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10 w = = a ‘LEGALLY BLONDE’ AT z PLAYHOUSE, FEB. 15 3102 8 BILL JACKSON 3 bjackson@torstar.ca 2 z Mitchell Cruickshank has been cast in a couple of high school plays before, but this month he'll have a chance to take his talents that stuffs ‘kshank, 16-year- old, Grade un ‘student from. Kitchener-Waterloo Colle- giate Institute who's now solely focusing on tuning Blonde the Musical" — the first-ever high school mu- sical produced by Drayton intertainment's Youth Academy, Feb. 15 to 26 at St. Jacobs ouse. Country Play- Fifty high school stu dents from across Wat loo Region and southern according to Drayton’ sociate estie Girector, David Connolly. "It kind of falls in the school year in a good time. But more importantly for us, it falls in a pocket when we're not in production," said ( Connolly. Jl of our production resouteen can be put into the sets and costumes and lights and wardrobe, be- cause we're all mentoring as 1." Since launching its new hub on Northfield Drive in Waterloo, the Drayton En- Youth Acade- portunities with classes providing per- forming and technical arts 519.745.1201 waterloochronicle.ca Bill Jackson/Metroland Mitchell Cruickshank plays Emmett in Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy's inaugural high school musical at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, Feb. 15 to 26. training. The High School Musi- cal Production Program aims to provide inclusive, Ela barr tounite students from different background and identities without regard to disabili- SAINT @ OuISs Success for All! Upgrade Credits ty, ntity or gender, aloaing “them fo learn valuable skills by participating in a fully INAUGURAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL HITS STAGE IN ST. JACOBS staged production. Unlike other programs offered by the youth acade- my, it's free of charge thanks to the help of spon- sors. Cast members had to audition, however. Just babe TaD students tried out ate idea is that they're all big fish in their small bring them together to start a new community of like-minded people," Con- completely new experi- ence in that it's a fully-re- alized musical, but it's also running for two weeks. Those kids have to learn what that means and what With plans to pursue a See - page 11 stlouis.wcdsb.ca Earn Credits@Work