The best years of your life are not always spent in high school.
Kids often end up being labelled by others and not always in a good way.
In almost all high schools there is a resident geek, jock, mean girl, smart girl, trashy type and more.
Meet them all in Jeffrey Harr’s Sterotype High, now playing at Shuswap Theatre.
They’re all there, superbly brought to life by students from Salmon Arm, Sicamous and Armstrong.
Directed by Julia Body, this cast of super talented young folks explores the whole notion of stereotypes, the pain they can cause and, just as importantly, what is behind the stereotypes and at the heart of the person who has been labelled.
The jock, who doesn’t know where he is going in life, his pushy girlfriend, the gal in the inappropriately tight clothing, the geek of baggy pants, who speaks “science” and the would-be thespian, labelled weird by fellow students.
Students, parents and grandparents will find it very easy to relate to these characters and will, I am sure, be taking a walk down memory lane with one or more of them.
Kudos to Body for bringing to the stage a production that speaks to everyone in sharp dialogue, sometimes wrapped in comedy, but never missing the intended target.
Two particularly hilarious instances include a scene with school counsellor Mrs. Slattimore as she gets to the root of the relationship between Chuck and Jeanie, and another where an oddly matched couple irritate a disgruntled moviegoer in their attempts to explore the possibility of a relationship.
The play rolls along briskly and beautifully from scene to scene, with student stagehands working skillfully aas well.
“The involvement of youth in Shuswap Theatre is something that has been needed for a long time,” writes Body in her director’s notes. “There is so much talent and enthusiasm among the youth in Salmon Arm, but few opportunities present for them to be involved with theatre.”
All that has changed with Stereotype High, which has teens working on the stage and behind the scenes to bring this timely production to the stage.
Environment Canada is painting a rather gloomy picture of this weekend’s weather, so buy your tickets and go and see Stereotype High at 7:30 p.m. Friday March 3 and 10, Saturday, March 4 and 11 or Sunday, March 5 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.shuswaptheatre.com or at the door.