Theatre

The Pumphouse Theatre has presented the Calgary Region One-Act Play Festival with the Alberta Drama Festival Association for over 30 years and we are excited to do so again! Registration for 12 spots will open on a first-come, first serve basis beginning September 17th, 2025 at 12 pm. The Festival is scheduled to be held April 1 – 4, 2026, in the Victor Mitchell Theatre.

Find our PDF registration form here

One play is chosen by a professional adjudicator to represent Calgary at the Provincial One-Act Festival. Winning plays from each region may receive travel and food expenses reimbursement for their participation in the Provincial Festival by the Alberta Drama Festival Association.

Registration Requirements:

• All registrations must be submitted no earlier than noon on September 17th, 2025 with a completed registration form and a $60 non-refundable registration fee.
• The performing group is responsible for royalty payments. A letter confirming permission from the publisher or playwright must be included.
• A clean draft copy of the script must be delivered by the January 31st deadline. Photocopies will only be accepted for an original script. Outlines for collective creations will be accepted, but may not be eligible for Outstanding New Work. Improvised shows are not eligible.
• Payment can be made over the phone (credit), in-person (debit, credit, cash, cheque), by mail (cheques) or by e-transfer. Make cheques payable to the Pumphouse Theatres Society. E-transfers are sent to admin@pumphousetheatre.ca with the message “OAPF Registration Fee”.
• Participants who are members of CAEA, ACTRA, or IATSE are not eligible to participate in their professional vocation.
• Plays must be one act in length. Performances between 10 and 60 minutes. No excerpts.
• Each group is responsible for supplying its own technicians for stage management and light and sound operation. We can provide training to operators.
• Each show must be set up in 10 minutes and struck in 5 minutes.
• Casts shall be predominantly adult and from CALGARY.
• All performances and participants must adhere to the ADFA Rules and Guidelines. More information can be found on the ADFA website: https://adfa.ca/about/rules-regulation/

Awards & prizes are presented for

• Outstanding Production,
• Outstanding Director,
• Outstanding Performances,
• Outstanding Technical Merit
• and Outstanding New Work!

Registration for the Calgary Region One-Act Play Festival at the Pumphouse Theatre (2140 Pumphouse Ave SW) starts Wednesday, September 17th, 2025 @ Noon.

Registration will close when all slots are filled or by January 31st, 2026. Registration is on a first come first serve basis.

For more information, including One-Act Play Festival rules and regulations, please feel free to email Troy Couillard at prod@pumphousetheatre.ca.

Join us at The Citadel Theatre for Alberta Culture Days, happening September 26–28, 2025! We’re your Family-Friendly Centre for a fun-filled weekend of free arts and culture activities for all ages – including a wardrobe sale, pre-show chats, a Wizard of Oz Family Film Festival, and so much more. Come explore, create, and celebrate with us! Also check out the Citadel Light Wall, one of Canada’s largest indoor digital screens of its kind, where we will be displaying artwork by talented local artists throughout Culture Days and all season-long. Alberta Culture Days at The Citadel Theatre is generously supported by the City of Edmonton’s Downtown Vibrancy Fund.

• Explore our Wardrobe Sale and snag unique costume pieces and treasures from our wardrobe department.
• Join us for our Wizard of Oz Family Film Festival, featuring beloved adaptations of the timeless tale.
• Go on magical Fairy Tours through the Lee Pavilion garden.
• Enjoy face painting and hands-on kids' activities.

See the full schedule of events here: https://citadeltheatre.com/culture-days/

*Event schedule is subject to change. Please check back on this page for accurate dates and times.

Join us at the Citadel Theatre (9828 101A Ave) in Edmonton on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 for a captivating talk by internationally acclaimed author Yann Martel, whose Man Booker Prize–winning novel Life of Pi has enchanted millions of readers around the world. In “Fiction and the Shipwrecked Reader,” Martel will reflect on Life of Pi, from its creation to its celebrated adaptations for film and stage, all while exploring the deeper relationship between fiction and reality.

Martel’s work has been published in more than 50 territories, sold over 15 million copies, and inspired both an Oscar-winning film and a Tony Award–winning Broadway play. In addition to Life of Pi, he is the author of The High Mountains of Portugal, Beatrice and Virgil, Self, The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios, and 101 Letters to a Prime Minister. His forthcoming novel, Son of Nobody, will be released in spring 2026. Martel lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Don’t miss this chance to hear one of Canada’s most celebrated literary voices discuss storytelling, imagination, and the enduring power of fiction.

The evening's schedule is as follows:

6:00 PM – Doors open
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM – Program and Talk by Yann Martel
8:15 PM - 9:00 PM – Yann Martel Book Signing – Tucker Amphitheatre

This event is presented in partnership by the Edmonton Public Library and The Citadel Theatre. It is generously supported by the City of Edmonton’s Downtown Vibrancy Fund.

Tickets are available here.

On September 26th and 27th, the National accessArts Centre’s dance ensemble will premiere of its groundbreaking dance theatre production ICONIC+ at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks (DJD). ICONIC+ tells the story of 5 charismatic individuals with disabilities who are written into the magical world of Dreamwriter. To Dreamwriter, imagined stories are her reality. In her world, icons are just dreamers who rarely get a chance to be seen, but she wants to show you a different story that goes beyond words and embodies ICONIC. So, dream, imagine, and experience a world with no barriers where we are free to be who we are and join us on this magical journey.

You won't want to miss the National accessArts Centre's biggest dance premiere supported by the National Arts Center's National Creation Fund. Uncover ICONIC+’s groundbreaking world of visuals, stories, and accessibility. Step through the theatre doors and experience the magic of accessibility like you have never seen before.

Accessibility is integrated into the creation of all elements of the production – from set design to audio recordings. The production is the true outcome of an artist-led approach that centers on disability leadership. ICONIC+ is working within a model that challenges traditional top-down ways of creation; its development is intuitive, collaborative, and groundbreakingly experimental.

The show is approximately 2 hours long with a 15-minute intermission. As a part of our accessibility measures, 15 minutes prior to the start of every show will be a description of the set, lighting, projection and sound through the eyes of Dreamwriter — our Audio Describer throughout the piece. All are encouraged to attend. This show contains Closed Captioning, Deaf Interpretation (ASL), and Audio Description at every performance. This performance will feature a sensory-friendly environment with low house lighting, no strobe or haze effects, and moderate sound levels. Accessibility items such as sunglasses, earplugs, and fidget toys will be available in the theatre lobby for all patrons.

After 3 years of development, beginning in 2022, this Calgary premiere in September is a highly anticipated showcase of the amazing work undertaken throughout the years! We look forward to welcoming you to ICONIC+, a world beyond reality where every icon starts with a dream.

ICONIC+ will run: 
- September 26th at 7:30 pm 
- September 27th at 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm.

Tickets are on sale now! Purchase them at decidedlyjazz.com. 
Watch the trailer for ICONIC+ at accessarts.ca.