January 24th & 25th, 2026

The Emering Playwrights Reading Series

A Toronto based Theatre series for Early Career playwrights to develop their work with established theatre creatives

Purchase your tickets for this years readings at the icon below!

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Swallow the Fire
by Anahita Dehbonehie
Directed by Philip Riccio

A bomb is about to go off but it's unclear whether it will change the world or merely feed the algorithm. As the clock ticks toward detonation, the play unspools in real time: a confrontation between generations, between reform and revolution, and between public performance and private conviction. Swallow the Fire asks what happens when activism becomes theatre, when maternal love becomes collateral, and when the end of the world is less terrifying than the end of our illusions.

Girls Trip, Bwitches
by Kian Diab
Directed by Diana Bentley

When a long awaited Muskoka trip finally makes it out of the group chat, best friends Sabrina Deliah, Felicia and Messica (plus one unwanted boyfriend) are ready for an unforgettable weekend getaway until they are shaken by cheating accusations within the group. A confrontational text with an unfortunate typo sends the night spiraling into a full-blown witch hunt, filled with confessions, confrontations, and a brewing cauldron of delusion. Will the girls and their friendships survive the night? Girls Trip, Bwitches is a wacky, campy comedy about a being brought together through chaos.

Facing a Widowed Father
by Alten Wilmot
Directed by Andrew Moodie

When Alliston, a high-achieving graduate student, discovers that the $35,000 from his mother’s life insurance - meant to cover his tuition - has gone missing, he spirals into crisis. As he enters desperation, he is forced to confront his estranged father, Daniel, and the unresolved grief that has fractured their relationship. Set against the backdrop of university life, the play explores the tension between personal ambition and familial obligation, particularly within a Caribbean immigrant household. Through humour, heartbreak, and moments of deep vulnerability, Facing a Widowed Father examines how grief shapes the way we love, forgive, and move forward.

2026 Season

The Jury

We are pleased to introduce our jury for our 2026 season of The Emerging Playwrights Reading Series.郝邦宇 Steven Hao
郝邦宇 Steven Hao is an award winning director, actor, and writer currently based in Tkaronto. Born and raised in China, Steven is very open about how his upbringing and cultural influences have often impacted how he tells stories and leads his processes. His work can be found across many stages in Ontario, primarily with a focus on new Canadian works. Most recently, Steven appeared in the world premiere of Salesman in China at the Stratford Festival, and he’s grateful for the continued opportunity to support new play development everywhere he goesMollie Garrett
Mollie Garrett is a playwright and dramaturge based in Toronto. As an artist Garrett is interested in text-based creation processes and the inclusion of disability dramaturgy in the creative process. She is curious about how audience engagement is considered during the creation process and believes that joy and humor can be our most radical tools for change. In 2018 she completed an MA in playwriting and dramaturgy at RADA. Her playwritting has been supported across Ontario by the TAC, OAC, Theatre Gargantua, Tottering Biped Theatre, Nightwood Theatre, Green Light Arts, and Tarragon Theatre. She had been produced within the larger anthology works of Urban ARTeries (Theatre Gargantua) and Play This: Hamilton (Tottering Biped Theatre). While living in London she started two new-work festivals under the banner, The Search for Blue Theatre and assisted in the curation and facilitation of dozens of emerging playwright's creation processes as Festival Dramaturge. She has facilitated new play, production and adaptation dramaturgy processes on numerous projects, supporting artists and creative processes at Theatre Gargantua, Landor Space, CentrE17, Theatre Royal Haymarket and Camden People's Theatre. Since moving home to Toronto Garrett has received mentorship through Tarragon Theatre's Generating Pages and Playwriting and Dramaturgy courses, Nightwood Theatre's Creatryx 3.0, and the Playwright Resiliency Mentorship Program with the Playwrights Guild of Canada. She has sat on the OAC Recommender Grant juries for Theatre Gargantua, Factory Theatre and Tarragon Theatre. She also sits on the Board of Directors for Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America (Canada), as well as Shifting Ground Theatre as the Treasurer.Aurora McClennanLiza Hersh

About Us

The Emerging Playwrights Reading Series is a project co-created and produced by Liza Hersh and Aurora McClennan, following conversations in the Toronto Fringe Festival’s TENT program.
The Series was created by and for emerging artists as a response to feedback surrounding the challenges associated with transitioning into professional spaces. The series intends to provide selected playwrights with both development support for new plays and greater exposure to Toronto’s theatre community.

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Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding the Series - submissions, participating, attending, or others, please don’t hesitate to email us at the link below.

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