Student top billed on play program

Times Reporter       

 

Strathmore High School’s (SHS) production of She’s the Man was on the stage June 5-8 nightly. This year drama teacher Paula Richardson had some help from a student, so much so in fact that she listed her as assistant director on the program. 

Brontë Weissig has taken all of the drama classes, including the advanced acting class. She helped out as a work experience student this year, helping Richardson with the directing, editing and rewriting of the script. 

“It was a pretty incredible experience,” said Weissig. 

Weissig has been working in the theatre since Grade 8, starting in a one-act festival, and has worked with Richardson ever since. 

“I came to the show and the first time I walked in I thought this is where I want to be this is what I love and it has been true ever since I have been here, it has been incredible,” said Weissig.

She has been invited to do work shadowing at Theatre Calgary. Weissig said it was really incredible, and that it was nice to see theatre keeps that family atmosphere even as you move out of high school and into professional levels. 

“There is a family bond as soon as you get into theatre, especially with a big production. Backstage is fun, it’s probably the best part,” said Weissig.

“Going to Theatre Calgary and to see how all the professionals are like us, they actually are like us, they’re quirky people who love art, who are so passionate. It’s here, this is what this room is, it’s passion, it’s everything that you need in order to be an artist and every artist I think in a way is drawn, and in other forms of art, and in theatre it’s always powered me to be artistic.”

Recently Weissig went to the one-act play festival for the Drama Zone 5 in Calgary. She took two pieces as a director. One was a one-act play that she wrote, directed and acted in, and the other she wrote and directed – that play won best script 

The adjudicator was so impressed with her writing that Weissig is in the process of having a professional look at her play; they are adding to it and editing it, and the end goal is to get it to go into an one-act play festival in Calgary, said Richardson. Weissig is one of the youngest people the adjudicator has ever agreed to work with.

Weissig, who graduated this year, said she would come back next year and help Richardson until she finds someone new. For now Weissig will continue writing and she is hoping with her scripts she will be able to work with professionals, but as for pursuing an acting career, it’s not something in the books for her at this time.