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Ashley Sutherland / 2023-11-30
The auditorium, usually dim and empty in the evenings, was filled with light and laughter this past Monday. Why? The Nepean Children’s Theatre production was finally underway, holding their second performance and first to the public!
“‘The Pirate’s Pearl’ is a story that follows 2 rival pirate crews, The Buccaneering Bunch and The Plundering Pals. The pirate crews are both on a mission to find a magical Pearl that will grant them eternal wealth. While the Buccaneering Bunch are working hard, the Plundering Pals are taking the easy way by lying and cheating off of the hard work done by their rivals! On this journey, our characters learn how to cross obstacles, how to work together as a team and most importantly, they learn the power of friendship!”
Joy was emanating through the room, crowds of children squirmed in their seats, anxiously waiting for the show to begin. Before them stood two beautiful painted flats, depicting a wide blue ocean, a big ship and a desert island. It was intriguing, to say the least, and once the lights dimmed everyone silence and waited excitedly as our passionate Drama teacher Mr. Wright entered onto the stage. He happily introduced the play and its directors, Gaia Adjemian, Sophie Campbell and Ruby Fountain.
“ My favourite part of preparing this and all of our plays is watching the connection that is created between the directors, crew and cast.” said Mr. Wright, a few days before their performance. “For the directors, they are taking ownership of something that they have created from their own imaginations…sometimes with great hesitation and nervousness. But ultimately, they write and then workshop the piece with me as a means to find the story that they want to tell. “
The NHS Children’s Theatre production is a part of our Theatre Production class, a course for grades 10-12 that studies the production, design and business elements that go into theatre. The directors write a play over the summer, and then cast it in September.
“This process is both exciting and nerve racking for the directors as they learn how to objectively cast their play based on who are the best actors for the parts, and not people they are simply friends with or forced to be in a group with. Once they cast their play and rehearsals begin, I am always amazed at how the directors find their voice and learn how to lead.” Mr. Wright reflects.
Speaking of the cast, it consists of about a dozen talented Nepean drama students, including the wonderful Sasha LeFrancos DeBeer, who played Captain Silvertooth, Wyatt Sutton who played Captain Dan Danger, and many more!
“Watching the love of performing and creating new “found families” with the directors and their crew is something I always love being a part of. Many students in this cast and previous casts have found that the bonds they have made in NHS’s Children’s Theatre Production with other students from all grades, helped them both find a place in high school while finding a new passion for the arts. For the 30 minutes they are on stage they feel like a star!”
But what is so special about children’s theatre? Mr Wright believes it is due to the messages and moral themes. The lessons imparted in children’s theatre are crucial for learning positive social and moral values.
“ In a reality where young children have, often unfettered, access to the internet and social media that is made to target them with messages that can be harmful, hurtful and straight up toxic! By introducing children to live performance and theatre that models kindness, equality and community, we can help engage kids minds while giving them exposure to the arts, which is often undervalued and trivialized as “unimportant” in society…in actuality, Theatre teaches what it means to be human!”
The play came to a wonderful conclusion, all of the characters realizing the power of friendship, and that the wealth they had been seeking was there for them all along. Applause resounded as each cast member took a rightful bow. It was a charming performance, one that I, let alone all the happy children that flooded from the theatre, will never forget!
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