Call for Theatre Partners
Players de Novo productions for 2027, 2028, and 2029
From: The Players de Novo
To: Edmonton’s professional not-for-profit theatre community
The Players de Novo are actively seeking a theatre partner for each of our upcoming productions in 2027, 2028, and 2029, and NOW is your opportunity to partner with us!
To apply, submit your pitch by email to Ed Picard at epicftw@gmail.com on or before February 13, 2026. Your pitch should include short descriptions of:
- Your theatre company (including your administrative capacity);
- Why you are applying (including urgent needs or special projects); and
- Your proposed play(s) and director(s) and why you are proposing them;
- Which year(s) you would prefer.
Who are we?
The funds raised are shared equally between the partnering theatre company and the Victoria School Foundation for the Arts, our host for the event. Our goal is to raise $50,000+ for each share partner after expenses. In 2025 we exceeded that goal and hope to build on that momentum.
In our first 19 years, we have been able to contribute over $1.5 million to Edmonton’s theatre community and the Victoria School Foundation. That includes fees paid to directors, stage managers, designers and other Edmonton theatre professionals.
Since we first raised the curtain, we have put hundreds of members of our legal community on stage – some of them more than once, and others for the very first time in their lives!
How do our partnerships work?
The legal community supplies the organizing committee, cast, ticket sales, advertising, and sponsorships. The committee also organizes a Gala Reception after the show. The committee is not a legal entity (although that might seem strange from a group of lawyers). We are just a collection of volunteers who are passionate about what we are trying to do. We have no bank account: all funds will flow through the partnering theatre company. Tickets are currently $150 with a $125 tax receipt, and the event regularly sells out. It is one of the most anticipated events of the year for Edmonton’s legal community, as lawyers are keen to bring their friends and have the time of their lives, whether as part of the show, attending the show, or at the Gala Reception. We have recently added a producer role for a member of our committee, which has helped to build significant communication and rapport between the production and the committee.
The Victoria School provides some rehearsal space, the performance venue (its 692-seat, fully-equipped theatre), the reception venue, and the technical and design team (if the theatre partner wishes). By default, the Victoria School provides the technical director Nico Van der Kley and his technical support team. His familiarity with the venue is of great assistance to all, and he is paid by the school for this project with an additional stipend in the play’s budget. The theatre partner may choose to use someone else in the role of technical director and lighting designer.
Our theatre partner must provide the director and crew, and must select and propose the play.
We note that the administrative tasks involved can be very challenging, particularly as we get close to the show date. As we aim for a sell-out every year, we are constantly seeking updates on ticket sales – not just the numbers, but who they are sold to, etc. The theatre partner must be confident that it can handle the administrative support required. It may be beneficial to speak to past general managers to discuss the work involved.
Although our organizing committee members do the work of ticket sales, sponsorships, advertising, the theatre partner’s administrator will coordinate and keep records of the efforts, look after all the incoming proceeds, the tax receipts and pay the usual bills. The administrator will prepare a budget (previous years are available for format and costing) and the organizing committee will review it at its (monthly) meetings. Following the budget format allows us to look at one year to the next in a consistent fashion. The theatre partner should have an online box office and the ability to create a page for the show.
What are the anticipated performance dates?
Our shows are usually held on the first Friday of May. The exact date is dictated by the school’s need for the theatre in its own scheduling, but the school has been very accommodating wherever possible. We expect our upcoming dates will be: May 7, 2027, May 5, 2028, and May 4, 2029.
How are casting and rehearsals handled?
In recent years, we have had a brief audition process. Our committee seeks out potential actors, and the casting director works with the Director to set the parts. In filling the cast, we are also guided by our own mandate that the cast should be widely representative of the Bench and Bar, and be diverse in age, gender, experience and even area of practice. Some of the cast members provided to the Director may have little recent stage experience, but all will have commitment and enthusiasm.
We prefer a show with a large cast (for sponsorships and ticket sales, 12-20 actors if possible) and lots of humour for our audience. Historically we have avoided “lawyers’ shows” such as Twelve Angry Men, as the cast are here to have fun and to learn, not just to repeat or parrot what they do in their day jobs. The same goes for our audience, which is mainly drawn from the legal community.
All cast members are practicing lawyers or sitting judges and therefore have full-time work. Rehearsals have historically been scheduled for one weeknight and Sunday afternoons starting in early January and running right through to the show date. At times the Directors have called additional rehearsals closer to the show date. This is a long rehearsal period to which theatre professionals may not be accustomed. Although it is long in terms of the number of days on the calendar, when the hours are totaled up, it is about equivalent to a typical Equity rehearsal period of 3 weeks. People making the commitment to join the cast are expected at all rehearsals, but scheduling conflicts will inevitably arise over the 4-month span. Our producer will assist the director to ensure that absences are on notice and expectations are clear to our cast members.
How to apply
To qualify as a theatre partner, the professional theatre organization should be a registered charity, as they must be able to issue official charitable tax receipts for a portion of the ticket price. Non-profit theatre organizations without registered charity status may wish to approach and apply with a registered charity partner, subject to new federal allowances that enable registered charities to enter into charitable partnerships (Bill S-216). CRA status is critical: applicants without this status or without a formalized agreement in place entering a charitable partnership as referenced above will not be entertained.
Our committee reviews the proposals received from groups meeting the initial criteria and then we make a selection at our discretion. There are no hard and fast rules regarding how we choose a partner. We receive a number of proposals and we face the difficult task of choosing one for each given year. Generally, new applicants will be chosen ahead of returning theatre partners, though we may choose to repeat a past theatre partner.
We expect to notify our chosen partners in March 2026.
In closing, all parties should be aware that, when planning this far in advance, things may change. At present, our organization is composed entirely of enthusiastic volunteers, who may or may not all be around two years from now. We also understand that a theatre company may have a change of heart or scheduling for its own season, and we are alive to discussing any issues as they may arise.
Should you have any questions regarding this call for theatre partners, or if you have received this message in error, kindly contact Ed Picard at epicftw@gmail.com.