About

Sonia Di Placido is a poet, playwright, writer, artist and has worked as an actor/director. A graduate of the Creative Writing (Optional-Residency) MFA Program at the University of British Columbia, 2023, Sonia has published, performed, directed and dabbled in painting. She is a graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School with an Actor’s Diploma, 1996. Holds an Hons. BA Humanities Program at York University in 2006. She has a post-graduate certificate in Magazine Publishing from Ryerson University, 2003 and is OCELT certified TESL Canada and a TESL Ontario English as a Second Language and English for Academic Purposes Instructor.

Sonia worked as a Supernumerary with the Canadian Opera Company from 2005-2008. Her most memorable experience was the opening of the Four Seasons Performing Arts Centre. She worked with Canadian Opera Company Artistic Director, Richard Bradshaw to open the ‘house’ for The Canadian Opera Company and The National Ballet of Canada in September 2006; the season began with the elaborate production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle–she made her appearance in Das Rhinegold. Sonia has also worked on various Theatre productions in Toronto and abroad both collectively and professionally between 1990 and 2000.

Sonia is a member of The League of Canadian Poets, The Canadian Women in Literary Arts, The Association of Italian Canadian Writers and has been a member of The Writer’s Union of Canada. She has published 3 chapbooks: Vulva Magic, Lyricalmyrical Press 2004, Forest Primitive, Aeolus House 2008 and The Akashic Wood Lyricalmyrical Press, Quattro Books imprint for National Poetry Month, April 2016.

Writing has appeared in blogs, literary online and print journals: Carousel, The Puritan, The White Wall Review 38, Jacket2, The California Journal of Women Writers, Canthius, Journal for Women, Juniper Poetry Magazine, and Minola Review. A review of her most recent book both in print and online at Quill and Quire Review of Flesh, November 2018

Two Anthologies worthy of mention: Walk Myself Home, An Anthology of Violence Against Women, Caitlin Press 2010 & Poet to Poet (An Anthology of Canadian poets writing about other Poets), Guernica Editions 2012. Her first book of poetry, Exaltation in Cadmium Red, was published by Guernica Editions in 2012. guernicaeditions.com Flesh, her 5th book of poetry launched in November 2018.

In September 2016 Sonia spent one month in Tianjin-Binhai and Beijing China on a Writer’s Residency funded by the China Writer’s Association and the Tianjin Writer’s Association. She met and worked with internationally renowned Beijing Poet, Xi Chuan.

Sonia facilitated two Poetry Workshops in Toronto between September 2014 and May 2015. Poets: Patricia Louise Lowther & Gwendolyn MacEwen,  two Canadian Modern Women Poets suffering from addictions abuse, domestic abuse and mental-health related struggles that included depressive episodes and PTSD.   These workshops were offered to encourage writers to learn more about Canadian Modern 20th-century Female Poets and their History in order to practice literary writing techniques as well as develop compassion for artists and creative women writers struggling with poverty and self-actualization. For books and information contact: [sonia dot diplacido at gmail dot com]