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The Little Theatre Festival
Join us for An Seanchaí Theatre Company's inaugural one act play festival, happening throughout February 2026 at the Irish Association of Manitoba in Winnipeg. Presenting eight plays over four weekends, this exciting event celebrates the incredible talent of our local community theatre companies. Come and experience a diverse array of performances that showcase the creativity and passion of Winnipeg's theatrical artists. ​​​​​​​​
More details to follow in the months to come!
Siobhan, Steph and Rob are true friends with an intense passion for all things theatre. Siobhan started An Seanchai Theatre Company (Irish for 'the storyteller") in 2022 to launch her debut as a playwright with the production of The Weight of Shame. Long time friend, Rob jumped on board as director and they were introduced to Steph who kept everyone organized and in line with her tremendous stage management skills. Since then they have continued to produce theatrical magic together on various stages throughout Winnipeg. Steph has also launched Cactus Theatre Co, a company that honours fellow Winnipeg playwright and actor, Dan Gilmour who left this plane all too soon.
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Missing the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival and The Playwright Festival, the trio concluded they needed to launch their own festival and base it on the undervalued one act play. Discussions ensued, research was embarked upon and excitement grew when they discovered they were following the historical footsteps laid out by the Little Theatre Movement.​
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How This All Started
History of The Little Theatre Movement
The Little Theatre Movement started in the early 20th century as a counter-movement to the large scale and commercialized productions of professional theatre. Bringing the "one act play" to the stage, the movement championed non-professional community theatre, advocating for a more intimate and artistic experience. The Little Theatre Movement drew inspiration from European independent theaters, like André Antoine's Théâtre Libre in Paris and the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, and helped establish beloved playwrights such as Eugene O'Neill and George S. Kaufman.​
Fun Fact: The Winnipeg Little Theatre, a prominent example of the movement, was established in 1921 and later merged with Theatre 77 in 1958 to form the Manitoba Theatre Centre, Canada's first regional theatre. ​​
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