Western Ontario Drama League | |
- What the Prez Sez
- WODL AGM - Hanover - 1 pm Sunday 19 October 2025
- Adjudications Schedule
- Learn the Art of Sound Operation! - 7 October - London
- Community Theatre in the WODL Region
- What's Happening in the Waterloo-Wellington 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
- Off the Wall - Winter Courses
- Playwrights Canada Press
- Horizon Solutions - Why doesn’t it sound like that online? - October 14
- 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
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It's October ! Most of our community theatre groups are hard at work on their first shows of this season. Break legs to all!
It's also the start of a new season for adjudications and Festival planning.
The first adjudication by Travelling Adjudicator, Mark Mooney, took place the last weekend of September, and he will be visiting groups through until early April. We appreciate Mark's commitment to take on this work. He brings a wide range of theatre experience and knowledge to the table.
Each group can have 2 shows adjudicated in a season. I am a huge believer that out-of-Festival adjudication provides an important learning experience for actors, directors, designers and technicians. We may not always agree - theatre brings out a lot of opinions - but I have never left an adjudication where I learned nothing. The competitive aspect is there too, but that is (in my opinion) awards are just the cherry on the sundae. The learning is the ice cream and chocolate sauce.
We also already have 2 groups who are hoping to perform In-Festival . Do you have a show with a willing team and a relatively simple show to transport? Why not consider the in-Festival option this year by bringing a show to Hanover in May. We need at least 3 shows to make a Festival. Contact adjudications@wodl.on.ca for more info.
WODL Annual General Meeting is taking place Sunday October 19 at 1 p.m. at the Hanover Civic Theatre. A chance to see the venue for the Festival in the spring!
October Reminders - Has your group...
- Sent in your request for a travelling adjudication (or two)? These are due NOW.
- Considered entering to bring a show to our In-Festival event, May 14-17 in Hanover?
- Renewed or set up your group's membership by paying the invoice sent by our Treasurer?
- Considered hosting a future Festival? Maybe May 2027?
- Planned for your WODL Delegate to come to our Annual General Meeting on Sunday October 19 at 1 p.m. in Hanover? Anyone who is a member of one of our groups is welcome to attend.
We look forward to another great season of theatre for everyone.
| | WODL AGM - Hanover - 1 pm Sunday 19 October 2025 | | |
The Western Ontario Drama League (WODL) will be holding its Annual General meeting at The Bank Theatre in Hanover on Sunday 19 October 2025.
The Hanover Civic Theatre will be the home of the 3-day WODL Festival from 14 May to 17 May 2026. The AGM will be followed by a tour of the Hanover Civic Theatre.
This is your chance to find out what WODL has planned for the next year and to take a good look at the facilities that await you at Festival 2026.
All members is good standing with WODL member groups can vote at this meeting.
A formal invitation has been sent to all WODL group delegates and WODL group presidents.
WODL AGM
Hanover Civic Theatre
433 10th Avenue
Hanover, Ontario
For a map, click here
and on Zoom
Meeting at 1:00 pm
Followed by:
a tour of the Hanover Civic Theatre
We look forward to seeing you there!
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If you want to attend this meeting on Zoom and have not received an invitation, contact Cathy Moore at secretary@wodl.on.ca.
In your email please include your full name and member group affiliation (no acronyms) and whether you are a group delegate, group member, or other.
You will receive instructions on joining the meeting and copies of the meeting materials, a few days before the AGM.
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The adjudication schedule has now been established. A few more groups may apply, so please check the WODL website for updates.
Anybody can attend an adjudicated performance and attend the public (roughly ten minutes) adjudication. However, the detailed (roughly an hour) adjudication is directed largely towards cast and crew. Attendance at it for anybody else is up to the host theatre so if you wish to attend a private adjudication, please contact the host theatre.
For a printable version of this schedule, click here.
Fall 2025
| | Learn the Art of Sound Operation! - 7 October - London | By Laurel Gillespie & Kim DiLello, workshops@wodl.on.ca, WODL workshop chairs | |
Join us at the Palace Theatre Arts Commons on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 from 7:00 – 10:00 pm for a Sound Operation Workshop led by technical professional,Steve Allen.
- Location: Palace Theatre Arts Commons, 710 Dundas Street, London, ON
- Time: 7:00-10:00 pm
- Spots: Maximum of 10 attendees
- Cost: $10 per person
This hands-on session is perfect for anyone looking to gain practical skills in running sound for theatre and live events.
Space is limited—secure your spot today! info@ptaclondon.ca
| Community Theatre in the WODL Region | | |
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 November newsletter, please send the information to communications@wodl.on.ca.
| | What's Happening in the Waterloo-Wellington Region | | By Bev Dietrich, WODL Area VP Waterloo-Wellington, bev@wodl.on.ca | | |
Cambridge Community Players
Auditions will be held for Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs, directed by David Clayworth on October 5 & 6, 2025 at 7:00 pm at 47 Water St. South Cambridge.
Elora Community Theatre
ECT is pleased to host a play reading on Sunday October 5 at 2:00 pm of Operation North Pole by Cory Sanders. The event will be held at the workshop at 227 St. Andrew Street, 2nd floor.
Guelph Little Theatre
The Game’s Afoot, or Homes for the Holidays by Ken Ludwig, opens October 23, 2025, and runs until November 2, 2025.
Kitchener Waterloo Little Theatre
Auditions for the Canadian premiere of Abigail Thorn’s The Prince, directed by Eliza Grafton will be held at the theatre on October 19 from 12-5 pm and 6-9pm on October 20 and 21, 2025.
| | What's Happening in the Bruce-Grey-Huron Region | | What's Happening in the Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk-Oxford Region | | |
One Act Players Community Theatre:
A big welcome to One Act Players OAP Community Theatre which is WODL's newest member that performs out of St. David’s United Church, 190 Springbank Ave., Woodstock.
Tickets are available a Carmen’s foto source, Springbank Plaza, Woodstock.
Rehearsals are underway for OAP5 featuring 4 one act plays:
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Blind Date by Rollin Jewett, directed by Aaron Gorlick
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Nickers by Robert Scott, directed by Lionel Santos
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Clemson Bartholomew by David J. LeMaster, directed by Tina Sterling
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Help Me Get Over You by Rollin Jewett, directed by Aaron Gorlick
all of which have performances on November 7 and 8, 2025.
Theatre Tillsonburg:
Rehearsals are underway for 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Ken Ludwig, directed by Jennifer Anger-Jull and Mike Jull and playing November 20-30, 2025.
Theatre Woodstock:
Deadline by Don Zolidis, directed by Chloe McGregor plays October 17-26, 2025. This horror comedy brings 8 mystery writers to a legendary writer's mansion, thinking they are there for 24 hours to write as much of their novels as possible but mayhem and a murder mystery ensue.
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| What's Happening in the Halton-Hamilton-Niagara Region | | |
Binbrook Little Theatre
https://binbrooktheatre.ca/
Upcoming productions:
Frankenstein: The Monster Play
Adapted by Christopher O’Neal. Based on the novel by Mary Shelley.
Directed by Brad Fortman
October 17 – November 1, 2025
Dundas Little Theatre
https://dundaslittletheatre.com/
Upcoming productions:
Death of a Salesman
By Arthur Miller
October 31 – November 16, 2025
Peninsula Players Community Theatre Company
https://peninsulaplayersgrimsby.ca
Upcoming productions:
NO SEX PLEASE IT’S CHRISTMAS
Written by Michael Parker
Directed by Paul Marshall
The show opens November 7, 2025 with a Gala Night
The Players’ Guild of Hamilton, Inc.
https://playersguild.org
Upcoming productions:
ART OF MURDER
Written by Joe DiPietro
Directed by Tamara Kamermans
October 17 - November 1
Theatre Burlington
https://www.theatreburlington.on.ca/
Upcoming productions:
THE BIRDS AND THE BEES
Written by Mark Crawford
Directed by Francesca Brugnano
October 17 - November 1
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While the Bonanno stage has been dark for the summer, the folks at Theatre Burlington have been hard at work improving the audience experience.
As part of a major refresh for the 2025-26 season the theatre has been repainted, the floors waxed and polished, and new, more comfortable, chairs have been installed.
Once again this year, Theatre Burlington is proud to present an all-Canadian playbill, starting with the first show of the season, The Birds and the Bees by Mark Crawford.
This laugh out loud comedy tells the story of newly divorced Sarah who moves in with her mother, Gail. But Gail has other things on her mind; why do her honeybees keep dying, what’s the deal with her flirtatious neighbour Earl, and what’s the secret the idealistic Masters student Ben is hiding.
Directed by Francesca Brugnano and produced by Michelle Spanik, the cast includes Julie Donoahue as Gail, Raymond Beauchemin as Earl, Heather Nutt as Sarah and Jeff Nguyen as Ben.
The show runs from October 17 to November 1st. For more information or to order tickets go to theatreburlington.on.ca or call the box office at 905-639-7700.
| | Off the Wall - Winter Courses | |
By Michele Boniface, Chair, Off the Wall Stratford Artists Alliance, mboniface@cyg.net
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Check out these new books from Playwrights Canada Press!
Recently released:
Red Like Fruit by Hannah Moscovitch
Lauren, a journalist feeling a growing sense of unease while covering a domestic violence case, asks a man named Luke to tell her story to the audience. Through his voice, she examines buried memories of sexual experiences from her adolescence. Are these experiences just a part of being a woman, or are they trauma? And does Luke have the authority to help her understand her own life? In Red Like Fruit, celebrated playwright Hannah Moscovitch masterfully employs a metatheatrical lens to interrogate complicity, consent, power, and truth in the post #MeToo era.
Mermaid Legs by Beth Graham
Sisters Billie, Ava, and Scarlet regularly see each other during family dinners, but when Billie vanishes—leaving behind a mysterious message in her apartment—their unshakable bond is tested like never before. With a history of self-harm, Billie’s struggles pull her sisters into a frantic search, revealing the complexities of care, mental illness, and sisterhood. From Beth Graham, celebrated co-author of The Drowning Girls, Mermaid Legs is a heartwarming exploration of neurodiversity and the unwavering commitments to understand and support our loved ones.
Coming soon:
The Hooves Belonged to the Deer by Makram Ayache
When Izzy’s family moves to a rural Alberta town, the young queer Arab boy becomes the salvation pet project for Isaac, a Christian youth pastor. In his attempt to reconcile his sexuality and spirituality, Izzy imagines a Garden of Eden where Aadam and Hawa's relationship is disrupted by the arrival of the alluring white-skinned man, Steve. Torn between his sexual desires for his friend Will and Isaac's indoctrination, Izzy navigates internalized shame and deep spiritual faith in a struggle that consumes him. A modern-day Greek tragedy, The Hooves Belonged to the Deer is a piercing interrogation of white Christian imperialism, demanding a difficult reckoning for a better world.
+ 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.
| | Horizon Solutions - Why doesn’t it sound like that online? - October 14 | | |
Resource Stage Seminar – October 14th @ 7 p.m.
Why doesn’t it sound like that online? Tackling the Online Mix Letdown
Tuesday, October 14, 2025 @ 7:00 p.m.
If you’ve ever felt that your livestream audio doesn’t quite capture the same energy and clarity as your live event, you’re not imagining it. You’re also not alone.
In this Resource Stage seminar, we’ll dig into why streamed audio so often falls short — and what you can do about it. From recording approaches to mixing techniques, we’ll unpack common challenges and share practical ways to improve your sound, whether you’re working with a simple setup or something more advanced. You’ll leave with tips you can put into practice right away to make your services, concerts, or productions sound as good online as they do in the room.
Join us on October 14th @7 p.m.
At Horizon Solutions 1910 Huron Street, London, ON
or online at www.resourcestage.ca
For more information contact us at:
info@resourcestage.ca | 519-453-3368
| | 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? | | |
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
| | | | Deadline for submissions for the November newsletter. | | | | WODL Festival 2026, Hanover | | |
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 2025. All Rights Reserved.
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