Lighthouse Festival Theatre is thrilled to have established dedicated funding for the commissioning of new plays and musicals with a comic tilt by individuals as well as ensembles who develop company-created work. Seeking out playwrights who are creating new and original plays is part of Lighthouse’s commitment to supporting Canadian Theatre. Our commissions provide both financial and artistic support via readings and workshops throughout the year.

2020 PLAYWRIGHTS

At the beginning of 2020 Artistic Director Derek Ritschel began working with five playwrights who submitted their early drafts for three plays to our Playwright Development program. Though the global pandemic has caused every theatre to close Derek and these five incredible storytellers have kept working, knowing that when the theatre community is ready to re-open there will be stages calling for new work.

It took time to get used to moving what would be passionate and animated face to face working sessions to the world of zoom but they have prevailed and Lighthouse’s excitement around these stories and their writers is too great to keep to ourselves. We look forward to using this space to share insights into the process of taking an idea and preparing it for the stage.

Lighthouse Festival Theatre is proud to provide financial support to artists so they can focus on their artistic pursuits. It is something we believe to be one of our most noble and impactful endeavours in the Canadian theatre scene.  Dedicated to the support of Canadian Theatre, Lighthouse has produced 122 productions by Canadian writers.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: The Big Idea – A writer will submit their big idea to Artistic Director Derek Ritschel for selection into the program.

Step 2: First Draft – Once selected, the writer comes back with a first draft script for review

Step 3: Revise, Rinse and Repeat – Feedback and direction are given, and workshops might take place to fine-tune the script.

Step 4: Show Production – At Lighthouse or beyond

The play development process can take up to 3 years to complete and not every idea makes it all the way to production, but many do. In 2017 Kristen Da Silva was selected for the Playwright Development program and Lighthouse commissioned Hurry Hard, a curling comedy about sibling rivalry and finding new love- set against the background of a hotly contested regional bonspiel. Hurry Hard had its world premiere this past summer on the Lighthouse stage, winning over audiences and judges of the Tom Hendry Awards. Hurry Hard took home the 2019 Stage West Award for Best New Comedy in the county by the Playwrights Guild of Canada. Kristen Da Silva will return to Lighthouse’s stage this summer with Sugar Road (May 20 – June 6).

https://lighthousetheatre.com/playwright-development-2/