For over ten years, the Advance Theatre Festival develops and then showcases five dramatic readings over five days of new works written and directed by female identifying and gender non-conforming IBPOC playwrights and directors. Many of these plays go on to be fully professionally produced.

If you are a playwright and your play is chosen to participate in the Advance Theatre Festival, Ruby Slippers Theatre in partnership with The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts will cover the costs of all rehearsals prior to the day of the reading, your technical rehearsal, promotion, theatrical venue, and all artists’ fees.

If you are a director who wishes to participate, send us your resume and cover letter for consideration.

Playwrights: please send your play synopsis, brief bio, and a maximum ten page script excerpt to [email protected] by May 15, 2025. One submission per person please. Successful candidates will be notified by June 15, 2025.

The 2025/26 Advance Theatre Festival will take place in Jan/Feb of 2026. Exact dates TBD.