A Festival of Staged Play Readings featuring The Kaleidoscope Young Company
Bold stories. Brave voices. The next generation of theatre artists.
Next Stage celebrates the bold voices of tomorrow. As the final project of the Kaleidoscope Young Company Program, this staged reading festival showcases teenage artists from the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Studio performing thought-provoking, funny, and heartfelt plays about navigating high school, inner voices, social politics, family, and finding where you belong.
*Next Stage is a program of the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Studio and features teenage artists.
All readings take place at the Kaleidoscope Arts Centre and are followed by a facilitated discussion with the young artists.
Lainie and Mariam have it out for each other, so it’s no surprise when they finally come to violent blows in the middle of their high school’s drama room. That’s when Caddell Morris, an ex-professional actor and newly minted student teacher, steps in. By teaching the girls the art of stage combat, he hopes to help them understand more about the roots and costs of violence. But when he convinces the drama teacher to let them play Mercutio and Tybalt in their school production of Romeo and Juliet, swords, words, and egos battle and clash. Can Lainie and Mariam find a way to work together?
Running Time: Approximately 70 minutes with no intermission. The reading will be followed by a short talk back with the performers.
Voices follows three friends through what seems like an ordinary day at school, but they’re not alone. Tagging along are the voices in their heads, providing running commentaries, whispering worries, doubts, and not-so-kind thoughts about everything from what they’re wearing to what their friends really think. When the chatter gets louder and harder to ignore, the friends discover they’re all hearing the same kinds of voices. Together, they learn to support one another, question those thoughts, and figure out which ones to trust and which ones to let go.
Running Time: The full reading of 3 plays will run approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. The readings will be followed by a short talk back with the performers.
Beth, Hilfor, and Aloe don’t quite fit in at school. They’re baffled by sports, still wrestling with basic math, and seem oddly unfamiliar with the way things are usually done on planet… well, Earth. Some kids swear they must be from somewhere else entirely. When notorious troublemaker Kyler is assigned to work with the weird trio in math class, a chain of very strange mishaps follows, culminating in one unforgettable trip to the principal’s office.
Running Time: The full reading of 3 plays will run approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. The readings will be followed by a short talk back with the performers.
Saturday March 7th at 2:00pm
This play is part of TRIPLE BILL – a reading of 3 short plays.
It’s lunchtime at Westdale Secondary School and the Campaign to Re-elect Sydney Porier as student council president is in crisis. After Sydney has an unfortunate altercation with opponent Arnold Wong, the school is outraged, social media is abuzz, the vice principal might become involved – unless Sydney apologizes. The only trouble is, Sydney does not feel sorry. At all. Can the student council find a way to spin this situation and save the election?
Running Time: The full reading of 3 plays will run approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. The readings will be followed by a short talk back with the performers.
Sunday March 8th at 2:00pm
Danny, King of the Basement tells the story of 10-year-old Danny “Delco” Carter. Danny is the “king of moving.” In two years, he and his Mum have lived in more places than most kids lose teeth. But despite this instability, Danny appears to be thriving. He can pack his bags faster than it takes to tie a shoelace. He can make a friend in a morning and a best friend in a day. When Danny moves into a basement apartment on Clinton Street, the kids he meets seem to have way more problems than just being hungry. Penelope’s parents won’t talk to each other. Angelo’s Dad sounds like a dinosaur. but Danny’s imaginative play creates a community that allows his friends to cope with their problems and ultimately to help Danny – because Danny’s crisis isn’t losing a home. It’s gaining one.
Running Time: Approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. The reading will be followed by a short talk back with the performers.
Welcome to the Next Stage Play Reading Festival — a vibrant celebration of the return of the Kaleidoscope Young Company under the direction of Shea O'Connor.
This weekend festival marks the culmination of months of rigorous training, creative exploration, and ensemble-building. Our Young Company artists have immersed themselves in complex, contemporary plays that examine identity, rivalry, friendship, imagination, and the pressures of growing up. Through the focused lens of a staged reading, these teenage performers invite you to lean in, listen closely, and engage deeply with story and character.
At its heart, Next Stage is about voice — discovering it, strengthening it, and sharing it with courage. We are proud to showcase these emerging artists as they step forward with clarity, conviction, and generosity. Thank you for being here to witness their work and to support the next generation of theatre makers.
- Pat Rundell, Executive & Artistic Director
Welcome to the Next Stage Teen Play Reading Festival featuring the Kaleidoscope Young Company, presented by the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Studio. This festival celebrates the culmination of the 2025-2026 Young Company program, and the hard work and dedication of these talented young artists. Over the past several weeks, this ensemble has worked together to explore meaningful stories, and create dynamic characters.
This year’s program has centered on Canadian theatre. The plays featured in this festival are drawn from the Canadian canon highlighting a diverse range of voices and perspectives from across the country. In curating this festival, I sought stories that would both challenge our actors and celebrate the depth and diversity of Canadian playwriting.
Running through all five plays is a shared theme of friendship and connection, reminding us that we are often more alike than different. I am incredibly proud of this ensemble’s courage, collaboration, and heart. Thank you for joining us and supporting these young artists.
- Shea O'Connor, Education Director & Young Company Director
