A R T S
IT’S A PIRATE’S LIFE ON TREASURE ISLAND
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
Every child sometimes dreams of going on an adventure in search of pirate trea- sure but for young Jim Hawkins, it may or may not have been a dream in the VCI production of Treasure Island. “It had a lot of roles and also a lot of flexibility for everyone’s acting ability,” said Sarah Dagg, an English teacher at Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute (VCI) and also direc- tor of the VCI Drama Class production of Treasure Island. This stage version of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic tale of adventure and buried treasure was adapted by Alex Bryant, a teacher who specialized in student dramas. This version is true to the original novel, with a few revisions to introduce a supernatural element and also a framing device that sees a very young Jim Hawkins waking up several times in the night from what he tells his mother is a dream about pirates and a map that leads to Treasure Island. The VCI production debuted on stage with a Wednesday afternoon matinée June 14 for the student body and a later evening performance that was open to the general public. Overall audience response to the production was enthusiastic, “I am superproud of them all for pulling it altogether,” said Dagg, regarding the efforts and performance of the three dozen students involved in the production. The majority of the cast and stage crew were the two dozen students in the drama class. The rest were student volunteers from
other grades outside of the class. Dagg noted that the play proved a perfect choice for this year’s VCI theatre production because it gave both students ready and eager to get up on stage and those who preferred to work behind-the-scenes a challenge to perform. “Not everyone in drama class wants to be an actor,” she said. “There were lots of opportunities for the non-actors in class to do something.” Some of the biggest challenges were in the set decoration, props, and costuming areas. The stage version of the Hispaniola, the ship that carries Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver, and the others to Treasure Island was the biggest set decoration of the play, but the students also had to try to find things like old luggage that could serve the part of sea chests filled with pirate treasure, find old clothing and other items suitable for pirate costumes or Squire Trelawney’s customary fancy dress clothing. The other challenge for the Grades 9 to 12 students involved in the production was learning their lines and getting into their characters. They spent about three months of class time plus two weeks of afterschool rehearsals to get into the spirit of adventure and intrigue that makes Treasure Island a classic. Which is one of main goals of VCI’s drama program. “Drama is a program at which students of all levels can be successful,” said Dagg. “In the end, the momentum builds and you find lots of the students now taking on roles, even minor ones. It is a huge confidence building.” With Treasure Island now behind them, what adventure beckons next year for VCI’s drama students? “Maybe a murder mystery,” said Dagg, with a smile. “With audience involvement.” Thomas Joyner proved a very popular intermission feature of the VCI Drama Class production of Treasure Island with his repertoire of classic pirate movie themes and traditional sea shanties. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
The ghost of Captain Flint (Rikki Coderre) shows Long John Silver (Olliver George) the Black Spot, the sign of doom for all pirates and freebooters, and the sign of the final end for Silver’s life in this world. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
Perdu sur l’île au trésor, Jim Hawkins (Emma Scott) retrouve le vieux fou Ben Gunn (Gill Kieran), abandonné depuis trois ans sur l’île par le défunt capitaine Flint et le perfide Long John Silver. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
À bord de l’Hispaniola, en route pour l’Île au trésor. Le capitaine Smollett (Lana Read-Auger, au centre) exprime à l’écuyer Trelawney (Jameson Paquette) et au docteur Livesey (Jena Benoit) ses doutes quant à l’équipage du navire. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
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