Lunchbox Theatre

Introducing the artists for the second day of readings at the The Stage One Festival of New Canadian Work 2026, which takes place TODAY at 2:30pm:

Garret Smith
The Indian Problem

Sarah Buffalo
The Life of an Indigenous Showgirl

Read their bios, and for more information: https://www.lunchboxtheatre.com/stage-one-2026

See you all on TODAY at the Calgary Public Library Central Branch OR online via Zoom (link above)! We will be in the Shaikh Family Welcome Gallery, which is the open space in the middle of the first floor of the library.

Playwrights:
Sarah Buffalo
Deedra Salange Ladouceur
Janine Owlchild
Garret Smith
Jared Tailfeathers and Garrett Cooper with FrankenFilms
Wendy Walker

Elder:
Adrian Wolfleg

Dramaturg & Co-facilitator:
Marshall Vielle

Participating artists:
Jonelle Belcourt
Geordie Cowan
Nikko Hunt
Maria One Spot
Nakota Starr Tobias
Naima Youngpine

Congratulations to the 2026 Calgary Theatre Critics Award Nominees! We are honoured to have received 9 nominations:

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY - LEADING ROLE
Meg Farhall, Beyond the Sea
Elinor Holt, How Patty and Joanne Won High Gold at the Grand Christmas Cup Winter Dance Competition
Ellen Close, How Patty and Joanne Won High Gold at the Grand Christmas Cup Winter Dance Competition

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN COMEDY - SUPPORTING ROLE
Katelyn Morish*ta, Thank You for Your Order

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION - DRAMA or COMEDY
Bronwyn Steinberg, Beyond the Sea

OUTSTANDING DRAMATIC or COMEDIC PRODUCTION
Beyond the Sea, Lunchbox Theatre

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY SCRIPT
How Patty and Joanne Won High Gold at the Grand Christmas Cup Winter Dance Competition, Trevor Schmidt
Thank You for Your Order, Jessica Moss

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2025/2026
Crankie, Ribstone, Lunchbox Theatre/One Yellow Rabbit

Our team is growing! We're now hiring a Patron Services Manager to start in August or September of this year!

The deadline to apply is June 30, 2026.

For more information: https://www.lunchboxtheatre.com/working-at-lunchbox

Reporting to the Artistic Director and Executive Director, the Patron Services Manager is responsible for overseeing all customer-facing activities related to in-person and online ticketing services for the general public & Front of House requirements for productions produced and/or presented by Lunchbox Theatre.

This Friday, free readings continue at the Stage One Festival of New Canadian Work, with new plays written by excellent local Indigenous playwrights!

2:30pm: The Indian Problem by Garret Smith

4:10pm: The Life of an Indigenous Showgirl by Sarah Buffalo

See you all on Friday at the Calgary Public Library Central Branch! We will be in the Shaikh Family Welcome Gallery, which is the open space in the middle of the first floor of the library.

Playwrights:
Sarah Buffalo
Deedra Salange Ladouceur
Janine Owlchild
Garret Smith
Jared Tailfeathers and Garrett Cooper with FrankenFilms
Wendy Walker

Elder:
Adrian Wolfleg

Dramaturg & Co-facilitator:
Marshall Vielle
Participating artists:
Jonelle Belcourt
Geordie Cowan
Nikko Hunt
Maria One Spot
Nakota Starr Tobias
Naima Youngpine

Congratulations to all the 2026 Betty Mitchell Award Nominees! Lunchbox Theatre was lucky enough to be nominated for 8 awards this year:

Outstanding Choreography:
Jocelyn Hoover, How Patti and Joanne Won High Gold at the Grand Christmas Cup Winter Dance Competition

Outstanding Musical Direction:
Adrian Glynn, Ridge

Outstanding New Play:
Christopher Hunt, RIBSTONE
Trevor Schmidt, How Patti and Joanne Won High Gold at the Grand Christmas Cup Winter Dance Competition

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy:
Annisha Plesche, Thank You for Your Order

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy:
Meg Farhall, Beyond the Sea
Elinor Holt, How Patti and Joanne Won High Gold at the Grand Christmas Cup Winter Dance Competition
Katelyn Morish*ta, Thank You for Your Order

Introducing the artists for the first day of readings at the The Stage One Festival of New Canadian Work 2026 on Friday, June 12 at 2:30pm:

Deedra Salange Ladouceur
The Fantastical Found Fairly Factual

Janine Owlchild
Within Silence

Read their bios, and see the link in OUR bio for more information! See you all on Friday at the Central Branch!

Playwrights:
Sarah Buffalo
Deedra Salange Ladouceur
Janine Owlchild
Garret Smith
Jared Tailfeathers and Garrett Cooper with FrankenFilms
Wendy Walker

Elder:
Adrian Wolfleg

Dramaturg & Co-facilitator:
Marshall Vielle

Participating artists:
Jonelle Belcourt
Geordie Cowan
Nikko Hunt
Maria One Spot
Nakota Starr Tobias
Naima Youngpine

Help support our new season and our move! From now until June 30, the Lunchbox Theatre Board has agreed to match all donations up to $40,000, so donate now: https://www.lunchboxtheatre.com/why-donate

Thank you to the Board, and to everyone who donates!

"A couple of days ago, we announced some major news! Our upcoming 52nd season was announced with five shows that will provide more excellent theatre for us all to enjoy. Our other major news is that we are moving from our downtown Calgary Tower location to cSPACE Marda Loop (.projects). It's a very vibrant community space in a great location with better parking and more amenities, and we are very excited about this move. We will be moving this summer and look forward to a new season in a new neighbourhood!"

Andy Pernal, Board Chair, Lunchbox Theatre

The secret’s out! We’re moving to cSPACE Marda Loop for our 52nd Season, which features the following shows:

RIBSTONE
Written and performed by Christopher Hunt
October 7 - 17, 2026

A Christmas Carol Radio Play Live
Adapted and directed by Bronwyn Steinberg
December 1 - 24, 2026

Inner Elder
Written and performed by Michelle Thrush
January 20 - 30, 2027

Oh Mother!
Written and performed by Rebbekah Ogden
March 2 - 6, 2027

Marv & Ev
Written by Jason Long
April 27 - May 15, 2027

Join us at cSPACE Marda Loop for all the laughs, adventures, classics, and fun of our 52nd Season. Here’s what cSPACE means for you:

+ A state-of-the-art new theatre, built as an addition to the historic King Edward school.
+ A bustling shared arts and culture hub, with onsite coffee shop.
+Free on-street parking.
+ Accessible entry, with parking and theatre doors on the same level.
+ The same great theatre you love, now with a neighbourhood vibe!
Find out more here

The Stage One Festival of New Canadian Work 2026 kicks of on Friday, June 12 at 2:30pm with two workshops of currently in-development plays from local Indigenous artists. Join us at the Central Branch of the Calgary Public Library for:

The Fantastical Found Fairly Factual
by Deedra Salange Ladouceur

In a world...There is a documentary, follow us in witnessing the behind the scenes journey of one graduate student in the making of their first grant-funded documentary in The Fantastical Found Fairly Factual.

Within Silence
by Janine Owlchild

Within Silence is an atmospheric one-act play in which two young men take shelter in an abandoned residential school and encounter the lingering presence of those who never left, uncovering a story shaped by what was taken and what remains.

See all the details here: https://www.lunchboxtheatre.com/stage-one-2026

Playwrights:
Sarah Buffalo
Deedra Salange Ladouceur
Janine Owlchild
Garret Smith
Jared Tailfeathers and Garrett Cooper with FrankenFilms
Wendy Walker

Elder:
Adrian Wolfleg

Dramaturg & Co-facilitator:
Marshall Vielle

Participating artists:
Jonelle Belcourt
Geordie Cowan
Nikko Hunt
Maria One Spot
Nakota Starr Tobias
Naima Youngpine