1000 Monkeys Project SUCCESS!

THANK YOU to the incredible playwrights who submitted their work for this year’s event. The jury was overwhelmed by the creativity and variety of scripts, with so many amazing plays to choose from! Selected for 2026 were:

• In This Economy? by James Odin Wade

• Quality of Death by Devan Erno

• Catch and Release by Charlotte Hurdman

• Virgins by Paige Prystupa

• Kind Kids Club by Fran Kimmel

  The plays were read by a hotshot group of actors (pictured here with Executive Director Louise Casemore) including Katelyn Morishita, Elinor Holt, Trevor Rueger, and Bernardo Pacheco in front of a jam packed crowd at Calgary’s Festival Hall!

2026 APC winner Announced!

APN is thrilled to announce the winner of the 2026 Alberta Playwriting Competition is Pieces by Jezec Sanders! In the words of this year’s jury, this play was “carefully constructed, surprising, it makes you FEEL.”

Now in its 61st year, the APC recognizes the most outstanding un-produced Alberta play with The Sharon Pollock Award ($5000 Cash Prize). This competition is open to all playwrights who reside in Alberta, whether they are members of the Alberta Playwrights' Network or not. The winner was announced on June 5, 2026 as part of the Alberta Literary Awards Gala.

This year’s jury included celebrated playwrights Trevor Schmidt, Jesse Stong and Annette Loiselle.

Jezec Sanders is an actor and playwright who has been producing work with the Edmonton based collective, ReadyGo, for the past decade. His writing credits with ReadyGo include Hacking and Slashing and Where Foxes Lie, both of which he also starred in. His other writing credits include The Cabin on Bald Dune (Dogheart Theatre). Other acting credits include The Conversion (Kill Your Television) and You are Happy (Dogheart Theatre). Huge thank you to his frequent collaborators at ReadyGo, Erik and Ryan, his partner Arabelle, and his family for always pushing and supporting him.

Also nominated for the 2026 Alberta Playwriting Competition:

• Cyrano De Bergerac by Jessy Ardern
  The jurors found it “structurally well-crafted, articulate, and emotionally fulfilling”

• Willows by Elena Belyea

  The jurors called it “a quiet beauty, slick juggling of plotlines, coming of age mystery”

• Everyone Is Doing Fine by James Odin Wade

  The jurors called it “current, clever, emotionally and morally murky”

• Work by Calla Wright

  The jurors called it “fascinating, in your face, a wild ride with strong structure”

The Alberta Playwriting Competition proudly presented with our partner, Theatre Alberta.

Donate to the Alberta Playwrights' Network through ATB Cares

ATB Financial will match your donation by 15%.

alberta playwrights’ Network Society is a registered CRA charity.

CRA Charity # 13087 4829 RT001

APN is thankful to all its public and private funders

Alberta Playwrights' Network acknowledges the many First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people who are the original storytellers and knowledge keepers of this land.

APN is a signatory to the 35//50 Initiative and is committed to those principles and goals in the work we do now and our work in the future.