A Class Act: Woodroffe High School Students Triumph at DramaFest

A Class Act: Woodroffe High School Students Triumph at DramaFest
Posted on 06/06/2023
A Class Act: Woodroffe High School Students Triumph at DramaFest

The spotlight was on Woodroffe High School at the National Theatre School’s Provincial DramaFest showcase in Toronto. Grade 11 Drama students earned the Excellence in Directing Award for their production of the thriller Chairs.

This competition capped off a year-long student-driven learning journey facilitated by Drama teacher Mathew Easey. At the start of the year, the grade 10 class crafted children’s theatre plays and toured the show to local feeder schools and the Infant Toddler Preschool Program at Woodroffe.  The success of this project inspired Mathew to get the grade 11 class involved in the district National Theatre School Festival, hosted at Woodroffe High School in partnership with Merivale High School.

Students chose two contemporary one-act plays – the horror thriller Chairs and the comedy Demons. With just one month before the Festival’s opening night, they collaborated, designed costumes and sets, created special effects, ran rehearsals, and lent their unique visions, voices, and skills to the stories. For many students, this was their first time performing in front of an audience, and they rose to the challenge. Chairs was named Outstanding Production and both plays won awards for directing, costume design, and stage management.

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Students perform the plays Demons (left) and Chairs (right) at Regionals.

During the regionals in Gananoque, students attended workshops with professional performers and connected with fellow drama students from Ottawa to Cornwall to Kingston. After three days of learning and performing, the Chairs crew once again claimed the Outstanding Production award, along with awards in directing and acting. It was time to bring their production to the provincial showcase in Toronto.

Students, staff, families, and community partners collaborated to make this journey possible. Members of the school community, along with the National Theatre School, the National Arts Centre, Scotiabank, and local businesses, donated funds for students to attend the regional and provincial events.

As the Chairs crew prepared for the provincials, they continued to re-envision their show, bringing new and deeper meanings to the play. At the sold-out Hart House Theatre, students performed for their biggest audience yet. Once again, the young actors and directors earned accolades, with the student director team – Mae M., Malaki M., and Bright W. – winning the provincial Excellence in Direction Award.

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The Design and Director teams for Chairs discuss their production with Mr. Easey (left) and receive their awards at Provincials (right).

Here’s what students shared about their favourite parts of working on DramaFest and what they’re most proud of.

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“As the Director of the play, one of the most rewarding aspects of participating in the NTS DramaFest was witnessing the audience's captivation and hearing their heartfelt appreciation for our play. It filled me with immense joy to learn that people had developed a deep connection with our play and even had their favourite characters. This experience validated our efforts to take a seemingly simple idea and push it to its maximum potential, creating a truly memorable and engaging performance.” – Malaki M.
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“I’m the most proud of the relationships I’ve built with the actors and crew members I’ve worked with. Directing is a collaborative process, and I’ve been fortunate enough to work with an incredibly talented cast and crew. I’m proud of every student who came together with strong ideas and open minds to create a successful show.  


Seeing the final result of our play and the success that it has is very rewarding and inspiring, but it’s the relationships we’ve built along the way that I’m the most proud of. I’ve learned so much from the people I’ve worked with, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have collaborated with them.” – Mae M.

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“Throughout my experience of working on Chairs, I took great pride in the outcome of our hard work. Winning each stage of the NTS Drama Festival validated our efforts and created a lasting impact. Engaging in performance and directing brought me joy as I witnessed the entire project come together. The bond formed with the cast during DramaFest was a rarity that made the experience even more special. These experiences of achievement, collaboration, and camaraderie have left an indelible mark on me.” – Bright W.
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Photos by Curtis Perry and Sam Beamish





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