That’s when Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s youth theatre program will be marking Culture Days — a movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities.
More specifically, they will be breaking out some of the spontaneous performances these young thespians have been doing for the last two years.
For instance, one of the more memorable impromptu performances involved a recreation of the epic Star Wars battle between Darth Vader and Obi Wan Kenobi on the old escalator in the Valley Mall. The two actors began an argument as they passed each other on the moving staircase and, as the rivals met to duel at the base of the escalator — perhaps much to the consternation of bewildered shoppers — a chorus of acting colleagues descended the stairs humming the movie’s famous soundtrack theme.
On other occasions, youth actors dressed as Vikings crashed a Corner Brook Winter Carnival event with a silly Viking song, while another unexpected performance started off with a young girl drawing the public’s attention to her lost meatball at a local restaurant.
Katie Manuel, 14, was the girl who got things going for the meatball gig and can’t wait to start planning another season of such shenanigans.
“I had to start that one and this guy looked really concerned that there was something wrong with my meatball,” said Manuel as she recalled that performance. “I just love the adrenaline rush of doing it. Another time, a friend of mine started and a lady next to me turned and said ‘she’s crazy’ and then I started into it.”
I really find the ones involved with this are braver than they ever were before. - Sarah McDonald Anderson, TNL
There’s something about catching people off guard that makes these performances so much fun, added Leah Andrews.
“Nobody knows what’s going on and it’s funny to see the looks on people’s faces,” said the 16-year-old.
The actors always get permission from the venue before they do their thing, but the venues themselves have not always been the best choices. For instance, the troupe tried one performance during a hockey game at the Pepsi Centre, but the acoustics were not conducive to drawing the attention they thought they might get from the fans.
One thing is for sure, doing spontaneous performances helps alleviate any stage fright the young actors might experience before hitting the stage before an audience who knows they are about to be entertained.
“I find it has fast-tracked them in terms of their talents and abilities and their maturity of performance,” said Sarah McDonald Anderson, TNL’s artistic associate who runs the youth program. “I really find the ones involved with this are braver than they ever were before.”
A new youth theatre season is about to start up and there will be other spontaneous performances between the fall and the spring.
As part of Culture Days, TNL will be opening its doors to the public during their classes later this month. Anyone interested will be able to come and watch the youth theatre classes in action from 4-5:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 and again from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 25.
