2025 THA Drama Award Finalists
Supported by the National Arts Centre
The Village It Takes by Michael Ross Albert (ON)
In an attempt to escape late-stage capitalism and live more mindfully, a group of elder millennials attempt to live communally off-the-grid and raise a child collectively. But, over the course of almost two decades, environmental and interpersonal challenges pushes the bonds of this chosen family to their limits.
Described by the Toronto Star as “one of Toronto’s most exciting playwrights,” Michael Ross Albert is a Dora Award-nominated writer whose work has been staged across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Production credits include The Bidding War (Crow’s Theatre), Beautiful Renegades (Peggy Baker Dance Projects), Two Minutes to Midnight (The Assembly Theatre), The Grass is Greenest at the Houston Astrodome (published in “Best American Short Plays 2014-2015), and Tough Jews (Dora Award nomination, Outstanding New Play). Michael’s work has been presented in multiple Fringe festivals, including Edinburgh, Brighton, and FringeNYC. Five of his plays were staged in the Toronto Fringe Festival, including: The Huns, Anywhere (both: Patron’s Pick, Best of Fringe), and Good Old Days. Michael is currently working on plays commissioned by the Stratford Festival and the Blyth Festival, as well as new works supported by Soulpepper Theatre and the Vault Creation Lab.
21 by Katherine Turnbull (QC), Playwright (in English); Rachel Graton, Playwright (in French)
Sara’s job is to help troubled teens with a host of issues. Like Zoe, an angry fifteen-year-old with a tendency to run away. Now, how to get her to open up and begin the journey of personal growth and healing when she doesn’t trust adults? “I hear you like basketball.”
Katherine Turnbull has a Bachelor of Fine Arts [Honours] in Acting with a minor in French Studies from the University of Windsor. Based in Montreal, she works in French and English in theatre and film. Katherine is fascinated by the messy and complex aspects of life, and so she explores the nitty-gritty of humanity in her projects. In 2021, Katherine translated La nuit du 4 au 5 by Rachel Graton, commissioned by Talisman Theatre. The resulting translation, The Night From the 4th to the 5th, was shortlisted for the 2023 Tom Hendry Drama Award. In May 2022, Talisman Theatre presented it as a digital reading, which has since won awards at the 2023 Snow Leopard International Film Festival (Madrid, Spain) & Sweden International Film Festival for Best Drama, Best Black and White Film, and Best Stage Play. It also received four (4) nominations at the 2023 MAGMA Film Festival (Best Feature & Experimental Film, Best Directing, Best Original Concept, and Best Ensemble).
To Live & Die by the Paper Route by Sydney Wolf (YT)
The three Fates come together to tell the story of a young, queer, undiagnosed sex worker. Through pole dancing, drag numbers, and lessons learned, these goddesses embody each of [Redacted]’s alter egos: Camaro Kaye, Evey Rose, and Gin St. Syn. Revealing more than just a g-string and nipple tape, we move through [Redacted]’s memories to try and find where an ex-stripper can exist in this late-stage capitalist world. Her last ego tries to right the wrongs, but is it enough to break the cycle?
Sydney Wolf (they/them) is a queer, autistic painter, sewist, and all-round art creator with a love for theatre. Since moving from the prairies to the mountains of the Yukon in 2019, Sydney has been reintroducing themselves to the world of performance through producing and performing drag shows. Wolf has worked on a variety of projects in many different roles including set, prop, and costume designer, burlesque mentor, performer, and playwright for companies such as Thumbs Up Good Work Theatre, Gwaandak Theatre, Ramshackle Theatre, Queer Yukon, and The Guild Hall Theatre. Sydney was one of ten shortlisted artists, out of 251 submissions, for the National Queer and Trans Playwright Unit in 2022. Other things that orbit their heart include cross stitching, Dungeons & Dragons, and their pets Gwen, Boba and Lollypop.
Special thanks to Drama Award Peer Assessment Panelists: Tetsuro Shigematsu (Chair), Pamela Halstead and Jamie Robinson.