As one of their first shows back in front of a live audience, students in the Theatre Arts and Performance program magnificently performed Beyond the Stars - a piece loosely based on Antoine St. Exupery’s beloved novella, The Little Prince. They describe the piece as an “invitation to contemplate the human condition: loneliness, isolation, growing up, unresolved childhood dreams, the world, the people who inhabit it, love and loss, and the possibilities that exist beyond the stars.”
Program Coordinator, Patrick Robinson, says being able to connect once again with a live and engaging audience was like no other. "Being back reminds us of what the most important things of live performance are - having that connection with one another and with the audience, and being able to be in the same space day after day to create."
Beyond the Stars was a project conceived by the Director, Tristan Whiston, who has worked with the program for a couple of years now. Patrick explains that both Tristan and the students considered several different ideas before landing on this piece. “Right away they knew that they didn’t want to just do a re-telling of The Little Prince; they wanted to use it as a vehicle for exploring some of the ideas and the themes that most resonated with the students and with the group as an ensemble,” Patrick explains. Because of this, there wasn’t necessarily a particular structure or story attached to it.
Working with Tristan on Beyond the Stars were Anna Camilleri, Production Designer, and Kathleen Rea, Choreographer, who are past collaborators outside of Centennial as well. One of the goals when first designing this project within the program was to make it feel as though students were working in a theatre company, and having multiple talented individuals to guide students helped achieve this.
“This year, we were really excited because that theatre company that is headed by Tristan and his artistic partner and Anna Camilleri… were able to co-sponsor our production. So, not only were they coming in as faculty members and as artistic leads, but they were also doing a co-production with us with their company, ReDefine Arts, and Centennial College Theater,” Patrick shares. “We actually had a real co-production feel, and our students were not only doing this project under the auspice of Centennial College, but also doing a project for and with ReDefine Arts, which made it take on a level of professionalism that we've never had before in Centennial theatre.”
Because of this collaboration, Beyond the Stars was able to perform at Factory Theatre, which Patrick says was the first time the program has been able to perform in such a well-established theatre. “It provides a level of technical and production support and resources that we have not previously been able to access as a college and theatre program, so that was pretty exciting.” It was also the first time the program did a collaboration with another theatre company for a scope of this size.
Previously, all performances had to remain virtual due to the restraints of the pandemic; this is what helped make Beyond the Stars extra special, as this was one of the first performances back in front of a live audience (in addition to a performance that students did back in March). “Zoom had provided us with an opportunity to keep going in the face of real adversity, but there’s no comparison when you are back with the live audience,” Patrick explains. Being able to work with a live audience that can respond to the work they are witnessing and then have the students respond back in real-time, is something that Patrick says means a lot.
Check out photos from the performance here.
HEAR FROM SOME OF THE STUDENTS WHO PERFORMED
“Developing Beyond the Stars was nothing short of exciting for my classmates and I, as it was going to be the first time in the history of the Theatre Arts & Performance program that a graduating class got to put on a live show-- one that would be taking place in a professional theatre, no less! For our final performance as a class, it was vital that there would be a piece of each of us represented on that stage. So, not only were we performers in this piece, but we were co-creators, writers, directors, choreographers, dramaturgs, designers, producers, and publicists too. With the knowledge and growth that we've gained from our time under the guidance of incredible coordinator, Patrick Robinson, and the diverse range of facilitators that he hand-selected, we have all the tools necessary to take care of ourselves as artists and to build the worlds we want to live in.” – Celēs Emmerson
“Working on Beyond the Stars was an absolutely incredible experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. There were so many moments of uncertainty and change that caused a lot of stress, but I wouldn’t change a single thing when I look back at the process. Our graduating class is defined by flexibility and “unprecedented times”, so BTS wouldn’t really be a show that could properly represent us if there weren’t a few surprises along the way. Still, despite everything, we managed to perform live in front of an audience in a real theatre for the first time (both for us and for the program) and we created something truly special. These three years at Centennial have changed my life for the better, and Beyond the Stars was the perfect ending (or new beginning, depending on how you choose to look at it).” – Paige Mehmet
“Being on stage for the first time during our theatre program was a huge accomplishment for all of us. We had a couple of presentations that were moved online because of the pandemic, so getting the chance to work in a renowned Canadian theatre with a live audience was the cherry on top of a beautiful time together. Devising Beyond the Stars was magical. The support, expertise and talent shared by our teachers from ReDefine Arts is invaluable. We worked for several months and created separate sections inspired by The Little Prince. When we got to see it as a complete piece, I was astonished. I feel we achieved a visually compelling and heartfelt show. Everyone’s talent shined on stage, and we also got to create original video and sound for it, which was super fun! I wouldn’t have asked for a better way to finish my time at Centennial!” – Cindy Dzib
Congratulations to our graduating students and everyone who took part in this incredible performance!
Article by: Alexandra Few
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