Mon, Mar 23
|SAW
Where the Power Is - A Staged Reading
Seven people in prison in Canada. One political staffer who thought he could help.
Time & Location
Mar 23, 2026, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
SAW, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K7, Canada
Important Info
Hosted by Unexpected Théâtre
**Presented with the support of Native Counselling Services of Alberta, an Indigenous-run organization whose services include rehabilitation, restorative justice, and transitional housing**
About the Event
Join Unexpected Théâtre for a staged public reading of Where the Power Is, a new work by playwright Michael Milech. This intimate development reading brings together artists, Indigenous community partners, and audiences for a powerful evening of theatre, dialogue, and reflection.
This event is part of the ongoing development of Where the Power Is, supported by crowdfunding and community engagement. Audience feedback will directly inform the next phase of the project’s life.
Public Reading will be held on Monday, March 23 at 6:30 PM EST with a talkback session following the reading. So please stay and join us for a brief facilitated conversation co-developed by Unexpected Théâtre, the playwright, and dramaturg Leah Holder.
Artistic Team
Playwright: Michael Milech
Director: Micah Jondel DeShazer
Dramaturg & Talkback Facilitator: Leah Holder
Cast: To be announced
An Inside Look
About the Play
Where the Power Is is a new work by playwright Michael Milech that explores power, responsibility, and the human systems that shape who is seen, heard, and protected. Through deeply personal and political storytelling, the play asks how power is held, challenged, shared, and reclaimed—within communities, institutions, and intimate relationships.
Developed through crowdfunding and community support, Where the Power Is is in an active stage of creation. This public reading is part of an ongoing process of listening, refinement, and dialogue, inviting audiences into the development journey of the piece.
By sharing this work in-progress, the artistic team seeks to foster conversation, gather insight, and build relationships that will inform the play’s future life on stage.
Background: The Project, the Team, and the Community
Where the Power Is began in the summer of 2022, when playwright Michael Milech travelled across Canada interviewing people—and family members of people—who had been incarcerated. These interviews now form the core of a script that explores systemic issues within Canada’s criminal legal system while casting a self-critical eye on policy staffers who come to Ottawa to change the world. The play was workshopped privately in Toronto and has since continued its development through workshops and public readings supported by community and crowdfunding.
Michael Milech lives in Gatineau and has received playwriting awards in Quebec and New Brunswick, including Best English Text at the Montreal Fringe Festival. He has served as an advisor to Members of Parliament, Senators, the Minister of Public Safety, and the Prime Minister of Canada, primarily in the area of criminal justice policy. He brings both respect for the political profession and a critical perspective to the work.
Leah Holder joined the project as dramaturg in 2024. She is a Toronto-based theatre artist specializing in the creation of new text-based work as a director, dramaturg, actor, and playwright. Alongside her freelance dramaturgy, Leah was Company Dramaturg for Theatre by the Bay from 2020–2024 and ran the Barrie Theatre Lab from 2020–2025. She is currently working with the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre and several independent playwrights. Originally from New Brunswick, Leah is a graduate of George Brown College and a member of the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada and Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas.
The project is deeply indebted to the diverse group of interviewees who entrusted Michael with their stories. The script respects their wish to remain anonymous, with identifying details altered to protect their privacy. Throughout its development, Where the Power Is has also received advice and support from community organizations, including Native Counselling Services of Alberta, St. Leonard’s Society of Canada, the 7th Step Society of Canada, Mothers Offering Mutual Support, the Lifers Liaison Group, and the Canadian Families and Corrections Network.
Tickets & Accessibility
This event is invite only in person due to limited capacity of the space, and reserved for those who contributed to the crowdfunding efforts toward this being fully realized.
Free to virtually RSVP, and tune in with us from home! Details and the link will be shared 24 hours before the event.
Why a Public Reading?
Public readings are a vital step in developing new theatrical works. They provide artists with live audience response, dramaturgical insight, and community engagement that shape the future of the piece. By attending, you become part of the creation process, and the next big catalyst into shaping this powerful story into a fully realized production.