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Grade 8s in the Spotlight!
“We’re all in this together!”
For the uninitiated, that is the title of the climactic song in the Disney film High School Musical. It is also the spirit of the annual Grade 8 musical at Shawnigan, which, fittingly, was High School Musical this year.
All Grade 8s are required to take part in the Grade 8 musical, either as cast or crew, although all Grade 8s were on stage for the final two numbers. The crew was assisted by some older students as well.
Ms. Annie Marland, who led the musical along with Mr. Vince Hale, called it “a raging success,” and “really, really fun.”
“We had a condensed timeline, so we wanted something that could be picked up quickly,” Ms. Marland explained. “And the songs in High School Musical are catchy and simple.”
Although it has since become a franchise with multiple spinoffs, the original High School Musical movie was released in 2006, several years before the Grade 8s were born. Ms. Marland and Mr. Hale admit it was more in their wheelhouse in that regard that it is for the students. Still, about half of the students were familiar with it – especially those who are into musicals – and the high school-based storyline gave it some added appeal.
“We thought it was a good fit,” Ms. Marland commented.
Several of the students had been in a musical rotation as part of the Grade 8 360 (arts and activities) program, or had a musical background before they arrived at Shawnigan, but very few had taken part in musical theatre before.
“For the majority, it was their first musical,” Mr. Hale noted.
Naturally, some of the students were hesitant about this new experience. Fortunately, some of the leaders among the Grade 8 cohort bought in, and the rest were quick to follow. It ended up being a dedicated, hard-working group that made the show a reality.
“They knew the stakes: everyone in the School was coming to watch it,” Mr. Hale said. “They all came through.”
“They took a lot of pride in what they were doing,” Ms. Marland added. “There was a lot of ownership.”
That included a little bit of improv, and rewriting some of the dated language to fit the way students speak today – nearly 20 years after the original dialogue was written.
The Grade 8 musical is a can’t-miss event at Shawnigan, and the students performed in front of a full house for two shows on Friday, June 13. So many people were clamouring for seats that they had to turn away students at the door for the first performance.
“Overall, it was just one fantastic experience,” Mr. Hale said. “Everyone put an unbelievable amount of work in.”
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
