SDA Middle Years Festival: Day 3

Today was the last day of the Middle Years Festival, which I can hardly believe because it feels like it just got started. The day began with playwriting workshops with students from Turtleford, Regina, White City, and Southwest Homeschoolers. The ideas came fast and furious, and I heard several students tell their teachers they wanted to write their own play next year, which is exactly what I wanted to hear!

Following the workshops were the final 3 performances of the festival.

THE DISCOVERY TRUNK by Betty Jane Wylie - Presented by Southwest Homeschoolers - This was a terrific play choice for this group of students, as it allowed them many opportunities for ensemble work. The set was very simple, but the actors created a wide variety of visual images using nothing more than their bodies. Having had the chance to work with these students at my workshop, it became obvious why they were so skilled at tableau creation. At one point in the play the entire cast had to lift an imaginary rock together and they did a lovely job conveying that image to the audience.

THE EXTRA BUTTON - Written and Presented by Ecole White City - This was the third student written collective of the festival, which was so nice to see. I have to admit that I wasn't always 100% sure what was happening during this play, but a lot of that probably had to do with the fact that I was too old to get some of the contemporary pop culture references. The students watching sure enjoyed every second of it, laughing uproariously throughout. One scene in particular had me in stitches: a TV test pattern entered, played by several actors wearing different coloured paper vests. It was a wonderful idea and one that I will remember for a long time to come.

EPIC FAIL by Bradley Hayward - Presented by Turtleford Community School - I saved this one for last, not just because it's one of my plays, but also because I have so much to say about Turtleford's impeccable production. The story begins last year, after I had the great pleasure of watching their phenomenal production of Bad Auditions by Bad Actors at this very festival. I wrote on this blog that I would be thrilled (not to mention fortunate) to have Turtleford select one of my plays some time in the future. Cut to a year later and that's exactly what happened. (Maybe there really is something to The Secret -- I put my wish into the universe and it came true!) Well, let me start by saying their production exceeded all of my expectations. Directed by Grade 12 student Kennedy Lundberg, the scenes flowed seamlessly from one to the next, with comedic invention at every turn. I was especially delighted by the fantastic use of stage pictures to tell the story; as the front of house clinician noted, there were many times during the play that one could have snapped a photo and had a lovely image. What was also wonderful to see was the infectious energy coming from each and every actor on that stage. No matter who was speaking, you could literally feel their energy as it spilled over the footlights and into the audience. For being such a young group (ranging from Grade 4 to Grade 9), their professionalism and creativity was truly a joy to behold. And after having spent some time with the cast and crew, it's clear that a huge amount of that professionalism is the result of Kennedy's tremendous leadership. I've been working with students for a long time and believe me when I say that it is incredibly rare to come across someone so young with so much talent, maturity, and passion. What's more, it was abundantly clear that her confidence rubbed off on her young cast and crew, assuring that the tradition of great theatre from Turtleford Community School will continue for years to come.

The best part of the entire festival for me, hands down, was getting the chance to meet the entire Turtleford crew. After the performances were over, I spent an hour with them all, playing theatre games, taking pictures, and answering questions. I also signed autographs galore, which for 10 minutes made me feel like a celebrity. But what they should know is that they are the rock stars! I don't get to meet the people who bring my plays to life very often, so having the opportunity to meet the truly awesome, totally amazing Turtleford cast and crew is something I will hold dear to my heart for years to come. They should be so proud of their accomplishments, both onstage and off...because I am certainly proud of them.