A thank you to students and their teachers for a rewarding night of theatre I was provided with on Jan. 18 at the production of Les Miserable that was produced by the Paul Kane theatre group. Over the years, I have been involved as an active worker or audience member in tens of high school productions. As well, the musical, Les Miserables, has become a family favourite as we have attended professional productions in Toronto, London – numerous times – and New York. It was this long-term relationship with the play, student theatre and my enduring personal affiliation with Paul Kane that brought me out the other night.
I was treated to an amazing experience of stage craft, musical expertise and over-the-top talent. The young cast had the qualities of a professional acting troupe. The voices of the actors were faultless. The mature stage presence that they exhibited, at such a relatively young age, was quite amazing. The energy of the ensemble never wavered. In fact, many of the crowd scenes were filled with small cameos that made them delightful to watch. The musical accompaniment provided by the live orchestra cannot be under-estimated. The musicians performed what appeared to be a faultless arrangement providing the singers with the opportunity to show their stuff. The set and its movement, the audio and the lighting all were seamless.
I was moved most by the scene of the 60-plus cast members receiving the applause of the audience at the end of the play. The memories created by such an experience where each member has had to depend on the other; where being vulnerable in front of an audience is expected and must be overcome; where there is no stopping to regroup or run a scene again – these are the accomplishments and memories these young people will keep for a lifetime. The sense of accomplishment on each of the faces during that applause is what your involvement as educators has provided. Many of them had done something they never thought they could do five months ago.
All that talent, all that willingness and all that energy would not have come to such a fine product without the tireless work of a core of educators who care more about honouring the needs of young people than the hours you must contribute. You are educators who know they are in the business of offering safe places for children to experience far more than a curriculum. Paul Kane is so fortunate to have you on their staff.
Thank you for all you did to provide a wonderful piece of entertainment for me. Thank you for being who you are and for enriching the lives of the young people you work with every day. My experience tells me that they will not forget.
Larry Dick, St. Albert
