Curtain rises on Nipissing District Sears Drama Festival

The Nipissing District Sears Drama Festival is on stage at St Joseph-Scollard Hall through Saturday.

Seven local schools are performing with a variety of awards up for grabs, along with the chance to advance to the regional Sears Drama Festival in two weeks, also at SJSH.

Almaguin Grade 11 Student and Festival Student Representative Serena Palangio says there’s plenty of variety being showcased.

“The genres of the shows are definitely quite diverse, there’s very serious dramas to comedies, it’s really just a bit of everything,” she says.

Palangio says the students put in a lot of hard work with these shows, and theatre in general, but there are plenty of benefits too.

“It’s helped me find out more about myself as a person, as a student, with working with others, it’s improved my confidence, definitely my reading skills, as well,” she says.

Performances start each night at 7 pm.

Tickets are $10 at the door.

Thursday’s performances included:
• F.J McElligott S.S, presenting “Where the Rivers Meet”
• École Secondaire Catholique Élisabeth-Bruyère, presenting “Le Bal Des Illusions”
• Saint Joseph Scollard Hall, presenting “The Brother’s Grimm”

Shows tonight (Friday, April 7) include:
• École Secondaire Catholique Algonquin, presenting “Réunion Des Masques”
• Almaguin Highlands Secondary School, presenting “Anonymous”
• Widdifield Secondary School, presenting “The Crazy Locomotive”

Show tomorrow night (Saturday, April 8) include:
• Almaguin Highlands Secondary School, presenting “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”
• West Ferris Secondary School, presenting “Txt or Die”