Arts Academy Showcase 2026

Arts Academy Showcase 2026

THE HOOPIE GAMES

13 October – 18:00 to 19:00

An Evening of Theatre Sports

Get ready for a night of fast-paced games, unexpected challenges and completely unscripted theatre!

The Hoopie Games brings the UJ Arts Academy Drama class to the stage for an evening of Theatre Sports — where performers compete in a series of improvised theatrical games, creating scenes, characters and stories on the spot. There is no script, no set formula and very little time to think!

With the audience helping to shape the action, teams will be challenged to think quickly, work together and turn the unexpected into comedy, drama and theatrical chaos.

Come cheer for your favourite team, throw them a challenge and see what happens when anything can happen.

CLOSE ENOUGH (Drama)

13 October – 19:00 to 20:00

Close Enough explores the tension between our longing for connection and the distance we create through family dynamics, social media, personal boundaries, and the spaces we occupy:

1. Connection - The human need to be seen, known and loved

2. Distance - The spaces we intentionally or unintentionally create between ourselves and Others.

Close Enough combines movement, ensemble work, visual storytelling, and monologues to tell the story of people searching for connection in a world that often settles for “close enough.”

Through the language of the body, the production reveals the moments we witness but rarely acknowledge the hesitation before a hug, the silence around the dinner table, the endless scrolling, and the invisible walls we build to protect ourselves. The monologues give voice to the thoughts left unspoken, exposing the fears, hopes, and longing that live beneath the surface.

Close Enough invites audiences to reflect on the relationships in their own lives, asking a simple but confronting question: When did we become satisfied with being close enough instead of truly connected?

THE CHOICE (Drama)

14 October – 18:00 to 18:45

Every day, we make choices. Big ones, small ones and the ones we make without thinking twice. But what happens when one little decision sends everything in a completely different direction?

The Choice takes a playful look at the twists, turns and unexpected consequences that come with having the freedom to choose. Because sometimes, the smallest choice can change everything.

FALSE EUPHORIA (Drama)

14 October – 19:00 to 20:00

False Euphoria explores the fragile line between love and possession, the illusion of perfection, and the messy, non-linear journey of healing, asking what happens when private pain becomes public chaos.

In a therapy room where private pain is supposed to stay hidden, a couple's toxic love unravels, until a waiting room full of fractured families invades the session, unleashing chaos.

An alcoholic father hiding an unspeakable sin. A brother watching his sister drown in addiction. Four siblings fighting over a dead parent's inheritance. A successful businessman who locked his disabled son away.

As voices collide in a symphony of pain, a therapist on the verge of her own breaking point must find the strength to remind them all: healing isn't a destination. It's a journey. And sometimes, even false euphoria is a step toward something real.

ASH & HONEY (Ballet)

15 October – 18:10 to 18:40

An exploration of Themes from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

This showcase is an array of original works centred on the arc of love: celebration, devotion, and loss.

Drawing from the timeless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, we invite you on a journey that mirrors the original story while speaking in a new voice. Romance ignites, joy erupts, and grief unfolds — all through the language of ballet.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME (Dance)

15 October – 19:00 to 20:00

African American Slavery.

This production explores the experiences of African people who were enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade and the lasting impact of their resilience on music, dance, and culture. Despite enduring forced labour and unimaginable hardship, enslaved communities used song, dance, and worship as powerful forms of expression, healing, resistance, and hope.

The performance traces how these traditions evolved over time, highlighting their profound influence on contemporary music, dance, and freedom of artistic expression.

POETRY SLAM FINAL

16 October – 17:30 to 18:30

WHEN I MEET MYSELF (Poetry)

16 October – 18:45 – 20:00

When I Meet Myself is a poetic exploration of self-reflection, identity, memory, and the quiet journey of becoming. Featuring original works developed throughout the 2026 UJ Arts Academy Poetry Programme, the showcase celebrates moments of self-discovery, vulnerability, healing, and growth, inviting audiences to reflect on the ever-evolving nature of the self.