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If you're having trouble thinking of a present for your loved ones, we can help! Whether they're a theatre-lover or not, we guarantee they'll appreciate the gift of a well-considered book (because if they don't they deserve coal).

For the mom who knows all of the details of your life:

Gloria's Guy by Joan Burrows
Old wounds, new secrets, and a meddlesome mother come face-to-face in this cottage-country rom-com with an edge.

For the well-read feminist:

The Femme Playlist / I Cannot Lie to the Stars That Made Me by Catherine Hernandez
Two emotionally unrestrained plays that vividly paint a portrait of what it means to be a radical queer brown mother.

For the Canadian history nerd:

The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Robert Chafe
Based on the classic novel by Wayne Johnston, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams is a fictionalized portrait of Joseph R. Smallwood, the controversial political figure who ambitiously led Newfoundland into Confederation with Canada, and became its first premier.

For the grandpa with a sense of humour:

Jonas & Barry in the Home by Norm Foster
Norm Foster's quick wit is strong in this lighthearted buddy comedy about living life to the fullest.

For the hyper stand-up comedian:

Punch Up by Kat Sandler
A tragicomedy of three misfits, Punch Up tells the story of The Saddest Girl in the World, The Funniest Man Alive, and The Most Pathetic Guy Ever as they navigate comic tropes and a hostage situation.

For the person who loves to talk politics:

1979 by Michael Healey
A fast-paced political satire that examines the space between ideals and political reality during a monumental moment in Prime Minister Joe Clark's career.

For the person who will make a difference:

In Spirit by Tara Beagan
In an intimate, loving approach to the tragic subject of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, Tara Beagan shines a light on the haunting tale of a preteen's last moments.

For the monologuist:

Who Killed Spalding Gray? by Daniel MacIvor
A moving and darkly comedic solo performance about truth, lies, life, and death.

For the living room performer:

Shakespeare's Dog by Rick Chafe
Hooker, Shakespeare's dog, tells the story of how the Stratford rogue became the world's most famous playwright.

For the theatre historian:

A Man of Letters edited by Jessica Riley
The late Urjo Kareda was renowned for his commitment to responding to the hundreds of scripts received by Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre, where he served as artistic director for almost two decades. A Man of Letters makes public over three hundred responses, including rejection letters and ongoing correspondence. 

For the optimist:

2 Pianos 4 Hands by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt
Amidst pushy parents, eccentric teachers, hours of repetitive practice, stage fright, the agony of competitions and exams, and the dream of greatness, Ted and Richard grow up as "piano nerds."

For the friend with a short attention span:

Long Story Short edited by Rebecca Burton
This collection gathers a breadth of plays that are united in their ability to create complete and moving stories that transcend the page in about ten minutes each.

Happy holidays from Playwrights Canada Press!