The 11th Board's Final Goodbyes
The 2025-2026 academic year has come to an end. What a year it has been! With all the productions, activities, backstage nerves, rumbling applause, and proud bows, it was surely a year to remember. We hope you had fun. Well, at least we know that the 11th board, people behind this year’s big decisions, did (despite a couple of white hairs). As a little wrap-up, the 11th board was asked to answer a couple of questions about their board year. Curious to know a bit more about how it was for people in charge? Read on, let’s reminisce together!
1. If you had to describe this board year in one word, what would it be?
Kai (Chair): perturbing (if you know you know)
Alex (Vice-Chair and Head of External Affairs): rollercoaster
Pavani (Head of Productions): rollercoaster
Lucas (Treasurer): uncertainty
Sam (Head of Activities): rollercoaster
El (Head of Marketing): growth
Writer’s note: Alex, Pavani, and Sam answered the question separately, having no idea what the others wrote. I guess it says something about the board’s experience :)
2. What is your proudest achievement as a board member this year?
Kai: My proudest achievement would be keeping the core aspects of my own personality and character throughout the year despite the exciting new position.
Alex: Surviving
Pavani: Every single production was a proud achievement. Being HoP, you’re elbow deep in each project and are very aware of the amount of people putting in love and hard work into their performances. So seeing them take those well-deserved bows at the end is unbelievably rewarding.
Lucas: Organizing the Old Scuola MM's, the overall financial health of the organisation, and not strangling Sam for the entire year. Not even once.
Sam: Beyond the Acting Course and laying the foundations for our Production Course, staying (semi) consistent with activities throughout the year is much more difficult than it seems. None of that could’ve been possible without my Committee members (shout-out Iga, Elitsa, and Hania!), but also coming up with ideas organically throughout the year made me an overall more creative person in my day-to-day and has led to very fun passion projects of my own.
El: Writing Committee! I’m very glad to have created a new space for people to express their creativity, and I really hope our next HoM will carry the committee into the next year :)
3. What is your favorite memory of this board year?
Kai: Could not put it down to one memory. I really loved cooking for my board for one of our meetings.
Alex: All our board bonding activities
Pavani: During our first MM (also my first production as HoP), it was very important to me to put on a good show. This, inevitably, came with a lot of stress on the day off. I remember texting on the board group chat to ask for hands, and having them assemble like the Avengers was MAGICAL. I think I cried a little when I saw Sam.
Lucas: Performing Crisis Management at Night of Short Plays
Sam: Oddly enough, it’s the times where I felt the most stressed that I look back on the most fondly. At the beginning of the year, I think all of us were trying to find our footing – an all-new board proved to have its pros and cons, and looking back on it, the learning process within the first few months was where I gained the most. It’s why I chose the word ‘rollercoaster’ as my number one descriptor: Sometimes it was hell-ish, and sometimes it was near euphoric, but all of it was done with my board members by my side, 5 people I couldn’t be more thankful for.
El: Our first board-bonding activity at Alex’s house somewhere back in September. I think it was the only board-bonding that all six of us actually managed to attend, because afterwards everyone was too busy. It was wholesome, we were all so excited about the big journey ahead of us.
4. What is the one thing that you learned during this board year?
Kai: I learned that I probably want to do theatre professionally.
Alex: There is always a solution if u share the issue openly.
Pavani: Ask for help. It’s okay to do that sometimes.
Lucas: Negotiating.
Sam: Honestly, there are so many little things to learn from being a board member that it’s hard to pick just one. A skill I’ll definitely carry with me forever is the ability to pick your battles – I’m argumentative and nitpicky by nature, which can sometimes make more obstacles in the road than needed. My fellow board members will know me best by the phrase “I don’t fully understand, but I have opinions” (something I’ve actually found myself saying over the course of my board year). Knowing when and where to say (or not say) “Yes, but…”, as well as being able to surrender when you know it's best for the association, is an invaluable trait.
El: Compromising and restraint. Even working with your favorite people in the world can sometimes get on your nerves, not to mention those outside of committed WILDe circles. Sometimes it’s important to get over yourself, bite your tongue, and bend for the greater good of the association.
5. What would you like to say to the next board/the future generation of WILDe?
Kai: Give the productions committee all the flowers.
Alex: It'll be rough, but it will be all worth it in the end.
Pavani: STAY WHIMSICAL BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!! This group of people has created an incredible community. We cannot rob the world of this.
Lucas: WILDe can never trust a marketing team that is not its own. (Directed at no one in particular, of course)
Sam: Be ambitious. Be out there, and dream big. A bit over ten years ago, WILDe was just a group of friends who liked theatre, and now, we’re an official association, with our own reputation, and we’ve got three musicals to our name. None of that would be possible without the people in charge reaching for the moon. If you fall, that’s okay – you’ll land among the stars. Being realistic in certain situations is also inherently valuable, and there should always be someone grounded to keep the board sane, but you should always try to stretch out of your comfort zone. Uncomfortability means new ground is being broken, new goals being met, and new passions being ignited.
El: Believe in yourself, never stop chasing your dreams, and keep going. Stay creative, put yourself out there, and love what you do and people you do it with bravely and unapologetically. It’s worth it, I promise.
It’s time to say our goodbyes. Gods, how I hate goodbyes. Don’t forget about us, okay? We know we weren’t perfect, and we still have so much to learn, but I can promise you that we did our best and put as much love into everything we did as our little hearts could carry. Please think of us fondly and carry our mission forward. We will miss you so much, our beautiful theatre kids. But we are leaving you in good hands. See you around, creative folks :)
Written by Olena (El) Navrotska, your humble Head of Marketing from the 11th Board and the founder of the Writing Committee :)
You can find El on Instagram: @el.lllusion
The Chameleon Lab, Revealed!
WILDe has been buzzing with activity this season, but one project has been quietly taking shape away from the spotlight. The Chameleon Lab — WILDe's crew dedicated to building a play from a limited script — has been deep in its creative process, and until now, the wider WILDe community hasn't heard a word about what's been brewing. That changes today. We sat down with co-directors Gyula Szijjarto and Timothé Mathelin to pull back the curtain on their latest experimental creation.
Q: What attracted you to directing a piece where the play is still evolving during rehearsal?
Timothé: Funny story is I actually took part in the first edition of the Chameleon Lab two years ago, back in 2023. Gyula here and Sofiya Petrova were directing it back then. I absolutely loved the concept of developing theatre skills, creating a bond with the cast, and putting up something all together at the end. It really brings a different sense of achievement. I liked it so much that I'm co-directing it now haha. What's dear to me is that the concept we use in the Chameleon Lab is going back to the roots of WILDe. That's how things used to be in our first years and where we come from as an association. I find it fulfilling to be honouring that.
Gyula: It is the only way I have ever directed actually. In my first year in WILDe I was about to direct one of the main productions where I already implemented this approach, if only Covid-19 wouldn't have cut the year in half... When I was on the board I kept experimenting with such projects, until finally 2-3 years ago I came up with the concept of the Chameleon Lab and together with Sofiya implemented its first version. Why I'm so keen on this approach? It is how I learned theater and acting as a form of self-expression and performing arts. The goal of amateur theater in my eyes is to realize something about ourselves and/or the world together in a group, actors directors alike, and form this message which is truly ours into a performance of any kind. The director is an enabler, coach, guide in this process to form a common vision instead of implementing their own.
Q: How do you balance giving actors freedom to shape the script while still guiding the overall vision of the Chameleon Lab?
Timothé: What we did is we first organised a film screening and all watched it together. Then, Gyula and I divided it into different scenes and shared the plan with the cast. Now that they know the plot and the characters, we're letting them come up with how the scenes unfold and how they want to portray the characters. We're here to guide them in their process of building the scenes and bring more detail, but everyone knows the overall plan, and the ideas we've seen so far are already wonderful!
Gyula: We — Timothé and me — come up with the overarching structure/timeline of the play. Run this by the actors. Then once the context is clear, the actors actually provide all of the initial input. Once they brought us their first take/edition of a scene, we respect that input and collaboratively try to bring out the most of it.
Q: How are changes to the Chameleon Lab currently being captured and decided during rehearsals?
Timothé: Regarding changes compared to the original source material, Gyula and I first discussed what our vision was for the overall narrative so we both had a common agreement, and then we shared it with the cast. We also really value their opinion so we had a long talk about the overall vision and now we're all in sync! For smaller details, we just discuss it with them as they're building the scenes.
Gyula: I think we have a common understanding usually of what needs to be done. Then an actor comes, out of nowhere, with something brilliant and/or impressive, and it just becomes part of the play.
Q: What kind of rehearsal environment are you creating so actors feel comfortable taking creative risks?
Timothé: First of all, getting to know each other. It's much harder to let go with strangers in the room. That's why we start out with a lot of fun theatre games, and gradually build into exercises and useful practice. It's also important to foster a positive atmosphere, and we do that by being encouraging and supportive. It's difficult to completely let go as an actor, and I'm so proud to see the cast manage it every time.
Gyula: We find it very important that everyone knows each other, is treated with equal attention, and feels heard because they are listened to. In the first part of the project, before we even start talking about a play, we provide trainings on different disciplines of theater so that everyone gets roughly on the same page. We play plenty of theater games where actors can collaborate, experiment, go crazy... And we also never start a rehearsal before having heard from everyone in some detail what is going on with them personally.
Q: At this stage of the process, what has surprised you most about how the play is developing with the actors?
Timothé: Honestly, how easy going it is. As I said earlier, there's a wonderful chemistry, and that makes the process so pleasant and easy. Everybody is onboard and always excited to come to rehearsals. As a director, that's one of the most rewarding sentiments.
Gyula: It has been a very rewarding experience to direct the Chameleon Lab every year because so many talented people who never acted before were able to surprise an entire audience by the end with some unexpected virtuoso performances. This is just as true this year as it was before. I think my jaw drops at least once at every rehearsal when yet another actor surprises us with their interpretation of a casual exercise. We're already so proud of them, I cannot wait to see the end product!
One thing is clear: whatever is taking shape in those rehearsal rooms is something special. A cast of performers growing bolder with every session, two directors who believe in the magic of collective creation, and a play that is still writing itself — the Chameleon Lab's latest production is shaping up to be one not to miss. Stay tuned.
Written by Anna Galtsova, a Writing Committee member and a legendary veteran of WILDe!
You can find Anna on Instagram: @gal.tsova
The Comedy of Being Human: Interview with Directors
For the first time in forever, WILDe is giving up its classic winter play concept for a split bill: three short plays for the price of one! This March 2026 (not technically winter, but let’s not dwell on that), we present The Comedy of Being Human: an evening of three short plays by world-renowned American playwrights David Ives and Christopher Durang.
Through wildly different stories, this comedy-filled night explores familiar questions: what does it mean to be human? How do we love, dream, and occasionally lose complete control?
The programme brings together three delightfully contrasting comedies. Mere Mortals offers a soulful construction-worker confessional, Soap Opera tells the lightly unhinged story of someone falling in love with a washing machine, and The Actor’s Nightmare delivers an absurdist tale of an accountant suddenly thrust into a leading role.
We sat down with the directors of Soap Opera and The Actor’s Nightmare, who generously took time out of their busy schedules to share more about the rehearsal process - and why you definitely shouldn’t miss this show.
SOAP OPERA
Placed in the middle of the program, Soap Opera is certainly not the average show.
Written by world-renowned playwright David Ives, Soap Opera is a story about love: a very special kind of love. When a washing machine repairman falls for the machine he’s meant to fix, an absurd yet heartfelt romance unfolds. This show is perfect for anyone who has ever had a love-hate relationship with doing laundry, despised the typical stepsister trope or simply enjoyed playing Date Everything (if the play evokes a certain feeling in you, you should definitely check it out).
El, the director putting together the rowdy romance, is sharing a few words about what it’s like directing such a kooky show, with a no doubt even more kooky cast.
Q: How is Soap Opera going from a director's POV?
El, director: It is going fine! We are currently in the state of taking care of production stuff. We are a bit short on time, but we are handling it! From a director’s point of view, it’s been going really well. My actors understand the directions well, there are people in the cast I can rely on, they are very involved and they seem like they are enjoying the process. It was also a little chiller than other productions, because we have rehearsals only once a week. So yeah, it’s been going well!
Q: What was the most rewarding moment in the production process?
El: Probably seeing it come together and seeing my actors understanding the point of the play and finding some things I didn’t notice. We had a discussion where we sat down and looked through the script, and we talked about what the actors found funny, what their favorite moment of the script was, how they understood their characters and hypotheticals of how the characters would behave in different settings. It was really nice to see that they get the play in the same way I do, and sometimes even find new moments that I didn’t see before!
Q: What is your overall rehearsal process like from first read-through to now?
El: It started with reading the script and doing a couple exercises. Then, we were running the script scene by scene, mostly based on the combination of actors. For example, we ran some scenes with one set of characters, but not with the other. As the process kept going, we brought them together, and now we’re just basically doing the overall runs of the script. We went off-script after the Christmas break, so now we have a finished product!
Q: To address the appliance in the room... How are you dealing with the washing machine from a production POV?
El: The washing machine is currently being made by Pavani in WDKA! We were planning to make it out of wood, but then things happened, and we can’t do that anymore. So now we are making it out of cardboard! It will be painted over, and might be a little unstable, but we are really hopeful that it’s going to work out. The issue is that there is supposed to be someone inside the washing machine, so that is a little more difficult… but we are gonna deal with it!
Q: What do you hope the audience takes away from experiencing Soap Opera?
El: Soap Opera is a very funny play, so my main expectation is for the audience to laugh a lot! There are a lot of jokes and different tools in the script: some wordplay, some references, some very blunt acting choices - so I really hope that they will laugh at not just the script, but also at the way we act it out. At the same time, I hope it brings out some sweet experiences, because the main point of the play is to not chase perfection, but notice the beauty in the mundane. I hope this gets through to the audience!
THE ACTOR’S NIGHTMARE
The Actor's Nightmare is the final of the 3 plays you will see during performance.
Written by world-renowned playwright Cristopher Durang, The Actor’s Nightmare is a bizarre and surreal comedy about the struggles of acting. The unhinged triplet of the set, it’s delivering on the worst fears of a theatre kid (failing on stage) and of a normal functioning member of society (being on stage in the first place).
We sat down with the powerhouse duo that stepped in at the last minute to steer the wheel. Lucas & Sinem, a dynamic director pair, share a little bit of what makes The Actor’s Nightmare so nightmarish.
Q: What emotions and themes can we expect from The Actor's Nightmare?
Lucas, co-director: The Actor's Nightmare is a comedy first and foremost, of course. It is very, very funny, it is humorous, but it is also very surreal. It is a very strange play, at times even a little unsettling, especially towards the end, but it is a comedy first!
Sinem, co-director: The Actor's Nightmare reminds us, in a fun and familiar way, of the mixed feelings of surprise and fear that come with being in an unfamiliar place - a feeling almost everyone has experienced at least once.
Q: Give us a quick idea of your rehearsal planning & process. How did it start, and how's it going?
Lucas: The rehearsal process is a little bit messy, just because I came onto the project very late. As you may know, they lost a director midway through and didn’t really have a lot of stuff done yet, so I stepped in as a sort of emergency because those problems needed to be solved very quickly. Right now it’s going a lot better than I first expected, but I do also feel a little more rushed than the other directors of the plays!
Q: As an actor, how do you feel about the show and what it has to say?
Lucas: I do like how The Actor’s Nightmare manages to pick out and make fun of certain stereotypes and cliches within acting & theatre in general. I also enjoy that, at least to me, it doesn’t have a much deeper meaning than that! It is much more focused on doing this and being funny, and doesn’t have a super deep secondary meaning.
Sinem: Regarding the show time, first of all, personally, I'm excited because it's the first English-language play I've been involved in directing, and because I'm working with such a young and dedicated team. As for the team, despite their busy schedules, everyone is doing their best to make the show a success.
Q: What are your actors like? How is the cast approaching their roles?
Lucas: The actors are doing a very good job! They are responding to feedback very well, and especially for how quickly we had to get into this, I think they are doing very well! It is a very difficult play to act in, just because of how surreal it is at times, especially for the main character, George. It is a very special type of role that you definitely need a lot of talent for, and not something easy to play!
Sinem: Although the actors sometimes feel tired and low on energy due to their busy schedules, I think they do their best to focus on their roles, and they are very supportive of us even in the costume and creative processes, eagerly asking questions and adding their own creativity to approach their roles. The lines sometimes scare them because they have other active roles, but I think they will overcome that :)
Q: Are you ready for showtime? :)
Lucas: We aren’t ready for showtime just yet*. There are still some things that production has to get us, there are still a couple of lines to fully memorize and some bits and pieces to make right. But on our current timeline, I’m pretty confident that we will be very ready once the date rolls around, and we are very excited for it!
*Ed. note: this interview was taken on 16.02.2026 - the cast is definitely adding the finishing touches by now!
Sinem: Ahhh, you can never really feel completely ready for the show :) And that's perhaps the most magical and exciting part of it ;) I can only say that we'll be close to feeling ready when a few small details fall into place :) We'll all see together on the night of the show. But before each performance, we really won't feel ready until it's over :)
The clock is ticking, and the seating capacity is dwindling fast! So don’t delay and purchase your ticket now:
https://studiumgenerale.stager.co/shop/wilde
And we will see you soon, beautiful and human life stories in tow, in Erasmus Pavilion!
Written by Anna Galtsova, a dedicated Writing Committee member!
You can find Anna on Instagram: @gal.tsova
A Sinful Cast Interview: WILDe's Next Murder Mystery
Written by Anna Galtsova, a dedicated Writing Committee member!
You can find Anna on Instagram: @gal.tsova