In high school, my favourite subjects were language arts, social studies and drama.
Considering my current profession, the first two make perfect sense. It’s my love of writing combined with knowledge of the world and government that makes me at least ‘The World’s Most Okayest Journalist’ according to a shirt my parents got me a few Christmases ago.
Drama, however, was a passion that sadly didn’t lend itself to journalism. While the openness and patience it taught me can be useful at times, there’s not much call for me to do a two-minute improv scene in the middle of an interview on taxation, more’s the pity.
I got my start acting young when I played Joseph in my daycare’s production of the Nativity, though by played I mostly mean standing beside the girl playing Mary as she cried. Later on, I played Cas, one of the Three Wee Wise Men, during my elementary school’s Christmas Concert which seemed like a huge role at the time. In hindsight, I would be surprised if I had more than a dozen lines.
In Junior High, I took acting lessons at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton which fed my interest. When it came to choosing a High School I partially went to Archbishop Oscar Romero High School, now Saint Oscar Romero, because of its drama program.
For three years I was a huge theatre kid. I acted in the play every year, joined the Improv team and became head of the Cappies student critic program, attending plays at other high schools and writing my critiques for the Edmonton Journal. Funnily enough, those reviews are among my first published work as a journalist.
Being a part of the theatre community, for me, was all about finding a place of acceptance where you could be yourself. It taught me the value of cooperation and collaboration. It was a ton of fun and part of me still wishes I’d gone to the University of Alberta to study theatre.
However, I instead studied at SAIT where outside of catching the odd show I didn’t do much theatre for two years. When I moved to Williams Lake for work I soon joined and began covering the Williams Lake Studio Theatre’s productions.
In 2019 I played Claudio in their production of Much Ado About Nothing a classic Shakespeare comedy. Stepping on stage again was a joy and I had a great time getting to know everyone on the cast. I was looking forward to doing more productions in the future, until COVID shut such hopes down.
Later this month, however, I’m finally returning to the stage again this time with the 100 Mile House Performing Art Society for Murder’s In the Heir. I’ll be playing the playboy Jordan a potentially murderous heir of billionaire Simon Starkweather.
I was worried when I first auditioned I wouldn’t be able to balance my new role as editor with rehearsals. While it’s not always been perfect, we’ve persevered and now we’re only a week away, as of the publication of this paper, from opening night. It’s been a delight to get to know the cast and watch them grow into their roles as I do the same. After all, while I may not use it every day, I doubt my love of the theatre will ever fade.
Now, I’m off to rehearsal! The show will go on!