28 May

Posted at 16:11h in interviews, news

We were honoured to catch up with this year’s adjudicator for the 2026 One Act Play Festival, Celine Stubel! Celine has worked as a theatre actress across Canada for more than 24 years, building a career that spans new Canadian works, American classics, and Shakespeare.  In this interview, we talked about her early influences, her philosophies, and the excitement of taking on the adjudicator role.   Thank you so much for meeting with me today! I’d like to start with your beginnings. When did you first fall in love with theatre and acting, and what were some profound experiences you had? I am lucky...

17 May

Posted at 23:53h in interviews, news

For this interview, we spoke with with playwright, Elijah Bell. He is the writer of Death, the dance, and the Girl. the idea of intention within the arts, what does it mean to live your life (even if it ends), and why the one act format is the perfect tool for playwrights.   Can you tell us a bit about yourself and when you first fell in love with theatre? Elijah Bell Hi! My name is Elijah Bell, and I am the writer of Death, the Dance, and the Girl. I fell in love with theatre from a very young age. I specifically remember...

12 May

Posted at 17:52h in interviews, news

For this interview, we spoke with with playwright, Molly Jamin. This year, she is the writer of Blessed are the Hungry, a story of desire, theology, and hunger. We talked about how their background historical research, audience and creator intention, and how the format of a one-act play can help inform and shape work.   Can you introduce yourself and share how your journey as a writer began? Hi! I’m Molly, I’m a playwright and student at the University of Victoria. I’m currently studying ancient Greek language and literature, and creative writing. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when I started writing. Since...

29 Apr

Posted at 02:37h in interviews, news

This week, we caught up with director Karmen McNamara. This year, they are directing The Landlord's Game, the story of Lizzie Magie, creator of the titular board game. We talked about their history with theatre, what kinds of theatre excites them as both a director and audience member, and what sort of unique opportunities a festival like this affords them. Can you introduce yourself and share how your love of theatre began? Karmen McNamara: Hi there, I’m Karmen McNamara, calling from the traditional territory of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples. I’ve been onstage, or involved in theatre, pretty much my entire life. I grew up in...

29 May

Posted at 19:28h in interviews, news

We had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Shamata, this year’s festival adjudicator.  With decades of experience as a director, writer, and artistic leader, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge to Between Words. In our interview, he shared his thoughts on what makes a one-act play effective, how he approaches feedback, and why he values bold choices—even the ones that don’t quite land. "Between Words" implies a focus on what's communicated beyond dialogue itself. From your perspective as a seasoned theatre professional, how can a one-act play effectively utilize silence, subtext, and visual storytelling to deepen its impact? The use of these...