The Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies (CDTPS) proudly presents its 2026 Mainstage production, Kostroma, a gripping new play by acclaimed playwright and CDTPS alum Polly Phokeev, directed by the award-winning actor, playwright and dramaturge Beatriz Pizano, and performed by students in the DRM403 Mainstage Performance course. The production runs from March 5 to 8, 2026 at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse.
Set in a surreal, post-communist landscape, Kostroma unfolds as a fever dream of politics, family, and collective memory. The play follows a woman attempting to organize a fair election within an absurd autocratic regime, a family struggling to reconcile at the end of the world, and a fractured community searching for meaning after a failed revolution. Populated by ghosts, executioners, bureaucrats, and even chickens, the world of Kostroma is playful, unsettling, and deeply political.
For student actor Japneet Kaur, the role of Simon has been defined by strategy, power, and ambiguity. “Simon is a strategist who has built a strong footing and influence, and holds power to sway the scale of the civil war to the side of his choosing—that is if they accept his deal,” they explain. “Simon knows how the game is played… he’s a prince that strategizes to come out on top.”
Japneet describes navigating Simon’s political and personal stakes as one of the most rewarding challenges of the process. “We learn about Simon, the prince, more than we do of Simon, the person,” they say. “Understanding him through the few intimate moments in the script has been an insightful process for me.”
Collaboration has been central to shaping their performance. “Over the table-work process, my fellow actors have helped me grow in my understanding of the questions I ask to know my character,” Japneet shares. “Their dedication and commitment make me want to give my best every rehearsal.”
Reflecting on the broader impact of the work, Japneet hopes audiences leave with a sense of political urgency. Quoting the play, they note, “We need to acknowledge there are fires… and it doesn’t benefit anybody to say they don’t exist.” They add, “In the fight against injustices, brutality and oppression, people are all we have, and there is no such thing as remaining ‘neutral’ in the face of fires.”
Another student actor navigating the emotional terrain of the play is Malcolm Crysler-Howard, who plays Stepan. He describes his character as “a lonely, kind boy” whose deepest desire is family. “The more I rehearse, and the more Bea guides me, the more I realize that Stepan is very angry,” he says. “He is angry because he’s been abandoned so many times.”
For Malcolm, one of the greatest challenges has been vocal and physical commitment. “Finding my voice has been the most challenging part of the process,” he explains. “It takes a lot of work and intention to be able to fully commit to a character for each moment.”
The intensity of Kostroma leaves little room for half-measures. “As an actor in this play, there is nowhere to hide,” Malcolm says. “The play and the characters demand full commitment, so it is very challenging and rewarding.”
After several months of rehearsal, Malcolm feels the play has become increasingly resonant. “It seems to reflect what’s happening in the world more and more,” he shares. “I hope we move the audience in a way that the news, social media and essays cannot.”
Supporting the cast throughout the process is DRM403 teaching assistant Yizhou Zhang, who has witnessed significant growth in the students’ stage presence and confidence. “What I find most remarkable is how much the students have learned to be present and truly fill the space,” Yizhou says. “They’ve learned to carry their presence not by reproducing an internal idea, but by actively responding to the dialogue, to other bodies, and to the space around them.”
While audiences see the final performance, much of the labour remains invisible. “We rehearse only for roughly two months leading up to opening night,” Yizhou notes. “But what often goes unseen is the entire fall term of preparatory work that precedes formal rehearsals, including ensemble-building, physical training, improvisation, and creative exploration.”
At the helm of the production is director Beatriz Pizano, whose expectations mirror professional rehearsal standards. “From the beginning of the term I emphasized the importance of being off book at the top of the rehearsal,” she says. “We came back from the break in January and on day one they were off book. That has allowed us to achieve so much in such little time.”
Pizano approaches student performers with the same rigour she brings to professional productions. “Students are at the beginning of a professional journey,” she explains. “You can’t think ‘acting,’ you have to do it.”
More than anything, Pizano hopes the rehearsal room models the kind of environment she once sought as an actor herself. “The greatest challenge and greatest freedom for me has been to be able to become the director that I've always wanted to encounter as an actor in a production,” she reflects. “Hopefully I am able to create a respectful and inspiring environment for artists to thrive.”
Looking ahead to opening night, Pizano expresses pride in the ensemble. “Each of them bring themselves into these roles to create unique multi-dimensional characters that make us laugh, cry, and think about ourselves in this world, in this moment in time.”
As the show prepares to meet its audience, Kostroma promises an experience that is both artistically ambitious and deeply relevant, running from March 5–8, 2026 at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, 79 St. George Street — visit Eventbrite to reserve your tickets.