Niagara school’s production breaks stereotypical mould
The jock, the nerd, the shy girl, the delinquents: all of these and more are very stereotypical high school characters.
But in West Niagara Secondary School’s original production, “Reminiscence,” these stereotypes break out of their assigned roles and are more than they seem.
“Reminiscence” was a work born out of immense collaboration between the 29 members of the cast. However, Conner Croft, who also plays Adult Ted, came up with the main idea and plot: a group of former schoolmates meeting again at a high school reunion in 2024, 20 years after their prom night. Through comedic and heartfelt soliloquies, the true self of the characters is shown to the audience, revealing facets of their unseen lives.
West Niagara chose to portray the “Prom night” and “Adult” versions of the characters using different actors.
The production’s dual adult and prom cast usage was effective in scenes where they appeared on stage at the same moment, such as when the characters spoke to their other self and started to accept themselves for who they are.
Scarlet Moodie as Prom Brittany and Nathan Haight as Prom Zack made a great school power couple with astounding chemistry, displays of affection and comfortability with each other.
Both Sam Beal and Croft, as Prom Ted and Adult Ted, respectively, did an impressive job keeping up the nasally nerd voice. Other actors, such as Keesey Van Leeuwen as Prom Emily and Kalista Gross as Adult Chelsea, made their characters more genuine through voice, body language and gestures.
The Teachers brought comedy to the stage through their frustrations and annoyances with one another, especially toward the science teacher nobody likes, Mr. M, played by Nate Arsenault. The amusing group was a refreshing breath of air from both the teenage angst and adult problems.
And, of course, nobody could forget Caretaker Joan, played by Rae Daley, who always suddenly appears on stage and sweeps away while grumbling.
Despite minimalistic sets and costuming, West Niagara did well at distinguishing different characters and making do with their four props, two chairs, and 29 actors. The costumes involved black clothes with simple accessories such as Brittany’s necklace or Dave’s bandana, but they served their purpose of visual hints about the characters.
The production used loud 2000s music during transitions and specific scenes. But the music was sometimes played too loudly and interrupted the immersion of the play. However, the crew caught on and adjusted sound levels later on.
“Reminiscence” might have been a show about a high school reunion on the surface, but underneath it was truly about how you are who you want to be and how, sometimes, breaking out of your shell and taking risks is worth it.