This production of the play, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and landmark of contemporary theatre, features an all-women cast of passionate student actors and is directed by Mary Ellis, an award-winning director, actor and educator.
In a time when the voices of young women echo with increasing strength across the globe, The Wolves lands with timely resonance. The audience is drawn into their world—messy, funny, heartbreaking and hopeful—where the weight of personal struggles and larger societal issues collide under the fluorescent glow of an indoor soccer pitch.
Playing for each other and not the score
The story begins with the soccer team gathering as it does each week, warming up and stretching under the leadership of #25, their captain. But soccer is never just soccer. Beneath the drills and warmups lie the worries of growing up—questions of self-worth, social status and the looming unknowns of the future.
Their words tumble and flow, sharp with teenage bravado and soft with vulnerability. One moment, they’re discussing a genocide trial in Cambodia, the next, debating the merits of orange slices at halftime.
Amid their friendships and rivalries enters a new girl, #46. Homeschooled, she is an outsider to their world. As the weeks pass, the team shifts around her, their dynamics subtly changing.
The beauty of The Wolves lies in its balance: the humour of everyday teenage life alongside its inevitable heartbreak. In their darkest moment, the team finds its strength, coming together to play one final game—not for the score, but for each other.
Inside Mary Ellis’ rehearsal room: choreographing connections
Mary Ellis has poured herself into this production and brought decades of experience to it.
“The Wolves is about who we are, how we connect, and how we handle the world’s challenges,” explains Ellis. Central to her vision is the ensemble nature of the cast, where every role is equal and each voice contributes to the collective story—just like on the field.
The audition process for the 10 roles saw over 40 candidates. Ellis selected students who displayed talent and also a strong sense of teamwork, ensuring a cohesive ensemble that drives the collective energy of the production.
For Ellis, rehearsals have been both a challenge and a joy. “I knew absolutely nothing about soccer, so I’ve been doing research and watching soccer. My daughter, who played competitive basketball for many years, gave me insight into the culture of girls in competitive sports, ” she admitted.
“The whole thing is like staging a dance,” she laughs. “Every movement matters, every interaction has a rhythm.” And her cast has risen to the occasion.
Mary Ellis has found working with these ten young women to be deeply rewarding; she was often moved and delighted by how they bring the story to life in unexpected ways.
“The Wolves is about who we are, how we connect, and how we handle the world’s challenges.”
Mary Ellis
— Stage director
A raw and relatable story of resilience and the power of community
More than just a story about teenagers, The Wolves is also about all of us: the way we struggle, the way we love, the way we endure.
Funny, raw and deeply human, the University of Ottawa Drama Guild’s production is a testament to the power of storytelling. Under Mary Ellis’s direction, a group of young women has crafted something extraordinary—a reminder of the strength found in community and the beauty of resilience.
