A Workshop with Judith Thompson
Stories on Stage and Screen: A Workshop with Judith Thompson
What happens when a moment from your life becomes a scene an audience can see and hear? At Kingston WritersFest 2026, acclaimed playwright Judith Thompson invites writers to explore that question in Stories on Stage and Screen, a hands-on workshop devoted to turning personal experiences into dramatic writing.
A novel can live in a reader’s imagination, while a play unfolds in a room full of people and a screenplay guides the creation of a visual world. Each begins with words. This workshop focuses on the choices that help a story make the journey from memory to performance: which moment to dramatize, what a character wants and what remains unspoken between the lines.
Participants will work with transformative moments from their own lives and consider how to shape them into compelling, high-stakes scenes. Rather than relying only on an obvious external crisis, Thompson will guide writers toward the internal tensions and unanswered questions that can give a scene its emotional force.
The session includes time to write, share work and receive constructive feedback in a collaborative setting. Participants will then revise their scenes, paying particular attention to dialogue, pacing and imagery. A final showcase offers a chance to hear the refined work and celebrate what each writer has created.
Thompson brings a wealth of experience across theatre, screenwriting and fiction. One of Canada’s best-known playwrights, she has written award-winning works including The Crackwalker, Lion in the Streets, White Biting Dog and Perfect Pie. She is an Officer of the Order of Canada and grew up in Kingston, a city that has also provided the setting for some of her writing.
Whether you are working on a script or curious about adapting a personal story for the stage or screen, this workshop offers dedicated time to experiment, revise and learn from a remarkable Canadian writer.
Kingston WritersFest thanks Jo-Anne Lachapelle-Beyak, Author Patron of Judith Thompson. This event is sponsored by Sheena Macdonald.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 1:30–5:30 p.m.
Location: Easton Boardroom, Kingston Marriott, 285 King Street East, Kingston
Tickets: $100 plus applicable taxes and fees
Category: Arts & Theatre
Tickets and details: Kingston WritersFest
