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by pltm
(PLTM) - Cedar International School students performed two sell out shows of Thomas Olsen’s adaptation of the classic tale, ‘The Wind in the Willows’ on the afternoons of the 3rd and 4th of February.
According to the school, set in the enchanting open air location of the J.R. O’Neal Botanical Gardens, the performances were a culmination of months of work and collaboration between both the Drama and Music departments at the school, as students from the music elective produced an original score (consisting of 13 songs) to accompany the actor’s performance.
The gardens provided a wonderful natural setting and backdrop, and staging the play in this location helped to support the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands, with a portion of the proceeds going to the organisation.
The setting also presented challenges, with the actors needing to project their un-amplified voices across the lawn, a skill they demonstrated admirably.
This full scale production was made possible by the recent expansion and strengthening of performing arts programmes at Cedar, with drama now being offered both as an elective and as a core curriculum subject in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme.
Mary Ormond, drama teacher at Cedar said, "I was lucky to start rehearsals with a very talented young cast, who have consistently impressed me. They have learned a lot about performance and the hard work and commitment required to put on a show like this"
She added, "I was also fortunate to be able to rely on the experience of others to the create fantastic costumes for us and to have had a lot of help with the numerous props.”
Scott Crawford, Director of Cedar International School commented that it was gratifying to see the results of their increased commitment to the performing arts.
"Those students who are interested in drama now have even more opportunities to pursue their passion and gain experiences and skills that will stay with them a lifetime," Crawford said.
Crawford added, "The production was a testament to the hard work of our students, staff and parents, and the fact that our young musicians wrote and produced all of the accompanying music was really impressive."
Thanks were expressed also to the Cedar PTA, who provided invaluable assistance, and to the National Parks Trust for all their support in making the event happen.
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