March 7, 2011
DSBN takes Curtain Call at Drama Festival
Two DSBN student productions are being asked for an encore performance after being honoured with awards for outstanding productions at the 2011 Niagara District Sears Drama Festival held in Welland. Both Grimsby Secondary and Welland Centennial will be heading to Hamilton to present at the Regional Sears Drama Festival in April.
During the awards banquet on March 4, festival adjudicator Deanna Jones noted the exceptional quality of all the productions. Jones added that it was extremely difficult to decide on award winners, and that she only made her final choices after “a long sleepless night.” Awards were presented to individuals as well as production casts and crews.
“From the opening curtain to the final bow, audiences were captivated by these wonderful plays,” said Gerda Klassen, DSBN Arts Consultant. “Students and staff have put months of hard work into building sets, memorizing lines and rehearsing. They should all be commended for their careful preparation and professional performances.”
Festival coordinator Stewart Simpson said the event covered a “stunningly wide-range of theatre. Any one of these fine productions could have gone on to represent the Niagara region with distinction.”
The Regional Festival will take place at Sir John A. McDonald Secondary School in Hamilton from April 11-16. Two productions at the Regional Festival will be invited to perform their plays at the Ontario Showcase happening in Toronto, May 11-14. This event is noncompetitive; however, a number of awards will be given at the discretion of the adjudicator. There are prizes for writing and technical skill, as well as scholarships and bursaries awarded to help recipients pursue careers in performing arts.
Below is a full list of DSBN schools and students that took home awards from the Niagara District Sears Drama Festival held at Welland Centennial, from March 1 - 3.
Peltoma Award for Outstanding Productions:
daFogato’s Inferno – Grimsby Secondary
The Importance of Being Earnest – Welland Centennial
Best Canadian Play
Surviving Molly Morgan – St. Catharines Collegiate
Best Experimental Play
Thread – Laura Secord Secondary
Sears Stage Management Award
Megan Boswell, Jordyn Colosi, St. Catharines Collegiate
Rita Steeve Award for Crew Excellence
Chelsea Felker, Ethan Henderson, Jake Girton, Grimsby Secondary
Good Egg Award for Festival Spirit
Stamford Collegiate
Sears Awards of Excellence:
Best Set Design
Faith Bunyan for The Importance of Being Earnest - Welland Centennial Secondary School
Best Original Live Music
Jeff Burton for Thread - Laura Secord Secondary School
Most Innovative Approach to a Published Text
Elephant Graveyard - Governor Simcoe
Best Overall Cast in a Complex Script
Surviving Molly Morgan - St. Catharines Collegiate
Best Performance in Comedic Role
Miranda Bird as Helen in Thread – Laura Secord Secondary School
Best Overall Performance
Jeremy Knapton as Old Man in The Chairs - Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School
Adjudicator’s Award:
Overall Accomplishment in a Non-Linear Play
Ridgeway-Crystal Beach – The Chairs, by Eugene Ionesco
Awards of Merit:
Performance in Complicated Love Scene
Devon Graystone and Alisha Ricottone as William and Peyton in Moments in Love - South Lincoln High School
Performance in a Minor Role
Marcus Tuttle in Moments In Love – South Lincoln High School
Cross-Gender Performance
Rob Colonico as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest – Welland Centennial Secondary School
Most Innovative use of Props
Elephant Graveyard - Governor Simcoe
Most Cohesive Aesthetic in an Episodic Play
Moments in Love – South Lincoln High School
Performance in a Difficult Role
Kahlee Latreille as Miranda in Surviving Molly Morgan - St. Catharines Collegiate
Crew with Ambitious Set and Stage Business
The Chairs - Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School
Commitment to Character
Kelly Howard as the Homeless Girl in Tracks – Stamford Collegiate
Physical Performance and Specificity
Aryn Fyke as Old Woman in The Chairs – Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School