| School Plays |
| Some people ask me why I put so much of my time and energy into school plays. I have never really been able to answer them. Then today while chatting online someone asked me what my obsessions were, in my short list, I included acting, and school plays. When forced to explain why the two are different, here is what I wrote: Some may argue that school plays are merely an aspect of acting, but in a large way, they are an obsession all by themselves. It begins with the first meeting of the year. That is when all these anticipations and hopes come together, as people look toward the rest of the year and the final product with joy. Then the meetings, the brainstorming, the script-writing, the auditions, the costumes, the rehearsing... all the build up throughout the year as the cast gets closer with each other. Then finally, the move to the theatre! Lack of sleep and excess energy reigns as people get themselves ready for the shows. Buckets of stage makeup, frantic last minute costume changes, panicked searches for lost shoes/pants/shirts/props, etc, etc. The long, boring wait during cue-to-cue lighting, then the hugely busy and action-packed run-throughs with full costume and makeup. Then there are all the shows. The adrenaline rush from the applause and outpouring of enjoyment from the packed audience. Then curtain call, hugging and crying and general pandemonium backstage. The only bad thing about plays is the aftermath. Having to go through school knowing that there is no rehearsal afterwards, and you will have to wait months and months for the next play. The terrible let-down from frantic running around to nothing at all is the worst. Nevertheless, in the end, the show makes all the tears and troubles worthwhile. |
| Dance... Through a Glass Darkly March 29-31, 2001 Grade 9 dancer If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease, where there are tongues, they will be stilled, where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child, reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see through a glass darkly; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remains: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. -I Corinthians 13 I had a tiny role in Glass Darkly, but it brought me into the world of drama and made me fall in love with it all. It will always have a special place in my heart, because if I didn't dance in Glass Darkly, then I most likely wouldn't have chosen to get more involved in the drama program and wouldn't be where I am now. It's an absolutely amazing show, and I'm so glad to have been a part of it. Eclipsed: Ben's Story April 18-20, 2002 Dancer, general chorus actor, writer Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve this world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that Other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the Glory of God That is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others. -A speech by Nelson Mandela "Our presence automatically liberates others." ...Just as this play liberated me. I dove headfirst into the whole process, and had an absolute blast. I learned so many things about creating, relationships with people, the process a play takes on it's way to the stage, and myself. It was such an amazing show, and I'm so proud to have been part of the talented team of people who wrote it. I'm also incredibly proud to have been in the spectacular dances, and scenes I acted in. The Acting 11 Greek Chorus scene was so much fun to do! Stardumb April 3-5, 2003 Magenta's fairy Cerulean, dancer, chorus singer, choreographer, writer This play was such a huge blast from day one, and I am soooo incredibly happy to have done everything that I did for Stardumb. At some points I rued the day I ever set foot in the drama program, but for every one of those moments I had twenty where I just wanted time to freeze so we could do the play forever. Stardumb was such a good play that we could have gone on tour with it. We all knew it; the cast, the crew, Mr Beare and Mrs Mayrand, and the audience. Thanks to everyone who took part in Stardumb: you guys all did an absolutely amazing job and I'm so glad that each of you took part in the process. Broken Theory April 2-4, 2004 Rachel (acting/dancing role), choreographer, writer (for part of the process) I am so grateful I got to be in this play, because it was the most fun I've ever had doing a production. I got really close to a lot of the people who I've been in acting with since grade 9 but never really got to know, and the play itself taught me so much about life, and who I am and want to become. It helped me make the decision to go to Randolph, and was just a perfect way to end my highschool career. Thanks to Mr. Beare and Mrs. Mayrand, the cast, the crew, and everyone who saw the show and supported us through the uproar about the kiss afterwards. |