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Big Valley’s story brought to life in theatre production

The students of Big Valley School joined forces with the creative talent of Calgary’s Trickster Theatre to tell the story
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Brett Gartley of Trickster Theatre and students from Big Valley School’s Kindergarten and Grade 1 and 2 classes act in a scene from “The Lightning Speeder

The students of Big Valley School joined forces with the creative talent of Calgary’s Trickster Theatre to tell the story of their hometown on stage last week.

After working together all week, the students and the theatre company presented four short plays under the title of “Community Heritage” in the school gym to a crowd of about 50 parents, staff and community members on Friday, Nov. 21.

Larissa Jackson’s Kindergarten and Grade 1 and 2 students started the performance off with “The Lightning Speeder,” taking the crowd on a train trip to Big Valley for ice cream.

First, the students are victims of a polite train robbery, and then their train collides with a moose and a deer on the tracks. Ultimately, they decide not to return to Stettler, but stay behind in Big Valley for a dance party.

The second play was “Miner Mike and the Spoiled Kids, and Ronnie, Too,” presented by Charlee Mappin’s Grade 3 and 4 students.

A lazy group of kids are sent back to a 1920s coal mine, where Miner Mike and his talking horse, Ronnie, take them through the journey of mining coal and turning it into energy.

In the third play, “Granny’s Voyage to Big Valley,” Erin Stauffer’s Grade 5 and 6 students told the story of Granny’s trip via covered wagon from the Yukon.

The pioneers dig a hole to keep warm, start a fire using a buffalo chip, ward off a bear attack and cross a treacherous river to reach their homestead site. They then build themselves a party line and go to a dance, where two men duel for the right to Granny’s hand.

The final play was presented by David McCommish’s Grade 7 and 8 students and featured a more dramatic tone. Told without dialogue, “Pump Jacks and Cadillacs” used shadows, coloured lights and many props to tell the story of the energy industry.

The play — projected on a giant white sheet hung from the ceiling — covered multiple aspects of oil and gas development, including the impact on the environment and the need for renewal.

Brett Gartley, Trickster Theatre’s parent liaison, said he and the other staff do theatre workshops at schools throughout the year.

“The kids create the story,” he said. “We just make sure it makes sense.”

The theatre company — including residency leader Alice Nelson and technical leader Ryan Reese — arrived in Big Valley on Monday to meet the students and work with some props.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, they got down to work, developing the stories and dialogue. They were also joined by community volunteers who spoke about the history of the region and helped them pick some key themes.

They added music, lights and costumes on Thursday, in preparation for the performance on Friday. Parent volunteers helped to create some of the props and costumes.

Gartley said it was a “fantastic week,” adding that he enjoyed seeing the school and community work together, and noting that the students adapted well on Friday as some of their classmates fell ill with the flu and were unable to perform.

“They jumped in and they helped out however they could,” he said.

Principal Corry Raugust said the theatre company worked with the students for three hours each day.

“It was fantastic to see what the students can come up within a week and act it out,” he said. “Students got involved, thinking outside the box, and brought their ideas.”

He also said bringing the company in was a good opportunity for Big Valley, since it’s difficult for small schools to have a drama club or theatre classes.

The weeklong workshop was supported with funding from the school, the Village of Big Valley, and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

For more information on Trickster Theatre, visit www.trickstertheatre.com.