Drama students at Oilfields High School in Black Diamond are getting set to grace the stage with their latest theatrical production.
Long Term Care runs in the school’s theatre on Dec. 16 and 17. Showtime is 7 p.m. both days, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Dec. 17. Students in the school’s senior drama program make up the cast of the show.
The original script was written by teacher Pam Pracic. It is a story of long-ago friends who had a falling out but have been forced back together through circumstance.
“These two grandmothers, who have had a 25-year feud against each other, have now been forced to live in the same assisted living facility,” Pracic said.
To complicate matters, in two weeks their grandchildren are going to marry each other, and neither grandmother will attend the wedding if the other is there.
Sydney Lalonde, a senior at Oilfields, has a leading role as Marie, an 80-year-old woman living in a long-term care home.
Tension builds when Rose, Marie’s long-time rival, moves into the same home.
“(Rose) shows up, and they begin to butt heads,” Lalonde said.
Marie and Rose had at one time been friends. In their younger days, the two travelled the world and went on many mischievous adventures together. No one knows why their relationship soured, but the challenge is to get them to reconcile before the wedding.
Although it has its funny moments, Pracic said the play isn’t intended to be a comedy.
“I'd like to say it's a depiction of real life,” she said. “It’s just life, it’s truth on stage.”
As a student, Lalonde enjoys the laughs and connections made in drama class.
“Drama is all about stepping out of your comfort zone,” she said. “So being able to do that with people who you've grown accustomed to and see every day, it makes you really connect with everyone.”
Active in drama since Grade 7, this is her first time taking on a leading role.
“(The teacher) really pushed me into stepping out of my comfort zone and taking on a bigger part.”
Pracic began writing the play in 2020 as part of a play reading unit she did that spring with her students.
The play evolved, and some of the senior drama students pitched in to rework parts or change the dialogue in places, giving them a chance to see their work come to life on stage.
Her own grandmother, who passed away in 2018, was the main inspiration behind the script, Pracic said.
“She loved theatre, loved travelling the world."
Flashback scenes show Marie and Rose on their travels and many of those scenes are based on Pracic's own experiences.
Admission is $10 or $5 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the school office and will also be available at the door. The school can accept cash, debit or credit cards.
