The countdown to the first-ever Hydra Performing Arts Festival is on. Chimera Theatre, in partnership with TRU’s Actors Workshop Theatre, is bringing the new festival to the stage starting May 10.

Artistic managing director Andrew Cooper, who was named Emerging Artist 2018 at the Mayor’s Gala for the Arts, said Hydra received 30 submissions from local artists, bands and theatre companies.

The selection committee whittled it down to 12 new works that will premiere at the May festival, everything from magic shows and shadow puppetry to live music and burlesque.

Each of the 12 shows will be performed three times during the seven-day festival. They include:

• Bike Thief presented by JEAV Productions
• Buferno presented by Infernol Art Productions
• Deep in Roots presented by Kira Haug and Graham How
• Fat Chick Seeks: tales of internet dating presented by Mistyvine Productions
• Flute Loops presented by Devon More Music
• Here is Where I stay presented by TRUDAT
• I Eat My Toast With A Knife And Fork presented by Peter Navratil
• It All Started With a Dick Pic – A Stripsicle presented by CoCo Creme Burlesque
• No Bunnies: a magic show for grown-ups presented by Clinton W. Gray
• Perseus & Andromeda presented by JAMM Theatre
• Spitting Slag presented by The Other Theatre Company
• Two Thirty & The Murder of Arthur Wong presented by The Lyre Theatre

Organizers have also teamed up with Factotum CO, Kamloops' indie record label, to bring a lineup of live bands to entertain between shows. Admission is free with a festival button.

Hydra Festival runs May 10 to May 13 and May 17 to May 19 at the Actors Workshop Theatre at Thompson Rivers University. Shows range in length from 30 to 75 minutes. The full festival schedule can be found here.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance online or at the venue one hour prior to each performance. Festival buttons that give you full access to shows, workshops and special events will also be available for purchase at the venue for $2. Attendees will need both a ticket and a button to see Hydra Festival shows.

Festival organizers are currently looking for volunteers to help with front of house. If you volunteer, you have the chance to see some free shows during the festival. Sign up here or email info@chimeratheatre.com for more info.