For 10 weeks in the fall, the Shaw Festival runs a youth theatre school.
“When the artists leave, this building gets very sad,” says Suzanne Merriam, the Shaw’s senior manager of education at the end-of-session show.
“However on Saturday mornings it’s filled up with energy and joy,” she says, referring to the three levels of classes held weekly in the theatre’s rehearsal spaces. Junior Company I consists of students from Grades 3 and 4; Junior Company II of kids from Grades 5 and 6. The Intermediate Company teaches Grade 6 and 7 students the basics of theatre training.
The instructors are Shaw company members.
On Saturday morning each of the three groups staged a performance for their friends and family in the Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre.
Junior Company I was taught by Kristi Frank and Patty Jamieson. Jamieson introduced the group by explaining what she and Frank had been working on with the students. “What is my body saying in space,” she said, is a key component of theatre work. Jamieson also said “inspiring creativity and keeping it flowing” were key components of the classes.
The first group performed “What If,” a poem by Shel Silverstein that addresses issues light and heavy — with some improvised tongue-twisters thrown in.
Jenny L. Wright led Junior Company II. She describes the students as having “great artistic impulses and creativity.”
She credits them for further inspiring her own work. “These guys really help me get back to that," she said.
The Intermediate Company presented “Munsch On This,” a multi-partite play on auditions and productions of Robert Munsch’s childhood-favourite book “Mortimer.”
Elodie Gillett taught this level, and says, “This group is made up of very different people — some need focus for their endless energy, and some need to learn to claim their space.” She continues by describing the importance of the balance of structure and play.
“We never have time to make this shiny,” says Jamieson about the showcase productions, but as they learn their specific theatre skills, "the students’ eyes sparkle because they know what they’re talking about."
