UpStart 25 – One Act Play Festival
Student written, directed, designed, and performed.
What is UpStart?
The UpStart festival is a juried one-act play festival hosted by the University of Waterloo Theatre and Performance program. All these plays are written, directed, and performed by students. They will be presented March 19th-22nd in the Theatre of the Arts. The UpStart project is part of the 2025 Capstone project, with five senior undergraduates from the University of Waterloo’s Theatre and Performance program making up the core of the creative team. The three shows that make up the festival are:
Utopia | Written by Joshua Barroso and Directed by Hanna Freitas
Set in the idyllic neighborhood of Utopia, the couple comprising of Charlotte and Beatty host a welcome dinner for Mary, a recent divorcee who has just moved next door. However, something is not right. Around the dinner table, Mary begins to wonder if something is afoot in her Utopia.
The Waiting Room | Written by Roza Tasneem and Directed by Jasmine Rajaballey
University roommates Dylan- a rich hopeless romantic, and Aamir- a chronic people pleaser, form an unlikely trio with Tee- their standoffish classmate, while trapped in a mysterious hospital waiting room. In this test of wit and impulse, they must confront old wounds while waiting to treat new ones.
Hell Weeks | Written by Kye Stevenson Hatayama and Talia Dmitrienko and Directed by Kye Stevenson Hatayama
A university student, Olivia, receives an email from the devil, which gives her an ultimatum that the devil made with the university: if she passes her exam, she will live, however if she fails, hell will claim her soul.
Tickets: General Public $15 | Students & Seniors $10 | Highschool Students $5
Venue: Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages Building, University of Waterloo
Location Information
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON, CA N2L 3G1
