The Watch List
By Rachel Aberle
Directed by Ming Hudson
February 4th – 14th, 2026 at The BackStage Stage
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Social politics. Generational divides. A birthday celebration gone awry.
When Michelle and Todd Milne (and Todd’s outspoken mother Irene) welcome their son Cyrus and his girlfriend Amy for a visit, the revelations that unfold could tear the family apart. In turns hilarious and heartbreaking, The Watch List is a gripping look at what happens when idealism crashes into real life.
“The Watch List is a play that should be done now. It’s highly engaging, and presents its topical subject matter with humour and heart. At the Banff Centre, it was one of the top choices to be invited to do a residency and the reading presented while here was funny and sad and demanded discussion.”
– Amiel Gladstone, Director of Theatre Arts – Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Commissioned by The Belfry Theatre, Victoria BC.
Developed with the support of the Banff Centre for the Arts Slaight Theatre Creation Residency.
Running Time: Approx 100 minutes
Cast and crew
Rachel Aberle - Playwright
Rachel is an author, dramaturge, and award-winning playwright. With a background in theatre performance, Rachel’s writing is known for its sharp dialogue, strong characterization, and exploration of life’s uncomfortable grey areas.
Her plays for teen audiences, Still•Falling and The Code are published as a duo by Talonbooks and have toured across North America with Vancouver’s Green Thumb Theatre. They have also been recognized with the Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for Significant Artistic Achievement and the Sydney J. Risk Prize for Outstanding Original Play by an Emerging Playwright respectively. As The Watch List premieres at 25th Street, her newest TYA play, Caged is premiering with Green Thumb.
Rachel lives on the traditional territory of the Lhtako Dene People in Quesnel BC with her husband Kyle, daughter Elliot, and two ridiculous chihuahuas. Rachel is currently working on her first novel.
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