Today the Soulpepper Theatre Company announced the passing of founding member Joseph Ziegler:

We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Joseph Ziegler, a Founding Member of Soulpepper and a pillar of Canadian theatre.

Joe was a gifted actor, brilliant director, and cherished mentor. His unforgettable work on our stages, both as performer and director, include King Lear, Death of a Salesman, The Time of Your Life, A Christmas Carol, and The Winter's Tale, to name a few. His acclaimed production of Our Town not only saw multiple revivals, but was also the inaugural production to open Soulpepper's new home here in the Distillery District in 2006.

His legacy extends far beyond our walls, with celebrated work at Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, and countless stages & screens across the country.

Joe will be remembered not just for his immense talent, but for his warmth, generosity, and the genuine kindness he brought to every room. He was a beloved teacher, collaborator, and inspiration to generations of artists.

It's impossible to capture the full scope of Joe's impact in one post — his influence will continue to ripple through the artists he inspired, the stories he shaped, and the countless lives he touched.

Even if you didn't know Joe personally, we invite you to hold him in your thoughts today. He gave so much to this company and Canada's arts industry. We are endlessly grateful.

He is held in loving memory by his wife, Nancy Palk, and their sons. Our hearts go out to them during this difficult time.

Rest easy, Joe. Thank you for everything.

* * *

The Stratford Festival also mourns the passing of Joseph Ziegler:

Canadian theatre has lost a giant, the much loved and admired actor and director Joe Ziegler.

Joe’s career involved many artists and many companies over four decades and we treasure the time he spent with us. He had an enormous heart, which he shared willingly with those around him – as willingly as he shared a great story.

Joe’s 10 seasons at the Festival were in three acts. He first joined us in 1983 to play Berowne In Love’s Labour’s Lost and stayed for five seasons. His accomplishments in that time were many: Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Edgar in King Lear, Claudio in Measure for Measure, Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, Posthumus Leonatus in Cymbeline, Autolycus in The Winter’s Tale, Peter Trofimov in The Cherry Orchard, Aeneas in Troilus and Cressida.

In Joe’s second act at Stratford, he was in mid-career, working as both actor and director. In 2000 he directed Hamlet with Paul Gross in the title role, a beautiful and memorable production. In 2009 he played Hardy in the Morris Panych play The Trespassers.

Joe then returned for a longer time from 2015 through 2018, again giving us wonderful gifts, including Mr. Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank, Henry in The Last Wife, Mr. Richard Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer, Joe Keller in All My Sons, Vilhelm Foldal in John Gabriel Borkman, Duncan in Macbeth, Sir Oliver Surface in The School for Scandal, Judge Taylor in To Kill a Mockingbird, Casca in Julius Caesar, the Earl of Caversham in An Ideal Husband, and of course his absolutely unforgettable Timon. This sadly was his final act at Stratford as he chose to return to Toronto the year following.

We send our deepest condolences to Joe’s wife, Nancy Palk, and his son, Tim Ziegler, both of whom have been members of our company, and to all his family and friends. Joe will be greatly missed.

Photo: Joseph Ziegler.