ECHO Players are thrilled to be hosting, once again, the Vancouver Island One Act Play Festival, from November 5th – 8th, 2026. Originating in 2005, this Festival is an annual tradition at the Village Theatre, featuring performances by theatre groups from across central and northern Vancouver Island and beyond.

Last year’s Festival was a tremendous success, with many wonderful plays and sold out performances. This year, we’re continuing the practice of having two adjudicators, which rewards the performers and the audience with a richer and more varied critique of each play. We’re honored this year to have as adjudicators Wendy Wearne, from Nanaimo, and Brent Ronning, from Port Alberni.

Each evening of the Festival will feature two different one act plays. Following each play, the adjudicators will briefly share some public remarks about the performance with the cast and audience. At the end of the evening, a more detailed thirty minute private critique will be given to the cast and crew of each play. The Festival will conclude on Sunday afternoon, with one last performance, followed by an Awards Ceremony. For the schedule/description of plays and tickets see list below. One Act Festival Packages are also available.

This is an exciting competition for playwrights, performers and audiences alike. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in theatre, to support new playwrights and artists, and to share the fun of an adjudicated theatre festival, right here in Qualicum Beach. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you have any questions about the Festival, please contact me at charles.whelton@echoplayers.ca

Festival Chair
Charlie Whelton

One Act Play Festival 2026:
Schedule of Plays

Thursday, Nov 5 (Starts at 7:30pm)    

Yellow Point Drama Group  ‘The Box’ 
A woman has a mysterious box of items delivered to her by a lawyer as part of an estate.  The contents trigger memories of a long-forgotten time in her life.  Written and directed by Brian March.

Courtenay Little Theatre   ‘This is a Play’
This is a Play is a funny, self-aware comedy, where three actors perform a play, while the audience also hears their private thoughts, insecurities and reactions, that grow increasingly absurd as the play unfolds.  Written by Daniel MacIvor.  Directed by Nicole Bergot.

Friday, Nov 6 (Starts at 7:30pm)      

NDSS Performing Arts  ‘Into Madness’
Inspired by Nellie Bly’s Ten Days in a Madhouse and Heather Marshall’s Liberty Street, this original dance-theatre production explores resilience, injustice, and the power of finding one’s voice.  Using physical storytelling, performers enter the world of the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell Island, revealing the lives of the women confined there and the tragedies that unfolded within its walls.  Written and directed by Kelly Barnum and Sarah Kielly.

Courtenay Little Theatre  ‘Water Music’
In a New York health club, a weary (probably retired) schoolteacher and an idealistic lifeguard encounter an unexpected visitor: Ophelia, from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, who rises from the hot tub and into the modern world.  It is comic magic realism intertwined with very human longing, leaving us with questions about what it takes to truly recognize others who are different.  It is a poignant, funny exploration of recognition, love, loss, and the desire to connect across seemingly impossible divides.  Written by Tina Howe.  Directed by Michael Bach.

Saturday, Nov 7 (Starts at 7:30pm)  

ECHO Players  ‘Rock On’
A  Chorus Line meets Geology 101 in this timeless tale that sees eons of bitter resentment and social division come to a head in a cataclysmic clash between two untamed spirits.  Written and directed by Marian Buechert.

Rivercity Players Theatre  ‘Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits’
Shakespeare's Greatest Hits presents a collection of Shakespeare's famous speeches and characters that illustrate his depth of understanding of the human condition and experience.  Whether he is describing a battle that was a turning point in history, a betrayal that impacts nations, or a simple love story, Shakespeare's language and characters set a standard that few writers since have been able to equal.  Brian's presentation will also include background stories and explanations to help make Shakespeare and his works more approachable and enjoyable.  Written and directed by Brian Down.

Sunday, Nov 8  (Starts at 2pm)  

Rivercity Players Theatre  ‘ The Blue Taffeta Party Dress & Other Stories’ 
The Blue Taffeta Party Dress & Other Stories is a coming of age play written and performed by Dennis Hawkins-Bogle.  Set in a small northern town in the 1970s, this is more than a coming out story.  It is a raw, honest, and often wry journey through the psyche, the politics, and the pressures of a time that had little room for difference.  As a gay kid growing up in an era of silence and shame, Dennis’ voice was misrepresented, undermined, even sensationalized by the dominant culture.  Now, he’s setting the story straight, through moments of resilience, humour, heart-break and hope.  Written by Dennis Hawkins-Bogle.  Directed by Heather Murphy.

Evening shows start at 7:30 PM.    Sunday show starts at 2:00 PM.
The Awards Ceremony will begin at 4:30 PM on Sunday afternoon, to allow time for the adjudicators to give a private adjudication for the final performance, and to prepare for the Awards Ceremony.