Valentines at Aspen Crossing

Times Reporter

 

Strathmore High School (SHS) drama students had a chance to continue to explore the art when they performed in Aspen Crossing’s Valentine’s dinner theatre. 

The theatre takes place in the dining car, with the actors performing between dinner courses. This year’s production was ‘Will you be my Valentrain?’

Gail Whiteford writes all of the scripts and performs in almost all of the productions as well. 

“Every Valentine’s show I write has got a Shakespeare theme. The whole idea of the valentine’s one is I pick a Shakespeare and then I twist it. So this one was basically why the Montagues and Capulets got into their feud in the first place, the back story,” said Whiteford. 

Rachel Ellis, Daniel Sinclair, and Matthew Rederburg are all SHS students. Ellis played Julie Lett, Rederburg was Rome Royal and Sinclair played Rio Prince. 

“It’s definitely very different but so much fun, and I think for how young we are it’s just such an awesome opportunity to get to do something like this,” said Ellis.

“I think acting here is a fantastic succession to high school drama actually and credit to the program. I don’t think we’d be here if it weren’t for the chance to do those productions (with SHS),” said Rederburg.

“I think the fact that it is such an unusual space to act in really adds to the experience,” said Sinclair. 

Nikki Barran played Kate Lett and Wayne Hvingelby was Monty Q Royal, Rome’s father. 

“It’s so much fun, and it’s nice to be that close to the audience because you know their feedback right away so you know what works, and what doesn’t work, what you can improve in next time,” said Barran. 

The dinner’s show is heading into its third season. All of the scripts are themed around trains. Whiteford admits it can be tricky creating a new train-themed script every time, but it’s a challenge she seems to enjoy. This isn’t the first time she has written scripts that follows a particular theme.

“I was one of the co-owners of Shadow Productions in Calgary, and we were an interactive murder mystery company that was at the Dean House and Stage West,” said Whiteford.

“We closed the company three or four years ago now, because we had been doing it for 20 years and writing murder mysteries…after 20 years you just start to get tired of it.”

There are five shows a year. September is a harvest theme; October is a sort of a Halloween theme. There is also a senior’s luncheon based on Remembrance Day and the war brides, a Christmas production, Valentines and one in March. For more information or for tickets call 1-866-440-3500 or go to www.aspencrossing.com.