Writeous Acts: Playwright Program

We’re launching a brand new playwriting program, where we’ll welcome six emerging Black stage playwrights and dramatists to receive guidance on the drafting of an original stage play.

Focusing on storytelling and narrative theatre, Writeous Acts will empower emerging writers to learn how to express their unique perspectives, narratives, emotions into stage writing through lessons on story, character development, stage direction and more. Each week, writers will meet with facilitator and award-winning theatre director Jordan Laffrenier to develop this piece.

Classes will take place on Mondays from 6:30-8:30pm.

Applications close on Sunday, Sept. 21st.

Schedule

• Week 1 – Monday, October 6, 2025
• Week 2 – Tuesday, October 14, 2025 *Due to Thanksgiving Monday
• Week 3 – Monday, October 20, 2025
• Week 4 – Monday, October 27, 2025
• Week 5 – Monday, November 03, 2025
• Week 6 – Monday, November 10, 2025
• Week 7 – Monday, November 17, 2025
• Week 8 – Monday, November 24, 2025
• Week 9 – Monday, December 1, 2025
• Week 10 – Monday, December 8, 2025

Meet Your Facilitator

Jordan Laffrenier

Jordan Laffrenier is an award winning director, producer, playwright, dramaturg and educator. He is currently the Associate Artistic Director of Canadian Stage and Prime Mover Theatre Company. He has held many musical theatre development roles in New York City, Los Angeles and Toronto, including Amélie on Broadway, Paradise Square/ Hard Times (Berkeley Repertory Theatre California), Sousatzka (Tiberius Entertainment) and now as dramaturg for Cahoots BLACK PANTHER program.

As the founding Artistic Director of Then They Fight Theatre, a dramaturgically based theatre company dedicated to developing new work from the initial spark of an idea into a fully realized production. He is an advocate of theatre that supports the community on and off stage and has partnered theatre productions directly with local charities such as The Mental Health Coalition in Hamilton and Vibe Arts (where he is an artist mentor).