With the Region IV Drama Festival at the end of the month fast approaching, the local high schools are deep in the midst of rehearsals.
At Yorkton Regional High School, a cast and crew of 12 are working on a production of "Antigone Now" by Melissa Cooper-an adaptation of the Greek tragedy Antigone.
"We decided we wanted to go a different route this year," says director Lisa Yeadon.
In this minimalist drama, the title character (Colby Kuzma) clashes with her uncle, King Creon (Brandon Smith), after the deaths of her two brothers on opposite sides of a war.
The characters of the classic play are transplanted into a new setting in "Antigone Now."
"The suggestion is that it's modern times, but the location could be anywhere," Yeadon says.
Due to a high interest in the drama program among students this year, a second production is being staged at YRHS. "I Hate the Mall," directed by Brennan Risling, stars the school's junior students.
That play won't be entered into the drama festival. Instead, it will be shown alongside "Antigone Now" at a YRHS dessert theatre on Sunday, March 27. The evening starts at 7 pm.
Sacred Heart High School, the host of this year's Region IV Drama Festival, may be the school to beat. Sacred Heart has won top prize at the regional festival the last nine years in a row.
The school is entering two plays this year, the largest of which is titled "Heaven Is." Directed by festival coordinator Gregory Digout, the production involves 53 students: 26 of them onstage.
"This is the biggest one-act play I've ever attempted in 20 years," Digout says.
The play, about a group of schoolchildren acting out their personal versions of heaven, was written by Moose Jaw educator Dr. George Falk, who died in 2008. Digout was a friend of Dr. Falk, and says he has been planning to stage one of Falk's plays for years.
Last year's regional best actor award winner Tyler Pindus stars in the play alongside past provincial acting award winner Reneé Digout.
Sacred Heart's second entry into the festival, "Among Friends and Clutter" by Lindsay Price, is directed by Kim Wyatt and Teresa Hartman. This play follows seven Grade 2 students through various stages of their lives.
Like YRHS, Sacred Heart will be previewing its performances at a dessert theatre before the festival. That show starts at 7 pm on Tuesday, March 29.
The Region IV Drama Festival runs from March 31 through April 2 and will feature 10 plays from around the district.
