Our Drama Department have had a very busy term so far, not only preparing for our musical Urinetown in April, but also the Grade 12 theatre showcase next week. In addition, both MYP and DP Theatre students have enjoyed excursions to see productions across the city.
Here’s a round-up of their recent trips and what to look forward to over the next couple of months.
MYP and DP Theatre Go to See Heathers the Musical
On February 12 our Grade 9, 10 and 11 Theatre students watched a performance of Heathers the Musical by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy at Langara College.
The students were thoroughly entertained watching the coming-of-age dark comedy which pushed the boundaries of what they had seen before. The students dived deep into this challenging piece of musical theatre and took away some very powerful moments that they could use in their work for assessment. Students organized their thoughts around tension, emotion, atmosphere and meaning and analyzed the impact the work had on them as an audience.
DP Experience The Arsonists at the Chan Centre
Our Grade 11 and 12 DP theatre students also had the opportunity to watch a performance of The Arsonists by Max Frisch earlier this month, at the Chan Centre at UBC. The play explored issues of compliance and social norms.
The DP Theatre students really pulled apart this thought-provoking piece and had a chance to unpack what themes, messages and issues this “morality without a moral” stoked within them. Complacency was a key theme and the students related this to ideas of environment, procrastination and politics.
Grade 12 Showcase Next Wednesday
As part of the Arts Showcase Evening next Wednesday, 5 March, Grade 12 will be presenting their Collaborative Theatre Piece and Solo Theatre Performances. Audiences are encouraged to help the students by providing feedback on whether their work has the intended impact on the audience. Also on display at the event will be the Grade 12 Visual Arts Exhibition in the Atrium and screenings of DP films created by Grade 11 and 12 film students so far this year as well as last year. Come along to support from 5:00 PM next Wednesday!
Urinetown: The Musical in April
Since September our Senior School students have been preparing for their run of performances of Urinetown: The Musical in April. With regular rehearsals for those on stage as well as the band and behind-the-scenes crews it all leads up to the performances from April 10–13.
Urinetown: The Musical is a satirical comedy set in a dystopian future where a severe water shortage has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The musical cleverly critiques corporate greed, social inequality and bureaucratic corruption, all while blending humour with dark, dramatic elements. Through its original score, witty dialogue and self-aware humour, Urinetown offers both a sharp commentary on contemporary social issues and a parody of classic musical theatre conventions.
Watch out for information on how to book your tickets coming very soon!
