SDA Festival: Day 3

THE PERILS OF CHIEF CIMÄGASIW OF CÏCIGANÏHK by Duncan Ball, presented by Charlebois Community School – I was completely enamoured by this production. While not as polished as many of the plays here, there was a spirit about this show that was infectious. The actors could have worked on their diction, the blocking could have been more varied and the set could have been more functional; however, the joy of theatre emanated from the young cast and rolled over into the audience. Of all the plays so far, this had the most energy and was all the better for it. With further guidance, I believe this group could really do great things.

WHY DO WE LAUGH? by Stephen Gregg, presented by Campbell Collegiate – All eight actors in the play were remarkable, playing their roles with gusto and verve. I also want to make special mention of the spectacular use of light and sound, particularly during the opening moments of the show. Without going into too much detail, they utilized Nat King Cole`s ``Unforgettable`` and some spot lights to marvellous effect.

IN A ROOM SOMEWHERE by Suzan L. Zeder and Daniel Paul Davis, presented by Sacred Heart High School – The production was very solid, including some terrific technical work. The actors were also very focused, especially after having to face some strong distractions from the house. I wish the staging had used more angles, rather than playing everything face-forward. That’s not to say it was not well directed – it was very well staged. I just personally would have chosen to use stronger angles and maybe eliminate a set piece that cut off half of the available playing area. All in all, it had some very thoughtful and creative choices.

SDA Festival: Day 2

JUST ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL PLAY by Bryan Starchman, presented by Broadview High School – Backstage comedies always score with an audience and this was no exception. I loved the visual aspects of this production, as well as the comic timing of many of the leads. The play itself has an extended sequence involving puppets, which is not an easy task, and Shayna Moore expertly switched between numerous puppets without a single blunder. I worry they went long, however. Each play has a 60 minute time limit and I know they must have come pretty close. But I was not the bearer of the stopwatch, so I hope for their sake I am wrong.

PROPERTY RITES by Alan Haehnel, presented by Turtleford Community School – I have judged this play in the past and seen it many times beyond that, so I am rather familiar with this script. It is not an easy play to do because it requires a great deal of trust between the actors. The students from the teeny tiny town of Turtleford blew me away. There is an enormous amount of choral work involved and the ensemble never once hesitated to jump right into their dialogue, which helped propel the play forward at a snappy pace. Every single person in the audience, no matter how young or old, was stretched forward in their seats as not to miss a single word. I heard debates amongst the students afterwards who did not quite understand what the play was about, which is exactly the point of a metaphorical piece such as this.

LAUGHING STOCK by me, presented by Gordon F. Kells High School – My play is made up of the youngest group of students at the festival and I could not be more proud of their performance. It’s amazing to think that many of the talented students are just in the eighth grade. They are already naturals on stage and have a fantastic flair for comedy at a level far beyond their years. Their teachers are very lucky to have several years left with this group; a promise of great things to come. I am most impressed by the cleanliness of their production. There is not a single movement, costume, prop, sound cue or light effect that does not have a distinct purpose. Quite often I find high school drama littered with more, more, more…just because it’s available. It’s nice to see a group of students (and directors) trust the material and add to it only what is necessary. It makes for a crisp, lively and genuine performance. Carlyle, you should be so proud of what you have accomplished!

ALL THAT TWITTERS IS NOT GOLD by Ray Sheers, presented by Swift Current Comprehensive High School – At the top of the show, a curtain flew into the rafters and revealed a spectacular set design that resulted in a collective “oooooo” from the audience, myself included. The lights, the costumes, the makeup and the set pieces were expertly designed. There was also some nice acting throughout the play. Unfortunately, and I’m not sure why, the audience around me in the balcony was confused. I admit I also was a bit bewildered by the plot, and the lady beside me was certain they must have skipped a scene of important plot exposition. I don’t think they did, or if they did, they smoothed over it nicely. Being a fantasy, I believe it was just the result of audience vs genre. All in all, it was a visual stunner with some strong ensemble work.

BOOBY TRAP by Ed Monk, presented by Carrot River Jr./Sr. High – I love it when junior and senior high work together. It gives the older actors a chance to pass the torch and the younger ones the opportunities they need to become stronger thespians and technicians. This is a very nice drama that utilized its cast very well. The play is very, very, very depressing, but it never lost the audience for a moment. And the design of the entire piece was spot on, as was the stellar direction. This was an exceptionally strong showing from yet another tiny town of Saskatchewan.

SDA Festival: Day 1 (Cont'd)

There were four plays tonight so the back of my shirt is a bit sticky from sitting for so long. However, they were well played and a joy to watch. I’d also like to point out what a phenomenal audience the students are this year. Cell phones were tucked away for the most part, and everyone was an active participant. One usually thinks a play is made up of actors and stage crew, but the audience is every bit a part of the show. So to the audience here in Regina, way to go!

BABEL RAP by John Lazarus, presented by Lumsden High School – I would need three hands to count the number of times I have seen this play. It’s a Canadian one act staple, and for good reason. It’s a challenging play with two characters on a set that restricts their movement greatly. The two young men in the leads did a great job with the pacing, which is key when the blocking is limited. This group also added a nice touch by including a non-speaking chorus of angels at the beginning. I would have liked to have seen them appear throughout the play, though. Given that it was such a nice touch, I think they could have been utilized more.

THROUGH THICK & THIN by Keyanna Burgher and Katie Cotter, presented by Vanier Collegiate – This musical drama was a take off on Alice in Wonderland, and falling through the rabbit hole was represented by an eating disorder. Not only was the show well conceived and beautifully staged, it was written by two of the students. Rarely have I seen a student written production so solid and sure of itself. And the presence of a band on stage is one of my favourite choices when watching a musical because I think it connects them more closely to the actors. This was a really good show with phenomenal performances all around. My only quibble is that the main actors wore microphones. If Ethel Merman didn’t need a mic, nobody does. But I’m in the minority there because most every musical uses them nowadays.

SASKATCHEWAN NIGHT LIVE by Leanne Griffin and the Hanley Composite School Drama Students, presented by Hanley Composite School – Yet another student original, this sketch comedy show spoofed everything from Glee to the Slap Chop. To be fair, I am not generally a fan of parody, but this group walked a nice line between being politically incorrect and obscene. Sometimes it stepped over the line a bit, which was off putting to the audience around me. The hot topic sketch was the take off on the Slap Chop. I’ve seen this sketch done similarly by Second City, but the two actors pulled off the joke and thankfully cut it short before going too far. All in all, their energy was great and it made a strong impression on the younger members of the audience. I did feel a bit old, though, when a few of their spoofs went right over my head. I guess I’m out of touch with pop culture nowadays.

PROMISES by Guy Michaud, presented by Walter Murray Collegiate – This lovely drama about friendship relies heavily on strong chemistry between the two leading characters. Felix Turcotte and Rowan MacLachlan truly seemed like best friends, which made the message of the promises involved in friendship ring loud and true. During the last few minutes of the play, as the leading character dies from AIDS, I saw tissues coming out of purses and men disguising their tears as a runny nose. I loved the simplicity of this particular production, as well as the subtle touches of fantasy added by Turcotte, who also was the student director. It was very mature production that struck a chord with the entire audience.

So the evening was a hit and look forward to more tomorrow!

SDA Festival: Day 1

This weekend I am attending the 2010 Saskatchewan Drama Association Provincial One Act Play Festival. I can hardly believe it’s been a year since I was here in Regina for the 2009 festival. Last year I attended as the judge of the playwrighting competition, and I work shopped the play Table Talk by Daniel Russell.

This year I have the good fortune of having a play of my own, Laughing Stock, in competition. Gordon F. Kells High School in Carlyle won the Region 1 festival for their fantastic production of the play and advanced to provincials. This is the first time a play of mine has made it to this particular festival so I am thrilled they made it this far and know they will knock it out of the park.

Over the next three days, I will keep you posted on all the plays as they are performed. Like I have said before, I adore the festival format because it gives students a chance to experience the work of others their age and pushes them to grow as thespians and technicians. And at this level of competition, the productions are extremely strong, so they should go home with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Win or lose, there is a great deal to gain by watching plays and discussing them at length.

Looking at the list of productions, we all should be in for a fun weekend. There are 12 plays over the course of the festival, starting this evening with Babel Rap, Through Thick and Thin, Saskatchewan Night Live! and Promises. It looks like a terrific bill, especially so since Promises was written by another Saskatchewan playwright, Guy Michaud. I read this play many years ago and it has always stuck in my heart, thanks to its beautiful drama and exceptional characters. I am very excited to see it on its feet, rather than on the page. Tomorrow afternoon begins with Just Another High School Play, followed by Property Rites. Friday evening’s plays are Laughing Stock, All That Twitters is Not Gold and Booby Trap. The festival concludes Saturday afternoon with The Perils of Chief Cimägasiw of Cïciganïhk, Why Do We Laugh? and In a Room Somewhere.

Stay tuned for further commentary!