What began as an epidemiological writing activity for students of Jack Cooke’s School in Terrace has turned into a true traveling musical.
Marc-Olivier Chouinard, a music teacher at the French School in Trass for five years, started the project to keep the students engaged.
“We wrote the songs,” he said. But after five or six songs, me [thought] Why not put it in a musical with a little more drama. »
Chouinard and Terrace students collaborated with François Tardif, an old friend of Chouinard’s in Quebec over Zoom and Flammèche’s music on Skeena was born.
“It’s very interesting, because it all started with the children’s ideas,” said Olivier.
The story revolves around Pietra, a girl who can talk to animals and her friends, Laxibu the leader of the wolves, Richard the fox, Aguila and Raguedy, the eagles and all the salmon in Skeena Valley, who live in harmony until a clerk arrives. Bob Lovemesh.
The summary of the play says: “This villain is a real destroyer of the beauty of nature.” “With the help of Richard the Fox, he will try to take control of the beautiful Skeena Valley. Will the people of Skeena Valley survive his attempt to destroy them?”
After two years working on the musical, they made their debut in June 2022 at the R.E.M. Lee All School Theater in the Porch. For English speaking students, English subtitles were shown on the screen.
But Chouinard and the school did not finish the Flammèche in Skeena. This year they wanted to take the show on the road.
Chouinard said he was well received at Kitimat on 2 June, Smithers on 13 June and Prince Rupert on 23 June.
At Smithers, they were unable to get the Della Herman Theater and ended up putting it in Glenwood Hall.
“We changed the show to a smaller stage and smaller audience and it turned out to be a lot of fun for all the kids. We had students from Hazelton, immersion students who attended the show, and students from Smithers, so it was a lot of fun.”
He also noted that all 62 members of the Jack-Cook Society School play a role in the production, whether it be acting, producing, playing in the band, or performing the technical aspects of his costume.
In Prince Rupert, the show has made its way to the main stage at Leicester Arts Centre.
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