Women At Play(s) 8 is a festival of original short one-act plays written, directed, and performed by Canadian women-identifying playwrights, directors, and actors. Women at Play(s) 2026 will take you on a journey from a young woman’s life changing discovery in New York in 1901 (Daddy’s Girl by Emma Donoghue) to tough life decisions for contemporary seniors in Vancouver (Aging in Place by Barbara Ellison) to a forest where nature and religion collide (The Mary Tree by Brenda Kamino). Seven new plays ponder beginnings (Waiting for Love by Lindsay Ellis), celebrate achievement s (And The Oscar Goes To… by Colleen Curran and The Circle by Rebecca Singh) and remember survivors (A Violation of Violets by Marni Walsh). Surprises, secrets and lies abound in stories that will make you laugh, cry, dream and think.

WOMEN AT PLAY(S) * plays Mar 6-8, 11-15 at VideoCabaret.

Venue: VideoCabaret 10 Busy Street

(Logan and Queen E)

Dates: Mar 6-8, 11-15 at 7pm

Saturday and Sunday Matinees 2:30pm and 7pm

Tickets: Regular: $28 Students/Seniors/Art & Frontline Workers: $22

www.womenatplays.ca or at the door (CASH ONLY)

Reservations: womenatplaysinfo@yahoo.com

This evening will present works from Canadian women playwrights, directed by women directors, performed by women actors.

Daddy's Girl by Emma Donoghue

Directed by Zoe Marín

This is a true story of secrets and lies. Based on articles from New York newspapers in 1901, this is a one-woman show about young Minnie Hall, the day she learns her father was not who she thought he was at all.

And The Oscar Goes To… by Colleen Curran

Directed by *Marjie Chud

Hollywood. Agnes Higden winner of an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress many, many years ago, receives a visit from Val, a writer who is there to do a feature on her for The New York Times Magazine.

Aging in Place by Barbara Ellison

Directed by Lee Bolton

The house is old, the rent is cheap, and the tenants are managing to survive on their Old Age Pensions. Then the house is sold, and, in order to find shelter, sisters Silvia and Dorothy have to fight their way through the bureaucracy — and their lifelong antagonism.

The Mary Tree written and directed by *Brenda Kamino

Even trees can have principles. Watch closely while nature and religion collide to amazing and amusing results.

Waiting for Love by Lindsay Ellis

Directed by Lidiia Semesiuk

Two women linger on a bench outside a party, paralyzed by the idea that life cannot be enjoyed unless "love" arrives first. Despite their declared intention to seek it out, they remain stuck in endless waiting, afraid to either join the party or truly leave their bench.

Waiting for Love is inspired by the Samuel Beckett classic Waiting for Godot and the Beatles 1964 B-side track "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party".

A Violation of Violets by *Marni Walsh

Directed by Marianne Sawchuk

Setting tea for two, a woman awaits the arrival of a long lost childhood friend. A Violation of Violets is the first short play in the trilogy SHE which reimagines real life stories of violence against rural women in the 1960’s. Today, incidents of violence, including sexual assault against girls and women in rural areas remains more than three times that of urban areas.

The Circle written and performed by *Rebecca Singh

Directed by Autumn Davis

After a lifetime of advocacy, Anna calls together her friends for one final act of creation. Will it weave her hope into action?

Running Time: 2 hours, including intermission.

WARNING: Subject matter includes references to child sexual assault

*Women At Play(s) is an approved festival under Canadian Actors’ Equity Association’s Festival Policy

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Marianne Sawchuk

STAGE MANAGER AND LIGHTING DESIGN: Lisa Sciannella

SOUND DESIGNER AND LIGHTING TECHNICIAN: CONNOR Price-Kelleher

VIDEOCABARET TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Andy Moro

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Lee Bolton

STEERING COMMITTEE: Lee Bolton and Trina Moyan

PRODUCER’S ASSISTANTS: Bruno Verdoni and Francesca Verdoni

PHOTOGRAGHER: Lisa Kannakko

WEBSITE: Avelyn Waldman

GRAPHIC DESIGN by Joanne Howard of Small Dog Design

WOMEN AT PLAY(S) is a festival of short one-act plays written, directed, and acted by Canadian Women playwrights, directors, and actors. The festival produces one act plays of original works to create opportunities for women. It is meant to inspire artistic achievements in theatrical production for people who identify as women of varied ages, abilities, racial and cultural backgrounds, appearances, sexualities, and life experiences for an audience of all.

It is a grass roots group and it is a Canadian Actors’ Equity Association approved festival under the Festival Policy. Women At Play(s) was founded by Marianne Sawchuk and it had its first festival at Carousel Theatre’s rehearsal space on Granville Island in Vancouver January 6, 2006. We had folding chairs for the audience members and 2 lights. Since then, we have produced 46 plays by 31 Canadian Women playwrights. 31 Canadian Women directors and 90 women-identifying actors have graced our stages. A total of 173 artists have been able to hone their craft on our stages with 3 festivals in Vancouver before moving to Toronto in 2019. Women At Play(s) 8 will add 7 more plays coming in March 2026.

In 2023, Artistic Director, Marianne Sawchuk, was honored with a Playwrights Guild of Canada Tom Hendry “Bra D’Or” nomination for her ongoing support of women playwrights in Canada.

More info on Women At Play(s) at www.womenatplays.ca.