High school
Future art legends are pulling up to Nextfest! Probably running on pure adrenaline, late-night creativity, and 3 hours of sleep.
Don’t miss six showcases from High School artists already making the main stage look easy!
Set A: nextfest high school cabaret
curated by Jennifer Peebles
mentored by jennifer peebles, jayce mckenzie, camryn bauer, michael demeon, and ashtyn sample
Lorne Cardinal Theatre @ The Roxy
Saturday, June 6 at 10:00 am
Saturday, June 13 at 3:00 pm
featuring NORA KOVACS, GWYNETH OZAR, ELLIS VAN HEES (ELLIS DEE), CASEY YOUNG, HANA AL-BATTAINEH, AYLIE MOHR, AND ISABELLE O’FLAHERTY
Mc’d by the glorious Ellis Dee, this pocket of fun comes complete with stand up comedy, poetry readings, music and dance. A must see for the eclectic in all of us.
Set B: never AS IT SEEMS
Lorne Cardinal Theatre @ The Roxy
Saturday, June 6 at 10:00 am
Saturday, June 13 at 3:00 pm
only on the moon
written and directed by isabella silva elisworth
featuring Remy-Georgette Pare, Holly Renee Ross, Narai Santiago, Belle Newall, Chelsea Doruiter, Ritz Danielle Bugayong, Uma Bhambhani, Sebastian Montanez Lopez, Orion Labare, Nova Oliver-Loyer, Erik Clarke
Could you figure out if someone you loved had their consciousness replaced? It’s June 20th 1969, the day of the moon landing. When Norman arrives at Gwendolyn’s house, he is acting unlike himself. You could almost call his behavior ‘unhuman’. Gwendolyn must grapple with her destiny and Norman’s otherworldly new personality. Only on the moon could you find another quirky, heart warming, Irish drama like this!
saudade and doe
written and directed by ivy degagné
featuring Lucy Hanson, Waylon Sabourin, Augustus Williams, and Elliott DeGagné
How far can you run from it before you’re found dead on the side of the road? On a day meant for forgiveness and gratitude, Clara exiles herself to an endless loop of grief and paralysis. When her brother Owen finds her, he must carry both her pain and his own, struggling with the presence of something neither can bring back.
Content warnings: Death/Dying
coffee and its side effects
written and directed by skylar reynard
featuring link kossowan, connor williams, thomas bishop, audrina rust
What happens when a barista serves coffee to customers who display… increasingly strange side effects after drinking it?
Set C: the decisions we make
Lorne Cardinal Theatre @ The Roxy
Sunday, June 6 at 2:00 pm
Sunday, June 13 at 11:00 am
a warning
written and directed by marina shenouda
featuring Neha Paul, Summer Maybank, Anabelle Casavant, Olwen Klug, Winter Semrok
An exploration of power and what happens when we allow it to be taken from us.
beauty and other vices
written and directed by jenna fritz
featuring Cassidy Foley, Gracie Ruch, Kendalea Franklin, Vienna Powers, Chantal Monus, Avroop Dhillon, Chloe Castro, Tawa Zilinski, Eleanor Mullins, Taijha Lynch, Sadie McElhatton, Jaxine Bautista, Mia Raposo, Mariia Khomenko
A retelling of the Greek myth of Helen of Troy, showing how Aphrodite convinces Helen to leave Sparta and Menelaus to be with Paris.
Please note that ‘Beauty and Other Vices’ only plays for one performance on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
Content warning: Adult Language / Adult Content, Blood, Bullying / Derogatory Language, Death / Dying, Kidnapping / Abduction, Religious Content, Self-Harm, Sexism / Misogyny, Sexual Assault, Sexual Content, Sexual Violence, Suicide / Suicide Ideation, Verbal Abuse, Violence
who’s kids are these anyhow?!
featuring Jack Ferguson, Isabella Cumbrina, Sienna Grimard, Adilaide Harvey, Aden Mohamed Amare, Louise Madanguit, Epiphany Grace Jumamoy, Mateo Diokno, Felix Stepney
A group of improv students from across the city, join together to do a ‘Who’s Line is it Anyhow’ style show, with points and a special prize awarded.
Please note that ‘Who Are These Kids Anyhow?!’ only plays for one performance in this program on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
Set D: it’s all greek!
Lorne Cardinal Theatre @ The Roxy
Sunday, June 7 at 11:00 am
Sunday, June 14 at 1:00 pm
hypnos
by maegyn lunn
directed by carly butters
featuring Maegyn Lunn, Kendelea Franklin, Lily Murray, Chantal Monus, Anneka Van Egdon, Keerat Sarwara, Taijha Lynch, Jaxine Bautista, Carly Butters, Cassidy Foley, Leopold McGloin-Brown, Ashton Yochim
A retelling of the Greek mythology of Hypnos. A story about the fragile structure of power, inequality among peers, and overcoming abusive authority figures.
Content warnings: Bullying / Derogatory Language, Death / Dying, Sexism / Misogyny, Verbal Abuse
mother of famine
written and directed by Keerat Sarwara
featuring Lily Murray, Maegyn Lunn, Chloe Talbert, Emma Markiwsky, Sadie McElhatton, Greta Smith, Leopold McGloin- Brown, Ashton Yochim, Mari Swystun- Jones
A retelling of the Persephone myth, as seen from the perspective of her mother, Demeter. The mother of spring. The mother of famine. To her and her daughter, the story is a far cry from the romantic adventure it has been twisted into over the centuries. For them, it is a story of misery. A misery that tonight, will beg for company.
Content warnings: Child Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Incest, Kidnapping / Abduction, Sexism / Misogyny, Sexual Assault, Sexual Content, Sexual Violence, Sudden Loud Noises, Loud Sounds, or Loud Music, Violence
Set E: the beginning and the end
Lorne Cardinal Theatre @ The Roxy
Sunday, June 7 at 1:00 pm
Sunday, June 14 at 11:00 am
are you looking up
written by and directed by Reva Vanier-Mullick
featuring Emma Byrne, Sophia Salamon, Maia Kelly, Nife Ogunkoye, Dwayne Wowk, Nahom Fantahun, Grace Sun, Hana Soltice, Anant Kaur
The end of the world is approaching, and Audrey Henderson hasn’t been home in three years. As tensions rise between her and her family, Audrey must try her best to mend their relationship before their time is up.
Content warnings: Adult Language / Adult Content, Child Abuse, Death / Dying, Emotional Abuse, Homophobia / Heterosexism, Sudden Loud Noises, Loud Sounds or Loud Music, Bright Lights, Trauma / PTSD, Verbal Abuse
Oh, The Humanity!
written and directed by Jacey Strem
featuring Aiden Brulotte, Alex Polanska, Ishan Sweeney, and Koi Gennings
Have you ever wondered who is responsible for all the beautiful creatures of the Earth? Wonder no longer as we meet the three creators—in office, on the job, watching diligently over their fauna. But what happens when a new species emerges that none of them can take the credit for?
Content warning: Mild Language
Set F: never before and never again!
Lorne Cardinal Theatre @ The Roxy
Thursday, June 4 at 6:00 pm
Thursday, June 11 at 6:00 pm
who’s kids are these anyhow?!
featuring Jack Ferguson, Isabella Cumbrina, Sienna Grimard, Adilaide Harvey, Aden Mohamed Amare, Louise Madanguit, Epiphany Grace Jumamoy, Mateo Diokno, Felix Stepney
A group of improv students from across the city, join together to do a ‘Who’s Line is it Anyhow’ style show, with points and a special prize awarded.
Dreamprov
featuring Hunter Lafleur, Casey Young, Jamila Isabedra, Bosco Tran, Levi Kooymen, Jake Patterson, Erik Cardinal, Liam Baden, William Lounsberry, Leslie Dean, Aryena Mani, Sienna Pao, Lewis Jones, Willow Lamoureux
Dreamprov, is a long form narrative improv show that explores the dreams and desires of characters through dream ballet. Dream ballet is a style of dance/musical theatre that portrays a characters inner fears, wants and conflicts through ensemble movement, and little dialogue.
