The Ottawa Little Theatre’s 84th Annual National One-Act Playwriting Competition received 68 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.
From the Adjudicators:
“Two people in Purgatory, exploring Christianity’s edicts with thoughtfulness and humour.
Why is suicide always a sin – shouldn’t the reason be considered? How are decisions made about right versus wrong, heaven versus hell? Should sins be ranked in order of seriousness? Why can’t atheists be considered good people?”
“An interesting and inventive theme – a very well written and absolutely fascinating play.”
Productions
FanAddict
“In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”
A scroll back through the history of the Internet as we know it, FanAddict examines our current influencer culture and what people will do to stay relevant.
Raised in front of a camera, Luke has been famous for as long as he can remember. The one thing he doesn’t remember, is being given a choice. Luke begins to question who he is outside of the frame when Kendra, a teenage superfan, wins a meet and greet with her favourite influencer.
July 16-27, 2025
Winnipeg Fringe Festival
Written and Directed by Daphne Finlayson
Original Music by Paul De Gurse
Stage Manager: Phenix Rock
Lighting Associate: Bee Dasuki
Cast
Lisa Chartrand
Shanice Raymond
Mady Richard
Ethan Stark
Logan Stefanson
Ryland Thiessen
Collar ID
Featuring:
Joyce Jugo
Carly Rackal
Gus
Written by Daphne Finlayson & Logan Stefanson
Directed by Logan Stefanson
Edited by Daphne Finlayson
Music and Sound Design by Paul De Gurse
Sound Operator
Alistair Wright
Created as part of the 2024 48 Film Festival
How to Live Forever
This touching play was sincere and relatable. Very well acted and wonderfully written.
The Jenny Revue
[W]hile the show deals with heavy topics, it does so with a light, and at times, very humourous hand.
Common Eating
From the producers of (ART)IST (★★★★★, Winnipeg Free Press) comes a new play that explores death, loss, and shortbread cookies.
A group of friends gather around the fire for a night of catharsis and storytelling. Join us around the fire as we share stories about what it means to be mortal.
How to Live Forever combines fictional dialogue with verbatim re-tellings of death stories: from a near-death experience to the scientific study of a father’s corpse. Headed by Daphne Finlayson, this project is dedicated to her late grandparents, who passed away just seven months apart during the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 20 to 30, 2023
Winnipeg Fringe Festival
Created and Directed by Daphne Finlayson
Dramaturgy by Simon Miron
Original Music by Paul De Gurse
Cast:
Sarah Jane Flynn
Mady Richard
Chris Sousa
Ryland Thiessen
Charlotte Thompson
Press
The Other Woman
Written and Directed by Daphne Finlayson
Produced as part of the 2022 Gimme 10 in 30! Documentary Filmmaking Challenge
FINALIST: RBC $10,000 Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition
FanAddict is a look at our current influencer culture, examining the lengths someone will go to, to stay relevant. The film follows Luke, a popular streaming legend whose videos amass millions of views every time he uploads. Kendra, a thirteen-year-old superfan, forms an attachment to Luke from the comfort of her bedroom. When Kendra wins a meet and greet with her favourite Internet star, the two meet face to face: forcing each one to confront how badly they’ve come to need the other.
Fashionably Late
Featuring:
Ben Krawchuck
Julia Kroft
Scot Finlayson
Vicky Sharman-Finlayson
Written, Directed, and Edited by Daphne Finlayson
Story by
Paul De Gurse
Daphne Finlayson
Ryland Thiessen
Music and Sound Design by Paul De Gurse
Assistant Director & Editor
Ryland Thiessen
Created as part of the 2022 48 Film Festival.
She’s Not There
Featuring:
Sharon Bajer
Daphne Finlayson
Simon Miron
Ryland Thiessen
Directed and Written by Daphne Finlayson
Music by Paul De Gurse
Created as part of the Digital Film and Media Production program at Red River College Polytechnic.
Premiered at the Reel Pride 2022 Short Film Competition.
Come Together
A look into loss, grief, coping, and staying connected from a distance.
Directed and Written by Daphne Finlayson
Featuring Vicky Sharman-Finlayson
Sound Design and Cinematography by Kent Noel
Assistant Editor: Paul Young
Dedicated to the Memory of Roger and Beryl Sharman
Created as part of the Digital Film and Media Production program at Red River Polytechnic.
Inhibition Exhibition
The Village Conservatory for Music Theatre
March 25 to April 12, 2021
Created and Performed by the ViC Class of 2020/21
Featuring:
Noah Boonov
Levi Brunelle
Alyssa Crockett
Kamal Chioua
Julia Davis
Tyler Everley
Megan Fry
Carlyn Graff-Czehryn
Julia Kroft
Kimmy Martin
Angelica Reid
Madyson Richard
Charlotte Thompson
Emma Welham
Faculty Coaches: Paul De Gurse, Simon Miron, and Jillian Willems
Director of Photography/Editor: Daphne Finlayson
Lighting Design by Mike Pascucci
Audio Processing and Additional Music by Paul De Gurse
Daphne Finlayson 