SCHOOLS DRAMA FESTIVAL

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28267, 3 May 1957, Page 11

SCHOOLS DRAMA FESTIVAL

Eight To Take Part

Eight Christchurch secondary schools will be represented in the third junior drama festival to be held at the Repertory Theatre today and on Saturday. The festival is organised by the Christchurch and North Canterbury area of the British Drama League.

On Friday evening soloists and chorus, comprising 55 senior pupils of St. Andrew’s College and Rangi-ruru Girls’ School will present concert excerpts from their forthcoming combined production of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, “The Gondoliers.” Two plays will be presented by the Christ’s College Drama Society in addition to a production by Christchurch West High School. On Saturday evening plays will be presented by the Christchurch Technical College, the Shirley Intermediate School, the Christchurch Boys’ High School, and the Sacred Heart Girls’ College. Christchurch Forerunner “The Christchurch junior festival was the forerunner, of those organised by other areas in New Zealand which had been encouraged by the success of the Christchurch venture,” said the! area secretary of the British Drama League (Mr L. Hayston) yesterday. / “There is a wide range of themes and styles in the plays chosen for this year’s festival and this should again indicate the high quality of dramatic work beihg done in Christchurch secondary schools. “The festival is not competitive but Mrs Juanita Bull, 04 Darfield, who has a wide knowledge of I theatre, production, and acting, will give an appraisal of each performance from the stage,” Mr Hayston said. “This should be helpful to both casts and producers.”

The festival will be formally opened on Friday evening by the patron of the league’s area (Miss Jean McGregor) who will be introduced by the area president (Mr W. E. Cook).