May 5, 2024, Ottawa, ON – The
Ottawa Little Theatre’s 83rd Annual National One-Act Playwriting Competition received 57 entries from across the country. The winners join a long list of Canadian literary luminaries including Robertson Davies, John Murrell, Erika Ritter, Catherine Banks and Ken Mitchell.

This year, for the first time in recent memory, the adjudicators were unable to reach a consensus for a second and third prize; as a result, we’ve called it a tie and awarded two second prizes.

First prize, Ottawa Little Theatre Award:

Settle Down, Ellie by Step Taylor (Chapel Arm, NL)

Adjudicator’s comments for Settle Down, Ellie:

  • “A sensitive look at the unimaginable pain of watching your hometown cease to exist. A family’s dreams are examined, modern relationships are questioned, but it’s all spiked with the off-beat humour of Newfoundland.”

  • “Heartfelt journey home of a young Newfoundland woman. Realistically portrayed and engaging drama with an east coast flair yet relatable to anyone who has grown up in a small town.”

Second prize, Dorothy White Award:

Beautiful Phantasm by Rosie Leggott (Hamilton, ON)

Adjudicator’s comments for Beautiful Phantasm:

  • “Would you run to a call for help? Or lock your door? A victim seeks out those who witnessed her assault yet turned their backs. PTSD fuels the extremely dramatic confrontations which reveal the witnesses’ guilt, anger, compassion, and fear, yet impede the victim’s recovery. What would you be willing to do?”

  • “From the opening scene of violence to the examinations of guilt, we watch a woman who has been assaulted, try to lay the blame of inaction on the witnesses. She finds ways to accuse them, as she struggles with her own demons, and ultimately becomes the victim.”

Second prize, The Gladys Cameron Watt Award (sponsored by the Ottawa Chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women):

The Whitefish River by Jessie Bergeron (Stittsville, ON)

Adjudicator’s comments for The Whitefish River:

  • “Revenge is on the menu at this inaccessible, wilderness location. The young canoeist, presumably lost, gradually teases out the particulars of a shady real estate deal on this site, once  owned by her father. We watch a frightful power struggle develop. Resolution relies on taking a risk. The wilderness forces the decision.”

  • “This is not an easy play, but one that stayed with me long after I had read it. The twists, turns, and real surprises of the plot are very well drawn and grip the attention right through to the  unexpected but satisfying conclusion.”

Sybil Cooke Award to an outstanding play “for Children or Young People”:

Inch by Inch by Alison Kelly (North Vancouver, BC)

Adjudicator’s comments for Inch by Inch:

  • “Sesame Street in your back garden! A fun tale of friendship with a dose of education thrown in for good measure.”

  • “Two friends build a garden and learn some of the ways of nature. Lots of insect puppets help spice up the information. The dilemmas of childhood friendship get resolved with the help of a caring, elderly neighbour. Good for the elementary school circuit.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

Chris Ralph, VP Artistic
613-808-7339

chrisralph.emails@gmail.com

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About the Competition

The competition is open to original one-act plays in English, encouraging literary and dramatic talent in Canada. Plays written for any age group, including children and young people, are welcome. The play must be previously unproduced or have been produced no earlier than in the entry year. The playwrights are unknown to the adjudicators, with all the plays submitted  anonymously.

Plays are generally accepted into the competition from May until December. After the submission deadline, all received plays are distributed to adjudicators, all of whom have a long history with the OLT. Each entry is read by two adjudicators who identify three finalists among the entries they have read. Each of the finalists is then read and evaluated by all the adjudicators. The winners are selected during a group discussion following the completion of the reading.