In accordance with our mandate, The Foster Festival has initiated our new play development program, developing new Canadian comedies by playwrights other than our company’s namesake. 

The second annual Fostered Playwrights Festival (2025) presents three selections from emerging or established Canadian playwrights, professionally performed and directed in public readings over a weekend. The three scripts to be featured this year are Sew Far, Sew Good by Marnie Walsh, Packing Up by Alison Lawrence, and Every Little Thing by The Foster Festival’s Artistic Director Emily Oriold. 

In 2023, an astounding 72 submissions were received from across the country and we selected  Time and Tide by Jody Stevens McCluskey (NS), Mechanically Inclined by Steve Ross (ON), and Go for Gold, Audrey Pham by Camille Pavlenko (AB).

Ultimately, Time & Tide by Jody Stevens McCluskey, received its world premiere production at The Foster Festival in October 2024 and Steve Ross’ play Mechanically Inclined will receive its world premiere production in August 2025.