Playwright of what it feels like to live beside death
Rich Helms is a Canadian playwright whose work explores the thin, curious space between life and whatever may come next. His plays often begin in ordinary places — a diner, a hospital room, a car on a long drive — and gently open into conversations about mortality, resilience, humour, and connection.
After a 40-year career in computer research and development, including pioneering work on early image-processing systems, Rich shifted his lifelong curiosity toward theatre. A graduate of Humber College’s School for Writers: Post Graduate Certificate in playwriting, he focuses primarily on short-form plays that balance existential questions with warmth and understated wit.
Recurring themes in his work include near-death experiences, caregiving, second chances, and the idea that death may be less frightening — and more conversational — than we imagine. Recent works include On the Edge, inspired by a 2024 hospitalization; Ten Thousand Kilometres, drawn from a cancer-treatment journey; and the afterlife-themed Dear Angie / Open All Night cycle.
Rich’s plays have earned festival recognition including Audience Favourite and President’s Choice awards. He lives in Ontario with his wife Dorothea and continues to write stories that invite audiences to sit down, breathe, and perhaps see mortality with slightly less fear — and slightly more curiosity.