2026 THA Theatre for Young Audiences Award
Supported by the Estate of Rachel Wyatt
Caged by Rachel Aberle (BC)
How can you navigate a relationship when you don’t even know what a healthy one looks like? After a summer apart, teenage friends Ronnie and Jas reunite at their dedicated hang-out spot, where their friendship and shared memories have always been a safe refuge. But everything shifts when Ronnie brings along her new boyfriend, Trev, a charming yet increasingly controlling presence. Trev’s influence quickly begins to seep into every corner of Ronnie’s life, from her dance practice to her friendship with Jas. Subtle red flags start to emerge. Ronnie is torn between the demands of her new relationship and her deep connection to her friend and is left grappling with the question of what exactly constitutes abuse.
Rachel Aberle is an award-winning playwright, dramaturge, and author. With a background in theatre performance, Rachel’s writing is known for its sharp dialogue, strong characterization, and exploration of life’s uncomfortable grey areas. Her plays for teen audiences, Still•Falling (Jessie Richardson Theatre Award – Significant Artistic Achievement) and The Code (Sydney J. Risk Prize for Outstanding Original Play by an Emerging Playwright) are published as a duo by Talonbooks and have toured across North America with Vancouver’s Green Thumb Theatre. In 2026, Rachel’s new plays The Watch List and Caged premiered with Saskatoon’s 25th Street Theatre and Green Thumb Theatre respectively. Rachel lives on the traditional territory of the Lhtako Dene People in Quesnel BC with her husband Kyle, daughter Elliot, and two ridiculous chihuahuas. Rachel is currently working on her first novel.
Signs by Collin Doyle (AB)
Dylan, Bobby, and Quinn have been best friends forever, but now in grade twelve, the friends find themselves at a crossroads. Each has had different experiences with alcohol and cannabis: Dylan’s tried, Quinn hasn’t, and Bobby might have a problem. Bobby defends her substance use as having a “good time”, but Dylan and Quinn think the signs point to something more serious. Together, they must navigate the complicated world of friendship as they try to get Bobby help.
Collin Doyle is an Edmonton based writer. Previous writing credits include: The Mighty Carlins (Workshop West Theatre), Routes (Concrete Theatre), Let the Light of Day Through (Theatre Network), Slumberland Motel (Shadow Theatre), and Terry and the Dog (Edmonton Actors Theatre). He is a four-time winner of the Alberta Playwriting Competition. In 2018, Newest Press published a collection of his plays, The Mighty Carlins and Other Plays. Collin is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.
Under the Mango Tree by Lennette Randall (AB)
With themes of intellectual property, bereavement, faith, and mental health, mingled with storytelling and laughter, Under the Mango Tree tells of Twyla-Angel, who finds a tree on the prairies overlooking her school campus, where she tells stories from African folklore, in a desperate need to process loss, reclaim identity and navigate conflict. The tree, however, was previously claimed by Jacob, the son of an animation media tycoon, who uses the tree as an escape from technological constraints and the struggle to fulfill his father’s expectations. The conflict over the tree leads to a clash of cultures, nature and technology, the development of friendship, betrayal, and the responsibility of reconciliation.
Lennette Randall is a cosmopolitan artistic practitioner – actress, director, writer, speaker, educator and afternoon tea enthusiast. Training: MA (Distinction) in Classical Acting – London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA), Rosebud School of the Arts (RSA), New York Film Academy (Los Angeles), Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA, the British American Drama Academy (BADA). She holds a Master of Studies (MSt.) in Creative Writing – University of Cambridge, UK. Professional highlights: Stratford Festival’s Langham Directors Workshop, Canadian Stage’s RBC Emerging Directing Intern, Obsidian Theatre’s Young, Gifted and Black, Grand Theatre’s Artistic Director Intern and Theatre by the Bay’s Indie Producer Co-op. Other artistic contributions span Theatre Calgary, National Arts Centre, Rosebud Theatre, The Shakespeare Company, Canadian Badlands Passion Play, Storybook Theatre. Awards: Black Shoulder Legacy Award (2024), Black People Making History in Calgary (2023), Fight Directors of Canada’s Jacie Levinson Memorial Award (2017), Stephen Hair Emerging Actor Award (2014).
Special thanks to Theatre for Young Audiences Award Peer Assessment Panelists: Dennis Foon (Chair), Monica DuFault, Jenna Rodgers.