Students from Holy Redeemer High have made history for their school.
Two productions from students with the Holy Redeemer Drama Department will be featured at the Alberta High School Drama Festival in Lethbridge this summer after winning Best Production at the Zone Drama Festival on April 25.
Drama teacher Peter Taylor says this is a first for the school.
“This feels absolutely surreal,” says Taylor. “This has never happened before at our Zone Festival for any school. Both of our plays being recognized with the top awards means the world to these students who worked so hard to make their shows the best.”
Those plays are Cuffed, the story of a legislative assistant in Washington, DC, who gets handcuffed to a pole and ends up getting some much-needed comeuppance; and Afterwards, the story of a young man and woman who awaken together beside a road, not knowing who they are or how they got there.
In a media release, Grade 12 student director Camryn Leslie says she was shocked when Cuffed was named Best Production.
“When they called our show’s name for Best Production, I couldn’t believe it,” exclaimed Leslie. “I’m so incredibly proud of these students and their performances. It was a total team effort to pull this off and we are incredibly grateful to the adjudicators for enjoying our play.”
The adjudicators weren’t the only ones who enjoyed the productions, as both plays received plenty of laughs and standing ovations.
On top of the Best Production award, Terris T picked up the award for best actor for his portrayal of the hilarious Weird Guy and Olivia B received an Honourable Mention for Prop Flop for her quick improvisation skills following a slight mishap.
Afterwards director Christina B says that after seeing Cuffed win Best Production, she did not expect to take home the top spot as well.
“After Cuffed had won Best Production, I was not expecting our show to win as well,” conceded Christina. “We couldn’t believe it! That said, our cast and crew had their best performance as they really hit it on stage. I’m so incredibly proud of all of them.”
Christina also won the award for Best Director, Dane S won the award for Best Sound Design and Bobbi F and Terris T received Honourable Mentions for Best Dead Bodies.
Organizers with the Zone Drama Festival say two Best Production awards are presented when 15 or more plays are entered into the festival. The Holy Redeemer Drama Department will now perform both of these plays at the Alberta High School Drama Festival in Lethbridge, May 8 – 10. This is the 10th and 11th time plays from Holy Redeemer have been featured at this prestigious festival.
Drama teacher Peter Taylor says he is excited to see his students perform at this level.
“We are incredibly proud of the 21 students who took part in these plays and I look forward to seeing what they can do at the highest level of theatre in the province,” says Taylor. “Not to mention, they are going to have an absolute blast at the same time!”
