Canadian Playwright

Jan 17 - Feb 15, 2026

MONSTRESS

By Trevor Schmidt

Can saving another soul save your own?

A disgraced female doctor is practicing her own brand of medicine after being expelled for ‘dangerous dabbling’ from The Upper Harrington Academy of Anatomical Dissection and School of Medicine and Surgery. A letter arrives from a wealthy father soliciting an impossible request: to resurrect his daughter who, only recently, fell off her horse and died. When the Doctor succeeds, and Lydia Chartreuse is brought back from the dead without regards for the outcome, the question emerges - which one is the real monstress?

Written and directed by Trevor Schmidt, this stylistic gothic thriller asks what costs arise from resurrecting the past.

Why This Play?

“I drove out to Edmonton to see Monstress last Fall. What first struck me was how beautifully colourful and visually stunning the play was. I have also been a fan of Trevor Schmidt’s writing and works, which always ask big questions that are wrapped up in highly theatrical ways. And, of course, the chance to partner and share Alberta plays is really exciting.”

Jack Grinhaus, Artistic Director