Program introduces new theatrical faces to local audiences
Posted Mar 4, 2010 By Roy Lewis
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EMC Entertainment - New Faces 2010, a tradition that has grown out of the St. Lawrence College Music Theatre-Performance Program, will be presented at the Brockville Arts Centre on Friday, March 5.
Roy Lewis, St. Lawrence EMC
First year students in the St. Lawrence College Music Theatre-Performance Program who will appear in the New Faces 2010 production at the Brockville Arts Centre on Friday, March 5, are, from left, back row: Shauna Doherty, Shelby Mastrotucci, Samantha Faria, Monica Szustakowski, Leandry Cousins, Travis Pender, Zachary Knowles, Michele Shuster, Allison Harris, Alex Fleuriau Chateau, stage director for New Faces 2010, Ashley Ferreira. In front, from left are Sara Dennis, Richard Ferreira, Lindsay Vandergrinten, Holly Wyder, Cydney Curtis, Heather Maitland, Jenica Hammett, Danielle Penny and Samantha Marchionda.
The two-hour-long show, with a 15-minute intermission, is designed to showcase the talents of the program's first-year students who enrolled last September in the three-year Music Theatre-Performance Program. It is also a venue for Brockville and area audiences to follow the theatrical development of the students as they continue through the course.
And while they are new to the program at the college, several of the students in New Faces 2010 have varying degrees of theatrical experience. They must also achieve a certain level of proficiency before performing in New Faces, according to Alex Fleuriau Chateau, stage director for the show.
"I have cut numbers the day before previous New Faces if I feel the performers are not up to par," said Fleuriau Chateau.
New Faces 2010 features an eclectic mix of songs, dances and choral music from such shows as Oliver, Kiss Me Kate and Sister Act. But there will also be numbers from less well-known musicals as Lucky Stiff, Homemade Fusion and Henry and Mudge.
"While songs from some of these productions are not as well known, they are very fun pieces and other presentations in New Faces 2010 will be entertaining, emotional and serious pieces," said Fleuriau Chateau.
All of the 22 first year Music Theatre-Performance Program students, consisting of 17 women and five men, will be featured in the show. New Faces will feature seven choral numbers, one duet and 14 solos. There will be five dance numbers, three of which are choreographed by Diego Arvelo, one dance will be choreographed by first year student Michele Shuster and another dance by Ryan Wong. The overall choreography is under the direction of Janet Venn-Jackson, music direction is by Christopher Coyea and the accompanist for the choral numbers is Chris Cennon.
Love of theatre
Among the young people appearing in New Faces 2010 is Cleandra Cousins, 20, of Mississauga, who has always had "a strong love for the theatre and the arts."
"I knew I wanted to pursue this career ever since I saw a production of the Lion King in Toronto," she said.
The Music Theatre-Performance Program at St. Lawrence College is challenging, admitted Cousins, but "I like a good challenge and the program has strengthened my weaknesses and I have improved those aspects of performing that I am good at."
For Heather Maitland, 22 of the small community of Orono east of Oshawa, the Music Theatre-Performance Program has provided her with valuable experience, especially in dance which is her weakest theatrical discipline.
"This is a dance-orientated program and I have become stronger in dancing, as well as acting," she said.
Saying that she feels inspired while taking the program, Maitland has also "gained knowledge about various aspects of life outside of the theatre."
A radical career change brought Samantha Marchionda, 21, of Welland, to the Music Theatre-Performance Program.
For three years, she had studied French and criminology at Brock University with the eventual intention of following a career in government or the court system.
However, at the "last minute," she decided to enter the Music Theatre-Performance Program. Performing in public is not new for Marchionda since she danced on stage during her early teens and has, for the last four years, been a singer, achieving a Grade 6 level in voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
"I have never done any stage acting so this aspect of the course is fun," said Marchionda.
This year's performance of New Faces will mark the fourth time the show has been presented at the Brockville Arts Centre. Initially, a cabaret was performed featuring new students entering the Music Theatre-Performance Program but that presentation was subsequently changed to the more structured New Faces program.
New Faces 2010 will start at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 5. Tickets, at a cost of $15 for adults and $10 for students, are available at the Brockville Arts Centre.
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