A Staged Experience for Students

Crowd watching a live performanceThe  Foundation for Education recently teamed up with Alternative Theatre Works (Stratford) by bringing a Montreal-based theatre production and workshop to secondary students in Perth and Huron.

“This joint project was a new venture”, says Foundation Executive Director Wes MacVicar. “Its aim was to spark debate about war among secondary students in English, History, Philosophy and Drama and to support all Arts & Culture Specialist High Skills Majors in the region”.

The new Canadian work entitled Bolsheviki was written by David Fennario and toured exclusively to Stratford February 8 to 12, 2011 after its acclaimed debut in November at Montreal’s Infinitheatre.

In Bolsheviki, a WWI veteran tells a young reporter about his experiences in the trenches – an account light years away from the maudlin sentimentalism of ‘nation building’  – linking the struggle to stop the First World War with the ongoing struggle to get Canadian troops out of Afghanistan.

In addition to the experience of the show was an intensive look into the process of building such a production with the play’s director, Guy Sprung, performer Robert King and producer Peggy Coffey. (see pictures)

“Part of  the Foundation’s mission is to provide mentorship and meaningful work and life experiences for students”, states MacVicar. “That is why we helped design this opportunity – professionals meeting and sharing with students  – and continue to do so with representatives from many other job sectors”.

To get involved in experiential learning through job shadowing, career talks, etc., contact Wes MacVicar at the Foundation 519-527-0111 ext 231 wesmacv@fc.amdsb.ca