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Education
Tourism, Culture and Recreation
May 7, 2009

Enter Stage Right! The Theatre Arts Festival Begins

The Provincial High School Theatre Festival gets underway in Gander this evening, as students from 10 schools converge on the town to showcase their thespian talents. The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, will be on hand to officially open the festival.

"I had the pleasure of attending previous theatre festivals and know the audiences are in for a real treat," said Minister King. "These students and their teachers have put in countless hours preparing for the regional competitions and ultimately for the provincial showcase. The talent that will be displayed over the coming days is not to be missed and I encourage everyone in the Gander area to make every effort to take in a show."

This is the 33rd year for the Provincial Theatre Arts Festival. Students compete at regional or district competitions to win a spot at the provincial festival. This is not a competitive event, but rather an opportunity for students to demonstrate to audiences their acting talents and abilities. Students will also participate in a number of workshops delivered by professional artists. For example, Ira Crummey will present Blocking and Stage Movement, and Jocelyn Ivany will introduce students to Blood and Stage Make-Up. At the end of the festival, students will benefit from the knowledge and expertise of actor and comedian John Sheehan, adjudicator of this year�s festival.

"The festival provides an opportunity for young people to discover, develop and showcase their theatrical talents," said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. "It is important we recognize that the high school actors and backstage support of today are very often the theatre professionals of the future."

Thomas Kendell, Chair of the Nova Central School Board said the district is very pleased to host this year�s Theatre Arts Festival. "This is an exciting time of year for students interested in theatre arts, and the provincial festival provides an opportunity for their hard work, dedication and talents to be recognized," said Mr. Kendell.

The Provincial Government is providing just over $46,000 to support the festival. This funding is part of government�s $11 million Cultural Connections � a sustainable fine arts and cultural strategy, which provides additional teachers, new curriculum materials, more local resources, enrichment opportunities, purchase of musical equipment and support for arts festivals.

"Each year, students and teachers spend a great deal of time preparing for the festival � from designing sets to practising lines," said Minister King. "It takes a lot of work to pull off a successful stage production, and I commend everyone for their dedication and commitment to this event. I also applaud the volunteers for their help in making this year�s event a success, and thank John Sheehan for committing his time and efforts in helping these young people improve their acting skills."

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Media contacts:

Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca 
Heather Hillier
Senior Administrative Officer (Corporate)
Nova Central School District
709-256-2547, ext. 298
hhillier@ncsd.ca
 

2009 05 07                                                     1:30 p.m.
 


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