author
Frederick A. (Frederick Augustus) Dixon
1843–1919
A Victorian-era Canadian playwright and journalist, he moved easily between the newsroom, the stage, and public service. His light operas and fairy plays helped shape early English-language theatre in Canada.
1 Audiobook
Maiden Mona the Mermaid: A Fairy Play for Fairy People
by Frederick A. (Frederick Augustus) Dixon
About the author
Born in London, England, on May 7, 1843, he was educated at King's School, Canterbury, and moved to Canada in the 1870s. He worked first as a journalist in Toronto, then served as tutor to the children of the Earl of Dufferin when the governor general's family was at Rideau Hall.
He went on to build a varied career as a playwright, journalist, and civil servant. He is remembered for comic operas and fanciful stage works such as Maiden Mona the Mermaid and Pipandor, written at a time when professional theatre in Canada was still finding its footing.
Later, he worked in Ottawa in the federal civil service. He died there on January 12, 1919. Reliable sources confirming a clear portrait image were not available, so no author photo is included here.