Verdi's most famous opera, often staged with a company of 200 singers, is reimagined for a talented cast of 2 men. The epic story of love and loyalty gets a serious downsize in this wacky and outlandish version directed by multi-award winner, Greg Homann. With inventive staging and the strong vocal talent from Clint Lesch and Len-Barry Simons, Aida Abridged is a fresh and fun take on an operatic classic.

Performer/s: Clint Lesch & Len-Barry Simons

Director: Greg Homann

Written By: Giuseppe Verdi(music) & Antonio Ghislanzoni(libretto)

Adapted By: Clint Lesch (music) and Greg Homann (Libretto)

Dates: 26 July @ 20:30 28 July @ 20:15 29 July @ 16:30

Venue: Downstairs

Running Time: 75 min

Age Restriction: none

Bucket List is an original play written by and featuring Avril Cummins, and directed by Ryan Dittmann (ZikkaZimba Productions). It is highly portable and perfect for schools. Avril Cummins plays a string of characters in this zany one-hander. Nora is a wash-out, stuck in a rut in her monotonous life. Then, the shocking discovery that she has only 13 days left to live catapults her into rediscovering how to live, and maybe even how to love… The show features an improvised section, where audience suggestions are incorporated into Nora's unfolding bucket list.

Performer/s: Avril Cummins

Director: Ryan Dittman

Written and designed: Avril Cummins

Dates: 19 July @ 19:30 21 July @20:00 28 July @ 15:00

Venue: Amphitheatre

Running Time: 60 min

Age Restriction: none

UJ Arts & Culture (a division of FADA) is proud to present CHOIR BOY which follows a group of young, black students at a school for boys as they struggle with issues of identity and sexuality. Pharus is the vivid central character, a bright-eyed, smart and enthusiastic student. His pride in singing the school anthem at the graduation ceremony, is sullied by the gay slurs hissed at him from one of his fellow students in the audience. Pharus may not speak of his sexuality, but he's not really hiding this beaming light under a bushel, either. The action begins as he refuses to divulge the name of the boy who taunted him, maintaining that this would be a breach of the school's honor code. Even under the threat of expulsion, Pharus insists on behaving "as a man should," but Pharus also knows that he can exact his own private revenge. Gospel music is a tradition as old as the school itself, and that tradition is embodied in its choir, where Pharus stands out and is different without fear - because he's the choir's best. As leader of the choir, he has the power to decide who can and cannot sing. In the choir's first school year meeting, after a few tart exchanges, the boy whom he believes humiliated him, Pharus flares into righteous mode and kicks Bobby out.

Performers : Renos Spanoudes Lebohang Motaung Jack Mabokachaba Muneyi Masibigiri Gilvio Phiri Lulama Damba Phumelelelo Ngidi

Writer: Tarell Alvin McCraney

Director: Tshego Khutsoane

Assistant Director & Production coordinator: Ayanda Bulose Executive

Producer: Pieter Jacobs

Lighting Designer: Oliver Hauser

Date: 29 July@14:00

Venue: Downstairs

Running Time: 90 min

Age Restriction: 13

Devil at a Dead End "We are more than curves and dark holes to stuff your secrets. More than our clothes, that supposedly heightens your inhibitions. More than confirmation of your power and manhood.” The Devil at the Dead End is a devised production adapted from the short story by Miriam Tlali with the same title. It tells the story of a woman from Lesotho, who takes a journey by train to Johannesburg. A man, an intruder of her personal space, disrupts her journey. She has been violated. For the sake of her family, she is challenged to live as though her cabin on the train is keeping her safe. Her enforced inferior status as a black woman in South Africa keeps her a victim responsible for an assault against her. The Devil at the Dead End tells her story through the eyes of South African women who face the injustice of unheard sexual assault.

Performer/s: Khumo Baduza,Hira Lodhi,Thandolwethu Mulambo, Nokuthula Mabuza,Nambitha Tyelbooi, Vuyolwethu Majeke

Director: Kashifa Sithole

Writer: Mariam Tlali-Adapted by for Stage by Thandolwethu Mulambo aand Khumo Baduza

Produced By: Wits Theatre

Dates: 19&20 July @ 18:00 21 July @ 14:00 22 July @18:00 26 July @ 13:15 27 July @ 13:15 & 18:00 28 July @ 16:00

Venue: Nunnery

Running Time: 60 min

Age Restriction: 16 - sexual referencing

Amabali Amandulo tells the story of a village owned by women, a world where matriarchy is not questioned. The Story revolves around the Sithole family, a young man (S'thole) finds himself in a situation where he needs to obey the ancestors (foremothers) and continue to serve the living. He struggles with the much too common issue of a curse which threatens the growth of the surname. Will the Sithole family find a way of finding acceptance with the foremothers or will this cause more harm. The production is styled with an inclusion of poetry, songs and physical theatre dreamscape. The play primarily utilizes the body and voice as a mode of storytelling.

Performers: Nambitha Tyelbooi,Sibusiso Mkhize,Boitumelo Diale Vuyolwethu Madyibi, Ulemu Moyo, Moeketsi Kgotle

Director: Thembakuye Khumalo

Written By: Devised by the cast Set and Costume Design: Ntokozo Ndlovu

Lighting Designer: Hannah Van Tonder

Dates: 20 July @21:00 21 July @ 18:00 25 July @13:15

Venue: Downstairs

Running Time: 60 min

Age Restriction: PG

iPhupho L'ka Biko is a pan-Afrikan band, founded by Johannesburg based bassist and composer, Nhlanhla Ngqaqu. The band fuses traditional Afrikan music, gospel, jazz and classical music, critically seeking a spiritual awakening of the people. It's compositions draw influence and makes compositional references. iPhupho' - 'a dream' is a reference to a conception of God, the giver of life and the fulfiller of dreams in light of Afrikan aspirations.

Performers: Nhlanhla Ngqaqu, Thabo Matsime, Nkululeko Khumalo, Tshiamo Nkoane, Miseka Gaqa, Godfrey Mntambo, Muhammad Dawjee

Director: Nhlanhla Ngqaqu

Dates: 27 July 19:30

Venue: Main Theatre

Running Time: 75 min

Justin-Ray Stoffels has been on the comedy scene for just four years. This new kid on the block is destined for greatness. Born and raised in the sleepy hollow of Greytown, Justin-Ray moved to Cape Town after finishing high school, where he is making waves on the local comedy circuit. Inspired by greats like Chris Rock, Eddy Murphy, Louis CK and Richard Pryor, his energetic performances include stories about his countryside upbringing, his relationships, cultural observations and sidesplitting analysis on South African and International topics. Some of the highlights of this fresh talent's career include opening for Nic Rabinowitz, as well as placing in the top 5 in the 2015 Comedy Central Grab A Mic Competition. A regular at the Cape Town Comedy Club. He has also performed in Johannesburg at Lyric Theatre Gold Reef City. Justin-Ray says he finds comedy the ideal way to express himself creatively and to serve people through the power of laughter. His favorite performances to date include his gigs in Mitchell's Plain and at the Cape Town Comedy Club where he delivered his first few successful sets. I was first introduced to Justin-Ray by my friends at the Cape Town Comedy Club. Looking beyond his performance, the way he was received by the audience was absolutely mind-blowing, and I decided then and there that this young man needed to be on the Big Stage!" - Eddy Cassar, producer of the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival, delivered by Turkish Airlines.

Performer: Justin-Ray Stoffels

Director: Justin -Ray Stoffels

Written: Justin-Ray Stoffels

Lighting Designer: Justin-Ray Stoffels

Dates: 25 July @20:00 26 July @19:00 27 July @20:30

Venue: Amphitheatre

Running Time : 60 min

Age Restriction: 13

It is the story about four men who grew up together as boys. After many years in the world of jungle, pursuing their own careers, they reunite again to tell their tail. McGregor, Zero, Timza and Blaza have crossed each other's path and leads to arguments, fights and hatred and now they are trying to reconcile as old time friends

Performer: Leroy Ndebele,Kealeboga Matshego, Ephraim Matlala, Thabo Mokwena

Director: George Benson Mabatle

Written : Sello Maake Ka Ncube

Designed: Tumelo Mokhele

Lighting Designer: Jord Mckensie

Dates: 21 July @ 16:00 28 July @ 19:00 29 July @ 17:00

Venue: Amphitheatre

Running Time: 60 min

Age Restriction: 16

Vuselela tells the story of a father who leaves his village in search of his daughter whom he had sent away many years ago to on a mission in the big city. His departure from the village is prompted by the number of years in which Buntu has not returned home, and the things that have begun to happen in the village that she was sent out to eradicate. During his search, scenarios of the brutal ways in which his daughter could have died, confront him. He is yet to find out if she is dead or alive.

Performer: Melissa Bambie, Abongile "Maurice"Matyutyu, Lihle Dlamini,Ivan Andre,kgomotso Nkomo,Sandile Mazibuko,Luck Malebogo Mqoboli, Gugu Dlamini,Musawenkosi Mhlope, Zazi Kunene,Sibusiso Mkhize, Bathandwa Mbobo,Thembile Tshuma

Director: Bongiwe Mazibuko & Bongukwazi Xulu

Written and designed: Bongiwe Mazibuko

Lighting Designer: Ntokozo Ndlovu

Dates: 19 July @ 21:00 25 July @ 18:00 29 July @19:45

Venue: Downstairs

Running Time: 60 min

Age Restriction: PG

Women. Leadership. Wisdom. Society predominately celebrates male leaders. When the celebration of women is done, it is often done in the shadow of the male figures 'associated' with the women. Queen of Sheba hopes to open dialogue about how women have continually asserted themselves as leaders throughout history to the present day. For today, women are in great management positions, have attained great academic qualifications and have thrived various forms of governance and yet their role in families, societies is recognized only on whom they gave birth to, for whom they give birth for and to whom they are 'associated'.

Performer: Thandiwe Sekhibane

Director: Thandiwe Sekhibane

Written By: Thandiwe Sekhibane

Costume and Set Design: University of Johannesburg- Arts and Culture

Lighting Designer: University of Johannesburg - Arts and Culture

Music: Coenraad Rall

Dates: 20 July @ 19:00 22 July @ 15:00 27 July @ 19:00

Venue: Amphitheatre

Running Time: 30 min

Age Restriction: none

Set in democratic South Africa, the play focuses on Goodman Moswaswi who is one of South Africa's highly ranked police offices. As a young black man in the late 80s and early 90s, Moswaswai was an activist who was working for The People Must Govern in order to help topple the oppressive apartheid regime. Moswaswi was betrayed by his own. He becomes bitter and angry. He then joined the security police as an Askari and was "warmly" welcomed by the force. He is promised a better life and a promotion high within the ranks, grooming him to become a killing machine. Moswaswi finds himself being tortured, beaten and made to watch the brutality his own people suffered at the hands of the apartheid regime. His sustained torture resulted in severe head injuries, which led to schizophrenia. The Last Respect follows Comrade Moswaswi as he battles with schizophrenia and loses touch with reality. He is constantly haunted by the atrocities of the past and the role he played in dreadful regime and by MmaKgotso's shadow - a widow to one of the Marikana miners. He is also haunted by an unsure political future, while battling to keep his family together, to ease his conscious and please his masters. In his condition, what would he choose: his survival or his dignity

Performer/s: Michael Mazibuko

Director: Bongukwazi Xulu

Written By: Michael Mazibuko,Xolani Dlamini, Fumani Mabogoane

Producer: Fumani Mabogoane

Costume and Set Design: Sinenhlanhla Zwane

Dates: 20 July @ 19:30 21 July @ 21:00 26 July@ 21:00

Venue: The Nunnery

Running Time: 70 minutes

Age Restriction: 13+