UFV Theatre is wrapping up the 2023-24 season with the Emerging Directors’ Showcase, with performances from April 19-26 in the D105 Blackbox Theatre at UFV Abbotsford. The showcase is the final project presented by UFV Theatre’s fourth-year directing class, and is a chance for students to apply everything that they’ve learned in the course. Audiences can expect a wide range of performances, from broad physical comedy to thought-provoking drama.
Student directors include Sarah Byers, Brian Cahill, Doris Huang, Bren McPhee, Sterling Kai Pollock, and Taya Viger, under the mentorship of UFV professor Alexander Ferguson.
SHOWS:
Murder by Midnight, written by Jeff Goode and directed by Sarah Byers
Dick Piston is a detective at the rundown Lakeview Hotel in the downtown of a big city. At 11:50 pm at the end of his Friday shift a woman, wearing nothing but a housecoat, bursts into Piston’s office claiming her newlywed husband has just been murdered while she was in the shower. Setting 10 minutes on an egg timer and now under the clock, Piston attempts to solve the case before his shift is over.
Trifles, by playwright Susan Glaspell and directed by Brian Cahill
Set in early twentieth-century midwest, this play focuses on the investigation of Minnie Wright’s suspected murder of her husband, John. While men search the house for clues, their wives delve into Minnie’s life, uncovering key evidence dismissed by the men as insignificant “trifles.” The play highlights gender dynamics and the struggles of women in a patriarchal society. Minnie’s character is central, symbolizing the silent suffering of many women.
The director of Trifles is an exchange student, so there will be a special performance of this show on April 19 before he must fly home on April 20.
The Wedding Story, by playwright Julianne Homokay and directed by Doris Huang
This dark comedy delves into the complexities of relationships and the stark contrast between fairy tale ideals and real-life struggles. The play revolves around a storyteller who attempts to entertain children with a romantic narrative, but is constantly interrupted by the bride and groom, who insist on setting the record straight about their own love story.
Yellow Wallpaper, written and directed by Bren McPhee
A woman has been isolated from the outside world and confined to her room by her husband and sister-in-law. She becomes obsessed with her new room’s ugly wallpaper, and the things that may lie beneath it. Adapted from Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story of the same name, The Yellow Wallpaper explores what can happen when people do not have bodily autonomy.
Twitch, written by Stephen Gregg and directed by Sterling Kai Pollock
In the 1970s, a suburban middle-class couple, Nancy and Don, engage in a tense argument about their neighbors, Aiden and Emma, whom Nancy distrusts. Aiden and Emma’s peculiar behavior only heightens Nancy’s suspicions. Nancy and Don become determined to unveil their neighbors’ secrets. With tensions rising, they embark on a quest to uncover the truth before it’s too late, facing uncertain consequences in their idyllic community.
Bringing Up Lester, by Stephen Bittrich and directed by Taya Viger
After having a passionate affair with her dance teacher, Marge returns home to her husband, Charles. However, she is surprised to find a new resident in her home. Baby Lester is a full grown man claiming to be her son, and she doesn’t remember giving birth to him.
PERFORMANCES TIMES/DATES:
Friday, April 19 at 7:00 pm (Trifles only)
Bookings for April 19 can be made through https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/emerging-directors-showcase-tickets-836916107607 . Please be advised that early reservations via Eventbrite are encouraged as seating will be extremely limited. Ticket registration ends two hours before the performance start times.
Thursday, April 25 at 7:00 pm
Bookings for April 25 can be made through https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/emerging-directors-showcase-tickets-836916107607 . Please be advised that early reservations via Eventbrite are encouraged as seating will be extremely limited. Ticket registration ends 2 hours before the performance start times.
Friday, April 26, between 4:00 and 9:00 pm
Directors’ Showcase performances will be presented as part of Interpret, a Creative and Performing Arts Festival. These performances do not require bookings through Eventbrite, however, seating will be first-come-first-serve. Audiences will be able to come in and out of the theatre between each of the performances.
All performances will be held in the Performance Studio, Building D, room 105 on the UFV Abbotsford campus.
For more info, please email soca@ufv.ca or contact Jocelyn Thiessen at jocelyn.thiessen@ufv.ca.