This year Ms.Dawe gave me the opportunity to co-direct the 2011/2012 school musical- The Oath. For the first time in years, Earl Haig’s school show wanted a student voice to be just as strong as the teacher’s. It was an honour to be selected as that student, and over the past few months, Ms. Dawe and myself have been committed to collaborating to make this year’s school show a success.
The Oath, written by Victoria Dawe and Sue Drummond, is a challenging musical, especially for a first time director. The music is new and creative, there are four fight scenes, and the choreography is complex and intricate. Between the colourful characters and beautiful set, directing The Oath was no small undertaking. In retrospect, I had no idea what a whirlwind of activity I was getting myself into.
My experience with directing was limited to small scenes in drama class and independent projects. I knew what a “beautiful moment” was, and I knew about different methods of acting, but what I wasn’t prepared for was casting twenty-seven singers, dancers and actors. I wasn’t prepared for being at school by 8AM several times a week, or staying after school until nine. I wasn’t prepared to run around screaming or rather, directing my friends and peers. But, as the days stretched to weeks, and the weeks to months, the rhythm that had originally seemed so overwhelming was replaced by my unconditional love for the show.
I’d never been so consumed by a project before. My emotions fluctuated with the challenges and rewards during the rehearsal process ofThe Oath, and my grades, social life and leisure time took a back seat to the show. Every conversation I had seemed to relate back to the production, and there was seldom a moment when it wasn’t on my mind. If it wasn’t for the incredible cast and crew of The Oath, I think I may have lost my sanity along with my free time. These remarkable individuals, both staff and students have come together to create a show that I can say with confidence, is a success.
From the first day of casting, to the full-cast run-throughs, each and every moment has been filled with valuable learning and a sense of pride. I hope that in the future, another fortunate student gets the opportunity to feel the magic of directing. Thank you so much to everyone involved in The Oath. You take my breath away every time the stage lights dim.
-Michelle Soicher
