Last year, the festival had its Vernon debut. This year, it91裸聊视频檚 bigger and better than ever.
The 18th annual kicked off at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Monday, drawing in more than 360 students from 20 schools across the Interior for professional workshops centred around theatre, film and TV.
91裸聊视频淚 think the magic of this festival is some of the kids only see each other once every year and look forward to making new friends every year,91裸聊视频� said festival coordinator and Seaton Secondary drama instructor Lana O91裸聊视频橞rien.
Now in it91裸聊视频檚 second year in Vernon, O91裸聊视频橞rien and fellow organizer and Summerland drama instructor Linda Beaven said Vernon is the perfect town for the festival to flourish.
Beaven originally kickstarted the festival in 1999 in Summerland alongside fellow instructors Sandra Richardson and Mike Robinson to provide a hands-on program for Interior students interested in pursuing a career in the arts.
91裸聊视频淚 think in their own schools, art students tend to be outsiders,91裸聊视频� Beaven said. 91裸聊视频淗ere they think, 91裸聊视频極ther kids are just like me.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
O91裸聊视频橞rien agreed.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a fellowship. They kind of already all speak the same language,91裸聊视频� O91裸聊视频橞rien said. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 an understanding of how you work in a theatre.91裸聊视频�
Unlike in the Lower Mainland, Beaven said, students in the Interior don91裸聊视频檛 have the same access to careers in the arts. To mitigate that shortfall, the Goodwill Shakespeare festival brings in industry professionals to teach the students the ropes. And, in that aspect, Beaven said the festival excels.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not just sitting at your desk. I think, at the end of it, they think, 91裸聊视频業 can do that,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Beaven said.
91裸聊视频淚t kind of opens the world to them. That91裸聊视频檚 why this was started,91裸聊视频� O91裸聊视频橞rien added. 91裸聊视频淭his is a way of bringing it to our rural kids. Any education in the arts is critical for the development of young humans.91裸聊视频�
Students value the opportunity so much that they start banging on their doors as early as September, they said.
In addition to a growing crowd, this year91裸聊视频檚 festivities also offer two new intensives: photography and tech.
91裸聊视频淲e also put out opportunities for kids who don91裸聊视频檛 enjoy the performance aspect of theatre,91裸聊视频� O91裸聊视频橞rien said.
Separated into two groups 91裸聊视频� the drama groups and intensive groups 91裸聊视频� students in the drama strand rotate through a sampling of workshops in a variety of fields. Intensive students focus on workshops surrounding one specific sector and must have attended two previous festivals and/or have a strong interest in their chosen field.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 just something magical about getting these art students together in one place,91裸聊视频� O91裸聊视频橞rien said.
After relocating from Summerland, the festival lost its primary sponsor and is searching for community support. O91裸聊视频橞rien has started a page with the goal of raising $10,000.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a very expensive endeavour,91裸聊视频� O91裸聊视频橞rien said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檇 love to help keep the festival growing.91裸聊视频�
Eight schools will showcase performances from their schools Monday and Tuesday evening from 5-7 p.m., and on Wednesday from 1-3:30 p.m., the acting, choral, writing and photography students will be showcasing the work they have done over the three days of the festival at the Gala.
All of these performances are open to the public by donation, at the Performing Arts Centre, with donations going toward future festivals.
