Kaleidos Turns Theater Visits into a Party
Baggy pants, plastic cups of beer, lots of beanies and mustaches, and a DJ—not the usual sight in the foyer of Theater de Veste. Welcome to Kaleidos. Organized by young people, for everyone who wants to experience theater in a different way. Marijn Pelsma, a Mechanical Engineering student at TU Delft, has been part of the Kaleidos team for three years. “We make theater appealing to students and show regular visitors how to turn a performance into a party.”
Making theater more accessible
Three years ago, Theater de Veste started looking for ways to attract more young people to the theater. “The average age at performances is quite high,” Marijn explains. One reason is the price of a ticket, often around twenty euros. “It’s a shame that many young people miss out on theater because of that. A good performance raises questions and makes people think. I think it’s important to make that accessible to a younger audience. A Kaleidos ticket costs students just ten euros. That gets you a show and a night of dancing. That’s a great deal.”
An open atmosphere leads to meaningful conversations
This January marked the twelfth edition of a Kaleidos event, featuring a performance by the theater group Urland about Artificial Intelligence. “After the show, the evening revolves around music. This time, we’re starting off gently with a jazz band, so visitors can process what they just experienced. Later, a DJ takes over, and people really start dancing. There’s also an interactive audio installation in the theater café and a silent podcast. Anyone can put on headphones and listen to a live conversation between two visitors. We’ve noticed that performances create an open atmosphere because everyone has seen the same thing, making it easier to start a conversation.”
Free shaved head at the gabber night
Visitors are enthusiastic about the events as well. Jara, Ida, and Hanne, all Mathematics students at TU Delft, regularly attend Kaleidos. “Usually, we only go to things we already know we like, but with Kaleidos, you never know what you’re going to get. It’s like a lecture, but more fun.” At the origami table (every edition features a craft table), Aynur and Elise are folding paper. Neither of them are students anymore, but they love coming to Kaleidos. “We enjoy the absurd. There was once a gabber night where people could get their heads shaved. Fantastic.”
Kaleidos is always a surprise
For Marijn, it’s important that not just students but also regular theatergoers enjoy the events. “That way, we get a mix of ages and backgrounds, which only makes the evenings more interesting.” This will be his last time organizing a Kaleidos event. “I’ve been doing this for three years now, and it’s time for a new generation with fresh ideas.” His favorite nights? He laughs: “We’ve come up with some really cool side programs, like a pianist performing alongside pole dancers and a horror night on Halloween, where the ghosts from the show also roamed the foyer.”
As visitors say, ‘Kaleidos is always a surprise.’