Ottawa Little Theater, Ottawa

The Ottawa Little Theatre, originally known as the Ottawa Drama League when it began in 1913, holds the distinction of being the longest continuously operating community theater in Canada and one of the oldest in North America. Situated in Canada's capital city, it possesses its 360-seat theater where it showcases nine plays each season, running for three weeks from September to July.

The OLT's remarkable success is notable as it lacks regular government funding. In 1970, a fire destroyed the Little Theatre, a renovated church from 1928. However, within two years, the OLT built a new theater in the same location and paid off the debt in five years. Most of their income comes from ticket sales and donations.

Over the years, many Canadian actors performed at OLT, such as Amelia Hall, Saul Rubinek, Rich Little, Robert MacNeil, Dan Aykroyd, Adam Beach, Luba Goy, and Raoul Bhaneja. Photographer Yousuf Karsh developed his lighting techniques at the theater in the 1930s. OLT proudly displays original Karsh photographs.

In 1937, the Ottawa Little Theatre launched the National One-Act Playwriting Competition, an enduring tradition that continues to this day. Esteemed winners of this competition include Robertson Davies, John Murrell, Erika Ritter, Catherine Banks, and Ken Mitchell.