MARTIN CLEARY

The trophy is long and distinctive. Simply, it’s a carbon fibre oar.

And it now belongs to the competitive rowers of Glebe Collegiate Institute for the sixth time in the past seven years.

After losing the points race to Lisgar Collegiate Institute in 2011, Glebe rebounded Saturday to emerge the champions of the National Capital High School rowing regatta at the Ottawa Rowing Club.

Glebe won 11 of the 21 boys and girls’ races on the 1,000-metre, Ottawa River course.

Glebe dominated the regatta, accumulating 107 points from the singles, doubles, fours and eights races. Lisgar was second at 36. The Gryphons previously won the title from 2006 through 2010.

Despite racing only in the girls’ division, Elmwood finished third overall out of 11 schools from Ottawa, Montreal and Kingston with 25 points. The Eagles were followed by Osgoode Township at 23, and Colonel By and Boucherville, Que., tied at 19.

Glebe’s Marlow DePaul and Andrew Thompson were presented the Full Stroke awards, which recognizes a high school rower for participation in school and community activities beyond their athletic career.

MARTIN CLEARY

So close, but no medals this time.

Two Ottawa high schools qualified for five of the 36 race finals Sunday at the 67th annual Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association’s championships in St. Catharines, but fell short of winning gold, silver or bronze.

Glebe Collegiate Institute Gryphons put four boats in finals, after two days or heats and semifinals on the 2,000-metre Martindale Pond course, while Lisgar Collegiate Institute Lords placed one crew in a final.

The Lisgar boys’ junior quad of William Wu, Calvin Coutts, Christopher Blakeney and Michael McTaggart came within two seconds of the podium, when they placed fourth in their race.

Andre Pelletier also was a fourth-place finisher as he finished 4.5 seconds behind the third-place rower from Vancouver in the boys’ senior singles.

Logan Gleason-Blois saw double duty in the finals. He placed fifth in the boys’ junior singles final and teamed with Graham Connell to stop sixth in the boys’ junior doubles.

Jasmine Chase, Delaney Gilmore, Hailey Wyatt and Micah Winter gave Glebe a sixth-place result in the girls’ junior quad.

The national championships attracted more than 100 high schools from across North America.

Athletic director Paul Britton felt extremely proud when he learned Glebe Collegiate Institute had finished in first place in The Citizen’s annual high school sports ranking for the second straight year and fourth time in the past six years.

But don’t expect Britton to be organizing any victory rallies, running around high-fiving the students or staging a special Glebe day in the fall to honour almost half of the high school population who take part in competitive sports.

That’s not his style. Britton has the greatest respect for the other 58 member schools of the National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association and their respective athletic programs.

“I’m pleasantly surprised and very proud again,” said Britton when asked about the Glebe Gryphons’ close decision over runner-up Colonel By Cougars, who were No. 1 in points in 2010 and 2009.

“We were chatting in the office and we thought it would be close, but we didn’t know which way it would go. I saw Pat (Lacasse, Colonel By athletic director) and he thought it would be close as well.”

Glebe tallied 162.5 points for its results in all NCSSAA sports championships, while Colonel By was a shadowing second at 156.3 points. The top five was completed by the Nepean Knights at 138.8 points, the Louis Riel Rebelles at 129 and the Ashbury Colts at 116. The Rebelles have placed fourth for five straight years.

The same five schools finished in the same order in 2011, and also comprised the top five in 2010 with Colonel By leading the way ahead of Glebe, Ashbury, Riel and Nepean.

In team sports, the champion received 10 points for winning the title, the finalist earned eight, and the semifinalists picked up five each. In individual sports, like nordic skiing, wrestling and swimming, the boys’, girls’ and team standings determine the points — 10 for first, eight for second, six for third and four for fourth.

“I’m proud first, but I don’t feel that we’re better,” Briton said. “Schools may finish 55th, but they do a great job as well. We’re lucky.

“I can’t dismiss what we do. There’s a lot of good. But there’s a lot of good being done everywhere. All the schools can be proud. All the athletes can be proud.”

While Colonel By has been the most consistent athletic performer during the seven years The Citize has done the high school rankings with seven top-three results (the only school to finish in the top three every year), Glebe would be ranked second in the overall rankings list. The Gryphons have four firsts, one fourth and one sixth. The Cougars have accumulated two firsts, four seconds and one third.

“We have a lot of lucky advantages,” Britton said. “All the schools offer good programs for their athletes. What makes us lucky is, first and foremost, we are a big school.”

Glebe had the largest high school population in the NCSSAA in 2011-12 with 1,494 students. The other four top-five finishers had significantly smaller populations — Colonel By at 1,162, Nepean at 1,180, Louis Riel at 486 and Ashbury at 508.

The Gryphons also had a rich supply of athletic talent this year, which was indicated by their athletes of the year. Britton and his coaching staff were unable to determine a single male and female senior athlete of the year. In both cases, they had two athletes tie for the honours.

Charlene Rhead and Isobel Blakeney shared the girls’ senior female athlete of the year award, while Yves Sikubwabo, who fled Rwanda in the summer of 2010 and attended Glebe for two years, and David Borish were the senior male athletes of the year.

“Close to 50 per cent of our student body represented Glebe at something,” Britton said. “That’s larger than some schools.

“Every team we ran we have a member of our teaching staff (coaching). We’re lucky that way. We also have a supportive administration and a supportive community. The Glebe and Glebe parents value sports and exercise activities. It’s a fortunate place.

“But overriding all of that is we have a fantastic group of kids.”

Glebe, which has started to prepare for its 100th anniversary in a decade, has developed a culture of sport.

While newer high schools will have better athletic venues than Glebe’s one gymnasium, one tightly enclosed track around a multi-purpose grass field and a small weight room (although it does have a swimming pool), Britton realized sports is about the participants.

“We’ve proved it’s not about facilities, but the people,” he said. “People make the program.”

Rhead believed “good coaching” was responsible for Glebe’s success in high school sports and Borish agreed.

“A lot of teachers who coach are really committed,” said Borish, who will head to the University of Guelph for 2012-13. “Glebe, overall, does consistently well in all sports.

Sikubwabo was amazed by the success of Glebe during his two years and gives the majority of the credit to the student athletes.

“It’s up to the students,” said Sikubwabo, who also is bound for the University of Guelph. “We do have to study, but we like what we are doing (in sports). Sometimes schools play for fun, but we want to win championships.”

Glebe won the most NCSSAA championships, 10, of any school. The Gryphons were three-time champs in nordic skiing — junior, senior and overall combined team — and cross-country running — boys’ team, girls’ team and overall team. Their other titles were from girls’ senior AAA/AAAA soccer, girls’ team track and field, boys’ senior AAA/AAAA volleyball and girls’ varsity water polo.

The bottom five teams of The Citizen top 10 also produced some surprises.

Earl of March Lions had their best-ever result, placing sixth with 99.5 points, after tying for 19th in 2011. The South Carleton Storm continued to show their consistency. Despite dropping one spot from 2011 to seventh with 96 points, the Storm earned their sixth top-10 finish in seven years.

The Lisgar Lords jumped into eighth from 23rd with 95.5 points, while John McCrae moved into ninth from 12th at 95 points. The Immaculata Saints made the biggest improvement, using their 91.5 points to climb into 10th from being tied for 36th in 2011.

mcleary@ottawacitizen.com

As he approached his assigned target — a heavily fortified Nazi U-boat base on the coast of occupied France — bomber pilot Donald Cheney knew he would be flying into a heavy storm of shrapnel.

It was Aug. 5, 1944 and his Avro Lancaster carried a single bomb: a 12,000-pound “Tallboy.” The torpedo-shaped bomb, six-metres in length, was designed to fall at supersonic speed then burrow deep into its target before exploding.

The weapon demanded pinpoint accuracy. Approaching a target, a pilot had to fly straight and steady for 10 minutes to allow the bomb aimer to find his mark. That meant holding fast through a fusillade of German anti-aircraft flak.

“It was very hairy for the pilot and the rest of the crew,” the Ottawa-born Cheney told an interviewer in  November 2000.

The mission over occupied France would prove to be the last of Cheney’s storied war and he would earn a Distinguished Flying Cross for the remarkable courage he displayed during its most desperate moments.

“That time in his life defined and reflected much of who he was,” his daughter, Janice, told mourners at his recent funeral. “He was a hero in every sense of the word: to our family and to our country.”

Donald Harry Cheney died in Ottawa on Aug. 26, 70 years after he was reported missing in action over France. He was 92.

Cheney grew up in Old Ottawa South, the only child of a career civil servant, Harry Cheney, and his wife, Evelyn. He went to Hopewell Avenue Public School then Glebe Collegiate Institute, and as a young man, spent hours drawing airplanes.

“I was building air fleets in my mind and on paper,” he once said. “There was nothing for it but I was to be an air force pilot.”

He enlisted in the air force on his 18th birthday. Cheney was directed into the bomber program and learned to fly a twin-engined Cessna Crane in Yorkton, Sask. He was shipped to England in November 1942 and trained on Airspeed Oxfords, Wellingtons, Manchesters (two suffered engine fires) and Lancasters before being posted to the Royal Air Force’s 106 Squadron.

A Karsh portrait of Donald Cheney in his RCAF uniform, before he was sent overseas. (Photo used with permission of the Cheney family)

More than half of all RAF Bomber Command crews perished during the war, victims of enemy planes, anti-aircraft flak, bad weather and mechanical failures.

Cheney and his Lancaster crew had their share of trouble. They were dispatched on night raids over Berlin and the Ruhr Valley where they regularly faced heavy flak and German fighters. During one raid, on a V-2 rocket site, Cheney’s Lancaster took so much shrapnel that the plane filled with smoke and the floors became slick with hydraulic oil. The mid-upper gunner, convinced the plane was doomed, parachuted into German territory yet Cheney managed to nurse his Lancaster back to base.

After a stint with 630 Squadron, Cheney was offered a spot with the famed Dambusters in April 1944. The elite 617 Squadron was nicknamed in honour of a successful nighttime attack in which crews skipped spinning, cylindrical bombs across the water from dangerously low altitudes to destroy two Ruhr Valley dams.

Cheney’s crew trained for weeks in preparation for their new assignment. They had to be able to consistently drop practice bombs within 50 feet of a target from 17,500 feet before being deemed ready for action.

On D-Day, Cheney and 617 Squadron were part of Operation Taxable, a bid to deceive the Germans into believing that a massive landing force was headed north of the Normandy beaches. Three days later, he took part in the first raid that used Tallboys to destroy a railway tunnel, which the Germans needed to rush tanks to Normandy.

On Aug. 5, 1944, Cheney took off on his 39th mission — he was on his second tour of duty — to drop a Tallboy on the U-boat pens. As his Lancaster made its final approach, the plane was rocked by explosions. Shells tore through the fuselage and ripped a hole in the starboard wing, setting fire to it. The wireless operator, Reg Pool — he was Cheney’s closest friend — suffered a terrible shrapnel wound in his stomach; two other crew members were also badly hurt.

Cheney ordered the crew to bail out as he struggled to hold the plane level. But Pool, critically wounded, could not make it out of his radio compartment. Cheney, the only other man on board, left his cockpit and pushed Pool toward the door, but the plane pitched into a dive. He raced back to the cockpit, wrestled the plane out of its plunge then returned to Pool. He put the parachute ripcord in his friend’s hand and heaved him out the door.

Cheney struggled back to the smoking cockpit, pulled the plane up again and made his own escape: through a hatch in the top of the cockpit. He floated into the Atlantic Ocean, several miles off the coast of France.

Some French resistance fighters in a small fishing boat eventually plucked him from the sea. Cheney was smuggled into the attic of the local resistance commander, Aristide Quebriac, in the town of Douarnenez. For three weeks, Cheney hid in Quebriac’s attic then was moved to the Allied front where U.S. General George Patton’s Fifth Armoured Division had made a breakthrough.

Cheney arrived back in Ottawa on Thanksgiving Day, 1944. His overjoyed parents and fiancé, Gladys Gardiner, met him at the train station.

Thanksgiving Day, 1944, Flying Officer Donald Cheney returned home to Ottawa where he was greeted by his mother, Evelyn, and fiancee, Gladys Gardiner. (Photo courtesy the Cheney family)

Three members of his crew did not survive the ill-fated mission, including Pool.

Cheney spent the rest of his war in Ottawa. He married Gladys — they had met at a local ice cream bar — in April 1945. After his discharge, he completed an economics degree at Queen’s University and launched a career in the foreign service.

He served in trade commission posts in Trinidad, Peru, Boston, Chicago, and Holland while helping to raise four children. His final posting was as senior trade commissioner in Moscow during the mid-70s.

A gifted storyteller, Cheney loved to garden, invent things, and spend time at his beloved cottage on the Gatineau River with family and friends.

The war had a profound impact on his life. “I developed an awful lot of confidence and it gave me a tremendous amount of personal pride,” he once said. “I felt I had really achieved something important in my life.”

But there was also pain. He was diagnosed with “anxiety” upon his discharge in 1945 and suffered what is now recognized as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for the rest of his life. He was officially diagnosed only a few years ago. Every night, he told his daughter, he would think about his crew mates who had died and wonder what might have been had he taken a different approach to the target.

“He always thought, ‘Maybe if I had just gone a little to the left… He always felt responsible’.”

For the last two years, students in Toby Rosenbloom’s communications technology class at Glebe Collegiate Institute have been making short films and showing them to the school. The films were such a hit, and of such high quality, that this year the school will host a city-wide festival of student films.

The Ottawa High School Student Film Festival will feature 14 short films, from animated creations to horror, drama, fantasy and adventure creations. They range in length from 20 seconds to 10 minutes. They will be shown at a gala evening Thursday, May 7 at the school, which will also include a performance by popular Toronto hip-hop/pop artist Karl Wolf.

Students from about 10 schools have submitted films, which will be judged by a panel that includes documentary filmmaker Kevin Millington and Ottawa International Film Festival founder Nina Bains. The films will be judged in such categories as production value, storyline and  creativity. Rosenbloom says she’s proud of the high quality and originality of the films made by students.

Sanjay Dhawan, a 17-year-old Glebe Collegiate student who is the festival’s co-organizer, submitted a seven-minute horror drama called Invited. He wrote, filmed and edited the short movie, which stars five of his friends. He loves making “cheesy horror films,” says Dhawan. He’s made about 50 short films since he caught the film-making bug in Grade 5 when his class made short videos for a history project. He taught himself how to use editing software, and makes the films for school projects or just for fun.

The film festival will also raise money for the playroom at CHEO, where Dhawan is a volunter.

Ottawa High School Student Film Festival

What: A showcase of 14 short films made by students

When & where: Thursday, May 7 at Glebe Collegiate Institute, 212 Glebe Ave., 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Tickets & information: $12 via ottawa-stuff.ca/festival-information or at the door.

Laughing Stock

Where: Glebe Collegiate Institute

Director: Brent Rouleau

Julia Paris

Julia Paris
Critic, Nepean High School

During Glebe Collegiate Institute’s production of Laughing Stock, the lights malfunctioned, actors botched their lines, and props were forgotten — on purpose. The performance was intricately planned and brilliantly executed. Failure has never been so successful.

The Playhouse, a summer theatre company, endeavours to stage three shows at once. Laughing Stock, written by Charles Morey, documents the entire process from auditions to chaotic rehearsals, the catastrophe of opening night to the satisfaction of the closing performance. The play chronicles the hilarious misadventures of the company as it faces mosquitoes, financial problems, the painful reality of failure, and artichoke dip.

Laughing Stock uses plays within a play; this adds a level of complexity and difficulty to the storytelling. The numerous characters and subplots further complicate the task. However, Glebe Collegiate Institute rose to the challenge, performing an uproarious show that was engaging and easy to follow.

Miranda Kerridge(L) and Adriana Loewen (R) In Glebe C.I’ s mainstage performance of Laughing Stock, held on April 30,2015.

The eccentric cast of characters — hippies, cynics, pencil-obsessed office ladies and more — were portrayed with wonderful energy and devotion. Their movements and interactions in the background of the scenes were quite amusing, establishing relationships between characters and deepening the audience’s understanding of their personalities.

Adriana Loewen, playing the company’s artistic director, Paige Gordon, offered a dynamic performance. She admirably portrayed the many aspects of her character: devoted actress, ambitious director, divorcée, and loyal friend. She smoothly transitioned from comedic delivery to heartfelt confession. Her skill was particularly evident when she masterfully performed a touching monologue from Hamlet.

Among several humorous performances came one from Zack Nevin, who played the flirtatious Tyler Taylor. His outstanding physicalization was captivating and hilarious; one of his best moments occurred when he morphed from wolf to human for The Playhouse’s rendition of Dracul, Prince of the Undead, writhing on the ground in a way that can only be described as breakdance meets electrocution. Vysion Elter, as the talented Jack Morris, was equally amusing when he dressed up in a skirt and wig, pouring tea and crooning in a falsetto voice during one of the company’s rehearsals. Arin Klein played The Playhouse’s office lady with passion, using impressive stamina to rant about pencil rationing and the horrors of the Coca-Cola machine.

The sets were intelligently designed, creating a relatively small, intimate space that conveyed the quirky nature of the company and still allowed varied and unobstructed movement. The lighting and sound crew never missed a cue, except when they were supposed to, and successfully tackled the minor technical difficulties they were faced with. The many props enhanced the performance, and the costumes, though they were mostly everyday clothes, effectively conveyed the essence of each character.

Glebe’s lively performance was entertaining and dynamic, proof that a train wreck can be a masterpiece.

Katelyn O’Reilly, Critic, St. Peter Catholic High School.

Katelyn O’Reilly
Critic, St. Peter High School

Glebe Collegiate Institute certainly worked hard to fail miserably in the hilarious farce Laughing Stock.

Written by Charles Morey, Laughing Stock showcases a summer theatre company taking on the task of performing repertoire. The Playhouse’s diverse cast attempted to present Charley’s Aunt, a record-setting British farce, Dracul, a fascinating adaptation of Dracula, and Hamlet, a dramatic Shakespearean classic. Although the characters adore the theatre, the repertoire comically pushes them past their limits into a crazy spiral of mishaps and confusion.

One actor that definitely stood out in this production was Vysion Elter as the talented yet unsure Jack Morris. His comical abilities were well demonstrated, particularly in a rehearsal tea gag in Charley’s Aunt. With vivid facial expressions and commendable voice projection and articulation, Vysion committed to his role.

On the business side of this unique theatre company was Connie, played incredibly by Arin Klein. With a slightly crazy obsession with pencils and vending machines, Arin is a comical genius as she delivers hilarious rants about pencils, during which you can almost see steam coming from her ears. Her amazing dedication to her character made for a seamless performance of this passionate and controlling authoritative figure.

Mira Williamson (L) Arin Klein, and Zack Nevin (R) In Glebe C.I’ s mainstage performance of Laughing Stock, held on April 30,2015.

To add to the already outstanding cast was the hair and make-up team. Each character had a unique look that perfectly matched and enhanced their personality, making it easy for the audience to see the variety of characters put together in this company. The make-up was particularly exemplary on more difficult characters such as Daisy Coates and Richfield Hawksley, an elderly forgetful couple.

Although the actors’ voice projection without mics was remarkable, the sound crew certainly enhanced the auditory performance with well themed and timed songs. The tasteful background music came in and faded out smoothly with an ideal intensity so as to not overtake the actors.

In conclusion, the versatile set, well timed lighting and sound cues, dynamic cast and prominent costumes made this hilarious farce extremely amusing and entertaining.

Kate Yeadon, Critic, Canterbury High School.

Kate Yeadon
Critic, Canterbury High School

Glebe Collegiate Institute showcased their best theatrical talents in their production of Laughing Stock. Students gave an excellent performance, regardless of the challenges presented by the genre of farce and an incredibly long script.

Charles Morey’s Laughing Stock explores the comedy and challenges of summer stock theatre. Artistic director, Paige Gordon (Adriana Loewen) decides it’s time for The Playhouse – a small theatre in a 200 year-old barn – to attempt a series of three shows. The final playbill becomes the mismatched combination of Charley’s Aunt, Hamlet and Dracul: Prince of the Undead, Gordon’s adaptation of Dracula. Hilarious bouts of comedy ensue as The Playhouse’s rag-tag troupe struggle through a series of calamities.

Adriana Loewen gave a passionate performance in her role as Paige Gordon. Loewen demonstrated her diverse acting abilities by equally excelling in both comedic and serious moments. She naturally transitioned between these moods. Loewen powerfully delivered speeches from Hamlet and succeeded in capturing the intended vulnerability.

Zack Nevin, as Tyler Taylor, commanded an astonishing stage presence, dominated by the complete embodiment of his character. His remarkable physicality was especially noteworthy. This was particularly shown during his dramatized demonstration of Dracul morphing into a bat.

Mira Williamson (L), Delaney Gilmore, Katie Clarke, Vysion Eltier, Erich Margulis, and Zack Nevin (R) In Glebe C.I’ s mainstage performance of Laughing Stock, held on April 30,2015.

Delaney Gilmore, as Susannah Huntsman, explored her character’s inner workings through her performance. She continually brought comedic energy to the stage. Gilmore perfectly captured Susannah’s humorous obsession with spiritual energy through her fluid, sweeping movements.

Lighting and sound, designed and operated by Dimitri Georgaras and Griffin Barr, did an excellent job of cementing the mood on-stage. Many of their effects went as far as to indicate the world outside The Playhouse, such as a cold blue light during the winter season, and soft yellow light during summer. The sound constantly remained at a desirable volume. Each sound cue was perfectly timed, which was essential given the precision of farce. The music played during set changes was also a clever and enjoyable touch.

The hair and make-up team did a strong job of reflecting each character’s personality, such as greasing the hair of sleazy characters. Though it was challenging to identify the middle age of some characters, the team’s execution of aging make-up was very realistic. Several actors sported multiple complex hairstyles throughout the play, showing the team’s dedication to detail.

Glebe Collegiate Institute provided an excellent night of high school theatre. Their performance of Laughing Stock proved that no script is too challenging for a talented group of students. Their well-balanced combination of comedy and reflection made for a hilarious and heart-warming evening.

Claire Keenan, Critic, Nepean High School.

Claire Keenan
Critic, Nepean High School

Glebe Collegiate Institute sets the stage for us to dive into the world of Paige Gordon and experience the spectacular performance of Laughing Stock by Charles Morey. We follow along as Paige, a hard-working director, tries to put on a number of productions, all at once, in one summer. With the help of her many co-workers, they choose three productions: Hamlet, Dracul, Prince of the Undead, and Charley’s Aunt. The summer stock theatre goes all out, putting many of the same actors in all three plays. This seems like a good idea to Paige at the beginning, but as time goes on, things don’t turn out as planned. Mix in a spiritually dramatic assistant and a stage director with a thing for pencils, and Paige has really got some work to do.

The sets were designed with many details, and captured the image of a barn, where the summer stock theatre is set, very well. There were many interesting objects scattered around the stage, adding just the right touch to every scene. The scene changes were quick and efficient, and the accompanying music appropriately set the mood for the next scene.

The lighting and sound were done very well, and with over 100 cues for each; everything ran smoothly. The lights effectively changed colour according to the tone of the scene. For example, in Dracul, when a particularly dramatic scene began, all the lights changed to red. The sound effects were well timed with their actions, adding to the effect of the scenes. At one point the lights went off at the wrong time, on purpose, to show how unprepared the characters were. This was a great idea and it brought humour to the scene.

Adriana Loewen, (L) Vysion Elter, and Sara Dube (R) In Glebe C.I’ s mainstage performance of Laughing Stock, held on April 30,2015.

The costumes were very appropriate for the many different age groups of all the characters, and everyone looked comfortable. The make-up for a few characters was misleading, but the make-up and hair on the older characters was perfect, adding to the realistic portrayal of the seniors.

Adriana Loewen, as Paige Gordon, made her way through the show displaying great acting skills through many challenging scenes. She spoke and looked the part, never messing up her lines. She brought enthusiasm to the stage, and her character always remained positive no matter how much trouble the characters were in. Loewen was also witty, bringing a few laughs to the audience and keeping in character the entire time.

Zack Nevin, as Tyler Taylor, played a young man who is also the main character in the production of Dracul. Nevin never stopped bringing humour to his scenes, from imitating someone from behind, to screaming at someone to do their job properly. He had great chemistry with Caitlin Mears, who played Mary Pierre, and they both realistically portrayed a new couple. Mears perfectly portrayed the overly excited actress, Mary. She also did a great job portraying Ophelia in Hamlet and Mina in Dracul.

All of the actors stayed in character and played to their strengths. It was interesting to see a portion of all three plays. Everyone did a good job portraying troubled actors who either kept forgetting their lines, didn’t know where to go, or just forgot what play they were in. Overall, the production was a complete success with a lot of laughs.

Danielle Boucher, Critic, All Saints Catholic High School

Danielle Boucher
Critic, All Saints High School

“Controlled chaos” is a phrase often used to casually describe something that looks out of control but functions according to unseen rules or organization. This term is explored in Glebe Collegiate Institute’s adaptation of Laughing Stock, where all-time classics are performed.

Charles Morey’s farce, Laughing Stock, outlines a story of hardworking individuals coming together to perform three plays at their local summer stock theatre. While keeping actors and technicians employed in small towns, these productions aren’t professionally run. Oftentimes, the cast is reused for every show, and the set forgoes minimal adaptations. Audience members sit outside in folding chairs while enduring the mosquito-infested summer heat, all for the love of theatre. But when everything seems to be going wrong at The Playhouse, it takes every ounce of courage to believe everything will be all right.

Glebe Collegiate Institute’s performance was impressively effective. Their discipline and concentration in order to deliver lines for a nearly three hour-long play showed determination. The degree of difficulty presented truly put the cast and crew in a difficult position in order to effectively pull off this gag-filled farce. With overall great projection and timing throughout, it was an enjoyable performance.

Zack Nevin’s physical acting as Tyler Taylor was gut splitting during his “morphing” while playing the character of Dracul. Another side of Nevin was displayed through his budding romance with Caitlin Mears, as Mary Pierre. His versatility and composure allowed the audience to connect with him whether it was through his comedic or serious acting.

Caitlin Jade (L) and Zack Nevin (R) In Glebe C.I’ s mainstage performance of Laughing Stock, held on April 30,2015.

Arin Klein (Connie) and Katie Clarke (Braun) added an equal amount of comedic relief throughout the play. From pencil monologues to tea gags, both actresses were thoroughly committed to their role. Delaney Gilmore also displayed an impressive performance as the free-spirited director, Susannah Huntsman. Gilmore’s talent was showcased through her many roles as peasant and bride in the summer stock productions.

The set design and construction was detailed and well executed by Elsa Cattelan, as she recreated the inside of a barn with no doubt. With over one hundred cues, the lighting and sound design (Griffin Barr and Dimitri Georgaras) was successful with little to no mistakes.

“It’s my time to tackle that son of a gun,” a somewhat popular phrase in summer stock theatre, was definitely brought to life. From physical humour to deliberate absurdity, Glebe Collegiate Institute’s performance of Laughing Stock will be bringing audiences back next summer, even despite the uncomfortable seating arrangement.

About the reviews:

The production at Glebe Collegiate Institute was reviewed by 25 critics representing 13 schools. The critic discussions were mentored by teacher Angela Boychuk of Elmwood School and student reviews were edited and selected for publication by teacher Marianna Klement of Notre Dame High School, who could see only the reviews, not the names or schools of the reviewers.

Next review: St. Francis Xavier High School’s production of Hunchback of Notre Dame.

About the Cappies

The Citizen and 38 high schools are participating in the Cappies, a Washington, D.C.-based program that uses high school critics to review high school theatre. The program is a unique partnership between the Citizen, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Three schools from other boards in the region and four private schools have also joined. The four winners of the lead acting categories will receive a bursary provided by the national law firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. Follow the Cappies on Twitter @OttawaCappies.

While some educators stand by traditional exams as the best way to assess students, others say ‘summatives’ — projects, performances or interviews — foster more critical thinking and creativity. Andrew Duffy investigates. 

 High school teacher Jean Mantha founded the Macdonald-Cartier Academy because of his bedrock belief in the value of exams.

In 25 years as owner and headmaster of the private middle school in New Edinburgh, Mantha’s appreciation for exams as a teaching tool has only deepened. His school’s curriculum is built around seven exam sessions that define the school year.

Exams, he says, focus a student’s attention like no other task, and allow teachers to impart the organizational skills, time management and work habits needed to succeed.

“If students want to be successful in school,” Mantha argues, “somewhere in their educations they will have to learn how to prepare for exams.”

Mantha’s enthusiasm for exams puts him at one end of the spectrum in a debate now percolating in education circles across the country.

If the debate were framed as an exam question, it would be this:

A student concentrates on a test at Macdonald-Cartier Academy.

Final exams are:

A) An outdated, stress-inducing method of assessing student knowledge

B) A proven tool essential for bringing focus to student learning

C) An anachronism in an era of iPhones, Google and instant information

D) Necessary preparation for student success in university or college

E) None of the above

Those educators who hold that exams are old, blunt instruments are turning to alternative forms of assessment — sometimes called summatives — that can include projects, interviews, lab experiments, artwork and performances.

Such summatives, they say, offer assessment tools that allow students to do more than sweat out memorized answers under the glare of gymnasium lights: They give them the ability to creatively deploy high-level skills such as critical thinking and analysis.

“We’re finding that there are other forms of assessment that do meet the rigour test and are sometimes more enriching,” says Pino Buffone, superintendent of curriculum for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

The tug-of-war between exams and summatives is now playing out at high schools across the city as teachers decide how to best assess students whose first semester comes to an end late this month.

In Ontario, the move toward alternative forms of assessment gained speed in 2010 when a new provincial government policy document, Growing Success, was published. Among other things, it required teachers to assess students using methods that are “ongoing and varied in nature.”

In response, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board encouraged high school teachers to diversify their student assessments, and get away from a strict reliance on pen-and-paper exams.

The board also revised its own assessment policy. Currently, 70 per cent of any final mark must reflect course work completed throughout the term; the other 30 per cent of the final mark must be made up of at least two year-end assessments, one of which can be an exam.

According to board policy, a formal, written exam can account for a maximum of 20 per cent of a student’s overall mark.

Buffone says the board doesn’t want to do away with traditional exams, but instead expand the roster of assessment tools.

“It’s a way to personalize the learning experience for our students,” he says, “because some might be able to show their knowledge and skill through an interview with a teacher, as opposed to a written two-and-a-half hour exam.”

The case for exam alternatives

Principal France Thibault of Glebe Collegiate Institute in Ottawa has developed a city-wide reputation for the use of exam alternatives.

Glebe Collegiate Institute has earned a city-wide reputation as a leader in the development and use of alternative testing methods.

Principal France Thibault says the school has embraced that effort as part of a drive to make the classroom experience more compelling. The school, she says, tries to inject critical thinking, problem solving, and student-based inquiry — an approach that capitalizes on students’ natural sense of wonder — into all of its classes.

“But if you are going to do that,” Thibault adds, “you need to align your assessments and evaluation techniques with that — and it’s difficult to see that a traditional paper and pen test would align with those directives, particularly with the notion of critical thinking.”

To develop summatives, she says, teachers identify the major ideas in a course then reverse engineer tasks that allow students to demonstrate both knowledge and analysis.

In teacher Rachel Collishaw’s Grade 10 Canadian history course, for example, students last year faced two summative tasks designed to make them apply critical thinking to what they’ve learned. Both summatives were built around what Collishaw called her “course questions:” Is Canada a country that you can be proud of? How is Canada’s story, my story? Is Canada a better place now than before?

For their first summative, students selected one of those questions then developed a thesis by referring to people and events from 20^th century Canadian history. They could present their ideas in the form of a conference exhibit, website, movie, slideshow, essay or an interview with a historical figure.

For their second summative, students were interviewed by Collishaw on one of the same course questions. In that interview, they had to describe the “skills of history” and how they learned them.

In some departments, such as science, pen and paper exams have largely been eliminated. In most science courses at Glebe, students face two summative tasks: an experiment that must be performed and analyzed, and an interview to discuss some of the course’s big ideas.

The new testing methods, Thibault says, reflect the fact that students are idiosyncratic: They don’t learn the same way and they retain different kinds of information. Some excel at writing, others at oral communication. To that end, she believes, summatives are a fairer form of assessment since they do not rely upon a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

“This offers a differentiated way of evaluating their real level of understanding and knowledge, but maintains the same rigour,” Thibault says. “In fact, I would suggest there’s a great deal more rigour in this process.”

Thibault rejects the idea that students need to learn how to study for exams in order to be successful at college or university. “Deep” learning, she argues, is the key to academic achievement.

“Deeply understanding the material and articulating the material is fundamental to success in university,” she says. “You can practice taking tests, but if you don’t understand the material, your marks are going to reflect that.”

The case for exams

Headmaster Jean Mantha, a vocal proponent of exams, talks with students at the Macdonald-Cartier Academy.

At the Macdonald-Cartier Academy, however, headmaster Jean Mantha makes no apologies for his embrace of old-school exams, which can account for more than half of a student’s mark at the small private school that teaches grades 7 and 8.

He calls the diminished importance of exams in the broader school system a “scary” development when so many high school seniors have no clue how to study.

“Most kids at the high school level cram,” he says. “Even most students at the university level cram. But what they don’t understand is that there are methods that exist that are a lot better than cramming.”

At Macdonald-Cartier, students write a set of seven exams in six academic subjects; all of the exams test students on knowledge accumulated from the beginning the school year.

To prepare for those exams, each of the academy’s 64 students is expected to take extensive notes in class — there are no teacher handouts — and complete 90 minutes of homework a night. That work, Mantha says, helps students identify what they don’t know in advance of an exam, and gives them time to correct the situation before they sit the test.

“Most high school students let the exam tell them what they don’t know,” Mantha says. “What we try to do is create a method to allow students to know what they don’t know before the exam.”

Some students are fearful of exams or suffer exam-day stress, but Mantha tells them there’s only one proven method of overcoming those nerves: preparation. “If you’re not ready, exams are stressful,” he says. “I can’t do it for you, but I can tell you how you can avoid being nervous for exams.”

After each exam session, Macdonald-Cartier students enjoy an activity day — cycling, skiing or rock-climbing — to blow off steam.

Mantha doesn’t accept the argument that exams are an out-dated assessment tool in an age when people carry vast stores of information on their smartphones. “The brain is like a muscle,” he argues, “if you don’t exercise it, it will get lazy on you. Everything is too easy for kids today; access to information is too easy … I try to make students understand that life is not easy. You will have responsibilities. You will have evaluations.”

New ways to assess students

High school students in Calgary write a final exam.

In the broader landscape of education, there’s little doubt that the do-or-die final exam is losing ground to alternative forms of assessment. Even universities are looking at new methods for judging students.

At McMaster University, for instance, medical school applicants must undergo a computer-based assessment of their personal characteristics. It’s part of an effort by the medical school to identify those students with the ethics, compassion and communications skills — not just the marks — to become good doctors.

What’s more, across North America, many university professors are employing more in-class tests, and relying less on traditional, heavily weighted finals exams.

At Harvard University, the school used to schedule a three-hour final exam for every arts and science course unless a professor specifically requested an exemption. In 2010, however, the school reversed that policy and required professors to notify administrators only when they wanted a seated exam.

A 2010 Harvard report found only 23 per cent of undergraduate courses and just three per cent of graduate courses at the Ivy League school had final exams.

At the high school level, the diminution of final exams raises a host of questions. Is the trend leading to further grade inflation? Do students with more exam experience do better at university? Are the new assessment methods as objective as exams?

The high school marks required to enter university have been going up for decades and that ascent began before alternative-testing methods came into vogue. A Maclean’s magazine study found that the average high school grade of students entering university in their home provinces hit 85 per cent in 2012, up from 83 per cent five years earlier.

The Alberta government has recently moved to water down the importance of its standardized exams because of concerns that the province’s students were being disadvantaged.

Last year, the Alberta government decided to reduce the weight of Grade 12 diploma exams written by students in language arts, social studies, math and science. The exams now account for 50 per cent of a student’s final mark, but beginning this September, their weight will be reduced to 30 per cent.

Research in the province showed that the diploma exams lowered the final marks of Alberta student by an average of 3.5 per cent. Proponents of the rebalancing said the exams were costing Albertans university placements and scholarships since students from most other provinces did not face such high-stakes finals.

(British Columbia and Quebec are the only other provinces that still require graduating high school students to write provincial exams.)

There’s limited evidence that students who face provincial exams do better in university since the question has rarely been studied. In one study, University of Saskatchewan researchers followed incoming students for three successive years. Published in 2011, the study found the averages of exam-experienced Alberta students dropped 6.4 percentage points from Grade 12, while the marks of their counterparts from four other provinces fell by as much 19.6 percentage points.

University of Ottawa professor Dany Laveault, an expert in student evaluation, says any well-designed instrument — whether a summative task or final exam — can be used to assess complex skills and can be made objective with a well-defined scoring rubric against which answers are judged. He approves of the new assessment methods provided they’re used in concert with exams.

“To make sure that a student is assessed in a variety of means, it adds something to the education system,” he says.

But Laveault would also like to see more emphasis on the written word: “You need students to be able to write long dissertations, essays. That’s a skill that they will definitely need at university: to be capable of putting their thinking in writing.”

A brief history of exams in Ontario

In 1950s Ontario, university admission decision rested entirely on results from Grade 13 departmental exams. Teacher assessments gradually took on more importance, then in 1968, the Hall-Dennis Report ushered in an era of “child-centred learning.” Departmental exams were abolished.

The province’s Royal Commission on Learning (1994) brought wide-scale assessments back to the Ontario school system. Based on the commission’s recommendations, the province created a regime of standardized tests that concentrate on numeracy and literacy. Students are assessed in grades 3, 6, 9 and 10.

But the elementary school tests do not count for any part of a student’s grade, and the high school tests play little role. The Grade 10 literacy test, a graduation requirement, can be replaced by a high school literacy course.

Since 2003, Ontario’s overall graduation rate has gone up by 15 percentage points to 83 per cent.

Show #19: The Arabian Nights
Where: Glebe Collegiate Institute
Director: Debra Palmer

Grace Hu, Critic, Colonel By Secondary School.

Grace Hu

Colonel By Secondary School, Critic

The curtains draw open on the mystical worlds of smoke and magic with Glebe Collegiate Institute’s portrayal of The Arabian Nights. Up to the brim with culture and creativity, the production brought to life the 1,001 timeless visions from lands far away.

Written by Dominic Cooke, the play was a British pantomime of the classic The Arabian Nights. The tales are framed around the story of King Shahrayar, who, when faced with the betrayal of his queen, begins to execute each new wife he marries the morning after. The storyteller Shahrazad engages him with tales to escape her own death and end the king’s tyranny.

The different interwoven stories were each told with a different technique; from imaginative puppet shows to engaging self-narration. While there were some lapses in line delivery and technical aspects, the enchanting atmosphere of the play was not affected by these slips.

In the role of Shahrazad, Katie Clarke transformed into a captivating storyteller, bringing the audience into the humble beginnings of every tale with her emotional and clear voice. Lucious Elter was commanding in his role of Shahrayar, fitting the robes of king well with his confident stride. The two sat quietly in the background with earnest attentiveness, joining the audience as spectators in their own story while maintaining character throughout.

The storyline of the play was interwoven with a colourful cast of personalities who carried on the narration of the tales seamlessly from one another. The Beggar, played by Ben Astorga, was an energetic physical presence that leaped and bounded around energetically with good comedic timing. Catherine Haba lived up to the slave girl Marjanah’s cleverness with a steady delivery and a sly wink to the audience as she unravelled the thieves’ plans. Olivia Ellis and Camila Garcia crafted comical caricatures with their roles as two envious sisters, sassing and sneering their ways through diabolical schemes.

The imaginative technical aspects complemented the performances with a cohesive aesthetic. Intricate lighting cues made clever use of the set, dividing the space into foregrounds and backgrounds that gave the stage an astounding sense of depth. The props were always fascinating to watch and discover, as birds, snakes, boats and puppets swooped onstage with the impeccable timing of the crew. Meanwhile, the unique clothing and accessories of every character helped define and distinguish their personalities. The rich textures, glittering fabrics and silken sashes of the costumes brought together the enchanting aesthetic of spice and silk.

From the serious action to flamboyant humour to heart-warming familial bonds, the production had a different bite of action for everyone. Glebe Collegiate Institute’s The Arabian Nights was a fascinating framework of overarching stories, stories within stories, and stories that never end. Don’t just hear them – listen.

Jacob Ritchie, Lead Critic, St. Mark Catholic High School.

Jacob Ritchie
Lead Critic, St. Mark High School

Long, long ago in a faraway land, there lived a king with a heart of darkness and a woman with an incredible gift. This woman was called Shahrazad, and her gift was the magic of stories. Through a mixture of word, song, and dance, Glebe Collegiate Institute’s production of The Arabian Nights was able to bring its audience deep into a world bursting with fantasy and illusion.

Written by Dominic Cooke and originally performed at the Young Vic in 1998, The Arabian Nights is one of many adaptations of One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of Arabic folk tales. Longing to bring her city and her king back to their former glory, Queen Shahrazad uses her playful imagination to create an array of magical worlds occupied by mischievous thieves, secret sorceresses, talking birds, and singing trees. Will her stories be enough to save her life and rid the king of his inner demons?

Glebe’s storytelling abilities were showcased throughout the performance as the cast and crew built and bent artistic narratives using self-narration and effective miming. All mediums of art were included with interjections of song and dance that added greatly to the Middle Eastern ambience. An impressive amount of puppets were also used, including that of a giant bird that shadowed much of the stage.

With captivating and elegant body movement, Katie Clarke impressed as opulent storyteller, Shahrazad. Clarke grounded her performance with strong speech and committed reactions that lasted just until her final monologue, which was beautifully realized. Alongside Clarke was Lucious Elter who brought the cruel king, Shahrayar, to life with intimidating posture and imposing speech. Elter showed admirable stage presence during both intense and subdued scenes.

Catherine Haba shone as Marjanah during her sword dance in which she confidently displayed facial characterization and body language. Another standout performance came from Ben Astorga, who used grand and sharp movements as the Beggar, resulting in dynamic and entertaining physical comedy. Astorga also thrived beside Erich Margulis and Miranda Kerridge who together portrayed the sibling ensemble of Babman, Perviz, and Parizade. Their infectious chemistry was evident through their many interactions, and they were able to act as one unit while simultaneously executing distinct personalities.

One of the most notable aspects of the show, however, was how its many technical elements worked cohesively to establish the atmosphere and setting. The set was well designed and constructed to hold many different scenes while still incorporating meticulous detail. Complementing the set was colourful lighting that provided mood and effect to both dramatic and light-hearted moments. Additionally, elaborate and felicitous costumes were abundantly seen, representing the setting as well as the personality of each character.

Though it is difficult to combine both comedy and drama, Glebe Collegiate Institute’s performance of The Arabian Nights was able to provide both heart-warming and humorous moments that formed a well-executed and charming night of theatre. Glebe’s dedicated and attentive students brought storytelling to life and showcased its magical ability to teach lessons, voice opinions, and change fate.

Irene Grose, Critic, Lisgar Collegiate Institute.

Irene Grose
Critic, Lisgar Collegiate Institute

Who would have thought that a bedtime story could be the only thing standing between you and death? For Shahrazad, a brave and clever young girl, her wits and memory are all she has in order to convince King Shahrayar to spare her life.

Glebe Collegiate Institute’s performance of The Arabian Nights, by Dominic Cooke, is a love story told through tales based on the stories in One Thousand and One Nights that were first heard centuries ago. The play focuses on a king who is embittered by his unfaithful wife; disillusioned and unhappy, King Shahrayar vows to marry a girl every night and have her executed the next morning. But Shahrazad, the eldest daughter of Vizier, uses her cleverness and compassion to teach the King kindness again through the one thing that everyone loves – a good story.

Indeed, story telling was the focus of this play from start to finish. Although the main characters never left their bedroom, the audience was transported from forests to cities to seasides, through effective usage of foreground and background on the stage and an impressive collection of props. Well-chosen costumes also helped develop character, and the ease with which the actors manipulated objects on stage enabled a smooth performance with plenty of visual interest.

The compelling performance of Katie Clarke, in the role of Shahrazad, highlighted the bravery and compassion of her character. As the storyteller of the play, Clarke remained on stage for the duration of the performance, staying in character throughout with effective use of facial expression and graceful poise. Her stolid manner and unwavering voice highlighted the steadfast determination of Shahrazad. Starring beside Clarke, Lucious Elter, in the role of King Shahrayar, portrayed his character’s development using tone of voice and inflection in order to emphasize his character’s emotions. Elter’s body language helped convey both the grim and the comedic aspects of the play and, together with Clarke, he brought the tales of The Arabian Nights to life.

The lively performances given by Ben Astorga, playing the Beggar, and Catherine Haba, playing the clever slave Marjanah, were also extremely effective in conveying the play’s comedy. Astorga’s Beggar had very few spoken lines, yet his physicality and body language conveyed the humour in The Story of the Little Beggar. Haba’s deliberate movements and expressions in The Story of Ali Baba were also eye-catching, bringing humour to the scene with only the smallest gesture or stare. Her sensual “deadly dagger dance” – requiring a wooden dagger to be balanced on her head – was also executed with grace.

Of course, it wasn’t only the acting that brought colour to the play. Through vibrant costumes and variation in lighting, the entire stage was consistently visually appealing. The shimmery blue robe of Shahrazad and the bright pink outfit worn by her sister created a good visual contrast, while touches of gold on Marjanah’s skirt ensured she had the audience’s full attention at all times. The plain, dirty tunics worn by the lower class also helped establish character’s societal roles with a glance. Although there were occasional issues with the lighting cues, the mood created by soft pink lighting or cool shades of blue and green always built up the atmosphere of the scene well.

From costume choice to the challenging choreography, Glebe Collegiate Institute showed off the diverse range of talents in their students with this production of The Arabian Nights.

Hannah Ferguson, Critic, Woodroffe High School.

Hannah Ferguson
Critic, Woodroffe High School

Storytelling has been a common thread through history, cultures, and families for thousands of years. Legends, fables, and family history have been passed down through generations – storytelling brings people together, brings comfort to those who need it, and brings magic into ordinary lives. That magical feeling of hearing a story told out loud was embodied by Glebe Collegiate Institute’s production of The Arabian Nights.

 The Arabian Nights is made up of many things, including stories within stories, adventure, danger, love and comedy. Originally written as a compilation of stories hundreds of years ago in Arabic and titled One Thousand and One Nights, this version was adapted by Dominic Cooke.

The story begins with King Shahrayar, whose bitterness after being cheated on by his Queen drives him to marry a series of women, only to have them executed the next day. However, Vizier’s daughter, Shahrazad, marries the King in order to stop him from killing any other innocent women. The enchanting stories she tells him to stall for time involve forty thieves, a brave sailor, witches, and even a king who passes wind at an unfortunate moment.

Glebe handled the complexity of this classic collection of stories admirably, through efficient scenery changes, polished performances, and well-practised choreography.

As Shahrazad, Katie Clarke led the production with an elegant demeanour and a stage presence that was magnetic. Her graceful use of body language epitomized an engaging storyteller coaxing her tales into reality. Lucious Elter imbued his King Shahrayar with a duality of aggression and sadness, using his booming voice and brooding physicality to intimidating effect.

Sydney Barr charmed as Dinarzad, Shahrazad’s younger sister, showcasing the bond between them. As the little beggar who causes much more trouble than he realizes, Ben Astorga displayed superb comic timing and some impressive gymnastic feats. Catherine Haba was engaging in the role of Marjanah, the clever slave girl, and her sword dance was quite impressive.

The set was gorgeous, using the King’s bedroom, draped with lush fabric, as a frame for the performances of the stories taking place before it. This cleverly reflected both how the story of Shahrazad and Shahrayar framed the narratives told within the story, and the dual audiences of the stories taking place onstage and within the story itself. Furthermore, the use of flowing, rich fabrics in both the set and the costumes nicely mirrored the tales being spun by Shahrazad. The costumes themselves were beautifully up-cycled and added greatly to the overall atmosphere.

An endless and excellently coordinated stream of props was paraded through the production. The most unexpected and impressive of these was a wheelchair that was transformed into a giant, gliding bird. The choreography was also admirable, and common movements tied the threads of the different stories together.

Glebe Collegiate Institute’s production of The Arabian Nights should be commended for its cohesive aesthetic, an excellent handling of the complex material, and for a reminder of the importance and magic of storytelling.

Michael Pepe, Critic, St. Mark Catholic High School.

Michael Pepe
Critic, St. Mark High School

Listen. There was once a great king, who had been driven mad by heartbreak and loss, but he is consoled through the storytelling powers of one woman, and is able to love once more. This is but one of many stories – 1001, to be exact – told with dedication in Glebe Collegiate Institute’s take on the tale The Arabian Nights.

 The Arabian Nights, written by Domenic Cooke in 1998, is an adaptation of One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of Arabic folk tales. The story surrounds King Shahrayar, who committed himself to marrying and subsequently killing a new woman every day, and Shahrazad, who attempts to reconcile him by telling him a story each night. The audience is presented with six separate stories, intermingled and over-arched by the interactions of Shahrayar and Shahrazad.

Glebe Collegiate Institute’s production made use of visually breathtaking sets, costumes, and lighting to create a truly Arabian atmosphere. A strong performance by the entire large cast maintained the immersion in the show, and each actor brought their own special contribution to the stage, be it creepy or comedic.

The lead actors in Glebe Collegiate’s production immediately made their presence felt on stage. Lucious Elter was enthralling as Shahrayar, lounging on his bed with an eerie calm and a kingly posture. Equally compelling was Katie Clarke as Shahrazad, whose graceful demeanour and poignant delivery maintained an excellent stage presence right to her closing line. The two had excellent chemistry, portraying clear character development through their interactions. Supporting the two leads was Sydney Barr, who was consistent and stable as Dinarzad, and Dylan Girard, Vizier, who transitioned his personality well from father to king’s servant.

Other actors brought energy and excitement to the stage with a commendable assortment of comedic, serious, and emotional acting. Several cast members made use of excellent physicality, specifically Ben Astorga’s humorous flailing as the Beggar, and Catherine Haba’s absorbing dancing and body language as Marjanah. Erich Margulis clearly demonstrated the aggressive nature of his character Perviz, complementary to Miranda Kerridge’s emotional inflection as Parizade in the same scene. As well, Khalil Daibes had an excellent stage presence as the Captain, making use of expressive hand motions and articulation. There were charming moments from many parts of the cast at Glebe Collegiate Institute.

From the opening scene, one was struck by the incredibly designed sets, costumes, and props. The set’s use of colour and attention to detail was captivating, particularly with the lavish curtained bed; each costume was exceedingly accurate and versatile, allowing actors to switch character through small costume adjustments. Lighting design was also very effective, utilising a myriad of light cues to shift the focus of a scene or add atmosphere with strobe lights during a witch’s spell, for example. The technical side of the show was altogether attractive and excellently executed.

Combining exciting technical design and a committed cast, Glebe Collegiate Institute’s production of The Arabian Nights made for a very entertaining evening. As the stories unfolded on stage, all the audience had to do was listen.

About the reviews:
The production at Glebe Collegiate Institute was reviewed by 25 critics representing 6 schools. The critic discussions were mentored by teacher Denise Shannon of St. Paul High School and student reviews were edited and selected for publication by teacher Marianna Klement of Notre Dame High School, who could see only the reviews, not the names or schools of the reviewers.

Next review: Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School’s production of The End of the World (With Prom to Follow).

 About the Cappies
The Citizen and 27 high schools are participating in the Cappies, a Washington, D.C.-based program that uses high school critics to review high school theatre. The program is a unique partnership between the Citizen, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Two schools from other boards in the region and two private schools have also joined. The four winners of the lead acting categories will receive a bursary provided by the national law firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. Follow the Cappies on Twitter @OttawaCappies. 

Ottawa police arrested a teen boy and recovered a handgun after Glebe Collegiate Institute was put into lockdown mode late Thursday morning when it was reported that a weapon had been spotted at the school.

Police and sniffer dogs searched the school before the teenager was identified and taken into custody. A handgun was found on school property and a bullet was also recovered on the ground near the school.

“There was a lockdown called today because we received a report that there may have been a weapon found in the community and may have been brought into the school,” said school principal Steve Massey.

The school was secured immediately and at no point was anyone in danger, he said. “We worked with Ottawa Police to ensure the safety of everyone in the building.”

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board at first described the scene as “secure school,” but later described the scene as “classroom lock down.” Several students tweeted from inside the building that the scene was indeed a “lockdown.” At least one reported student wasn’t allowed to leave for a bathroom break.

The school later moved into “shelter in place” mode, with students and staff are being asked to stay inside the building. Regular classroom duties have resumed.

“These situations can be troubling and we have ensured staff are available for student support,” said Massey. “We want to thank Ottawa police for their quick action and we want to thank students, staff and parents for their cooperation.”

The school will give parents more information as it becomes available, he said.

School will be dismissed at the regular time.

Police have arrested one young male after Glebe Collegiate Institute was put into “secure school” mode Thursday October 19, 2017.

Police have arrested one young male after Glebe Collegiate Institute was put into “secure school” mode Thursday October 19, 2017. 

A 17-year-old male is facing a string of charges related to a gun that was spotted at Glebe Collegiate Institute Thursday morning, sending the school into lockdown for hours.

The guns and gangs unit have laid half-a-dozen charges including careless use, handling or storage of a firearm, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a license and registration certificate and possession of a loaded regulated firearm.

He was scheduled to appear in court Friday.

Ottawa police were called to the school at 10:44 a.m. after a youth was spotted with a weapon. Police dogs and patrol officers began a search and the youth was arrested. The continuing search turned up the gun.

Related

• Teen boy arrested, handgun found after Glebe Collegiate put on lockdown

There were no injuries or threats to another person during the incident, police said.

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board said that when Glebe staff learned that “a weapon that was found in the community may have been brought into the school” they called police and secured the building immediately.

Students and staff went into lockdown, which means that classroom doors are closed and locked, lights turned off, blinds drawn and students told to sit quietly away from doors and windows, the board said. That allows police to assess the situation and do a room-by-room search for threats, the board said.

After police wrapped up their investigation, the school had students “shelter in place” until regular dismissal time.

The board thanked the police for their “immediate” response and students, staff and parents, “who handled this situation with calm.”

Supports are available for students who need them, the board said.