as well. But when I work too much I get tired and need a break. It’s about pacing. So I might go for a walk and then finish where you left off. And you can’t just jump to next drawing or painting, you gotta stick to it. So pacing but also staying focused on the work you’re working on is part of creativity. I like to find flow. Give myself permission to just let the ideas come and then work it out later. One by one. Then go into structure.

Where do your best creative ideas come from?
When I was little, I played with my toys. I loved art. And books. And my imagination. I like to go to the beach to think. Sometimes I watch Bonanza—that show is my favourite, I write down the episodes, my favourite is called “Showdown.” Sometimes I get ideas from watching those or from my art books. I find ideas through sketches and paintings, and sometimes they become characters in shows like Beauty and the Beast: My Life. When we do shows, we might bring the art and make an installation or costumes, or artwork that becomes part of the show itself. And I like to work with other artists, through Disability Arts and with people like Barak Ade Soleil, Paul Power. Also Marie Clements, Steven Hill and Billy Marchenski. They have been right with me, helping me express my vision. I also love working with Marcus, Jamie Long, and others. Lois Anderson has been in my life for a long time. My mom and dad, they help with creativity too.

What is one creative tip you wish you knew when you were younger?
When I was little I wish I knew about technique sooner. My dad would bring paper and help me straighten my hand for drawing, making circles with my finger. Mom too would put her hand on top of mine, guiding me, teaching me technique. I was shaky and needed that support. I also wish I knew not to just keep going and going—doing art is about pacing. If you get tired, take a break, rest, and then go back and finish where you left off. Not jumping from thing to thing, but focusing on one thing in the studio. Now I know technique and pacing and staying focused matter a lot. And how to organize. When I have to organize a story, I do beginning, middle, and end, then staple them—that’s kind of like organizing my creative work now. I’d also want to tell my younger self it is OK to ask for help if I need it, to ask my mom or dad or my friends.

If you could choose any person to give a talk at CreativeMornings, who would you choose?
A lot of my family are artists—my uncle, Ron Giii, who is my godfather, made his own masterpieces in painting. I get inspiration from him.

What are you reading or watching these days?
I’ve started watching cartoons for the first time in my life. I love Franklin the Turtle. And I love to watch old episodes of Bonanza and mysteries like Poirot.

What is something about you that would surprise other people?
Some people might be surprised that I was in Leaky Heaven Family Circus for years. We did wild shows. I have also worked at Freshmart for 18 years. And I like to make pottery.

If you could open a magic door and go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Harrison Hot Springs. I love it there. Sometimes I get a massage, go in the hot tubs, or go for hikes.

Who is one person who has had a big effect on your life?
My dad, Jim David Gillespie. He was a builder and made furniture, and he was a paramedic and helped a lot of people. He worked at the Caravan Farm Theatre building shows. My dad and mom had me with Down Syndrome, but they didn’t know what Down Syndrome was, so they went to the library and figured it out. They always supported me. My dad’s a really big inspiration. Also Nick Hutchinson. He was the first artistic director at the Caravan Farm Theatre. It was his vision to have kids in the shows—that’s how I got to be in them when I was little, like five.

What is the best advice someone has given you?
Peter Hinton once taught me about acting in a play, to "enjoy the moment, slow down, then put that in slowly." I remember that.

When you feel stuck and cannot get new ideas, what is the first thing you do to feel creative again?
Sometimes I ask my mom, or a collaborator—what the story means to them. I talk to with my friends to help me find the story or what it means, and that helps me find ideas again. Other times if I am stuck, I go to bed and get my thinking cap on.

What is one thing you would put into a box someone opens many years from now to show who you are today?
I recently made a time capsule filled with family photos, Special Olympics ribbon, personal artifacts, and drawings. We did one before, during COVID with New World Theatre Company, and it was fun.