|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After sharing the timeless classic Our Town with our audiences last November, we’re excited to bring new voices to the stage this spring. Upcoming is A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain and In My Day, both showcasing our senior student ensembles. Beyond the Phoenix stage, read about our students’ upcoming international field school in the Netherlands, alumni making waves in local theatre, Orion & Lehan lectures, and highlights from UVic School of Music.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain by Sami Ibrahim
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Divine Mercy Eseaku "Elif"
|
|
|
What can you expect from a mythic tale where sheep’s wool becomes rain clouds? Though it may sound whimsical, A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain (Feb 12–21) is a visually striking and timely fable about an undocumented immigrant determined to secure citizenship for her child. At its heart, the play is a story of a mother reshaping the future for the child she loves. Learn more
|
|
|
|
Inspired by the production, "Before the Rain" is an immersive art installation created by Divine Mercy Eseaku, who plays the central character, Elif, in the play. Running Feb 4–5 in the Student Union Building (SUB) Upper Lounge, the exhibition explores ideas of home and belonging through interactive stations, where audience responses to questions may become part of the artwork itself.
|
|
“There are too many themes for us to just sit down, watch, and go back to our homes like nothing even happened,” Divine says. Reflecting urgent questions of immigration and identity, "Before the Rain" carries the conversation beyond the stage—encouraging audiences to pause, reflect, and add their own voices to the conversation.
|
|
|
|
In My Day by Rick Waines
|
|
|
|
|
On stage at the Phoenix, March 12-21, In My Day is a deeply moving play that celebrates the resilience of diverse communities that came together in extraordinary ways. The play is set during a pivotal moment in Vancouver’s history, shaped by the HIV/AIDS crisis.
|
|
Cast member Percy Rutt, a second-year performance student, was surprised by the uplifting nature of the play, noting the moments of humour and light found within the darkness.
|
|
|
|
“When I first read it, I think I was expecting it to be more … sad, I guess … but I kind of saw that it was funny. It doesn’t just focus on AIDS; it’s more about the lives people lived.”
|
In My Day is foremost about people united by a shared experience. Whether that is gay men, straight men, women, transgender people, people of colour, or Indigenous people in Canada, we are all a community.
|
Drawn from real voices and lived experience, this verbatim theatre piece was inspired by a community-based research project at the University of Victoria that featured interviews with survivors and their caregivers. In My Day premiered in 2022 at Vancouver’s historic Cultch Theatre.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Theatre Students Take Studies Abroad
|
|
|
|
|
This March, a cohort of ten UVic Theatre students, ranging from second-year undergraduates to master's-level students, will travel to Rotterdam, Netherlands, to attend the International Community Arts Festival. The festival brings together artists from around the world who use theatre as a tool for community building, education and social change. Students will be mentored by senior experts, participate in workshops, build international connections, and deepen their understanding of how community arts is created in different cultural contexts.
|
|
This self-funded field school is an exciting opportunity for our students. We invite you to learn more about the theatre work they'll be doing in Rotterdam and, if you'd like to be part of the journey, support the experience by donating an item or service to the students' online fundraising auction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Phoenix Alumni on the Belfry Stage
|
|
|
|
|
One of the most exciting outcomes of our Theatre program is seeing our alumni go on to build professional careers in the performing arts. The Hawk Lover, running January 30–February 1 at the Belfry Theatre, is a wonderful example of that journey in action.
|
This latest collaboration between UVic Theatre alumni features graduates Nicholas Guerreiro (playwright), Annie Konstantinov (producer), Ryan Kniel (actor/sound design), and Alexa D’Archangelo (actor), alongside Danny Saretsky, Regina Rios, and intimacy coordinator/choreographer Megan Wong.
|
"A werewolf in love with a king. A girl infatuated with her own reflection. A beautiful corpse in a cottage in the woods. Based on the Medieval poems of Marie de France, The Hawk Lover is an anthology of widely varying vignettes about desire, death, and magic. Using dance, song, theatre, and puppetry, The Hawk Lover will charm, seduce, and frighten you."
|
|
Tickets are on sale now and are accessible to all through a Pay What You Can pricing structure.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We are excited to welcome theatre artists and educators Christie Matura and Wil Kilroy, who will be leading a series of workshops with our students this February.
|
They will also present a free public lecture, Teaching the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique, on Wednesday, February 11, from 12:30–1:30 pm in the Phoenix Building. This event is generously supported by the Orion Fund in Fine Arts, and all are welcome to attend.
|
|
Experienced Michael Chekhov teachers will introduce the history of this imagination-based acting technique and explore how it is used in performance training. Named for the noted Russian-American actor and director (1891-1955), “Chekhov work” seeks truth in performance, and inspired acting rooted in the connection between inner life and outer movement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming in the School of Music
|
|
|
|
|
JAN 30 – FEB 1: Sounding Grounds Festival
This multi-day festival is a meeting place for UVic’s most adventurous creators and features student and faculty composers, improvisers, builders, thinkers, and listeners
|
|
|
|
JAN 30, 12:30 PM: New works by UVic Student Composers
JAN 30, 8 PM: UVic Symphony Orchestra plays Apollo by Canadian composer Jordan Nobles,
JAN 31, 1:30 PM: Sonic Improv Workshop – No experience necessary.
JAN 31, 7:30 PM: Local Currents Concert – UVic faculty and staff share music and visuals that reflect the depth and diversity of our community’s artistic voices.
|
|
|
FEB 1, 2-5 PM: VR Experience: Explore Carey Newman’s powerful Witness Blanket through virtual reality.
|
|
FEB 1, 7:30 PM: Shapes for Sounds (Vol. 4): Oooooooooooooooooooooooo – Part gallery, part playground, this annual variety throwdown transforms space through sculpture, sound art, noise, and performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
