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(Updated
8:30 a.m., Aug. 16)
Orléans theatre school students enlisted as Santa's helpers
By Heather Jamieson
Orléans Online
A
talented group of young local actors will be helping Canada
Post educate the 1.6 million children who write Santa
Claus at the North Pole each year.
Canada
Post contacted Orléans Young Players Theatre School's
artistic director Kathi Langston in late April to inquire
about the school supplying French and English-speaking
actors to appear in a series of short videos designed
to emphasise the "Golden Rules� of writing Santa, says
Cindy Daoust, Canada Post's manager of Community Investment.
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Students
with the Ottawa School of Theatre (formerly known
as the Orléans Young Players Theatre School) listen
intently as the duties of being one of Santa's elves
is explained to them. Heather Jamieson/Photo
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Daoust
and her team were aware of the 28-year-old theatre school's
reputation and large number of French-speaking and bilingual
students.
Langston
cast 14 of the school's students as Santa's elves to appear
in three scenes, each done in both languages. Filming,
by Canada Post's corporate video team, took place Aug.
10 at the Shenkman Arts Centre.
The
key messages to educate children and make the job easier
for the thousands of volunteers supporting the more than
35-year-old program are: Santa likes newsy letters to
accompany wish lists; the importance of including a return
address; and a comical and informative scene starring
Santa's all-important Postal Elves learning their job,
such as knowing letters to Santa do not need a stamp.
The
2017 Letters to Santa program begins Nov. 1 and, because
"it's a long way to the North Pole and back,� letters
must be mailed by Dec. 11.
The
completed videos will be distri-buted through the Canada
Post YouTube channel, as well as its various social media
platforms.
"This
has been a wonderful learning opportunity for our students,�
says Langston, noting that summer holiday schedules made
casting and scheduling rehearsals particularly challenging.
Among
the students cast were three members of the Corrigan family,
includ-ing Mathieu, 16, who is enrolled in the specialized
theatre program at �cole secondaire B�atrice-Desloges
and says it was an amazing experience.
It
is hoped an advanced screening can take place at the Shenkman
Arts Centre-based theatre school when it officially launches
its new name and logo on Sept. 16.
"After
28 years, we needed a name to better reflect our growth
and diversity,� says Langston about the school's new name:
Ottawa School of Theatre.
Everyone
is invited to an open house and silent auction at the
school on Sept. 16 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The
school's curriculum for the 2017-2018 school year includes
expanded French and adult classes, as well as the opportunity
for students to prepare for the Royal Conservatory Speech
and Dramatic Arts exams.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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