May 12, 2026, Ottawa, ON – The Ottawa Little Theatre’s 85th Annual National One-Act Playwriting Competition received 93 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.

First prize, Ottawa Little Theatre Award:

The Weight of a Dog by Mark Edwards (Calgary, AB)

Adjudicator’s comments for The Weight of a Dog:

  • “a chilling horror story and psychological thriller with the flavour of Stephen King”
  • “an innovative, powerful, and beautifully written play … the dog is a metaphor for the dark cloud slowly taking over its owner’s life and distancing him from the world”

Second prize, Dorothy White Award:

Family Grief Counseling by Brandon Hicks (St Stephen, NB)

Adjudicator’s comments for Family Grief Counseling:

  • “a compelling, darkish comedy about a family who haunt the gloomy cemetery where they are interred… the sharp and snapping banter will be familiar to anyone with a family”
  • “a cemetery and a bickering family who happen to be … dead? this play immediately grabs you with its unexpected premise”

Third prize, The Gladys Cameron Watt Award (sponsored by the Ottawa Chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women):

Strings Attached by Dahlia Lesh (Ottawa, ON)

Adjudicator’s comments for Strings Attached:

  • “a powerful one-act drama that explores the painful realities of living with mental illness and the desperate lengths to which a person might go in an attempt to escape its suffocating grip”
  • “a poignant exploration of human vulnerability, reminding us of the importance of understanding the painful, often invisible aspects of the human experience.”

Sybil Cooke Award to an outstanding play “for Children or Young People”:

If Time Won’t Hold On by Fern Weimer (Edmonton, AB)

Adjudicator’s comments for If Time Won’t Hold On:

  • “you will love these kids; you will cheer them on and feel their emotions as they navigate friendship, relationships, career choice, and gender identity”
  • “ingeniously and creatively shows the inner struggles of a young person dealing with the problems and anxieties of growing into adulthood, letting go of their childhood dreams and friendships as they move forward into a new life”

For media inquiries, please contact:

Bob Hicks, OLT
613-862-1024
bobhix@hixinsite.com

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About the Competition

The competition is open to original one-act plays in English, encouraging literary and dramatic talent in Canada. Plays written for any age group, including children and young people, are welcome. The play must be previously unproduced or have been produced no earlier than in the entry year. The playwrights are unknown to the adjudicators, with all the plays submitted  anonymously.

Plays are generally accepted into the competition from May until December. After the submission deadline, all received plays are distributed to adjudicators, all of whom have a long history with the OLT. Each entry is read by two adjudicators who identify three finalists among the entries they have read. Each of the finalists is then read and evaluated by all the adjudicators. The winners are selected during a group discussion following the completion of the reading.