The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre is entering its 20th exciting season of keeping Jewish culture alive and well in Winnipeg. The theatre's mandate is to present professional theatre of high artistic quality that reflects the Jewish experience of the past, present and future; to encourage the creation of new Canadian plays of Jewish interest; to encourage the development and participation of Canadian playwrights, performers, production personnel; and to promote a better understanding of Jewish culture in the community at large.

Artistic Mission Statement

The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre began during the summer of 1987 and has grown to become the only professional theatre in Canada producing a full season of plays on Jewish themes. One of the objectives of the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre is to create theatre that presents aspects of the Canadian reality from a minority perspective. WJT has a unique mandate and a unique role to play in Canadian culture. We are a non-profit professional company that is dedicated to the presentation of theatre that speaks of Jewish and multicultural issues.

In 1998 the Young Company was developed, as a response to the demands of the community and further demonstrates the theatre's maturity and vision for the future. As well WJT has a strong commitment to the development of new plays reflecting the Jewish experience in Canada, resulting in several successful commissions and regional co-productions.

None Is Too Many by Jason Sherman, a co-production with the Manitoba Theatre Centre was a milestone for WJT. Commissioned by WJT, with the assistance of The Canada Council, the play, which took 6 years to develop reached an audience of well over 6000 people, and gained us recognition across Canada. We have successfully commissioned and co-produced a number of productions in recent years that have had a measurable impact within the community as a whole. We are immensely proud of these works. In addition in 1997, we commissioned and produced as a single production a series of short plays by Canadian women, 10x10, showcasing some of the cutting edge writers on the Canadian scene.

Our Canadian co-productions include League of Nathans by Jason Sherman with Prairie Theatre Exchange, Kindertransport by Diane Samuels with Persephone Theatre as well as The Last Night of Ballyhoo with The Saidye Bronfman Theatre in Montreal. The success of these works has raised our local and national profile, our credibility among the theatre community and put WJT on the map.