Student-run showcase presents full-feature directorial debuts from upper year Mt.A students
…And curtain! Another Motyer-Fancy Theatre (MFT) theatre season has come to a close! But don’t leave your seats just yet, for to truly finish this year with a bang, the student showcase will take the stage from March 26 to 28 at the MFT. This must attend event allows upper year drama and film students to demonstrate all that they have learned during their time in their respective programs. This year’s student showcase features the main-stage directorial debut of two fourth-year Mt.A students, Dawson Cormier and Skylar Côté. The double bill pairs The Collection, an absurdist play by Harold Pinter directed by Cormier, with This is a Play, a meta-theatre comedy by Daniel MacIvor directed by Côté.
The student showcase represents a culmination of drama students’ hard work throughout their time at Mt.A . In an interview with The Argosy, both Cormier and Côté talk fondly about their Mt.A journey leading up to this point. Cormier highlights that this is his first time directing a full-feature play. His journey began last year, when he took a directing class, which allowed him to dip his toes into the world directing for the first time. As for Côté, she has acted in many plays before and previously took on the role as an assistant director in the MFT’s production of Albertine in Five Times. Cormier expressed stepping up to the role of director has been “super fun” and he has enjoyed seeing how all the pieces of a play come together. Cormier continues, saying “I have acted in shows and I work at theatre as the stage carpenter,” explaining that while he is often involved in multiple aspects of a production, this is the first time he has been able to see everything that goes into putting on a show. Cormier described the showcase as , “a great opportunity for me and Skylar.” He continues, highlighting the project has given them the opportunity to “see if this is something we want to do as a career.” Côté expressed how much she has enjoyed the creative collaborative aspect of directing. She said, “I come in, I have some ideas, and since I am the director, we work with those ideas.” She continues, highlighting that “if someone else has an idea, I am always open to feedback.” She said the experience has felt very different than her experiences as an actress, where performers have much less say in the show’s overall creative direction
In The Collection, “It is okay to laugh,” says Cormier. He explains The Collection belongs to a subgenre of absurdist comedy, known as comedy of menace. Harold Pinter, a British playwright, was a pioneer of comedy of menace, creating a subgenre all about the weird awkward feelings in between social interactions. Cormier explains “you’re laughing because you’re uncomfortable …and it’s kind of funny.” When directing this genre, Cormier also expressed concern that some audience members may feel unsure about how to react, or may worry about interrupting the performance. However, he reassures audiences that seeing reactions is both affirming to the actors and as a director. The Collection follows a man named James, whose wife revealed to him that she had an affair while away on a trip. James then seeks to call out the supposed man involved in the scandal in an effort to discover the truth.
Côté hopes This is a Play will provide the audiences with a look on “what is going through their (actors) minds as they’re acting” in a play. Côté goes on to describe the show as “a deep look into the theatre world.” She explains the script contains all sorts of details about the actors beyond their characters, and how they each interact with the contents of the show, each other, the audience, and interestingly lettuce! Intrigued by the mention of lettuce? Côté said “I am not going to spoil much but,” you must come see This is a Play for yourself if you want to figure it out. The stage is designed to display the mezzanine, the area above the stage, as an additional play space for an actor during the show. According to Côté, it is meant to showcase an actor’s inner thoughts. Côté highlights the designer further, crediting This is a Play’s set and lighting designer, Danica Jollimore, for her fantastic work on the project.
The coolest part of the student shows is that “It is entirely student run, everything is done by students.” by The Collection head of props, Jax Bailey. Cormier continues, adding that “everyone here is very excited to talk about the stuff they do, so start taking the classes, start talking to everyone, and you will get where you want to be.” Everyone involved in the student showcase is happy to answer questions or help anyone interested to get involved within the Mt.A drama community.