04/27/2026
On Sunday, May 10 at 7:30 pm, we are delighted to host the Women’s Script Writing Circle in their second-year showcase of excerpts from scripts written by Sandy Paddick, Linda Wood Edwards, Heather D. Swain, Amanda Samuelson, Linda Grass, Sue Huff, and Michelle Todd.
Mary on my Mind by Sandy Paddick
A group of women can’t get the rights to Jesus Christ Superstar so they decide to write their own version. This is the third scene in the play where they are coming together to brainstorm their new play, Mary on My Mind
Sandy Paddick has been a theatre practitioner in Edmonton, Alberta, for the past forty years. She has appeared as a performer at almost every theatre company in Edmonton. Somewhere in her timeline she became a Speech Pathologist, which keeps her busy. She has two dogs, two daughters and a husband, John Hudson – who also keep her very busy. She began this group with Sue Huff hoping to gather women writers together to --- write! In her youth, she co-wrote a piece called “The Charter of Rights and Freedoms” for the Legal Resource Centre in Edmonton. She has written two plays for Azimuth Theatre, Naked Lies, which toured high schools in Alberta and Back Pocket Lennie, which toured Canadian women’s prisons. Sandy’s children’s play, Night Without Stars was produced by Wagonstage Theatre in Calgary. She wrote Enchantment produced by Workshop West Theatre and Theatre Yes! More recently, Crescendo was produced by Shadow Theatre. Sandy is thrilled to be meeting with this wonderful group of women writers every month!
Eggs Over Awkward by Linda Wood Edwards
A one act play. When families are over the joy of hosting each other in their homes at the high holidays and Mother’s Day, it invariably means a brunch reservation. And that means conflict. I bet we look just horrible to the service people tasked with taking care of us. Multiply that by how many families in the restaurant? If the family can’t pull it together for mom’s sake, we sure hope the servers can!
Linda Wood Edwards’ plays haves been to Australia, Washington DC, Yukon, Victoria, Saskatchewan, and across Alberta. Linda has two Sterling nominations (Spring Alibi 2005; Trail and Error 2016), two tours (Never Let the Crew See You Cry 2014; Four in the Crib 2013/2018), accolades for 10-minute plays (Walk of Shame 2023; Gibberish v. Genius 2018; Almost the Pioneer Brewing Company 2018), and a professional production (The Great Wh******se Fire of 1921 w/David Cheoros, 2021 Northern Light Theatre). And more! Linda is a governance nerd, funeral celebrant, beer afficianado, and devoted fan of the CFL. She thanks Script Salon for holding space for our plays.
There will be Tea! by Heather D. Swain
A simple knock on a door and two women are forced to choose reality over denial, changing their friendship forever.
Heather D. Swain has been a working artist since the late 1900s, a classically trained actor, writer, director who in 1992 came to do a Fringe show and never left town and then went on to become a street performer, touring the planet. Heather's writing has always been part of the her work, be it co-creating the Dora Mavor Moore Award winning Love and Work Enough (Playwrights Canada Press); the Sterling Award nominated Breasting the Waves, or many characters for Edmonton Street Performers Festival. She uses humour and wit to turn things on edge, discovering hidden gems in a phrase or character, inviting audiences to see the world in a way they may not have thought of before and yet was in plain view.
You Don’t Belong Here by Amanda Samuelson
Jay, the teenage boy from across the street, shows up unannounced at Milly and Celia’s house. They don’t know what he wants, or why he’s there. What they do know is their mother is dying, and they’re running out of time.
But Jay is certain he knows something about them he can’t prove. And he’s not leaving until he gets an answer.
Amanda Samuelson is an accomplished and award-winning writer, producer, dramaturg, educator, and actor currently based in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 Territory. She is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts BFA program, with a major in Theatre and minor in Creative Writing. During her time at NYU, she spent the majority of her studies at the Playwrights Horizons Theater School. Amanda’s plays have been read and staged at theatres in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. She is the 2023 recipient of Fringe Theatre’s Nordic & Cloutier Family Innovation Award, and has received funding support for her work from the Edmonton Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts.
Currently, Amanda works as the Assistant Managing Director and Aflame Playwright in Residence Co-Coordinator for SkirtsAfire, a theatre and multidisciplinary arts festival that supports the work of women and non-binary artists. She also teaches playwriting to teens at Citadel's Foote Theatre School and Free Arts Society, taking great pride in inspiring the next generation of writers.
Whole Lotta Shakin’! by Linda Grass
For you theatre purists, welcome to the world of Dinner Theatre, where the characters are broad, the laughs are cheap, and it doesn't hurt to be a little drunk! Whole Lotta Shakin’! takes place in a Legion Hall in 1959, where a musical contest exposes mystery, rivalry, and talent to boot.
Linda Grass is an Edmonton-based stage actor and nascent playwright. Her first play, After Eve, was performed at Script Salon in 2022. Since then, she joined the Women’s Scriptwriting Circle, and completed another play, Chasing the Fat. She has taken a decidedly different turn on this year’s writing project, challenging herself to write a script for dinner theatre.
Midnight Cry by Sue Huff
Ellie is a woman who believes in bodily autonomy, but her mind and heart come into conflict when her mother sets the date for MAiD. What happens when loving someone means counting down the days until strangers arrive to kill them.
Sue Huff is a local writer, actor, and filmmaker. She most recently appeared in Trunk Theatre's production of Marjorie Prime at the Varscona Theatre. Over her long career (almost 40 years!) in the arts, she has performed on most of the stages in Edmonton and over the past few years has started working consistently in film. Her writing has included 2 plays, 2 screenplays, a book, 40+ pieces for CBC Radio, and many presentations. Sue is a co-founder of the Women's Scriptwriting Circle, which aims to encourage and empower more women to write for theatre and film. The script being presented tonight will hopefully be filmed this summer, assuming Sue's grant applications to the AFA and EAC are successful. She has also applied for funding through various historical agencies to create a short documentary about the history of horse racing in Edmonton. When she is not acting, writing or hustling up money for projects, Sue offers workshops for educators, supports caregivers with loved ones affected by eating disorders, and works as a substitute behavioural therapist with Edmonton Catholic Schools. She also enjoys sailing and scuba diving with her husband, Kevin.
Motherhood by Michelle Todd
Michelle is working on a new one-woman show for the 2026 Edmonton Fringe Festival that explores how you raise multi-racial kids in the time of hashtag, social media, and technology. A show for anyone who is someone`s kid, had a kid, confused by sports, feels old…
Michelle Todd is pleased to share Motherhood at Script Salon for Mother's Day. An Edmonton native, Michelle has been active in the arts community for many years. A graduate of MacEwan's Theatre Arts program, Michelle has written Kuya, Deep Fried Curried Perogies, and her latest piece Hoodies was written for Concrete Theatre's Anti-Racism and Change project for Theatre for Young Audiences. Michelle's acting credits include Request Programme (Northern Light Theatre) Ms. Pat's Kitchen (SkirtsAfire and Black Arts Hub), After the Trojan Women (Common Ground Arts Society), Tiny Beautiful Things (Shadow Theatre), Black Widow Gun Club (Whizgiggling Productions), and Carole of the Belles, Mass Debating (100% More Girls).
SCRIPT SALON, Sunday, May 10, at 7:30 in the Upper Arts Space at Holy Trinity Anglican Church (10037 84 Avenue). Doors open at 7. SCRIPT SALON presents on the SECOND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH unless otherwise noted. Admission is by donation at the door. Refreshments available. Free parking. To arrange elevator access, email [email protected] in advance.
SCRIPT SALON is supported by Alberta Playwrights Network, the Playwrights Guild of Canada and our loyal audience.
