Walterdale’s From Cradle to Stage – Director Submission Call
Festival Dates: May 19 – 24, 2026.
Edmonton’s foremost community theatre is now accepting submissions for this season’s new works festival! From Cradle to Stage 2026 at The Walterdale Theatre is seeking three directors for our festival, which takes place May 19-24, 2026. Each director will direct three new works in one night, over the course of two evenings, to help bring these staged readings to life.
We want directors with a bit of experience to help make two evenings (for each director) of great staged reading entertainment for our audience, but most importantly, to help facilitate the works, from page to staged reading, for the playwrights. Please fill in the Google form and the directors will be selected in March 2026. Include your resume and a short write-up about why you would like to direct for Walterdale Theatre and for From Cradle to Stage 2026. We look forward to hearing from you!
Timeline
1. Three Directors will be chosen by March of 2026.
2. Casting will begin in the middle of March. Casting will occur via video submissions. Rehearsals will start at the end of March and run right through to the festival May 19 – 24. The rehearsals will be Zoom rehearsals until Waiting for the Parade wraps in April, and then they will be moved to in-person at Walterdale Theatre. Playwrights may have some say in the casting process (i.e if specific genders or ethnicities are needed).
3. Each director will direct three staged readings in one evening, with each set of three readings to take place twice. We want to avoid doubling up roles, so you should be casting as many performers as you can for each script.
4. The deadline for director submissions is 11:59pm on February 28, 2026. Eligible directors must live within 60km of Edmonton and have the ability to commute to Walterdale Theatre. You do not need to be a current member of Walterdale to apply. Directors cannot direct their own scripts, if their scripts were chosen to be a part of the festival.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email Festival Coordinator Shawn Marshall shawnmarshallaaa@gmail.com and we look forward to hearing from you!
Walterdale Theatre acknowledges that our theatre is located on Treaty 6, a traditional territory of the Cree and has been an important trading place of the Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Nakota Sioux, Dene, and Métis peoples of western Canada for many thousands of years. We also recognize and honour that we are Treaty people and therefore seek to uphold the spirit and intent of this Treaty.