The first show of the Medicine Hat High School's production of A Christmas Story had a full house of middle and elementary students from across the division.--NEWS PHOTO SAMANTHA JOHNSON
reporter@medicinehatnews.com
Medicine Hat High School is presenting the musical version of A Christmas Story this December. Author Jean Shepherd wrote the stories as memories of himself growing up, which appeared as a series of radio shows originally and was later adapted into a movie.
“This is mostly based on the movie version, with some changes and updates, and the songs are written for the show,” explained drama teacher Richard Grafton. “The narrators are interesting because usually it’s only one actor who performed the narrator character for Jean, but in our version, because we wanted to fit opportunities for students, we have 12 narrators, so it became a juggling act of the 12 Jeans of Christmas.”
Jenna Schubert and Charlie Schmidt, who play two of the 12 narrators, commented that sorting out lines and who was going to do what was a challenge at first. The advantage is the diversity among the narrators, which offers the audience different perspectives on the story and makes a single role into a collaborative effort.
Peer feedback has been valuable to the entire cast, Schmidt says.
“You figure out who your character is and you get into that role and over time. During rehearsals you hear it every day over and over again, so you start to know the show by heart, and you start to know everybody’s lines and people start noticing the little things you do,” Schmidt said, adding it enables them to offer suggestions or compliments on how a scene was performed. “I think a lot of the individual mannerisms of each character has been suggested or picked up over time through feedback.”
Schubert added, “Focusing on my role as a narrator, since there are 12 of us, a lot of the time after rehearsal we’ll meet and talk in our group chat and discuss things that went well and things we could try differently. It’s helpful to have the group of other students who also have theatre experience who can bring different perspectives and ideas to you, which sometimes work and sometimes don’t, but it’s great to be able to experience other people’s ideas mixed with your own.”
Alana Santos moved to Medicine Hat from the Dominican Republic in late September this year, joining the cast a little later.
“My biggest learning was how to make everything flow. I learned from the teachers, peer feedback and seeing them act to not only be that person but also to give life to it. At first, I wasn’t as dramatic, but then I noticed in a musical theatre show, it’s not the same as watching a movie. I had to learn how to make my expressions bigger.”
Santos found it hard at first coming to a new country, city and school but is glad she joined the musical.
“At first it was hard for me to do stuff because it was new and everything had started already. I didn’t want to lose my volleyball abilities and my singing and I asked Mr. Grafton if there was anything I could do to continue with that.”
The experience has helped her make friends and be more social while also expanding her creative talents by adding acting and dancing to her skill set.
On Thursday the cast and crew had their first performance for middle and elementary schools, which went well with only a few mishaps.
“As the teacher and director, at this point in the process, I step back and fade away more so they take more responsibility. Today was a good example and they rose to the challenge,” stated Grafton.
Performances are being held at the MHHS Performing Arts Theatre with nine shows, three for schools and six public, starting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16.
