Lunchbox Theatre

The Winter Stage One-derland Playwrights’ Unit

The Winter Stage One-derland Playwrights’ Unit is Lunchbox’s Theatre latest New Play Development Initiative. Historically, plays centered around the winter holidays have been the best sellers in Lunchbox Theatre’s season. We are eager to create a program that continues to center our commitment to new play development, while also helping to develop a wealth of plays that fill this key slot in our programming. 

The Winter Stage One-derland Playwrights’ Unit is an opportunity for local playwrights who are developing a one-act play centered around the winter holiday season to connect and support each other through the writing process. From March 2026 to November 2026, we will meet regularly to share our work and build community throughout our creative processes. 

Members of The Winter Stage One-derland Unit will have access to experienced dramaturges, and will be given unique opportunities to consult with Bronwyn Steinberg, the Artistic Director of Lunchbox Theatre, about the development of their pieces. We are eager to support artists in whatever they need in their development process, whether that be structured feedback sessions, or simply hearing their words read aloud. 

Meet the Stage One-derlanders

Andrew Wreggitt & Rebecca Shaw

Andrew Wreggitt is a multiple Gemini/Canadian Screen Award and Writers Guild of Canada Award-winning writer, as well as an award-winning playwright (along with playwriting partner and wife Rebecca Shaw). He is known for his many movies and mini-series including Mayerthorpe (CTV, 2008); The Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story (CBC, 2012); Borealis (CTV, 2013); and The Phantoms (CTV, 2012 - International Emmy Award winner). His work in one-hour television drama includes shows like The Borderline (Crave, 2026); Fortunate Son (CBC, 2020); Pure (CBC/Hulu,2018-19); Flashpoint (CTV/CBS, 2011); Tom Stone, (CBC, 2002-03); Black Harbour (CBC,1996-97); and North of 60 (CBC,1993-97). He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Writers Guild of Canada in 2025.

Rebecca Shaw began co-writing plays with Andrew Wreggitt after working in advertising for many years. In 1992, she and Wreggitt wrote The Wild Guys, which won the 1992 Canadian National One-Act Playwriting Competition. The Wild Guys was expanded into a full-length version with Lunchbox Theatre's support and, over the past 25 years, has been produced at more than 100 theatres across Canada and the United States, was translated into French and performed to sold-out audiences in Quebec, and was made into a feature film in 2006. Other Shaw-Wreggitt plays include Ms. Lone Pine; Two-Step; Dunvegan Cross; and Escape from Golf Camp. Rebecca is also the author of Shrink Rap and The Hundredth and has worked as a script analyst for Telefilm Canada; “A” Channel; Corus Entertainment; and Shaw Children's Programming Initiative.

Bronwyn Steinberg 

Bronwyn is a theatre maker and community builder; she’s passionate about making theatre an inclusive space for sharing stories that celebrate the diversity of human experience. Based in Calgary/Mohkinstsis in Treaty 7 territory, she is the Artistic Director of Lunchbox Theatre. Bronwyn has extensive experience in new play development, whether as a solo playwright/adaptor, as part of a collective of playwrights/adaptors/devisors or as a director/dramaturg supporting other playwrights’ work. Her works as an adaptor/playwright include: Comedy of Errors, Mad Margaret, The Game of Cardenio, Twelfth Night, OCCUPY ME (co-written with Sarah Waisvisz) and Pirate Jenny’s Circus. Photo by David Leyes.

Cayley Wreggitt

Cayley Wreggitt (she/her) is a playwright and director based in Mohkinstsis (Calgary, Alberta.) Cayley made her professional debut with her musical Home for the Holidays, which premiered in 2022 at Lunchbox Theatre, and won Outstanding Production of a Musical at the Betty Mitchell Awards. Selected playwriting credits include; The Painter and The Lake (Baker Miller Pink),(Taylor's Version) (Baker Miller Pink, DIY Theatre), The Stand Up (The Kelowna Fringe Festival).  

Conrad Belau

Conrad is a very slay theatre director, actor, educator and playwright. Fortunate enough to have worked with multiple wonderful companies and folks, some favourite credits include I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire (Baker Miller Pink); Bright Lights (Theatre BSMT); The Monument (Theatre of Consequence); The Virgin Trial (Alberta Theatre Projects); The Church of Springsteen (Ignite! Festival); A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary); the 25th Betty Mitchell Awards Show. They are the creator and performer of the Instagram Livestream phenomenon MONO MAN MIA!, for which they won Broadway World’s “Vocalist of the Decade”. Much love and admiration to Alix & Clarence. PROTECT TRANS KIDS.

Kodie Rollan

Kodie Rollan is a Philippine-born, Scarborough-raised, Mohkinstsis-based playwright, dramaturg, lyricist, educator, and arts leader. He is a passionate community-builder and always aims to create spaces for shared storytelling and arts equity within the nonprofit sector.
As a storyteller, Kodie is drawn towards explorations of justice within racialized bodies and how we can move towards more abolitionist futures. He is currently the Artistic Director of Chromatic He has also been the Associate Dramaturg at the Banff Playwrights Lab from 2022 - 2024, and has previously developed work with Lunchbox Theatre’s Stage One program.

Krista Marushy

Krista Marushy is an award-winning actor and playwright who holds an M.F.A. from the Playwright's Lab at Hollins University. Her resume spans full-lengths, one-acts, and radio dramas that feature dynamic females, deep questions, and a penchant for magic realism. Her play The Green House was a finalist for the Alberta Playwright's Competition and recently premiered at Rosebud Theatre (AB) and the Fireworks Festival with Alumni Theatre (Toronto). Other productions include Evergreen (Fire Exit Theatre, Burnt Thicket Theatre), Cultivation (Pacific Theatre - Vancouver), and The Curiosity Cabinet (awarded Best of Fest, Calgary International Fringe Festival). Her touring show for kids Secret Life Under the Stairs has been produced across the United States and is published by Youthplays. Follow her creative adventures on Insta @krista_marushy. Photo by Tim Nguyen.

Megan Baldrey 

Megan Baldrey is multi-passionate artist and adult spelling bee champion based out of Calgary, Alberta (Mohkinstsis). An honours' graduate of Mount Royal University's Theatre Performance Program, she works as a professional voice actor by day and a playwright, improviser, arts educator and theatre, film & television actor by... later that same day, probably. If she's not on mic or on stage, you can usually find her doing yoga or petting the neighborhood cats. Megan writes for the stage both solo and collaboratively with her writing team at Full Circle Theatre. 

Artistic Associate 2025-26: Cayley Wreggitt

Supported by the CADA Personal Development Grant

Cayley Wreggitt (she/her) is a playwright and director based in Mohkinstsis (Calgary, Alberta.) She had her professional debut with the musical Home for the Holidays, which premiered in 2022 at Lunchbox Theatre, and received the Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical. She is delighted to be working with Lunchbox again this season in the role of Artistic Associate! Cayley is also a director. Most recently, she was the Assistant Director to Valerie Planche on the show Deadly Murder at Vertigo Theatre. Other selected directing credits include; (Taylor’s Version) DIY Theatre/ Baker Miller Pink, The 2022/2023 Betty Mitchell Awards, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Bard in the Yard with The Shakespeare Company.  Cayley is also a creative partner of Baker Miller Pink Art, an interdisciplinary arts collective. She is grateful to the many mentors she has been fortunate to learn from throughout her career, and is thrilled to continue learning at Lunchbox Theatre this season.

Lunchbox Theatre’s Brown Bag Residency Program

This unpaid residency with Lunchbox Theatre offers in-kind support to Calgary-based independent artist collectives with a work currently in progress. Like a brown paper lunch bag, the residency is a light and flexible container in which to develop new works.

Within the theatre community, Lunchbox Theatre has long been recognized as a springboard. We are proud to be a company that frequently works with emerging artists and provides them with opportunities to showcase themselves to the greater community and larger companies. For the 2025-26 Season, we are happy to formalize the various supports we often offer to emerging and indie artists with our new Brown Bag Residency.

ELIGIBILITY

• Calgary locals only

• All collaborating artists must be at least 18 years old and not currently a student enrolled in post-secondary education

• Theatre-makers creating work for public performance

Brown Bag Residents 2025-26

Incendiary Festival - Jack Orion and Rebecca Orion

Incendiary Festival focuses on building community within Calgary’s theatre scene. For six years we have worked with new and emerging artists to create innovative, site specific, immersive theatre that meets audiences exactly where they are. Headed up by Jack and Rebecca Orion, Incendiary Festival has had the honour to work with folks on four “mainstage” productions every year, along with our fledgling playwrights initiative which platformed 11 different writers from across Alberta. We work extensively with new plays, and find stories that get to the heart of what our community needs.

Website: Incendiary Festival - www.incendiaryfestival.com

Instagram: @incendiary_festival  (if you need our personal socials: @jack_g_orion @orions_beck) https://www.instagram.com/incendiary_festival/

Facebook: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/incendiaryFestival/

Reckless Daughter Creative - Madeleine Taylor-Gregg and Zoë Arthur

Reckless Daughter Creative creates courageous spaces for FLINTA+ (Femme, Lesbian, Intersex, Nonbinary, Trans, Agender +) & sapphic voices, and cultivates community through storytelling.

From starting out making plays in each other’s living rooms, Reckless Daughter has centered the story-making process in connecting to each other.

We hope to create a world in which queer art can move, exist, and inspire with reckless abandon.

Instagram - @recklessdaughtercreative

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/recklessdaughtercreative/

Website - https://www.recklessdaughtercreative.com/

Photo credit: Mike Tan

Roommate Theatre - Saeid Asgarian

Saeid Asgarian is a theatre director, playwright, and researcher based in Calgary, Canada. He holds a master’s degree in Theatre Studies from the University of Calgary (2024). Saeid has directed, written, and designed numerous productions across theatre, film, and performance art inside and outside of Canada. His artistic focus lies in participatory and laboratory theatre and film, exploring how art can foster dialogue, social inclusion, and community connection. He often collaborates with multicultural artists to address critical social themes, including colonization, capitalism, identity, and sustainability. Saeid currently leads Roommate Art Company, using performance as a tool for social change.

Emerging Artist Program at Lunchbox Theatre

Associate Artist Company at Lunchbox Theatre

If you're an Emerging Artist who would like to get involved with Lunchbox Theatre, please contact us to introduce yourself. Please note that our budget is limited and we are currently seeking funding to be able to provide paid opportunities to work and train at Lunchbox. Meanwhile, we are committed to mentorship and are happy to talk, even if it's simply to offer advice!

RBC Emerging Directors Program

A History of RBC Emerging Directors

From 2005 - 2019, Lunchbox Theatre was proud to offer the RBC Emerging Director Program, with the support of the RBC Foundation, nurturing the development of many talented Calgary theatre artists.

2018/2019 Season: Kathryn Smith

‘Care Takers’ by Billy Cowan

2015/2016 Season: Jenna Rodgers

'Let The Light of Day Through' by Collin Doyle

2014/2015 Season: Karen Johnson-Diamond

'Time Present' by Ted Atherton

2013/2014 Season: Jacqueline Russell

'One Good Marriage' by Sean Reycraft                                             

2012/2013 Season: Valmai Goggin

'The Lover' by Harold Pinter                                                                                                                       

2011/2012 Season: Alice Nelson

'Mockingbird Close' by Trevor Schmidt

2010/2011 Season: Anton de Groot

'Krapp's Last Tape' by Samuel Beckett

2007/2008 Season: Aaron Coates

'The Way of All Fish' by Elaine May        

2006/2007 Season: Simon Mallett

'This Is A Play' by Daniel MacIvor

2005/2006 Season: Val Planche

'The Duplex' by Yan Kolk