Canada 300 to showcase works from playwrights across Canada

P.E.I.'s 2014 celebrations have wrapped up, but already, there's a new anniversary on the horizon the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

P.E.I.'s Watermark Theatre has created a way to celebrate it and generate discussion about the next 150 years.

Canada 300 will present a series of nine short plays commissioned from writers across Canada.

A team of actors, directors and stage crew began rehearsing the plays a couple of weeks ago on P.E.I.

The crew will take the shows to cities across Canada this February through April.

Duncan McIntosh is the Artistic Director of the Watermark Theatre and Canada 300.

"There isn't a venue where we get to talk about the big conversations that don't fit into the electoral cycle or the 24hour news cycle. This is an opportunity to hear what each other are thinking, to exchange ideas and have those ideas discussed around the country," he said.

McIntosh says Canada 300 has already garnered interest from Scotland, Wales and South Africa, who are looking to stimulate conversation about the futures of their country.

McIntosh says this is a good way because it "puts arts at the centre of the national conversation."

Canada 300 received$1 million for the project, half from private donors and half from government. That includes about $300,000 from the federal government, and $200,000 from the P.E.I. government.

The plays will be shown as part of the Watermark Theatre's repertoire this summer. The project will wrap up in September with community leaders from all over Canada gathering in Charlottetown for a conference.