Contributed by Monica Alves, Special Projects Worker
Stage Door Theatre Troupe
The cast invited Ecole Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary School’s grade 4 class to watch the dress rehearsal for the Stage Door production on Monday, May 15th.
The stage was set. As the lights dimmed, a hush fell over the buzzing crowd of friends and family. From the moment the first ‘Water Miner’ slid out from the metal grate and onto the stage, the audience was captivated. On Thursday, May 25th, Stage Door Theatre performed their final run of “The 4th Element” – a post-apocalyptic play about a world desperate for water, and a struggling band of brothers’ journey to end the Earth’s drought once and for all. Action packed and humorous from start to finish, these actors impressed audience members with their high energy and commitment to their characters.
Stage Door’s Writer and Director, Don House, has worked very hard to put on these plays annually. To create a storyline that allows every actor to showcase their skills and have a voice in the show, is a challenging but extremely rewarding experience for all involved. The behind the scenes team did an outstanding job on this production for set design, costumes, hair and makeup, sound and lights, and props. This year’s set was wonderfully crafted and immersed everyone into the ‘underworld’ with its unique design and authentic feel. In fact, it was made up almost entirely of recycled materials – from plastic water bottles and pool noodles, to cookie trays and Chinese take out containers! But this magical set didn’t outshine the talented actors one bit, whose enthusiasm and spirit carried the story. Each actor’s passion and dedication to their role was inspiring to watch. The occasional giggling and eye-catching costumes kept the play fun and light-hearted all the way through. A special shout out to the Scientists’ chicken hats, piano number, and the Machines’ creative voices and “vast knowledge of library”.
With over 20 years of productions, Stage Door Theatre continues to successfully work with creative individuals with development disabilities, by providing them with training, behavioural management tools, and opportunities to express their talent and abilities with others. This group of actors has grown into a balanced team of performers who always welcome new participants. They often help with conceptualizing and producing these plays too! “The 4th Element” was a job well done for everyone in the production. As this was a play about the human spirit and quest to find everlasting harmony in the world, the actors should be very proud of the special message they conveyed to audiences. Stage Door is a proud program of posAbilities, and wouldn’t have been able to put on another wonderful show without their continuous support. A huge thank you to everyone who came out to the show – we appreciate you and can’t wait to see you again next year!
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