Thank you to everyone who has come out this afternoon to learn about our school’s Drama Club. Thank you especially to all of the parents who have come to support their children in pursuing theatre and the arts. Without you, none of this would be possible. I’m very excited to be here to introduce what is truly the most amazing Drama Club in the entire region. I want to tell you all about what’s in store for the Club this school year, and to explain some changes that will be taking place.

This school year, we plan to perform two major plays. This means that in addition to using our regular Burnaby Theatre, we will also be holding rehearsals and performances at Kingsway Theatre. 

Our two productions will be Peter Pan and Grease. Auditions will be held for all students on September 4 at the Burnaby Theatre, and our directors will assign each student to one of the two plays.

Now, rehearsals will begin September 10, but we are going to have two rehearsals per week rather than one. They will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday and Thursday evenings for Peter Pan at Burnaby Theatre, and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays for Grease at Kingsway Theatre.

As usual, there will be a welcome dinner at the beginning of the school year. This time it will be hosted by Village Pizzeria on September 9 at 6:30 p.m. We invite both students and their families to join us for a fun and relaxing evening.

Then, following our final night of performances on March 23, we invite you all to celebrate with us at the cast party on Sunday, March 24 from 7 to 10 p.m.. Our friends over at Shanghai Express will cater a delicious buffet dinner.

I want you all to meet our incredible team of teachers and theatre experts who will be guiding the students through this year’s productions. Most of you already know our Club Director Michael Horton. He’s been leading our program for eight years, and brings over 25 years experience as both an actor and director in theatre.

Assisting Michael is Janet Green, who has been involved as a Co-Director in the Drama Club since joining the staff at our high school as an English teacher five years ago. She has an MA in Creative Arts, and has a passion for bringing theatre to youth. If students are having any problems or have concerns, she’s the one to go to.

Next we have Alice Waters, our Grade 10 Spanish teacher who has a talent for making beautiful costumes. She spent a year in South America studying Spanish while learning costume design from a local expert. Students love working with her to create their wardrobes, and we are very grateful that she dedicates so much time to helping us out year after year.

I also want to introduce you to Mark Barnes. He’s a math teacher at our school and is the Drama Club’s secretary. He handles all of the logistics, such as registering students, scheduling rehearsals and performances, and making sure everything is in order at show time. If you have scheduling conflicts or want to pre-book tickets for a performance, Mark is your guy.

Last but definitely not least, we have Deborah Snyder, our lighting expert. With more than 30 years of experience doing lights for a variety of plays, performances, and concerts, she really knows what she’s doing. Also, we are always looking for student volunteers help with lighting at our plays, so contact her if you’re interested.

So, does anyone have any questions before we end our meeting for today?

Answer

1. September 4

2. September 10

3. Peter Pan

4. Kingsway Theatre

5. Friday

6. C

7. 5 years

8. Costume design

9. Rehearsals and performances

10. Lighting