BY DUCK PATERSON
It proved to be a very successful start, to what hopefully, will be a very successful trip to nationals. The senior improv students from Ladysmith Secondary School held a fundraiser March 30 to help raise the money needed to help with their trip expenses to the Canadian Improv Games this week in Ottawa.
To participate in the games, high school students form teams to compete in regional tournaments co-ordinated by regional Canadian Improv Games volunteers. The teams perform improvised acts on suggestions provided by the audience and each scene is judged based on a fixed scoring criteria.
Nationals gather together 13 teams from across Canada for an eight-day series of judged improv acts as well as an opportunity for the students to take lessons from the pros and fine tune their skills.
To get to nationals, the local youths Lucy Street, Zachary Trawick, Eli Bowden, Hamilton Harper, T.J. Nyhan, Poppy Harper and Kaylin Zech had to raise more than $16,000 to help cover expenses.
Last week’s event was held in the school multi-purpose room and attracted more than 200 people to watch performances by the team, as well as a couple of acts from the junior team and a musical performance from longtime LSS teacher Rod Alsop and his daughter Emma.
Laurelle Street, a parent of one of the team members, said it was “magical” to watch the group perform.
“It has so many kids from diverse backgrounds; it’s amazing to see the confidence that improv brings out in all of them…” she said. “Our community needs to be proud of what these kids are doing.”
Chantel Blumel’s daughter was also part of the improv team at LSS before graduating and she is now in her fourth year of technical theatre at Bishop’s University in Quebec.
“Ladysmith’s improv program was the catalyst in her enthusiasm for the arts and acting,” Blumel said.
During the intermission, Ladysmith’s Michael Trawick said arts programs have suffered funding cuts over the decades but are “unsung” programs that provide young people with valuable tools and expose them alternate ways of thinking.
“The inclusion of arts in the school is helping to make better human beings,” he said. “It brings kids out of their comfort zone and broadens their understanding of themselves and others. Arts works in fostering emotional growth and develops emphasizing skills and helps in young people making positive decisions and their ability to work together as a team.”
Street said last week’s fundraiser raised more than $4,600 and said the team met its overall fundraising goal leading up to nationals, raising $16,800.
She thanked the Rotary, Kinsmen and Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Ladysmith Parents Advisory Committee, A&W, Lealand Contracting, Retrospec Contracting and Renovations, Villani and Co., Paperly, Shaw and many community members.
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editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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