Newsletter January 2026

• What the Prez Sez
• Adjudications: Honouring the Past, Staging the Future
• Festival 2026 - Hanover
• Community Theatre in the WODL Region
• What's Happening in the Bruce-Grey-Huron Region
• What's Happening in the Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk-Oxford  Region
• What's Happening in the Halton-Hamilton-Niagara  Region
• What's Happening in the Essex-Kent-Lambton Region
• Off the Wall - Art Direction Course
• Playwrights Canada Press
• Playwrights Guild of Canada - Canadian Play Outlet
• Concord Theatricals New Plays
• If you are Producing Canadian Plays this Season - Check This Out
• Is your WODL Membership Information Up-to-date?
• Dates for your Diary

By Sue Garner, WODL President, president@wodl.on.ca

Wishing each of you and your theatre groups a happy, successful, fulfilling 2026.

May all your actors know their lines.

May all you tech work perfectly every time.

May your directors be creative and supportive.

May your boards have good people who care more about the organization than their own agenda.

May your community theatre be a true place of community.

AND MAY ALL YOUR DRAMA IN 2026 TAKE PLACE ON THE STAGE!

Cheers all,

Sue Garner

By Renata Solski, WODL Adjudications Chair, adjudications@wodl.on.ca

Upon examination of the adjudication schedule, we gained 3 shows. We now have a total of 22 shows in the adjudication process. There were 10 fall adjudications and there will be 12 winter ones. I observed a considerable variety in the selection of plays. This led me to reflect on the relationship between tradition and innovation, the criteria an adjudicator employs when assessing artistic choices, and should theatres approach the presentation of modern works with caution.

Our community theatres are pillars of long-standing traditions. All of us love the familiar stories and practices passed from one generation to another. We use the stage to experiment and explore the possibilities. Many theatre communities are pondering how to balance tradition and innovation.

Tradition grounds us and it connects us to the history of our craft where audiences return year after year for the stories that feel like home. Like our schedule, theatres perform classic plays, musicals that offer a shared language and a sense of continuity.



On the other hand, innovation keeps our theatres alive and engaging. It helps us ask the bold questions: How can we tell this story differently? Whose voices have we not yet heard? Can we deepen the impact of the work with design technology or casting? Being innovative does not mean that we abandon tradition; we engage with tradition thoughtfully. We continue to honour the original intent of a play while finding fresh ways to speak to today’s audience.

How does the adjudicator evaluate our work? I hear adjudicators tell us repeatedly in their notes that innovation is characterised not by how unusual something looks, but by the purposeful decisions behind its creation. When presenting a bold interpretation within a traditional framework, it is essential to maintain a clear vision, supported by integrated design and consistent performance. Likewise, your classic approach can also feel vibrant when executed with care and a genuine connection.

What works best in theatres is a balance. Choose a season that includes beloved classics and some newer works. Do not overlook productions that respect tradition, but embrace risk, and create a space for both comfort and discovery. A classic play can feel lively and dynamic with careful casting, creative staging, and genuine attention to detail. Sweeping changes are not always the best; growth lives in minor changes.

As we end the year and look ahead to new productions, let us embrace both tradition and innovation. Happy New Year to all: "Every year is a play in three acts: hope, challenge, triumph — may your 2026 be a masterpiece."

Additionally, as we prepare for the New Year, we are seeking recommendations for adjudicators. If you are aware of qualified candidates, or if you are an adjudicator interested in participating in WODL, please reach out to us. We can arrange trial adjudications as part of the selection process.

Festival 2026 - Hanover

For all the latest news about Festival 2026, check the Festival website, www.WODLfestival.ca, often.

A good place to find out about what other WODL groups are doing is the WODL Facebook page, WODL | Facebook. Most of the announcements are at fairly short notice, so check in often!

If your group is putting on an event that you would like included in the Febuary newsletter, please send the information to communications@wodl.on.ca.

By Bev Dietrich, WODL Area VP Waterloo-Wellington, bev@wodl.on.ca

Ayr Community Theatre

Queen Milli of Galt by Gary Kirkham, directed by Deanna Clatworthy runs March 25-29, 2026.

https://www.ayrcommunitytheatre.com/

Cambridge Community Players

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchet and Stephen Briggs, directed by David Clayworth runs February 6-15, 2026.

Rope by Patrick Hamilton, directed by Michele Hildebrandt runs March 20-29, 2026.

https://www.cambridgecommunityplayers.com

Elmira Theatre Company

Halfway There by Norm Foster, directed by Robin Bennett runs February 13-February 22, 2026.

https://elmiratheatre.com/

Elora Community Theatre

Noises Off by Michael Frayn, directed by Adrian Baker & Acey Kaspar runs February 6-15 with adjudication on February 14,2026.

https://www.eloracommunitytheatre.org

Guelph Little Theatre

The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow runs January 29-February 8, 2026.

Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward runs March 26-April 12, 2026.

https://www.guelphlittletheatre.com/

Kitchener Waterloo Little Theatre

The Prince by Abigail Thorn, directed by Eliza Grafton runs January 30-February 15, 2026, with adjudication on January 31. This a Canadian premiere.

The call for scripts for March Madness will be launching in early January with submissions due at the end of the month. The call For Teams will be out late January for would-be directors, stage manager or technicians. Auditions will be February 28, 2026.

 https://kwlt.org

Theatre Wellesley

Auditions for the spring show, The Gentleman Clothier by Norm Foster, directed by Al Cook are being held January 7, 11 with callbacks on January 13, 2026. Registration required online.

Youth Theatre Workshop: Introduction to Shakespeare starts January 8, 2026.                                                                                                                                                          

https://theatrewellesley.com/                                                                           

By Rob Blowey, WODL Area VP Halton-Hamilton-Niagara, robb@wodl.on.ca

Binbrook Little Theatre

https://binbrooktheatre.ca/

Hansel and Gretel, A Pantomime

By Nick Lawrence

Directed by Brad Fortman

January 30 – February 15, 2026



Dundas Little Theatre

https://dundaslittletheatre.com/

Home, I’m Darling

By Laura Wade

January 23 – February 8, 2026

Peninsula Players Community Theatre Company

https://peninsulaplayersgrimsby.ca/

7-10 Split

By Michael G. Wilmot

Directed by Lisa Cook



Show Dates:

March 13, Opening Night Gala, doors opening at 7:00pm.

March 14, 20, 21, 27 or 28, 2026 at 8:00 pm

March 15, 22 or 29, 2026 at 2:00 pm

The Players’ Guild of Hamilton, Inc.

https://playersguild.org

Rotterdam

Written by Jon Brittain

Directed by Coryn Urquhart and Connie Spears

January 9, 10, 15, 16, 22, 23, and 24, 2026 at 8pm

January 11, 17, 18, and 24, 2026 at 2pm

Theatre Burlington

https://www.theatreburlington.on.ca/

Mary's Wedding

Rehearsals are underway for Theatre Burlington’s winter production,

Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte.

Directed by Maureen Dwyer, produced by Michael Hannigan and Michelle Spanik.

This poignant drama, set against the backdrop of the First World War, weaves together a story of tragic love, told through dreams and memories. The cast features Brandon James Sim as Charlie and Claire Sears as Mary.    

Show dates are February 13-28. Mary’s Wedding will be adjudicated on February 21, as an out-of-Festival entry.

Volunteer Orientation Day

Theatre Burlington is holding a volunteer orientation day on January 10, to give interested members of the community a glimpse behind the curtain and a chance to learn about volunteer opportunities.

What's Happening in the Essex-Kent-Lambton Region

By Corey Robertson, WODL Area VP Essex-Kent-Lambton, corey@wodl.on.ca

Windsor Light Music Theatre

Windsor Light will be putting on Frozen: The Broadway Musical (May 1–3 & 8–10, 2026).

Directed by Kathy Roberts, with Nicholas Morvay as Vocal/Music Director and Tori-Lee Jenkins as Choreographer.

Also coming in Spring 2026: Newsies Jr., directed by Rod Turton.

Theatre Kent

Meanwhile at Theatre Kent The Royal Flush will play March 6–7, 2026, directed by Linda Schinkel.

Looking ahead Bare Bear Bones will play May 8–9, 2026, directed by Brock MacKenzie.

The Bank Theatre in Leamington

The Bank Theatre in Leamington is mounting Superstars - a tribute show to Linda Ronstadt, Maria Callas, Adele, John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Liberace, Elton John and Victor Borge, along with a barbershop quartet, Backstage Pass. 

Theatre Sarnia

Theatre Sarnia presents The Tina Woman January 28-February 1. The Jan 31 show is being adjudicated for in-Festival 2026.

Website: stratfordoffthewall.com

Facebook: @offthewallstrat

Instagram: @offthewallstratfordartists

Hashtags: #stratfordoffthewall #theatreproduction #backstage

By Brandon Crone, Sales & Marketing Coordinator at Playwrights Canada Press, brandon@playwrightscanada.com

Check out these new books from Playwrights Canada Press!

Recently released:

Prince Faggot by Jordan Tannahill

In this metatheatrical tragicomedy, an ensemble of queer and trans performers cast themselves in a thought experiment, imagining the future heir to the British throne as having a life resembling their own. Jordan Tannahill, one of Canada’s most acclaimed playwrights, takes no prisoners in this ferociously audacious what-if, brimming with unbridled sexuality, wit, and imagination. A poppers-fuelled phantasmagoria interwoven with personal stories and ecstatic fantasies, Prince Faggot reckons with how the forces of power, privilege, and colonization play upon queer lives.

Earworm by Mohammad Yaghoubi

Have you ever had a voice lodged in your memory that won’t go away? For Homa, an Iranian refugee in Canada, this is her daily torment. Haunted by the trauma of torture under the Islamic regime, she channels her pain into activism as an outspoken podcaster, fiercely condemning Iran’s human-rights violations. But her freedom is threatened when she learns that the father of her son’s new girlfriend is a devout Islamist. In Earworm, provocateur Mohammad Yaghoubi delivers a gripping thriller exposing the painful irony of asylum seekers living alongside their oppressors. Suspenseful and shocking, Earworm burrows deep under your skin and lingers long after the final word.

Tyson’s Song by Peter N. Bailey

Best friends Bryan and Tyson share a boys night out in Toronto before Bryan moves to Vancouver for good. But when they get stranded at a late-night bus stop, bottled-up truths about their friendship flood to the surface. With so little time left and an ominous police cruiser circling nearby, could this moonlit vigil save their fraught relationship—and maybe even their lives? Peter N. Bailey’s debut play tenderly explores Black masculinity, brotherhood, and men’s mental health in a world that too often denies Black men love, compassion, and care. Tyson’s Song is a touching portrait of two souls in limbo trying to find their way home.

Coming soon:

Your Show Here by Daniel MacIvor

A man used to make shows. He made them with his friend. The man used to call the shows ghost stories because they were often about dead people. The man’s friend didn’t really care what the man talked about as long as the man was telling the truth. Anyway, the man’s friend died. And so here we are. A comedy about grief, an absent concierge, and a primer on making your own solo, Your Show Here is one of Daniel MacIvor’s most intimate works, honouring his creative partnership with the late Daniel Brooks.

 + see what else is coming soon!

Did you know you can browse our plays by subjects and casting? 

Want to hear more about sales and upcoming events? Sign up for our newsletter!

You can find more new releases, a blog full of interviews and excerpts, and more on playwrightscanada.com.

The Canadian Play Outlet has over 2000 Canadian Plays right at your fingertips. Looking for something specific? Check out the curated Collections.

Every month you can take a look at the newest unpublished and published plays available!

New plays

See their latest scripts click here.

The Playwrights Guild of Canada publicises productions of Canadian-written plays through its website, www.playwrightsguild.ca.

If you want to perform a Canadian play but cannot figure out where to obtain the amateur performance rights, view this presentation from PGC.

Are you on the board of a theatre group that belongs to WODL? If your group has:



• A new President
• New WODL delegates
• A new Treasurer

Please let our membership chair, Shirley Steele, know at membership@wodl.on.ca

31 January 2026

Deadline for submissions for the Febuary newsletter.

12 or 19 April 2026

WODL GM, Hanover

14 to 17 May 2026

WODL Festival 2026, Hanover

7 to 8 August 2026

Minifest, Thistle Theatre, Embro

18 October 2026

WODL AGM, place TBA

This newsletter was prepared by:

Tricia Ward

Communications coordinator

WODL

Western Ontario Drama League  | communications@wodl.on.ca | www.wodl.on.ca

Copyright © Western Ontario Drama League 2026. All Rights Reserved.