The Newmarket International Festival of One Act Plays kicks off next month with a variety of diverse acts.
Tickets are now available online for the festival at Old Town Hall Sept. 5 to 8. The festival features multiple one-act plays — a short play consisting of only one act.
"We like to get a good mix for our festival," said Tom Pearson, president of the Very Useful Theatre Company. "Some of them will make you laugh, some of them might make you cry and some of them are in between with mystery."
Organizers of this year’s event received an overwhelming number of entries.
“We had 300 entries this year from around the world,” said Pearson. “That is by far the most we have received and we had it in one month. We actually had to cut off the submissions.”
The festival is produced by The Very Useful Theatre Company (VUTC), a registered charity committed to creating stage opportunities in Newmarket, as well as raising awareness and funds for causes.
“These plays have to be rehearsed all summer long, so it takes a big commitment from the directors, actors, and everyone involved,” said Pearson. “We have to find locations to rehearse, which isn’t always easy but we’re lucky to have the Optimist Club to help us with that.”
The festival kicks off on opening night with a red carpet event at 6:45 p.m. before show times at 8 p.m. It will feature a charcuterie board and finger foods by A Million Mouthfuls and live entertainment by Love and Light Muses.
Opening night plays are The Phone Solicitor by Brad Dickson from Omaha, Nebraska, The Next Move by William Ivor Fowkes from New York, New York, and Killing Time by Len Cuthbert, Mount Brydges, Ont.
The festival features the introduction of Janet Kish, adjudicator, who will evaluate the plays and make the awards selections for the festival.
“In the past years, we had a panel and this year we have a professional adjudicator that has come on board,” said Pearson. “She is registered with the Association of Community Theatre-Central Ontario. She is a well-known and experienced person in this role.”
The organization has developed a team to streamline issues to make the festival more efficient.
Joan Burrows, production manager has been promoted to the role to help co-ordinate the play directors leading up to the festival, and Marlene Charney, artistic director.
“They’ve been following along all the plays,” said Pearson. “A new director might have certain questions and not be sure what to do next. They’re able to be right there and help them along.”
The lineup for shows on Friday includes Third Rule by Dan Aibel from Brooklyn, New York, and House of the Holy Moment by Cary Pepper from San Francisco, California.
The shows on Saturday will consist of The Nature of Stars by Rosemary Parrillo from Marlton, New Jersey, and Queen Mari’s Castle by Lisa Dellagiarino from Singapore.
Sunday is catered to families. The VUTC Young Company presents Battle of the Plays, a musical. Young Company show is wheelchair accessible and aphasia-friendly. Aphasia is a language disorder that can occur after a stroke or traumatic brain injury and can affect how an individual communicates.
Supports such as Supported Communication of Adults with Aphasia techniques from the Aphasia Institute, use tools like key wording, body language, and verification to help facilitate communication for individuals with Aphasia. Proceeds will go to the Aphasia Institute.
A festival pass for all four days costs $50. An advance adult ticket for one day costs $22.50, an advance seniors ticket for one day costs $17.50. The deadline for early bird tickets is Aug. 25. Show tickets after the deadline are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. A bundle of 10 same-show tickets costs $150. The bundle is only available at the New Roads Theatre box office at 505 Pickering Cres.
For more information about the festival or to learn more about the plays visit https://oneactplayfestival.com/
