The Lucknow Sentinel, 1998-09-30, Page 12Y+°.._
by L..avidEntsslie
The fact that a lack of
extra-eurrietti;ar activities
by teachers could. threaten
school drama clubs has ;led:
agroup of local youths to
launch' their own theatre
- coati any.
Cappy Onn and Mike
Mullin, both Central
Huron Secondary School
OAC students, are the eo-
a
directors' for, the company, .
called And Perhaps, A Play:
amino y. an.dC they.
eicplained.just how the
'group came together.
Onn explained that
Daryle. Henry and Erin
Rpulstoti founded the
company. "They • th'ought,
that since there'woul4 not
be very much: ex.txa-currie
ular at school this. year,'w.
System in place
for c eek in
Having students arrive
at sdhooi each morning
isn't something schuuls'in.
the .Bluewaterboard take
for granted,
"Each school has'a sys-
tem to contact a parent or.
guardian of a child Who
has not :arrived. without
notice," said superinten-
dent Mary Anne Alton.
That means checking
attendance for 24,000 stu-
dents, 194 days;a year,
Bus companies: play "a
huge part" in th'e safe
arrival of students, Alton
said. R'ut, schools.: also
have programs. in place to •
•
track dQWnon students
,who are absent without
previous notice. •
Some . sc;'hoo:l.s, like
'Huron Heights in
Kincardine, use volunteers
Who call to check 'the
whereabouts of students
who are unexpectedly
absent. Other schools, like •
Sydenham • in Owen
Sound, use school officer •
staff to. do. that:'job, Both
schools . have 2,4.hoyr.
'answering machines that •
allow parents to notify the
school • ,aboi,t student
absences, • •
•
Lnnckn v. Sentinel', Wednesday, September 3; 199.8—Page '1 U
their own theatre company
•
they would; open compa-
ny themselves,. she said.
Also the company's
general manager, Olin
explained that the group
did not really get rolling
until early. in September,
"because no orte was real=
ly sure if. we would' have
todo. drama .for our
selves," in an interview
last week,she added that
to this point, teachers in
the Avon Maitland District
Stl,heel Board were still
not doing extra -curricular
activities,hut negotiations.
were continuing.
And even if.die teach-
ers do undertake volunteer
activities 'again, -Onn said
And Perhaps A. Play
Company will continue.
"It is a. good opportunity
for these kids," she said, •
Following; auditions on
Sept: tZ.the first
rehearsals for the theatre
Company .were held last
week at the June Hi Ll
Roost. of the,' Blyth
Festival. Theatre.
The -first play the group
Wilt.moumt.at the Festival's
Garage Theatre • in
NOverriber will be' the
comedy The .Com,pleat
Wks :of: Willm, Shkspr
(Abridged) which .Nadine.
said. . is. really: funoiy," The
l lay eondeuses. all ef: the
work. of Wiiliaaaa
Shakespeare . anter one
work..
Onn noted. that in the
play are footnotes. which:
are not supposed to be in
the actual. work,,. "but we're
going to, put them. in .any-..
way, because $Orae of.
them are really funny."
Youths will be respon-
sible for the whole pro-
duction of the play, from.
directing to acting, and
from setsto costumes.
"We're totally student
run,'" Ono said. •
The students, however,..
also have the benefit of
having professionals off of
whore to bounce . their
ideas. Onn noted that the
Blyth•Festival. has been "a
really .big help," through
both •allowing. the compa-
ny to use the rehearsal
space, and offering, advice
When necessary.
Onn noted: the profes-
sionals at the theatre Have:
been very; patient with the
students. "They're, realty
'supportive," .
The Cbmpleat Wks of
Willm Shkspr (Abridged).
as •presented by And . .
.erhaps.A Play Company, . Auditions for And, Perha * • A: PI
will play .4t` the Cranage: tookCompanyPartial*, place, rt ntlly,. Those in. attendancetook..�
Theaue.beginnrn on Nov
tb; .hcre it will rttq for,
Raft tet comer thaatta gaMeisl, Mete,
�u week. sou icf.olh Iui1LNlt'"h4 -', �y� (t l �..
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