In early April, Mount Allison and Sackville’s Marshview Middle School students brought collaborative and original performances to Mount A’s Windsor Theatre. Tempest in a Teapot and Planet Performances are the results of an after-school drama program at Marshview Middle School run by Mount Allison volunteers. The program comprised two groups, and focused on Shakespeare and environmental issues respectively. The Shakespeare group worked in partnership with Dr. Karen Bamford’s English 3221 Advanced Studies in Shakespeare in creating Tempest in a Teapot – an adaptation of Shakespear’s The Tempest. Planet Performances is a performance devised by the ‘environmental drama’ group that discusses the causes and effects of climate change.

"The Marshview Middle School Drama Club is a perfect example of the support I have received from Mount Allison over my years here. If a project or program doesn't already exist, chances are that there will be a faculty or administrative member willing to assist in creating new opportunities. Where else can you take an advanced Shakespeare class and get academic credit for helping middle school students understand and stage scenes from The Tempest? Our purpose has not been to ‘teach’ the younger students, but to provide a forum for exchange and creative interaction. Watching the initial age and experience gap of the students melt away into a relationship of trust is why this project is so important. It’s about creating and connecting with someone new — a connection that the intimate nature of Sackville and Mount Allison fosters."

Christine Mayor, History (Devonshire, Bermuda)
camyr@mta.ca

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