L'École secondaire catholique EJ Lajeunesse is well known for our consistently successful sports teams but our victories also lie in the arts! Our drama program or
'Troupe Royale' is a strong, well organized and competitive organisation. Led by none other than our talented drama teacher Mr. Kevin Noecker (
bio), Lajeunesse always manages to put on amazing productions. The last few years there have been a wide range of plays such as 'Huis Clos' an absurdist production, 'Into the Woods' a musical production, 'Apprendre a voler' a dramatic production and 'MDR' a comedic murder mystery production.
Each year, our cast competes in two festivals. The first being an all french showcase held in either Ottawa or Sudbury named
Théâtre Action. Here, the actors have a chance to view other French Productions, participate in writing, directing and acting workshops and perform for an audience that appreciates all the hard work that goes into presenting a theatrical production. The second festival is a competitive program known as
Sears Festival. Here, all willing schools in each district compete against each other for a spot among the top at the regional level and finally the provincial level.
Last year, La Troupe Royal had its first victory ever at Sears Fest with MDR, written and Directed by none other than Lajeunesse's own student Christine St.Pierre. It starred Madison Gignac, Jackson Rae, Natalie Reid and Daniel Zeiter-Smith as well as Kaitlyn Labute and Marc Lanteigne. The production won awards such as a merit award for ensemble acting, writing and directing, outstanding production and more.
This year Lajeunesse's production is a dramatic comedy written and directed by Daniel Zeiter Smith entitled 'Parés au décollage?'. The production began in October with its maiden presentation scheduled for February 25th at Walkerville Collegiate Institute. This will also be their Sears Fest competition performance. Many of the cast members that are returning are actors from last years award winning show MDR such as
Madison Gignac, Marc Lanteigne, Natalie Reid, Christine St Pierre and Daniel Zeiter-Smith. This production also features actors making their Sears Fest/T.A debut: Tim Boismier, Dallas Heffernan, Tori McLinden, Florine Ndimubandi,
Nicholas Rogers and Shannan Ryan. La Troupe Royale also welcomes a first timer to our drama family this year; Michelle Barnett! We're all very excited to have her join us.
Many people don't understand that a cast is more than just a group of individuals who meet a few times a week, learn some lines and do shows. A cast is a family who live, eat and sleep together and who are always there to help and support one another. Cast members are silly around one another because we're all comfortable unquestionably with everyone else. A cast takes advantage of road trips to festivals and shows as opportunities to bond and become closer. All of this is showcased in the relationships a cast has on and off stage, in the tears after an amazing performance, the empty feeling after the last show they have together and lastly in the memories they all share. La Troupe Royal is a family and that is why it is so successful as an ensemble.
Brace yourselves for the roller coaster of performances soon to come!
Bye guys!
Sources
http://www.ejldrame.ofitall.com/
http://www.searsdramafestival.com/
http://www.theatreaction.ca/fr/
http://www.foreverfilms.ca/
I couldn't agree more with your last statement about the cast being a family. If I had a dollar for nearly every time a play has come to an end and you whine and complain about missing them (because you spend the majority of the year with them) I would be filthy rich. Good luck, break a leg, and what not.
ReplyDeleteMadison your blog was very informing of our theatrical arts at school! I did not know that the MDR play won an award last year but it was really funny when you guys presented it at school. Also, I heard the play this year that Daniel wrote is very good. I cannot wait to see it, will you guys be performing it at for the school to see?
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that the Troupe Royale is a very out going group of young people. It's pretty amazing that as such a small school we've managed to accomplish so much in an art that we aren't, yet, known for. Most of these accomplishments I wasn't even aware of. Now that I am part of this year's Troupe, I look forward to reading your perspective on all that happens.
ReplyDeleteI would first like to thank all three of you for your compliments and support of our artistic endeavors! It really does mean a lot to not only me but to the entire cast that we have people supporting us! Gabrielle, to answer your question; yes we will be performing it for the school in the next few months! You will most likely be watching it after our shows in April.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Ben we are more then thrilled to have you join us as part of our technical team this year and we welcome you warmly to our family!
Methinks you have rightfully portrayed our Troupe. I could have never imagined the success that we have known for a school of our size. Although the competition is ferocious and our cast selections are limited, we have handfuls of quirky individuals who are devoted and passionate about the art. My goodness, what a feeling it is to achieve your goals and beyond! What about that teacher guy, though? I hear some pretty weird things about him... Does he ACTUALLY throw tomatoes at his actors when they're not memorized?! Good gracious me!!!
ReplyDeleteI hear it motivates them. Sounds like quite a guy! His behaviour is completely justified by my book!
DeleteIt's hard to put into words the relationship we have with one another in the troupe. That said, you managed to find those words and put them in the rite order. I'll be sure to come back to this blog, not only because I'm mentioned in it. Hoping you break a leg and all the other limbs.
ReplyDeleteWow reading this blog brings back some good memories. Theater is just fantastic and sometimes you just really have to grab a story and go with it. What a cast can do to even the minimalist story is often times mind blowing. I know we've worked together in the past and I look forward to reading more about the times with the Troupe Royal, and to work with you again in the future!
ReplyDelete