Inside look at the Motyer-Fancy Theatre’s new season, plus upcoming student opportunities
Even as the school year winds down, the Motyer Fancy Theatre (MFT) is only getting started! On March 9, the drama and screen studies faculty unveiled their 2026–27 season, “MFT Unhinged,” a lineup of four mainstage productions set to push creative boundaries and embrace the beautifully chaotic spirit of theatre and life!
The season kicks off in October, and the MFT welcomes back the student variety show! Act-Oberfest is described by @dramamta on instagram as a “one night only” student variety show, set to highlight “drag, scenes, songs, monologues, masks, puppets – you name it.” Act-oberfest is set to act as “a high energy, easy commitment to start the semester,” allowing students to participate in a performance, without the pressure of long term time commitments.
Next, instructor in applied theatre, Valmai Goggin, sets to bring Love and Information by Caryl Churchill to the MFT stage. In November 2026, Goggin will direct this “deeply unconventional look at modern (dis)connection,” according to an Instagram press release. The show is described by the post as featuring “an ensemble cast [that] performs over 100 characters,” with each character providing “micro-glimpses at conversations that range from the mundane to the sublime.” The show features clipped dialogue set to exemplify the complexity of modern communication, through a lens of “part thoughtful reflection” and “part TikTok doomscroll.” Audiences can expect a play that considers both “how and why we engage.”.
After the overwhelming success of Nocturnal Variations: A Puppet Cabaret, resident designerIan McFarlane is back with another piece of devised theatre. Observing Blackbirds is set to take the stage in February of 2027, and is described as a “interdisciplinary collaboration with Mt.A Music and Fine Arts” says Drama Mt.A. The piece will feature a combination of “movement, music, and visual art,” highlighting the vast talents and disciplines of Mt.A students. The post continues stating “this new creation piece will contemplate the multitudes that arise from intentional observation of the living world.” Students can look forward to ‘embarking on a devised process that employs music as a narrative force.”
Finally, the “unhinged” season will close with a MFT directorial debut from McCain Postdoctoral Fellow, Stephanie Dotto. Pontypool will take the MFT stage in March of 2027, welcoming new artist opportunities for both actors and designers. The play is staged “from the not-so-safe confines of a small to radio station.” This “Canadian cult classic” is described by the media release as an “existential crisis drenched in zombie B-movie gore,” making audiences question “is this a biological virus? Or something even more insidious?”
Along with the season, the drama and screen department announced dates and details regarding opportunities for students to participate in both auditions and independent studies within the program’s season. Students can apply for independent studies in acting, directing, assistant directing, stage management, costuming, make-up and many more! Furthermore, the department is hosting general auditions on April 1 and April 6, with more audition opportunities to follow next semester.
Make sure to stay up to date on all the drama departments unhinged happenings by following their instagram (@dramamta) and checking out the call board outside the theatre for posters!