Students of Wallaceburg District Secondary School (WDSS) are acting up this week.
Members of the drama club are performing this week at the National Theatre School (NTS) Drama Festival at York University in Toronto.
It’s the first time a WDSS play has been showcased at the NTS festival.
The play, The Way Home, earned Outstanding Production accolades at both the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) Festival and the South Regional Festival.
The Way Home was written by WDSS indigenous graduation coach Tyler White in collaboration with the student ensemble.
“The story honours Tyler’s grandfather, an Ojibwe man from Bkejwanong Territory, who escaped the Mohawk Institute Residential School at age 13. His resilience, humour, and generosity inspired the heart of the play,” LKDSB officials said in a media release.
Students worked closely with White throughout the writing and workshop process, shaping characters, themes, and scenes. Their collaboration created a narrative that followed Newt, a young girl escaping the Mohawk Institute.
Along her journey, she is guided by animals representing Anishinaabe teachings, with traditional stories woven throughout. The play concludes with Newt returning home to her father, also a Residential School survivor.
