Student thespians at seven local high schools are gearing up to help mark the 80th anniversary of the National Theatre School Dramafest.
Formerly the Sears Drama Festival, the province-wide performance competition has blossomed over the years. It began in 1946 with just three plays, and now has about 350 entries annually.
The seven Chatham-Kent high schools – Lambton-Kent Composite School (Dresden), Wallaceburg District Secondary School, Ridgetown District High School, John McGregor Secondary School, Chatham-Kent Secondary School, Ursuline College Chatham and Blenheim District High School – will compete at the Lambton-Kent level initially, which takes place March 10-12 at the Chatham Capitol Theatre.
Melissa Fernandes and Allie Tope, overseers of this year’s Lambton-Kent rendition, encourage past performers and families to attend the event.
Fernandes can’t wait for the curtain to open March 10.
“This year, our festival is back up higher than ever with seven schools involved,” she said. “The festival brings all students of Chatham-Kent, Ontario and even across Canada, together. It gives them a voice and a place to thrive and be themselves. In an ever-changing digital world, it has become more and more important to connect through human contact, and live theatre is a beautiful way to do that.”
Stephanie McQueen of Blenheim District Secondary School, takes it one step further. She said the annual festival is of great importance for students in the arts, calling it a “lifeline.
“Particularly in small schools where these programs, and their funding, may be the first to be cut in order to provide ‘essential’ courses. It is an essential extracurricular for these students,” she said. “It allows so many students who may not otherwise have opportunities to explore the arts to get involved. We take everyone who wants to be a part of the show; there is a role or place for you within this production.”
Fernandes, a teacher at UCC, said the performing arts remain popular at high schools.
“Due to the passion and dedication of all staff involved, the dramatic arts are thriving at all schools in Chatham-Kent,” she said. “Without the staff dedication, this much-needed creative outlet would disappear from our schools.”
The performers take to the stage not just in front of a live audience, but also with adjudicators present. Top plays move on to regional and provincial competitions.
“The students have a unique opportunity at this festival to have multiple professionals assess their work and give them the chance to grow as performers, hearing perspectives they may not have otherwise had,” Fernandes said. “Watching other schools perform also opens their eyes and minds to different ways of performing and approaching a script.”
McQueen said hitting the stage at the festival is an achievement for the performers.
“The students also love performing at the festival, where the audience and other performers are so supportive. It’s a nurturing and encouraging environment where compliments are plentiful and new friends are always made,” she said.
Putting these performances together does not happen overnight. Fernandes said most schools begin the process in the fall and continue right up until performance night.
For tickets, visit cktickets.com.
