About the Play:

While We're Young is a full-length comedic drama by Don Hannah. Conflict and friendship transcend time and place in a stirring exploration of the struggles of youth. Interweaving six stories about young people from Confederation to the 21st Century, Don Hannah finds continuity in their transitions to adulthood as they experience life's endeavours through love's ecstasy, war's havoc, and family's allegiance.

While We're Young is a rich and complex historical epic and a family saga covering the lives of young Canadians. It's a war story, a drama, a comedy, and a tapestry of youthful love stories spanning the decades from Confederation to the 21st Century. A young soldier goes to Afghanistan, another to Passchendaele. A family splits in two when a Protestant falls in love with a Catholic; one hundred and twenty years later, it could happen all over again for new reasons. Audiences will climb the limbs of a sprawling family tree, and along the way will encounter sad truths about endearment, revel in glimpses of joy, and indulge in tender connections through a family’s lineage.

While We're Young was originally commissioned by the University of Alberta for its Studio Theatre acting students while the author was the inaugural Lee Playwright-in-Residence. It premiered in 2008 at the University's Studio Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta. Written specifically for actors of University age, it has performed across Canada in college theatre productions as a showcase of student talent.

Cast: 6 female, 2 male, 1 boy

About the Playwright:

Don Hannah is a Canadian playwright and novelist who lives in Toronto and Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. He was the inaugural Lee Playwright-in-Residence at the University of Alberta where he wrote While We're Young. As a dramaturge, he has worked with playwrights from across Canada, and for five years was on the faculty of the Banff Playwrights Colony.