Drama teacher Shayla Bennett with Grade 9 students Finn Knodel (assistant director) and Adrienne Campbell (actor) in the drama room at St. Mary's School.- NEWS PHOTO SAMANTHA JOHNSON
reporter@medicinehatnews.com
St. Mary’s presents its annual Christmas Show at the Esplanade tonight, Dec. 13, starting at 7 p.m.
The program starts with bands from each of the grades playing two or three pieces. Next up are the dancers with the Grade 7s doing a ribbon dance, Grade 8s transforming into elves and children of snow, and then the Grade 9s will tap their way into Christmas.
Rounding out the first part of the evening will be each of the three choirs singing.
The evening will end with the drama production, a one-act play called North Pole’s Got Talent. This is a completely student production led by the Grade 9s.
“They produce, direct, do all the sets and costumes along with the actors. There are 32 of them and they have varying roles in tech, backstage and onstage,” said vice principal Brad van Middelkoop.
Assistant director Finn Knodel says he likes to boss people around.
“I’ve been told I’m intimidating.”
The play is a parody of a talent show and has contestants from the North Pole coming out to perform and be judged. Challenges for Knodel have been “making sure everybody is doing what they are supposed to be doing. I usually feed lines. I can act, I think, but I’m usually behind the scenes.”
Adrienne Campbell is playing Holly in the production.
“I am one of the main hosts of the show,” she said. “Me and my co-host Billy run the show, introducing everyone and announcing the scores.”
During the day, the entire student body from St. Mary’s will attend a production and all the Grade 5 and 6 students in the Catholic school district are also invited.
There are 413 students at St. Mary’s this year between Grades 7 and 9 and about 100 of them partake in the specialized fine arts program at the school. All the students in the program take art, band, choir, drama and dance along with their regular studies.
“(Tonight will be) a showcase of all the work the kids have been doing in their performing arts disciplines,” said van Middelkoop. “In terms of art, some of their artwork will be displayed while people are entering and exiting the theatre. Everybody gets a taste of all five of the fine arts disciplines the kids are studying while they are here.”
