ALCHEMY Festival of Student Work
March 23 - April 5, 2023
The Alchemy Festival of Student Work is back in full force this year with a wide range of offerings in dance, drama, music and interdisciplinary performance. Festival programming includes everything from work by senior students, representing the culmination of years of personal growth, to ‘hot-off-the-press’ productions from junior students in the early years of their creative journeys.
Alchemy is ‘an act of transmutation, a seemingly magical process for turning everyday materials into things of great worth.’ How better to capture the transformations that occur when talented students dive deep into advanced creation and performance?
Semiosis
Directed by Jenna Wadden & Ronan Paulhus
Thursday, March 23 - 6 p.m.
Friday, March 24 - 5 p.m.
University Theatre
To what extent does our relationship with one another impact our ability to converse? How will strangers communicate differently than acquaintances or close friends? “Semiosis” explores the development of a conversation as the relationship between the participants grows.
Audience Warnings: Sound and light
*Part of the Dance Double Bill performances
Catalyst
Choreography by Catherine Hayward
Thursday, March 23 - 6 p.m.
Friday, March 24 - 5 p.m.
University Theatre
In this piece, we played with reactions through the group and reinvention, with movement ideas reappearing in new ways, in the arms, backwards, jumping, with a partner. There's always a sense of being grounded, a tension in the physicality and surges of energy that connect to the music.
Audience Warnings: Sound and light
*Part of the Dance Double Bill performances
Tim Nguyen Co.
Dance@Night
Directed by Melissa Monteros
Friday, March 31 - 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 1 - 8 p.m.
University Theatre
Dance@Night presents the choreographic and directorial work of senior level Dance Majors in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at UCalgary.
A Monsters Calls
Directed by Steven Conde
Thursday, March 23 - 7 p.m.
Friday, March 24 - 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 25 - 2:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Reeve Theatre
A Monster Calls tells the story of Conor, a 13-year-old boy who is struggling to come to terms with his mother’s terminal illness. While confronting this challenge he is tormented by nightmares and one night he is visited by a monster from their old yew tree in the backyard. The monster returns nightly and haunts him with three tales. The fourth is one which Conor himself will have to share. A Monster Calls is a moving tale of love, loss and growing up.
Audience Warnings: Loud and thumping noises, flashing lights, violence and a scene with sexually suggestive act. This show contains material that deals with grief, loss, bullying and issues that may induce or trigger trauma. Suitable for ages 10 & up - adult supervision recommended.
The Floating World
Directed by Sebastian Rueda Montes
Wednesday, March 29 – 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 30 – 7 p.m.
Friday, March 31 – 7 p.m.
Reeve Theatre
From Calgary to Montreal, a young man is searching for meaning and purpose. When he meets an enigmatic older woman he thinks he's found what he's looking for. However, she has a secret that will transform his journey.
Audience Warnings: Subject matter. Not suitable for young audiences.
*Part of the Double Bill performances
The Fog Experiments
Directed by Andy Roy
Wednesday, March 29 – 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 30 – 7 p.m.
Friday, March 31 – 7 p.m.
Reeve Theatre
A correctional facility that conducts ground-breaking research on the effects of experimental chemicals. Inmates, who are technically test subjects, "willingly" participate in the program with the hope of reducing their sentence time. The project is led by Big Boss and involves daily administration of a range of drugs that significantly affect the subjects' emotions and perception of their environment.
Audience Warnings: Fog and Mature content warning. Violence and blood.
*Part of the Double Bill performances
Susan's Dream Date
A musical comedy in development
By Grant Tilly
Directed by Christine Brubaker
Tuesday, April 4 – 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5 - 7 p.m.
University Theatre
Susan is on the perfect date… only to discover her dream date is actually a dream! Join Susan as her two subconscious allies lead her through the labyrinth of her mind, challenging Susan to address her unresolved issues of being a caregiver to an aging parent and guiding her towards the life she truly wants.
Audience Warnings: Mature themes
Tim Nguyen Co.
UCalgary Orchestra
Directed by Edmond Agopian
Thursday, March 23 - 8 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre
The University of Calgary Orchestra presents Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9 and César Franck's Symphony in D minor.
Chorus & Chamber Choir
Directed by Kathryn Parrotta
Friday, March 24 - 8 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre | live-stream
The UCalgary Chorus is our largest choir and provides an opportunity for all university students to be involved in a choral experience. The UCalgary Chamber Choir seeks to perform a broad range of repertoire, engage in collaborative projects, and develop partnerships with other artists and ensembles.
Tim Nguyen Co.
Chamber Music Ensemble
Directed by Edmond Agopian
Wednesday, March 29 - 12 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre
The Chamber Music Program at the University of Calgary offers a rich and varied experience for qualified performers regardless of instrument.
Tim Nguyen Co.
Guitar Ensemble
Directed by Ralph Maier
Wednesday, March 29 - 8 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre
UCalgary Guitar Ensemble presents an evening of music for classical guitar featuring solos, duets, trios, and quartets.
Wind Ensemble
Directed by Gareth Jones
Thursday, March 30 - 8 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre | live-stream
The University of Calgary Wind Ensemble has earned a reputation as one of the finest University groups of its kind in Canada and one of the principal international leaders in the field.
Land’s End Student Composers Concert
Saturday, April 1 - 4 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre
Join us for the world premiere performances of works written by students of the University of Calgary’s music composition program as part of the Land’s End Ensemble’s annual Student Composers’ Program.
Tim Nguyen Co.
World Music Ensemble
Directed by Rod Sequence
Monday, April 3 - 8 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre
UCalgary students will perform the music of cultures from throughout the world, some in very traditional forms, others in experimental combinations. They will draw from various traditions including Arab traditional music, Balinese theatrical and ceremonial music, Chinese song, Korean traditional music, Indian classical music, Bollywood film music, Japanese taiko drumming and Trinidadian steel drums.
Tim Nguyen Co.
Chamber Music Ensemble
Directed by Edmond Agopian
Tuesday, April 4 - 8 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre
The Chamber Music Program at the University of Calgary offers a rich and varied experience for qualified performers regardless of instrument.
Tim Nguyen Co.
Voice Lab
Directed by Laura Hynes
Wednesday, April 5 - 8 p.m.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre
Voice Lab will perform a program of staged opera and musical theatre scenes by Bizet, Offenbach, Mozart, Donizetti, Sondheim, Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, and more.