Central Alberta Theatre will be hosting the Heartland Regional One-Act Festival next weekend. Local actors and playwriters will have the opportunity to perform a short one-act play in a competitive performance.  

“The festival itself is going to be a night where you have the opportunity to see three different shorter plays. They range in about 30 to 45 minutes each. They have their own unique cast of characters and actors," said Suzanne Hermary, Regional Festival Director.  

Hermary added that each of the plays are quite funny. Two of the plays have been written by local playwriters and one has been published.   

The plays being presented include:  

  • ‘Emotional Baggage’ by Lindsay Price , directed by Red Deer Players and CAT Member Wanda Oler  
  • ‘Reception’ by Sarain Soonias and directed by Jeremy Brooks 
  • ‘A Plant Called Kyle McKinney’ written and directed by Aaron Vanderweg 

A preview performance will run on Friday, April 21 and the official adjudicated show will go on Saturday, April 22. There will be adjudicators to select best new work and to select the winning production which will go on to perform at the upcoming Provincial One-Act Festival in Lethbridge on May 26 and 27.  

“There's a special prize of best new unpublished unproduced work. We've got a couple contenders for that, which is exciting, but it's a night at the theater. It just happens that there's three different stories you get to hear along the course of the evening as opposed to just one,” explained Hermary.  

Hermary says the one-act plays are a perfect opportunity for new actors and for people to gain new skills including in lighting, set design, and more.  

“It's a smaller commitment because it is not two hours of stage time that you're trying to prepare. It has to be under one hour, by the rules of the festival, but it's an opportunity to try something brand new and to explore your creativity on stage,” she explained.  

The play writers will also have the opportunity to hear some feedback from the judges on Saturday.  

"Everybody likes to feel validated for the work that they've done and that is the purpose of the adjudicator there. It's all supportive,” added Hermary.  

The performances will be hosted at the Nickel Studio at the Central Alberta Theatre in Red Deer on both nights. Tickets are available here or by calling 403-967-1769.