2020 One Act Play Festival cancelled due to COVID-19

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COVID— 19 has lead to the cancellation of the One Act Play festival, which was originally scheduled at the Sterndale BenJocelyn Steinborn performing in the 2019 One Act Play Festival. Photo by Richard Amerynett Theatre, May 5-6 with the provincial finals originally scheduled for May 22-23.


Playgoers of Lethbridge co-artistic director Rita Peterson said it was the right choice.
“We don’t know how things will be in two months,” said Peterson, who was part of a conference call with the other members of the ADFA (Alberta Drama Association) who sponsor the festival, who agreed.


“It was going to be the biggest turnout we had in years. We already had  five or six scripts and it isn’t even April yet. One group was even paying for rehearsal space,” Peterson said, adding a lot of people were looking forward to the event, which is an important event for the long standing local theatre group Playgoers of Lethbridge.

“We always make money from the One Act Play or at least break even. But when we’re paying for the venue and we don’t know what will be happening in May, it’s difficult,” she continued.

 


“A lot of people were looking forward to  the opportunity to present their plays,” she said, adding hopefully they will be able to remount the festival next year.


“But with funding going to important things there isn’t a lot of money for the arts, so it might not happen unless individual groups want to fund the One Act Play festival on their own,” she said, adding Medicine Hat is considering have a night of one act plays later this year after things are back to normal. Playgoers may decide to do the same.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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