The Upstart Festival is a bi-annual one act play festival run by UWaterloo Drama students presenting original and innovative works of theatre. This year all 8 shows have been produced, directed and acted by UWaterloo students with seven out of the eight plays being original works. Upstart 14 featured a wide range of performance styles including comedy, drama, movement-based theatre and commedia dell’arte.
Trailer
- The First by William Innes is a collaboration of music and bodies, exploring the highs and lows of potential love (winner 2013 TSU 8-Hour Playwrighting Contest).
- Less than Three by Jackie Mahoney is an exploration of the endless list of questions we have about love. Told through the use of true stories, it is a reminder that when it comes to love, sometimes the best answer is one that ends with another question mark.
- Crows in Dream Time (the Biggest Murder) by Sam Beuerle is a work of highly physical and text-based theatre, exploring the way dreams and thoughts can be portrayed on the stage.
- Signs of Life by Derek McGill follows Brock, who seems to have no positive outlook on his awkward teenage life. But all he really needs is just a good lesson in driving, a bit of confidence, and to learn to follow the signs: the signs of life!
- Post Its (Notes on a Marriage) is an adaptation by Tyler Collins featuring two lives that have intersected with one another through their families, friends, and lifestyle over the last fifty years. The only consistent means of communication between them, however, has been Post-It sticky notes.
- Fake Plastic Trees by Alan Shonfield is a play about semantics, metaphors, Hamlet, Keanu Reeves, love and Margaret Atwood.
- The Testimony of Sister Veronica by Laura McVey follows a young nun at the height of the Spanish Inquisition who claims to have received visions of Christ commanding her to dissolve her convent and go out into the wider world to preach.
Testimony of Sister Veronica - Carleigh MacDonald & Rebecca Birrell
Less Than Three - Carla Rodrigo & Mara Haasnoot
Crows in Dream Time - Emma Mann & Jenn Addesso (On Bed), Sam Mercury, Jasmine Saleh and Carla Rodrigo (Crows)
Fake Plastic Trees - Zach Parsons & Michelle Kestle
Post its - Notes on a Marriage - Katie Smith
Post its - Notes on a Marriage - Adam Lemieux
The First - Jasmine Saleh & Ryan Robinson-Hatton
Crows in Dream Time - Jenn Addesso & Emma Man
Bambino - Megan Rucurean
Signs of Life - Adam Winchester
Signs - William Innes & Adam Winchester
The First - Jasmine Saleh & Ryan Robinson-Hatton
Bambino - Mara Haasnoot
Testimony of Sister Veronica - Carleigh MacDonald & Rebecca Birrell
Less Than Three - Carla Rodrigo & Mara Haasnoot
Crows in Dream Time - Emma Mann & Jenn Addesso (On Bed), Sam Mercury, Jasmine Saleh and Carla Rodrigo (Crows)
Fake Plastic Trees - Zach Parsons & Michelle Kestle
Post its - Notes on a Marriage - Katie Smith
Post its - Notes on a Marriage - Adam Lemieux
The First - Jasmine Saleh & Ryan Robinson-Hatton
Crows in Dream Time - Jenn Addesso & Emma Man
Bambino - Megan Rucurean
Signs of Life - Adam Winchester
Signs - William Innes & Adam Winchester
The First - Jasmine Saleh & Ryan Robinson-Hatton
Bambino - Mara Haasnoot
Testimony of Sister Veronica - Carleigh MacDonald & Rebecca Birrell
Winter 2014 Production
Performances: February 6-8, & 13-15, 2014
Matinees: February 8 & 15, 2014
Venue: Hagey Hall 180, Humanities Building
Festival Production Team
Production Manager - Janelle Rainville
Technical Director - Gill Lesperance
Instructor - Paul Cegys
Production Stage Manager - Jane Honek
Assistant Technical Director, Lighting Designer - Hilary Pitman
Head of Publicity - William Innes
Head of Wardrobe - Sharon E. Secord
Festival Crew - Jessica Blondin, Carly Derderian, Clare Flood, Mollie Garrett, Zac Gungl, Mark Haasnoot, Cameron Jolliffe, Andrew Labre, Meghan Landers, Mar Lyon, Kara Nagel, Alan Shonfield, Sydney Spidell, Alice Wang
Fake Plastic Trees
Writer, Director - Alan Shonfield
Stage Manager - Kelsey Sewell
Cast: Michelle Kestle, Zach Parsons, Greg Johnson
Crows in Dream Time
Writer/Director - Sam Beuerle
Stage Manager - Madeline Samms
Costumes Designer - Madeline Samms
Set Dresser - Madeline Samms
Props Designer - Madeline Samms
Sound Designer, Musician - John Cross
CAST:
Murder Member - Jasmine Saleh
Murder Member - Carla Rodrigo
Dreamer - Emma Mann
Murder Member - Sam Mercury
Dreamer - Jenn Adesso
Less Than Three
Writer, Director - Jackie Mahoney
CAST:
Cal - Alan Shonfield
Robin - Carla Rodrigo
Harper - Emma Mann
Isabel - Jessica Blondin
Sebastian - Mara Haasnoot
Grant - Ryan Bassett
The First
Director - William Innes
Stage Manager - Zac Gungl
Musician - Zach Parsons
CAST: Jasmine Selah, Ryan Robinson-Hatton
The Testimony of Sister Veronica
Writer, Director - Laura McVey
Stage Manager - Michael To
CAST:
Sister Cristina - Carleigh McDonald
Sister Luisa - Celena Alcock
Father Olmos - John Cross
Sister Veronica - Rebecca Birrell
Father Barras - Ryan Robinson-Hatton
Sam Mercury - Mother Superior
Signs of Life
Writer, Director, Sound Designer - Derek McGill
CAST:
Brock - Adam Winchester
Caroline - Meghan Landers
Hampton - Michael To
Dave - William Innes
Post-Its (Notes on a Marriage)
Director, Adapter - Tyler Collins
Producer - James Brown
Producer - Cathy Haymen
CAST: Adam Lemieux, Katie Smith
Bambino
Writer - Kelly Hornung
Director - Ryan Bassett
Costume Designer - Mark Haasnoot
CAST:
Il Capitano - Adam Benninger
Ottavio - Kaustav Haldar
Pantalone - Kelly Conlan
Ariecchino - Mara Haasnoot
Il Dottore - Tyler Collins
Columbina - Megan Rucurean
Angelica - Jenn Adesso
Special thanks to
Peter Carette
Nadia Ursaki
Zach Parsons
Carleigh MacDonald
Katie Honek
Mark Haasnoot
Tori-Day Hamilton
Shaw Forgeron