Meet the 2025-2027 AMPLIFIER Playwright

A pink background with the headshot of 2025-2027 Amplifier participant, Charles Gao. On the top right, in blue, the word Amplifier. Below it, in white, the years 2025-2027. Below that, a light blue block with the name Charles Gao written in blue.
WE’RE THRILLED TO INTRODUCE Charles gao AS THE RECIPIENT OF AMPLIFIER, A SUPPORTED EXPLORATORY CREATION PROCESS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS.

A dancer and now theatre artist of Asian descent, Charles Gao’s breaking journey began in 2008 with the Queen’s Recreational Breakdance Club in Kingston, ON. Leading the club, he expanded its reach, and founded an annual streetdance festival, attracting artists from Canada and abroad. Now performing internationally and in shows such as “REVOLUTION”, he has trained with top breakers in Korea, the US and Europe, winning championships in Finland, India, Japan, and Canada.

In 2018, Charles enrolled in Concordia’s Performance Creation program, blending dance and theater to reimagine his artistic practice. He collaborated as a movement designer and performer in “Maric on the Lake” directed by Cathia Pagotto, and is currently writing his new play, “Welcome to the Digital Desert.” These experiences and conversations with theater-makers continue to shape the trajectory of his artistic career. 

Photo credit: Vickie Grondin

About the project

A new theatrical creation interrogating the Internet, Welcome to the Digital Desert (working title) examines the consequences the Internet has had on our bodies and what that means for our humanity, and then dreams about what the Internet could be. It questions the extreme distancing from the tangible reality of our everyday tools, in particular the Internet, and how this normalized ignorance enables our subjugation in online spaces.

How can society take back the Internet? 

The story follows Bobbi, a lasagna recipe hunter. She’s stuck in a world owned and operated by DYCON, experiencing it through the Dynet, a perfect AR world. Almost all value has been extracted out of the underclass of humans. It’s where the only time that matters is the time spent on the Dynet. When her funds run out, she has to participate in DYCON’s live-streamed therapy services to get basic essentials like SustainMii. A mysterious ethereal entity recruits Bobbi in a plot to take down DYCON. Meanwhile, the play subjects its audience to ads, sponsored content, and makes them complicit in violations of what we might call a right to privacy, unmasking the ways we relate to our technology. Lasagna is served as a key symbol, anchor for what is real and what is not, and Bobbi’s ultimate desire. 


AMPLIFIER is a program by Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal (PWM), LA SERRE–arts vivants (LA SERRE) and the Conseil des Arts de Montréal (CAM) that offers a long-term exploratory creation process to a playwright working creatively in one of Canada’s official languages. This program offers artistic and financial support, including dramaturgical collaboration, a professional workshop with actors, and a residency leading to a presentation to programmers and peers.

The program aims to support the artistic practice of theatre artists who identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC,  racialized including 1st or 2nd generation immigrant artists (as defined in the Conseil des Arts de Montréal’s glossary) working creatively in one of Canada’s official languages. Additionally, it seeks to foster dialogue between Montréal’s English- and French-speaking theatre communities, as well as intercultural exchanges and greater representation for culturally diverse artists within the theatre community and on Montréal’s stages.  This is the third iteration of PWM’s Amplifier program; past alumni include Sylvia Cloutier et chadia.

In order to support artists creating in French and artists creating in English, CAM et La Serre offer this program alternately with the Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD) in French (Résidence Voix Théâtrales), and with PWM in English.

this program is a partnership between
PWM logo

2025 Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators

A green banner with two circles on its left side: one light blue, one dark green. In the middle of the circles is a white horizontal line. To the right is a blue box, with the words Call For Applications - Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators.

Since its inception in 2013, the Mentorat pour traductrices et traducteurs émergents de la Fondation Cole has been guiding the next generation of French to English theatre translators.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15TH, 2025 AT 11:59PM EST.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility or require assistance with your application, please contact Heather at accessibility@playwrights.ca. Click here for more accessibility information.

With the skilled guidance of acclaimed translator Maureen Labonté and in partnership with the Fondation Cole, PWM has built a program that mentors emerging translators through every stage of their process in writing a new translation of a play. The successful applicant to this year’s program will receive a $2,000 honorarium and a mentorship with Maureen Labonté, including a workshop with actors and a public reading. The mentorship begins in March 2025, and lasts for approximately one year.


If you have any questions regarding the Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators, please contact heather@playwrights.ca


Who Can Apply?

PWM welcomes all applications. While recognizing that the identity of each person is fundamentally plural, and multidimensional, we strongly encourage applications from artists who are: Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC, racialized (including recent immigrants), 2SLGBTQQIPAA+, neurodivergent, disabled, living with chronic illness and/or chronic pain. PWM is strongly committed to supporting a wide range of cultural identities and lived experiences, therefore we encourage applicants to self-identify in their application if they are comfortable doing so.


To be eligible, emerging translators must reside in Montreal and have completed at least one translation which has received a workshop, public reading, publication or production. Because the focus is supporting emerging translators, the applicant must not have done more than three play translations. 

With What Play(s)?

Before applying for the Mentorship, emerging translators must choose the play they wish to translate and contact the playwright for permission: Establishing a connection to the play and the playwright in advance means that the applicant would be in a position to begin work immediately following the announcement of the selected project in late February.

Translations must be from French into English only. 

Full-length scripts, one-acts or TYA (theatre for young audiences) projects are all welcome. Please note, our experience does not extend to the translation of musicals.

Application Process

Fill out this Google Form by January 15, 2025. Click here to preview the application form as a PDF.  You will be asked to provide the following information:

  • Your name, pronouns (optional) and contact information 
  • A one-page letter of intent describing the project, its challenges, your reasons for wanting to translate the work, and how you hope to grow in your practice through the mentorship. PDF documents, video or audio responses are accepted. If submitting a video or audio response, please answer in one video/recording, maximum 5 minutes.
  • Your biography (maximum 250 words);
  • A copy of your chosen play;
  • Written permission from the original playwright of the play;
  • A 10-12 page sample of your previous translation work, please include the corresponding original text.
  • If you require any accommodations to participate in the program should you be selected.

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee.

All applicants will be notified of the results by the end of February 2025.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Logo of the Cole Foundation

Rédiger une solide demande de subvention avec Jesse Stong

A banner with a center graphic in the shape of a circle: A headshot photo of the facilitator, Jesse Stong. The graphic is surrounded by dark violet horizontal lines and other circular shapes on top of a lilac background. On the right, it reads: Exploring Practice.
Application Deadline: Sunday, November 24TH, 2024 AT 11:59PM EST.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility, or require assistance with this application, please contact accessibility@playwrights.ca.

This online workshop will give participants the chance to articulate their project outlines with realistic timelines and budgets, with tips on writing innovative and authentic project proposals.

Participants will build the foundation of their project grant in a shared Zoom room, with collaborative feedback. They’ll learn more about where to apply and when, and how to build a clear and powerful application by developing compelling writing samples. By the end of this Exploring Practice, each participant will leave informed on how to seek diverse sources of funding, with guidance on partnership-building for the future of their proposed project. This workshop is infused with motivational insights, aimed to empower participants to not only write, but enjoy writing grant applications! Each participant will get one-on-one time with the facilitator for individualized support.

Participation is free. Workshop participants are selected based on the complementary experience of the collective group. We encourage all levels of experience to apply.

“Building Your Grant Proposal” is co-presented  by Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal (PWM) and the Quebec Drama Federation (QDF), with support from le Conseil de la formation continue (CFC).


SCHEDULE

Monday, January 13: 1 to 4PM

Tuesday, January 14: NO SESSION

Wednesday, January 15: 1 to 4PM

Thursday, January 16: 1 to 4PM*

Friday, January 17: 1 to 4PM*

LOCATION

Remote (Zoom)

*Please note that January 16 and January 17 are reserved for individual meetings, therefore participants will not be required to attend the full hours listed above.

NOTE: The workshop is participatory in nature. Those taking part should come to the workshop with a project/residency idea that they are genuinely interested in developing a grant proposal for. This idea can be fully developed or a seed of a new project. An integral part of this workshop is in supporting the ideas of others and contributing to the group discussions. Participants should be available for the duration of the time scheduled. 


HOW TO APPLY:

If you are interested in applying, please fill out this Google Form by 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, November 24th, 2024.

Questions about this workshop can be sent to leila@playwrights.ca with the subject line: Exploring Practice with Jesse Stong.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility, or require assistance with this application, please contact accessibility@playwrights.ca.

Click here for accessibility information and video tours of our location.

PWM welcomes all applications. While recognizing that the identity of each person is fundamentally plural, and multidimensional, we strongly encourage applications from artists who are: Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC, racialized (including recent immigrants), 2SLGBTQQIPAA+, neurodivergent, disabled, living with chronic illness and/or chronic pain. PWM is strongly committed to supporting a wide range of cultural identities and lived experiences, therefore we encourage applicants to self-identify in their application if they are comfortable doing so.


ABOUT THE WORKSHOP FACILITATOR:

A headshot of the facilitator, Jesse Stong.

Jesse Stong (they/them) is a proud parent of twins, a graduate of Playwriting from the National Theatre School of Canada, and received a Master’s in Art Education from Concordia University. They are an award-winning queer creator, dramaturg, and educator. Over the years, Jesse has supported over 140 emerging Canadian storytellers as director of our Young Creators Unit.  Jesse also leads our New Stories Project for Neurodiverse Storytellers. Jesse is an occasional content creator/editor for Moment Factory, and was recently Manager of Children’s Programming for Watchmojo.com, commissaire associé pour le sommet sur les personnes handicapées du Centre national des arts et maître cérémonie des prix du Montreal English Theatre.

Headshot photo credit: Emelia Hellman


LEARN MORE ABOUT EXPLORING PRACTICE WORKSHOPS


PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH

THIS WORKSHOP IS FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY

Introduction to Theatre Translation with Leanna Brodie

Extended DEADLINE: Sunday, September 29, 2024, 11:59 PM EST.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility, or require assistance with this application, please contact accessibility@playwrights.ca

This introductory workshop for playwrights and theatre artists aims to offer participants ways to approach theatre translation, an enriching craft where the questions you ask are just as important as the answers you come to. In this workshop, participants will explore the practice of translation including thinking through questions such as: Why this play? How best to serve the original? Where to start? What are the challenges, and where to look for opportunities for development and production?

Please note that the workshop will run primarily in English, with interpretation between English and French as needed. Applicants curious about translating languages other than English or French are encouraged to apply: many of the same  principles and skills will be transferable.

Participants may come with a play translation in mind or else be matched up with a play for the purposes of this workshop. A minimum of two weeks before the workshop begins, participants need to share their intended text with the facilitator, or request that a text be assigned. Additional brief translations may also be assigned as in-class exercises. 


SCHEDULE

Monday, February 10: 12 – 3PM

Tuesday, February 11: 12 – 3PM

Wednesday, February 12: 12 – 3PM

Thursday, February 13: 10AM – 12PM

Friday, February 14: 12 – 4PM

LOCATION

PWM Studio: 7250 Rue Clark #103, Montreal, Quebec, H2R2Y3

Click here for accessibility information and video tours of our location.


Participants are expected to be available for the duration of the scheduled sessions.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you are interested in applying, please fill out this Google Form by 11:59 PM EST on Friday, September 27, 2024.

Questions about this workshop can be sent to PWM’s Artistic Producer, Leila Ghaemi, at leila@playwrights.ca with the subject line: Exploring Practice with Leanna Brodie.


PWM welcomes all applications. While recognizing that the identity of each person is fundamentally plural, and multidimensional, we strongly encourage applications from artists who are: Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC, racialized (including recent immigrants), 2SLGBTQQIPAA+, neurodivergent, disabled, living with chronic illness and/or chronic pain. PWM is strongly committed to supporting a wide range of cultural identities and lived experiences, therefore we encourage applicants to self-identify in their application if they are comfortable doing so.


ABOUT THE WORKSHOP FACILITATOR:

Leanna Brodie is a leading translator of contemporary Québécois and Franco-Canadian playwrights whose award-winning translations have been published and produced across North America. Recent premieres have included David Paquet’s Wildfire (Factory Theatre, Toronto: 2022 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best New Play); Anaïs Pellin’s Clementine (Kleine Compagnie/Carousel Theatre/PHT, Vancouver); Fanny Britt’s Benevolence (Ruby Slippers Theatre/Pacific Theatre, Vancouver); and Rébecca Déraspe’s I Am William (Stratford Festival, Théâtre le Clou). This season sees the premieres of Sébastien Harrisson’s From Alaska (Belfry Theatre, Victoria) and Catherine Léger’s Home Deliveries (Ruby Slippers Theatre/Jericho Arts Centre, Vancouver). Brodie is also an award-winning librettist, performer, and playwright: Salesman in China, co-written with Jovanni Sy, just premiered to great acclaim at the Stratford Festival. Brodie recently served as Assistant Professor (Playwriting) at UBC’s School of Creative Writing; and is currently Artist-in-Residence at Concordia University. www.leannabrodie.com


LEARN MORE ABOUT EXPLORING PRACTICE WORKSHOPS


THIS WORKSHOP IS FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY

Announcing the 2024 Gros Morne Residency Playwrights | Dévoilement des Participant.e.s de la Résidence de Gros-Morne 2024

A photo of Gros Morne national park - a dock with water surrounding it and mountains further off. The sky is grey. The words 2024 Gros Morne Residency Playwrights written in white in the forefront.

Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal (PWM) and le Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD), in partnership with Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland, Creative Gros Morne, the Bonne Bay Aquarium & Research Station, and with the vital support of the Fondation Cole, are pleased to announce the seven playwrights participating in the 2024 Résidence d’écriture théâtrale de Gros Morne

The Gros Morne Playwrights’ Residency is a dual-lingual residency that welcomes playwrights from across the country to share space and conversation in the unparalleled landscape of Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland and Labrador. The program offers dramaturgy in French and English. 

From September 26 to October 7, 2024, Pascal Brullemans, Veronica Dymond, Mélanie Léger, Gislina Patterson, Adjani Poirier, Jovanni Sy, and Érika Tremblay-Roy will be staying at the Bonne Bay Aquarium & Research Station in Norris Point. The residents will have the opportunity to explore their plays during unstructured writing time, one-on-one dramaturgical conversations, and group discussions.

Look out for future social media posts about the artists and the residency!

Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal (PWM) et le Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD), en partenariat avec Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland, Creative Gros Morne, le Bonne Bay Aquarium & Research Station, et avec le soutien vital de la Fondation Cole, ont le plaisir d’annoncer les sept auteurs et autrices dramatiques qui participeront à la Résidence canadienne d’auteurs et d’autrices dramatique de Gros Morne 2024.

La résidence d’écriture théâtrale de Gros-Morne est une résidence bilingue qui accueille des dramaturges de tout le pays pour partager un espace et la conversation dans le paysage sans pareil du parc national du Gros Morne, à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador. Le programme propose de l’accompagnement dramaturgique en français et en anglais.

Du 26 septembre au 7 octobre 2024, Pascal Brullemans, Veronica Dymond, Mélanie Léger, Gislina Patterson, Adjani Poirier, Jovanni Sy, and Érika Tremblay-Roy séjourneront au Bonne Bay Aquarium & Research Station à Norris Point. Les résidents auront l’occasion d’explorer leurs pièces pendant des périodes d’écriture non structurées, des conversations dramaturgiques individuelles et des discussions de groupe.

Ne manquez pas les prochains messages sur les médias sociaux concernant les artistes et la résidence!

Meet the Playwrights | Rencontrez les auteurs

PASCAL BRULLEMANS (QUÉBEC)

Pascal Brullemans débute son parcours en 1994, avec Les derniers jours du Gouverneur, mis en scène par Wajdi Mouawad. Suivra une collaboration avec le metteur en scène Eric Jean, dont sont issus les pièces Camélias et Hippocampe. L’auteur fait ensuite une incursion dans l’univers jeune public avec notamment Isberg, puis Vipérine et Moi et l’autre. Puis, Brullemans collabore avec la metteure en scène Nini Bélanger pour créer Endormie(s) et Beauté, chaleur et mort. En 2016, il remporte le prix Michel-Tremblay pour la pièce Ce que nous avons fait. Ces dernières années, l’auteur a poursuit plusieurs projets dont les pièces Petite Sorcière et Ceux qui n’existent pas.

Photo credit: ​​Valérie Remise

PLAY IN DEVELOPMENT: Guide de survie

Guide de survie raconte l’histoire d’une femme qui apprend qu’elle est atteinte d’un cancer incurable et qui choisira de se départir de tous ses biens, pour terminer ses jours dans une maison de soins palliatifs… où elle ne mourra pas. Guérissant de façon inattendue, celle-ci devra surmonter l’échec de sa mort, avant de retourner affronter les vivants.


VERONICA DYMOND (NEWFOUNDLAND and labrador)

Veronica ‘Vero’ Dymond is a writer based in St. John’s, NL. She has worked in film, television, theatre, stand-up, animation, comics, and music and is featured on the Just for Laughs Originals album “Infinity Plus Pizza.” Her short films and sketches have played in festivals like the Nickel Independent Film Festival, the St. John’s Shorts Festival, Toronto Sketch Fest, NL Sketch Fest, and the Halifax Animation Festival. Her work blends queer themes with classic styles, bringing new perspectives to traditional media.

Photo credit:  Veronica Dymond

PLAY IN DEVELOPMENT: I Kill Myself: A Live Comedy Show

A priest, a writer, a juggler, a comedian, a tomboy, a construction worker, a documentarian, an addict, a land acknowledgment, a singer, a voice, an amorphous blob of misery and shame, and a tea drinker walk into a play. They are the same person. That person is me.

 “I Kill Myself: A Live Comedy Show” is a comedian’s attempt to rediscover joy after trauma. Told through stand-up, sketch, and circus, the show tackles identity, faith, what it means to be “funny.” Also, there’s knife juggling.


MÉLANIE LÉGER (NEW BRUNSWICK)

De Shédiac au Nouveau-Brunswick, Mélanie Léger (elle) écrit pour le théâtre, la télévision et le cinéma, en plus de travailler comme recherchiste, réalisatrice et comédienne. Elle a écrit une douzaine de pièces de théâtre portée à la scène. À l’hiver 2024, la pièce Becca (une coproduction du Théâtre Populaire d’Acadie et de Theatre New Brunswick) était en tournée un peu partout au Nouveau-Brunswick. En même temps, la pièce pour ados Tsunami (une production du théâtre l’Escaouette) était présenté en reprise au Québec et à Ottawa.

Photo credit: Emmanuel Albert

PLAY IN DEVELOPMENT: P’tite affiche de tête de mort au bord de la route (titre de travail)

« J’ai longtemps pensé qu’il serait simple et facile de bannir les pesticides à usage esthétique. Le monde serait sauvé. En tout cas, il serait un peu moins empoisonné. Mais – et j’ai honte – je n’ai jamais vraiment agi avant que le problème se retrouve, comme qui dirait, dans ma cour. »  La pièce entame un chantier de création autour de ma/notre relation aux pesticides au Nouveau-Brunswick. Dans ce premier chapitre, je souhaite explorer les mœurs entourant les pesticides à usage esthétique.


GISLINA PATTERSON (manitoba)

Gislina Patterson is a playwright, performer, director, and dramaturg. His play i am your spaniel, or, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare by Gislina Patterson has been presented by SummerWorks, Buddies in Bad Times, and the London Ontario Media Arts Association. They dramaturged and directed Dasha Plett’s award winning play 805-4821 which toured to SummerWorks, OFFTA, PushOFF, Théâtre Catapulte, and Buddies in Bad Times. They co-directed the premiere of “Rencor Vivo” by The Mariachi Ghost with Jorge Requena Ramos at the Prismatic Festival, and were the 2019 recipient of the Reg Skene Award for Emerging Artists.

Photo credit: Dasha Plett

PLAY IN DEVELOPMENT: Eat Me

“Those who speak of revolution without speaking of everyday life talk with a corpse in their mouths.”
– Raoul Vaneigem

Eat Me is an erotic lesbian melodrama about student loans, dentistry, and cannibalism. Helga, a burned out recent art school grad meets Camille, a wealthy butch dentist 35 years her senior during her first check up in 5 years. After a chance run in at Helga’s gallery job the women find themselves drawn to each other. When Helga, desperate to pay down her debt, moves into Camille’s waterfront condo, their relationship spirals into toxic, bloody, and ultimately fatal codependency. Eat Me as a play about real estate, the fundamental imbalance in the safety and stability of those who own property vs those who rent, and the ways that this imbalance can make love impossible.


ADJANI POIRIER (QUÉBEC)

Adjani Poirier is a theatre artist who currently lives and writes in their hometown of Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal. 

She is interested in creating work that explores the beauty and the ugly of the human experience, is drawn to stories that reveal the complexity of navigating a world where systemic inequalities oppress, yet love and connection still seep through the cracks, strong and fierce, giving us life. Their writing uses magical realism to explore ideas of home, queer desire and how the subconscious influences our relationships to each other and our physical surroundings. 

Adjani is an Associate Artist at Imago Theatre and a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada where she studied playwriting.

Photo credit: Alex Tran

PLAY IN DEVELOPMENT: One Spectacular Moment

Montreal, present day. Africville, 1967. A rift in time, an undoing of space, a shift in reality, the two worlds merge.  

Historical fiction meets magical realism in a play that explores the connections between the historic Black community of Africville, urban renewal, the civil rights movement, the current housing crisis in Canadian cities and QTBIPOC activist movements. One Spectacular Moment is a celebration of those who resist in the face of systemic discrimination and the complexity that goes into this kind of activism: the determination, the exhaustion, the bravery, the necessity, the grief, and the hope.


JOVANNI SY (QUÉBEC)

Jovanni Sy is a Montreal-based playwright, director, and performer. He is the former artistic director of Gateway Theatre (Richmond) and Cahoots Theatre (Toronto). Since 1992, Jovanni’s artistic mission has been to create bridges across cultures with a particular interest in reimagining Western classics through an Asian Canadian lens. His plays include Salesman in China (co-written with Leanna Brodie), A Taste of Empire, The Five Vengeances, Nine Dragons (Jessie Richardson Award), The Tao of the World (PGC Comedy Award), and Kowloon Bay (PGC Drama Award).

Photo credit: Kristine Cofsky

PLAY IN DEVELOPMENT: Fan Tan Alley

Fan Tan Alley is a fast-paced farce set in a Chinese bunkhouse in Victoria’s famous Fan Tan Alley around 1900. The action takes place in a tiny room with six beds that is time-shared among almost twenty Chinese men. Most of the tenants have loose connections to the seedier aspects of Fan Tan Alley and struggle to find privacy in a place where privacy is impossible. Fan Tan Alley is a Silver Commission project from Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre.


ÉRIKA TREMBLAY-ROY (QUÉBEC)

Érika Tremblay-Roy est autrice, metteuse en scène et directrice artistique du Petit Théâtre de Sherbrooke. Elle signe des formes interdisciplinaires qui laissent une grande liberté de lecture aux jeunes publics.  Ses œuvres, jamais prescriptives, touchent, questionnent et décoiffent. Parmi ces créations récentes, citons Le Potager, un concert-rock pour tout-petit.e.s,  Le problème avec le rose, où elle aborde avec sensibilité et humour les questions du genre et de la diversité sexuelle et Prince Panthère, un cabaret-onirico philosophique déroutant. Érika est une créatrice qui va là où on ne l’attend pas, les métissages qu’elle réussit à créer entre les langages se renouvelant à travers l’un et l’autre de ses projets.

Photo credit: Annick Sauvé

PLAY IN DEVELOPMENT: Très beau mais très difficile (titre de travail)

Que c’est difficile d’habiter l’échec avec humanité. D’admettre que tout ne se passe pas comme on le voulait. Tout ce qui nous entoure carbure au sentiment de réussite. Il faut être au top en tout. Pourtant, rien ne se passe jamais comme on l’avait imaginé. Comme dans un jeu déroutant où on ne connait ni le but ni ce qu’on gagne, quatre interprètes débordés par la tâche insurmontable qu’on leur confie nous invitent à l’intérieur de familles, toutes sortes de familles, remuant la montagne des petits et grands ratés qu’on doit traverser et qui nous façonnent.


Logo of the Cole Foundation

The 2024-2025 Young Creators Unit

Calling all emerging playwrights and theatre creators, the 2024-2025 Young Creators Unit is now accepting applications!

If you have any questions regarding accessibility, require assistance with your application, or would like to discuss alternative methods of applying and deadline flexibility, please contact accessibility@playwrights.ca

In 2024, we are proudly celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Young Creators Unit!

Applications are now open and due by August 11, 2024, 11:59PM EST. 

Are you a theatre maker under 30, looking to hone your craft in storytelling? Do you have a brilliant idea for a play, but are not sure how to get it on paper? Or maybe you need feedback and guidance to elevate your first draft to the next level?

If any of this sounds like you, then PWM’s Young Creators Unit is the place to develop your work and artistry.

This creative incubator supports emerging artists to find their voice, make connections, and learn new storytelling skills, all while developing the practical skills they need to establish a successful career in the arts. All you need to apply is an idea, a question, theme, or an image you’d like to explore.

From September 2024 -June 2025, participants will receive one-on-one dramaturgical sessions, mentorships with industry professionals, and participate in group writing sessions and workshops. YCU participants are also provided professional development resources and opportunities, such as grant writing support and guidance, access to local theatre performances, and networking opportunities.

If you are interested in learning more about the Young Creators Unit and PWM, or about the YCU 2024-2025 Application Process, please email Leila at leila@playwrights.ca.


YCU is led by PWM’s Artistic Producer & Dramaturg, Leila Ghaemi.

Thrilled to be back leading the YCU for her third year, Leila Ghaemi (she/elle) is a dramaturg, director and teaching artist. Her artistic pillars include responsible MENASA representation, radical theatre empowerment, and new play development. She received her BFA in Theatre Arts and MFA in Theatre Education & Direction from Boston University’s School of Theatre, where she grew her love for and skills in dramaturgical methods. She currently serves as the board president for Persephone Productions Montreal. 

Recent external credits include: Creative Consultant, POTUS (The Segal Centre); Cultural Consultant & Audience Engagement, English (The Segal Centre for the Performing Arts); Senior School Drama Teacher, The Study School; Co-Director, Pool (No Water) (Persephone Productions Montreal); Director, Romeo & Juliet (Classic Repertory Theatre); Director, The Scarlet Letter (Classic Repertory Theatre); Artistic Associate, New Repertory Theatre; Dramaturg & Director, The Tragic Ecstasy of Girlhood (Boston Playwrights’ Theatre); and Script Reader & Conservatory Associate, American Conservatory Theater.


PWM welcomes all applications. While recognizing that the identity of each person is fundamentally plural, and multidimensional, we strongly encourage applications from artists who are: Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC, racialized (including recent immigrants), 2SLGBTQQIPAA+, neurodivergent, disabled, living with chronic illness and/or chronic pain. PWM is strongly committed to supporting a wide range of cultural identities and lived experiences, therefore we encourage applicants to self-identify in their application if they are comfortable doing so.

 Click here to preview the application form as a PDF. 


Comment postuler :

If you are interested in applying, please fill out this Google Form by 11:59 PM EST on August 11th, 2024.

Your application will require the following information:

  • A brief bio of yourself, and your experience (if any) as a storyteller/creator.
  • A brief description of the work you would like to develop in the YCU this year, or a list of some ideas.
  • A brief description sharing why you would like to join the Unit, and what you hope to get out of the experience.
  • Any additional writing and/or artistic materials you would like to have considered with your application. This can be a current script excerpt, mood boards, music playlists, past work, etc. This helps us get to know you and what sparks your interest as an artist!

The program will run from September 11th, 2024, to May 31st, 2025. Group sessions will take place biweekly on Wednesdays from 5-8PM in the PWM Creative Studio, located at 7250 Rue Clark, suite #103. 

The number of Cohort members we can accept is limited, and participants are expected to attend the group sessions, one-on-one meetings,  as well as commit to additional self-directed activities. Please only apply to the YCU if you are able to commit to the full schedule. All applicants will be informed of their results by Friday, September 6th, 2024. 

The Selection Process

Due to the high level of interest in the YCU each year, we will be holding interviews with some of the potential candidates  to learn more about their interests and goals, and what they hope to gain from the program. This is also a great opportunity for you to ask us questions! Please note that not all applicants will be contacted for an interview, and that an interview does not indicate whether or not you have been accepted into the program.

Once the application period is closed, all applications will be reviewed and considered. There are many factors that go into the selection process, such as group dynamics and the range of experience within the Cohort. Decisions will not be based on training or competencies; we therefore encourage applications from all backgrounds and experience levels.

If you have any questions, please contact YCU’s Lead Dramaturg, Leila Ghaemi at leila@playwrights.ca


“A singular space for incubation and support, YCU meets young artists where they’re at. During my time I was able to garner so much I wouldn’t be able to achieve alone: an ensemble of motivated peers, unique workshops from interdisciplinary practitioners along with space and time for my piece to grow. Along with the development of my piece, YCU fosters exploration of the playwright’s process, understanding that with each unique story comes unique approaches to the artist and their creation.”

— 2023-2024 YCU Cohort Member


Learn more about the Young Creators Unit.

Accessibility Tools
Français du Canada
Skip to content