"We must all do theatre, to find out who we are, and to discover who we could become."
-Augusto Boal
What Drama is all about at ERHS
At River Heights, Drama is all about being silly, learning to laugh at yourself, and building self-confidence. At its heart, Drama is all about overcoming fear. However, in this class – like life – students will get out of it what they put into it. If they try their best and take small, creative risks each day, they will be amazed with how much they grow by the end of the year, and they'll have a lot of fun along the way!
The start of the journey
Students will be challenged in this course. They will be gently pushed outside their comfort zones and will feel stressed at different times throughout the year. They will wonder how things can possibly get done on time. They will feel their chests tighten as they prepare to share their artistic creations with an audience of their peers. I tell you this not to frighten you, but to let you know that in the face of that challenge – in the face of that fear and doubt – our students will find courage and strength within them that they were unaware existed. They will push beyond their limitations and astonish themselves with what they are capable of doing. They will discover the things that are truly important to them, and you will forge memories and friendships on new levels. Everyone in the school is rooting for them—we all want them to succeed. All they have to do is their best. They will strive to create art from the heart, and when a person does that, they cannot fail.
Mr. Collins - Instructor
Mr. Collins
Mr. C. has been a dramatic arts teacher for over 15 years, the last seven of which have been right here at Ecole River Heights. From the ages of 12-19, he had a successful acting career, appearing in film, television, commercials, and provided voiceovers for cartoons, radio, and advertisements. He dabbled in live performance, but it wasn't until university that his love of theatre blossomed.
Since graduating from post-secondary school, Mr. C. has directed professionally in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba. Outside of the classroom, Mr. C. has served as the President of the Manitoba Drama Educators Association (2019-2021), was the dramatic arts representative on the Winnipeg School Division Arts Council (2019 - 2023), and is the Chapter Director in Manitoba for the Theatrical Arts Education Association (2021 - ongoing).
In the classroom, Mr. C. explores self-confidence and collaboration skill-building exercises and activities. Performance and presentation assignments centre around personal passions, global challenges, and theatre as a force for change.