Student Festivals

Hart House Theatre proudly hosts a yearly Student Festival Season, produced alongside executive members of Hart House U of T Student Groups. These Festivals are an avenue to provide performance groups on campus with the opportunity to present their work on the historic Hart House stage while providing a level playing field of opportunity for U of T Students.

The Hart House U of T Drama Festival Monologue Competition is a virtual submission and live performance event intended to provide all U of T students with a platform to share and promote their enthusiasm for creativity, storytelling and theatrical performance. The Competition supplies U of T students with the opportunity to become engaged in campus theatre while offering a vehicle to advance the quality of co-curricular theatre at the University of Toronto, without having to commit to a full-length production. This Competition is a companion piece to the yearly Winter Term U of T Drama Festival which takes place on the historic Hart House Theatre Stage.

1. Can I submit a previously used self-tape? You may submit a piece previously submitted for past self-tapes auditions. You also may submit a piece you have previously performed, however, the submitted video may not have been used for another public presentation.
2. Can I submit a monologue that contains coarse language or potentially triggering themes? Yes. Please indicate any content warnings your piece may have in your form submission.
3. Can I submit a monologue even if I cannot make the live performance date? Yes, however, your entry would forfeit any eligibility for the live performance round. You would only maintain eligibility for the Award of Merit, which is award to one submission that does not perform in the showcase.
4. Can I submit as a U of T alumni? No. This opportunity is only for current U of T students. Although our Competitions are not open to Alumni and Community Members, we have other programming that is! Check out last year's Musical Theatre Slam page to ready yourself for this upcoming event!

Presented by Hart House Theatre and the U of T Festival of Music Executive

Hart House Theatre proudly hosts our inaugural music festival–The Hart House U of T Festival of Music (FoM). This new festival will provide music groups and individuals on campus the opportunity to perform on stage for an audience. With such an abundance of music groups associated with U of T, participation in the festival is a great opportunity for music groups to interact, collaborate and promote their own work and ventures.

1. Who is eligible to participate? Music groups and individuals. Each performance piece must have a direct association with the University of Toronto (Student/Staff/Faculty/Alumni). Current Students will be prioritized. 
2. Is there an audition? No. Musicians and singers of all experience levels are encouraged to submit to the festival.  Submissions are completed through an online form. 
3. What is the festival timeline? Submissions are due November 1. Acceptance is confirmed in late November. Technical rehearsals and performances are in mid-January. 
4. Can I perform in more than one piece? Yes, but the number of submissions allowed per person is determined yearly based on the overall number of submissions. Once equal performance opportunities are created, the remaining spaces are divided among the additional submissions.   
5. Who do I contact if I have questions or want to get involved? The team for the Festival of Music can be reached at: [email protected] 

Presented by Hart House Theatre and the U of T Drama Coalition

Every February, original student-written one-act plays compete for six coveted awards during this adjudicated festival.

The Hart House U of T Drama Festival has spawned numerous performers who have gone on to become stars of stage and screen: Ted Follows, David Gardner, Don Harron, Arthur Hiller, William Hutt and Donald Sutherland–to name a few. Over 80 years since its inception in 1936, and since Trevor Rines resurrected it in 1993, the U of T Drama Festival has provided a high-profile showcase for up-and-coming theatrical talent, as well as an accessible avenue for U of T students to perform and direct on the historic Hart House Theatre stage. 

Since 2002, the Drama Festival has only accepted original student-written plays, serving as a much-needed showcase for talented U of T playwrights.

The final evening concludes with a public awards ceremony where participants are recognized for their outstanding contributions.

For reference: THE HART HOUSE U OF T DRAMA FESTIVAL 2024 INFORMATION PACKAGE.

1. Who is eligible to participate? University of Toronto students within one calendar year of graduation.  Most of the participating groups are member of the U of T Drama Coalition. Independent groups are encouraged to apply, however, there are costs associated with participating.

2. What is the Festival Timeline? Submissions are due in January. Technical rehearsals and performances are in February.

3. Can a group submit more than one play?  Yes, but the number of submissions allowed per group is determined yearly based on the overall number of submissions. We want to create equal opportunity and then the remaining space is divided among the additional submissions.  

Who do I contact if I have questions or want to get involved? The team for the Drama Festival can be reached at: [email protected]

Presented by Hart House Theatre and the U of T Festival of Dance

Hart House Theatre proudly hosts Canada’s largest university dance festival–The Hart House U of T Festival of Dance (FoD). Created in 1995 as an avenue to provide dance groups on campus the opportunity to perform on stage for an audience, the Festival of Dance has now grown into a celebration of the diversity and prosperity of the U of T dance community.  Past events have included over 60 different dance pieces, well over 200 performers and an impressive variety of dance forms including jazz, ballet, ballroom, modern, contact improv, hip-hop, musical theatre, Irish, Latin, and Egyptian belly dancing, just to name a few. With such an abundance of dance groups associated with U of T, participation in the festival is a great opportunity for dance groups to interact, collaborate and promote their own work and ventures.

Check out THE HART HOUSE U OF T FESTIVAL OF DANCE 2024 INFORMATION PACKAGE.

1. Who is eligible to participate? Dance groups and individuals but each performance piece must have a direct association with the University of Toronto (Student/Staff/Faculty/Alumni).

2. Is there an audition? No. Dancers and choreographers of all experience levels are encouraged to submit to the festival.  Submissions are completed through an online form.

3. What is the festival timeline? Submissions are due in January. Acceptance is confirmed in February. Technical rehearsals and performances are in late March/early April.

4. Can I dance/choreograph more than one piece? Yes, but the number of submissions allowed per person is determined yearly based on the overall number of submissions. We want to create equal opportunity and then the remaining space is divided among the additional submissions.  

5. Who do I contact if I have questions or want to get involved?  The team for the Festival of Dance can be reached at: [email protected] and watch past FoD Season Trailers on YouTube.