Greetings everyone,
Where did the summer go? I feel like I just wrote to you gushing how the warm weather has arrived, along with school vacation and cottage activities. Now I am delivering our fall message. Hopefully your summers were memorable and I trust that everyone can agree that even though the time flies by, life is generally good and more importantly in the context of this letter, our season to date has been superb.
Please permit me a moment of your time to provide you with an update of what is going on at the Ottawa Little Theatre (OLT).
The Season to Date
(I am not ignoring our first three fantastic shows, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Kimberly Akimbo and The Birds and the Bees. They were reported on in my last newsletter which is always available on our website.)
Pressure
Pressure was one of those rare opportunities that fell into our laps at the perfect time. A well-known play about one of the most pivotal moments of the Second World War coupled with a multi-million dollar blockbuster film coming out exactly at the same time as our own production. Who could wish for anything more? Director Ian Gillies (fresh from directing last year’s Turn of the Screw and performing in this year’s Murder of Roger Ackroyd) orchestrated a perfect one-room set animated by many extra characters. It certainly conveyed the claustrophobia and pressure placed on the decision makers. The cast truly represented the historical characters that they played. Well done. Everyone in our audiences loved it!
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- Photos by Maria Vartanova
Appearing This Evening…
For our next show we stepped back from world-changing history to something more personal and local. We went with Appearing This Evening…, a comedy farce/mystery taking place at a community theatre much like ours. Ottawa playwright Tony Keenleyside produced a true love story for the industry, and professional actor Karen Wood returned to her hometown to direct. So many of us at the OLT could relate to the exaggerated antics of what goes on behind the scenes. The audience loved seeing what seemed like two plays seamlessly meshed together – the comedy and the whodunnit experience. Congratulations everyone. I can’t stop thinking of one of the most philosophical lines in the play “Why do people always want to touch the props?”
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- Photos by Maria Vartanova
Death of a Salesman
This timeless classic written in 1949 is considered one of the most iconic plays of all time and is as relevant today as it was almost 80 years ago. Yet in our 113 year history we have never done it until now. Joanne Farrell (Shawshank Redemption) picked up the challenge and created a blockbuster production with a stellar cast and a visually impressive set. The show runs until Sept 5 so there is still an opportunity to catch one of the final nights of this famous play.
Photos by Maria Vartanova
New Season Sponsor
Retirement By Design
Along with our other long-term season sponsors, Tea and Toast and Kelly Funeral Homes by Arbor Memorial, we are pleased to add Retirement by Design to our roster. Retirement by Design has been one of our Christmas show preview sponsors for the past three years. The team provides personalized guidance in retirement and tax planning, estate and legacy planning, and charitable giving strategies. Many of you may already be familiar with the team through the educational workshops they offer to individuals and families on retirement-related topics. By helping clients prepare for retirement, plan their estates and consider the legacy they want to leave behind, Retirement by Design provides an important component that precedes assisted living planning and funeral planning, and we are excited to have them as part of the OLT family. Please reach out to them if you have any questions.
As always please support our other sponsors, Tea and Toast, and Kelly Funeral Homes.
An Elegant Night Out at the Theatre
Saturday night, August 15, 2026, saw the theatre transformed once again into a truly elegant venue for a celebratory event – the Second Annual OLT Donor and Volunteer Appreciation Gala coupled with the presentation of this year’s esteemed Cornerstone inductees.
The invitees (about 100 in all) arrived dressed in elegant cocktail or formal attire. Hot hors d’oeuvres, sparkling wine and great conversation kicked off the evening followed by presentations, dancing and music by the Ruben Kinkade Trio.
We were privileged to have our City Ward 12 Rideau Vanier Councillor Stephanie Plante give a few words on the importance of theatre to our community. Everyone was reminded that Stephanie had a walk on role as the camera person in Five Alarm last year.
Board of Directors member Venetia Lawless gave out special recognition awards to two volunteers Kevin Schneider and Val Bogan – for their tremendous ongoing work and dedication – Kevin for organizing all the front-of-house volunteers, and Val for coordinating the house programmes.
Volunteer Committee Chair Linda Webster presided over the Cornerstone Award Inductee announcements. The Cornerstone was established as part of our 100thanniversary celebrations to recognize and acknowledge the contribution made by select volunteers who have gone above and beyond to make the OLT the thriving community organization that it is today; they are the human cornerstones of the theatre.
This year’s recipients were:
- Monica Browness (presented by Barbara Merriam)
- Billi Burritt (posthumously presented by Jane Morris)
- Brian Cano (presented by Val Bogan)
You can read their bios in the Cornerstone section of our website.
All photos by Maria Vartanova.
New Compressor
The theatre runs multiple compressor units located on our rooftop to cool the building with each one dedicated to a specific area. The one that is allocated to both the upper lobby and the house (auditorium) blew during the third week of the last show. It could not be repaired and had to be replaced. The work was done on Wednesday August 12. We apologize if it was a little warm during some of the final nights of Appearing This Evening…. Our 20-year-old system is in the twilight of its lifespan and we are trying to postpone a complete replacement for as many years as possible as a new system could cost in excess of one million dollars.
High Tech Theatre Improvements
OLT has been delivering outstanding productions since 1913 and we have always worked with the latest available technologies to design our sets, costumes and props. We have just purchased a new Cricut computerized cutting machine and 3D printer which will complement the creative skills of our designers. The Cricut machine will be used to create set maquettes. A maquette is a small-scale model or rough draft that acts as a 3D sketch or proof of concept to allow artists and designers to test shapes, study proportions and plan structural details before building the final piece. You can see several of our show models on display in the foyer. The 3D printer will be used for the creation of props set pieces and even costumes. Many of the costumes that are showcased at Comicon conventions are produced using 3D printers. We look forward to seeing how both new machines add to our shows.
Arts, Culture and Entertainment (ACE) District
In June of this year, The City of Ottawa launched the city’s first Arts, Culture and Entertainment (ACE) District. The Ottawa Little Theatre is proud to be part of this initiative.
The ACE District encompasses several iconic downtown areas, including the ByWard Market, Rideau Street, Sparks Street, Centretown, LeBreton Flats, and the Bank Street and Elgin Street corridors. It creates a distinct identity that connects the world-class institutions, popular festivals, and diverse local creators and businesses that call downtown Ottawa home.
By introducing a unique brand, creative wayfinding, digital platforms, and new programming and placemaking, the ACE District will make local arts, culture and entertainment easier than ever for residents and visitors to explore and enjoy. The new History Ottawa arts and entertainment venue on Rideau Street is part of this initiative, and we anticipate that the OLT will also benefit as the concept evolves.
Downtown Ottawa Condominium Alliance (DOCA)
The Ottawa Little Theatre is working in collaboration with DOCA which is comprised of 11 Condo boards and a select number of businesses all representing 4,000 condo owners in the downtown core. Meetings are held quarterly in order to provide a forum to discuss items of mutual concern and the sharing of best practices. In the past Councillor Stephanie Plante and Police Constable James Kennedy have attended the meetings to provide a municipal perspective. I am invited on a regular basis representing the OLT.
Dinner/Brunch at the Albion Rooms and a Show at the OLT
If you have not experienced a great meal at the Albion Rooms, what are you waiting for? The restaurant is offering a 15% discount on your bill (excluding beverages) on show nights and Sunday matinees. If you are in by 5:30 you will be guaranteed to arrive at the theatre with plenty of time to preorder your intermission drink. www.albionrooms.com
Members of the cast of our current shows staying in character and dining at the Albion Rooms. Photos by Christian Giansante.
No Scents Please
Some audience members have environmental sensitivities and can be severely impacted by scents and fragrances. In order for all to enjoy our performances we ask that patrons avoid the use of scented products at the OLT. Reminder signs are posted in the washrooms and a message to the effect is also printed on the upcoming show reminder letters sent out.
Flooding of Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe
Our heart goes out to our fellow community theatre companies that were impacted by the Canada Day flooding at Centrepointe Meridian Theatre. The flooding resulted in a complete shutdown until 2027. Orpheus and Suzart and many other companies have had to scramble to find alternative presentation spaces or face a cancellation of their shows. Please support these other theatres as you can., We know that they will be back stronger than ever and we wish them well.
2027 New Season
Sorry, no secrets being revealed here. The exciting new 2027 season will be unveiled next week. Stay tuned for your package in the mail and for further information on our website.
Upcoming Events
In addition to the continuation of our great 2026 season, stay tuned for information about upcoming additional events such as:
- Wardrobe and Vintage Sale – Saturday, September 12
- Annual Halloween Party – Saturday, October 24
- Annual General Meeting – Saturday, November 28
Details can be found on our website. We hope that you can join us.
Well, that’s it for now. Enjoy the last few weeks of Summer. Soon the air will turn a little crisper at night and the leaves will take on the beautiful fall hues. It’s actually my favourite season strolling outside wearing a nice warm OLT sweatshirt (some still available)
If you would like to chat about how we are doing, you can reach me at president@ottawalittletheatre.com or catch me in the halls of the theatre. I am regularly around.
Best regards,
Albert Lightstone
President
Ottawa Little Theatre