On Feb. 6 at 7 p.m., the lights dimmed in Grant Hall, as one performance’s fate had yet to be decided.
It was opening night of Project Red’s ORACLE, the organization’s 2026 charity show combining live music, modelling, and dance performances in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. The show kicked off to a packed audience, thrumming with excitement. Grant Hall’s luminous stained-glass windows and arched ceilings perfectly encapsulated the show’s mystical theme, centred around the seven Major Arcana cards of the Rider-Waithe tarot deck.
ORACLE’s theme was conceptualized last summer by Creative Directors Kaelin Ertel, ArtSci ’26, and Zayah Kraftcheck, ArtSci ’27, as well as creative assistant Lily Kyte, ArtSci ’26. The show featured eight scenes: “Arcana,” “Born of the Sun,” “Fate’s Fool,” “False Light,” “In Exile,” “With Love,” “Estrella,” and “Radiance.” Each scene featured a blend of live music performances, student-designed fashion, and dance.
After extended speeches from members of Project Red’s executive team, including a video presentation from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, several dancers came onstage to perform the gently choreographed “Heart and Stroke” dance. The audience seemed to be growing restless, but luckily the executive team strutted onstage soon after for an energetic performance to “DARE” by Gorillaz.
Then, it was off to the races. “Arcana” launched with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” featuring members of student band Martian. The whimsigoth-style designs from this scene were some of my favourites, featuring deep purples, shiny metallics, and earth tones swirling to David Bowie’s “Magic Dance” from Labyrinth (1986).
“Born of the Sun” blossomed onstage next with my favourite dance scene—an ambitious, en pointe ballet sequence to a version of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” With spiked crowns of gold awash in the glow of gentle orange lighting, the skilled dancers appeared to float across the stage. The designs in this scene featured subtle glitter and flowy silhouettes paired with punchy, upbeat choreography to ELO’s “Don’t Bring Me Down.” Overall, the scene captured all aspects of the Sun tarot card, both ethereal and red-hot.
Though it may have been the most disjointed scene thematically, “Fate’s Fool” was certainly the most fun. The band kicked off with a tongue-in-cheek cover of George Michael’s “Father Figure,” featuring campy sunglasses, suit jacket-stripping, and passionate performances from all musicians. The hip-hop dance scene set to Tyler, The Creator’s recent hit “Ring Ring Ring” was electric, if a little confusing in the context of the Wheel of Fortune card.
But an all-masculine model scene to a variety of viral songs like “Dirty Cash (Money Talks)” by The Adventures of Stevie V and Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” was a rare moment that highlighted masculine fashion with tailored suits, neckties as belts and accessories, and fedoras. It was a fresh and unique take on the scene’s theme, showcasing the creativity Project Red’s known for.
“False Light” was gentle towards the show’s 20-minute intermission, with highlights being an incredible cover of Frank Ocean’s “Moon River” by Martian, a touching dance scene emulating human companionship, and gorgeous designs with bold uses of deep blue hues. After intermission, “In Exile” roared to life with a hilarious Nirvana cover by Martian, clad in pink wigs. Punk-inspired looks flooded the stage to edgy model choreography to Underworld’s “Born Slippy (Nuxx),” a crowd-favourite scene based on applause.
In “Estrella,” Sofia Leach, ArtSci ’26, delivered the standout musical performance of the night when she covered Portishead’s “Glory Box” to enthusiastic cheers. The show’s final scene, “Radiance,” was an exuberant showcase of colour and energy with a cover of Candi Stanton’s “Young Hearts Run Free” and a variety of retro-inspired designs.
I found myself tearing up during the final model scene’s choreography to Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure,” where the cast paused for a beautiful moment of breath work to the lyric, “Caring about ourselves.” Then, during the next line, “This is our last dance,” they broke into joyful movement, reminiscent of high school dances or parties with friends.
ORACLE was a firework from start to finish, a product of collective passion and charitable spirit. Co-Directors Natalee Phelan and Beth Brownlee, both ArtSci ’26, led a team of over 150 student creatives to bring this year’s show to life. I-EDIAA directors Natassia Lee and Hannah McMann, both ArtSci ’26, also served as executive members bringing the entire team together during show week.
In an interview with The Journal, Phelan said last year’s Project Red raised about $28,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. This year, they netted $12,000 in ticket sales alone. Phelan says the total amount raised for the 2026 show won’t be tallied until March.
Project Red has been supporting the Heart and Stroke Foundation for 16 years, an approach unique to them as a charity fashion show compared to other student-run organizations like Vogue Charity Fashion Show, which chooses a new charity partner each year.
“They’re just absolutely fabulous,” Phelan said of the Foundation. “They love everything we do.”
Phelan said Project Red’s balance between fashion and fitness in the form of heart health drew her in as a freshman, where she joined the hair and makeup team. In her second year, she served as Logistics Coordinator, then Logistics Head in her third year, along with Brownlee. Now, as she finishes her time at Queen’s, she reflects on her journey with Project Red.
“I feel like I’ve grown up with a lot of people in the cast,” Phelan said. “We have our ups and downs. When it comes to performance, tensions can run high sometimes. But there’s always so much love, and never a doubt in my mind about that.”
Tags
fundraising, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Project Red, Vogue Charity Fashion Show
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