Students from schools across the Northwest School Division turned in award winning performances at the Region 8 Drama Festival.
Thirteen plays were staged at Paradise Hill School March 29, 30 and 31, by students from schools across northwestern Saskatchewan. Approximately 250 students and staff met to perform, attend workshops, take in the performances by the other schools and listen to the adjudications of their work.
The Northwest School Division, with a longstanding tradition of great drama, was well represented by Meadow Lake's Carpenter High School, St. Walburg School, Paradise Hill School, H. Hardcastle School from Edam, Turtleford Community School and Glaslyn Central.
H. Hardcastle's production of The White Pages, a manically funny farce, finished a close second for overall production to North Battleford Comp's Lost Connection, which will go on to represent Region 8 at the provincial competition.
"The acting overall in The White Pages was wonderful," said front of house adjudicator Roy Challis. "There were some very strong characterizations by two of the leads, Bailey Delainey and Shanae Blaquiere. It was a complex play with multiple levels, and the cast and crew did a great job. Shanae's ability to transform herself into the grubby male character Toto was just so well done it was unbelievable. I didn't recognize her when she reappeared out of costume"
Glaslyn's production of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon received an honourable mention for overall production and the best technical crew award. The play, which consisted of a humorous and tongue-in-cheek retelling of several of the folk tales (Cinderella, Rapunzel, Rumpelstitskin and Hansel and Gretel) was fast paced and hilarious.
Most of the actors were required to play more than one role, and the strong performances of Glaslyn's Nathan Chernesky and Danika McConnell were rewarded with certificates for acting. Alison Hazzard won her company's spirit of the festival award for her hilarious appearance as three characters and a flock of birds (simultaneously) in the Cinderella portion of the play. Ted Hobbs deservedly (because of the speed and number of props, wigs and costume pieces that were flying around throughout the play) won the best stage manager award for the festival.
"Nathan and Danika won awards for their acting," said Challis, "but the rest of the group were so together and did such a good job of the various parts they had to play in their parts, it was certainly under consideration for best overall production."
Turtleford's presentation of the Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note made an impact upon both Roy and backstage adjudicator Donna Challis.
"Very impressed with the work of the group as a whole," said Challis. "They received a certificate for ensemble work and they were runner-up for best technical production. Jessica Lang, the stage manager for that group was the runner-up for the best stage manager award."
"Carpenter's production of The Miracle Group was very solid," Challis continued, "Nine characters, lonely people reaching out, each with a story to tell. They did a good job of that, as did the crew from St. Walburg, who staged an incredibly difficult play, an interesting and exciting piece to be sure. The Wild Flowering of Chastity was a spoof of a melodrama, and there were some great performances. Brooke Harris's reading of the role of Desmond Darkacre was superb and she won an acting award for it."
"Paradise Hill won two major production awards," Challis said. "Best technical production and best visual for My Gun Is Pink. Their use of lights, silhouettes and slides was absolutely stunning - it recreated that particular old Hollywood '40s murder mystery/film noir style so exactly it was amazing!"
"I also need and want to extend a heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Audrey Greves and Shaun Spence, and to the school and community of Paradise Hill. They did an absolutely great job hosting this event and feeding and housing the students. You couldn't ask for more generous hosts."
Challis went on to speak about the values that drama programs bring to the schools and students.
"The biggest overall value I think," he said, "comes from the necessity for that combination of exuberance, teamwork and co-operation that's required. There may be people who stand out as stars, but there is no star system; the emphasis is on a team, because the actors, tech and stage crews have to work together to create a successful final production. When you're at a drama festival you get infected with the enthusiasm of the students as they work together and cheer each other on, and celebrate not just their own work but the work of others."
"For some kids," agreed festival co-ordinator and teacher Audrey Greves, "drama is their thing. It's where their talent and interest lies and it's really important to encourage that. One of the great things about drama festivals is that there is such a variety of kids here and they're all accepted - there's a really strong culture of acceptance in the arts world. Also, on another level, performance - standing up on a stage in front of a crowd - really gives kids confidence."
"I think that the value in drama," added Carpenter co-director Nicki Yee, "comes as people try on different personas and experiment with the development of identity. Also in terms of the community as a whole, a lot of the plays challenge us in many ways and make a person rethink their ideas when kids come to a festival and see play after play and then to hear them critique what they've seen, struggle with the ideas and debate back and forth - well it's just fabulous."
"The incredible thing," said Carpenter co-director Kelsey Klarenbach, "is to see students who are normally quiet and reserved just come alive on stage - become a new person. It's such a beautiful thing when you see that come out."
Drama By The Numbers: one year of planning to make the festival happen, 204 students involved, 250 average audience attendance for each play, three workshops held (theatre games, stage management and stage production), seven classrooms turned into dormitories, 10 minutes allowed for setting up the stage before the plays begin, five minutes allowed for teardown, 72 stage crew (stage managers, prompters, sound and lighting techs, makeup), 122 actors, 12 festivals hosted province-wide each year, 5,000 students who participate in those festivals annually.
