Drama Club readies to step onto world stage

BY CHRISTY MARSTERS

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

Hants North Rural High School Drama Club will represent Nova Scotia next summer while acting for international audiences during the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland is recognized as the largest and one of the most prestigious performing arts festivals in the world. Each year this city becomes a stage as about 1,800 acts are put on at various locations for three weeks in August.

Technical Theatre instructor Bruce MacLennan, Dalhousie University, nominated the Hants North Drama Club for this opportunity under The (AHSTF) American High School Theatre Festival in the first year Canada has been invited to attend this event.

Hants North Rural High is one of only 10 schools across Canada slated to participate. “I think this is a fantastic opportunity for young people,” MacLennan says. “They’re going to see it is a big world and it will open their heads to bigger and better things. “I nominated about six schools (for this opportunity) during The Nova Scotia Drama Festival,” MacLennan said. “However, Hants North stuck in my head. They’re greatly committed and I would just keep seeing their name (at DramaFest) year after year.”

Plus, these students are always enthusiastic and try really hard, MacLennan said. “I thought they’d be a worthwhile group to send so they can see what can actually be done in theatre. It’ll give students a chance to see it is something they can really do.”

Strong message onstage

With good rehearsal and honest work, a strong message will carry onstage, even if it comes from a smaller town, MacLennan said. “However, really, there’s no such thing as a small place. In smaller places you can be the biggest show in town. The students should just look, learn and go with an open mind. It will make them better people.”

To begin gathering a substantial amount of donations needed to make the trip from Aug. 14-27, 2010 possible, the Hants North Drama Club will perform for donations a tale of Shakespeare’s Nightmares from 1–2 p.m. at the Riverfront Stage in Kennetcook June 28. Everyone is encouraged come out for the play.

Grade 10 student Jasmine Pick said she’ll be new to the drama scene next year, but has always been interested in arts and had to jump at this awesome opportunity. “It’ll be nice meeting new people and just having this experience,” Pick said. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it’s an awesome opportunity to be recognized. “Right now, when you tell people where we’re from nobody really knows,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll make our school that much more appreciated (once in Edinburgh).”

Cool to perform for the world

Senior director Erin White, who will lead the Hants North Drama Club in Scotland, said the opportunity to go to Europe is awesome and it means a lot to her. “It’s pretty cool to get to perform for the world,” White noted. “There is going to be a lot more people. The world’s a pretty big place, but this is going to be sweet. “It’ll be neat just getting to see how different it is (in Europe) from where we are and what we do,” White said. “The hardest part will be actually getting the play done.”

In the next school year the Hants North Drama Club will spend a fair amount of time designing a play from script to set to make their act in Edinburgh completely unique. Drama teacher Angela Sanford said her group of Grade 10-12 students plan to start working toward creating an hour-and-a-half long script as soon as the students return to school in September. “But it’s going to be a very expensive trip and we are looking to take donations now. We won’t be able to do this without the support of a wonderful group of kids to work with or without parental or community supports.”

Both the director and the team of students are anxiously awaiting the opportunity of a lifetime. If anyone would like to discuss it in greater detail, make a donation or ask questions, contact Sanford at 362-3300 or e-mail: sanforda2@staff.ednet.ns.ca.