SDA Middle Years Festival

I can hardly believe that I'm back in Regina for drama once again! This year I'm working as the Front of House clinician for the Saskatchewan Drama Association Middle Years Festival, and then I will be facilitating playwrighting workshops at the Provincial Festival over the weekend.

The Middle Years Festival is a phenomenal festival that gives middle school students the opportunity to present a play in a non-competitive setting, on the absolutely HUGE stage at the University of Regina, in front of other kids their age. This supportive atmosphere lends itself well to creativity and camaraderie, which is why I love this festival. I'm incredibly delighted to have the opportunity to meet the kids and share some tips about acting, directing, and stage craft.

 

Yesterday was Day 1 of the Middle Years Festival and I saw two really terrific productions. One was an original play written by the students (amazing!) and the other was directed by a student (fantastic!). I was blown away by the talent, energy, and potential I saw up on that stage. These young actors, directors, designers have so many important things to say and it's my honour to sit in the audience all week long and listen to their creative, wacky, interesting, inventive, thoughtful ideas.

As I took the stage to share my notes, my mind wandered for a moment and I was reminded of a young boy who once looked up at his theatre educators in awe, taking in everything they had to say as they inspired him to follow his dreams. Well, that young boy was me, so it's a little surreal and a lot rewarding to now be on the other side of things. I do not take this responsibility lightly and can only hope that something I say, something I do, something I notice, inspires these kids the way I was inspired so many years ago.

What the kids might not realize, however, is that I'm just as inspired by them.