By meadowlakeNOW

CHS students enjoy Dramafest experience

Apr 17, 2018 | 11:00 AM

It was a drama-filled weekend for all the right reasons for a number of students at Carpenter High School.

The Region 8 Drama Festival was held in Spiritwood from April 12-14, where a total of nine schools performed pieces, including Meadow Lake’s CHS and Jonas Samson Junior High.

While the drama club will not be advancing to provincials this year, two students won certificates of merit for their contributions, and the performance was rated as excellent by judges. Lara van de Venter won for makeup and characterization, and Nathan Chaillee won an award for sound. 

Zane Klics said he was proud of his fellow cast and crew mates.

“It’s always fun to see other plays and meet with other people who are also in drama,” he said. “It’s good to not think of the competitive aspect and just enjoy it.”

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The production, a 60-minute play called Slings and Arrows is a drama set in the modern day which then morphs into a Shakespeare-laden dramatic performance, featuring a love triangle. The theme centres on the negative effects of gossip, according to director and drama teacher Dawn Benoit. The piece was written by her daughter, Toronto-based playwright Vicktoria Adam.

“Once something negative or dangerous is put out there, it’s almost impossible to bring it back to reality,” Benoit said. “Another major item this year was getting these students to demonstrate they can indeed learn how to speak Shakespeare and understand it at a deep level. I was very impressed with the effort they put in.”

Jazmin McKee and Josh Bobier, who played two of the main characters Helena and Orlando said they were intimidated at first at the prospect of performing Shakespeare style dialogue, given its precise vocabulary and diction. Both said they learned a great deal.

“Going through it, it was scary, but as I got through it, it felt amazing knowing that I could do it. We phenomenal and I’m so happy with the turnout” Bobier said. “Every word had a meaning to it and you had to show that through your gestures.”

McKee said she felt more accomplished than she had in other ‘normal’ plays.

“At first I was really overwhelmed,” McKee said. “It’s actually pretty fun once you learn how to do it, because at first you have no idea how to say any of the words. I felt like I learned something new, and maybe English class will be a bit easier.”

Bobier, a Grade 12 student, said he feels lucky to take part in the drama program and is thankful to have made friends and a theatre family through Dramafest.

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath