Hall drama team looks to perform in Europe after New York

April 3, 2013 · 0 Comments

Frank Adriano and Rob Ciccotelli are seen here with members of the drama team from Robert F. Hall who have enjoyed success off-Broadway.

By Alessandra Micieli
Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School’s drama team is looking forward to performing in Spain or Portugal in 2014, following the success of this year’s play In The Pink.
Playwrights and drama teachers Frank Adriano and Rob Ciccotelli said the trip to New York over March break had a positive impact on the students who attended.
“Doing this play, we witnessed people react the way we were hoping they would react to certain scenes,” Adriano said, commenting on the performance.
In The Pink is about a group of female friends who form a breast cancer charity event for a former teacher who dies from the disease. Throughout the play, one of the main characters discovers she has breast cancer as well.
“We’ve taken serious topics, but we always make sure there’s humour in them, because we think that adds to the empathy that audiences feel for characters,” Ciccotelli said.
A group of about 40 people from Robert F. Hall (10 from the cast and 30 other students) recently traveled to New York City to perform off-Broadway. They also performed for a dramatic arts school from New Jersey.
Reminiscing on the trip, the two teachers and the students see the opportunity to perform there as a life-changing experience.
“One of the things I did say to the kids about their performance specifically, and about being in New York with their peers in high school, is that this event will change their lives,” Adriano said. “I think we’re the only school in our board, or the GTA, that’s done that.”
Grade 11 student James Amadei said it was an experience of a lifetime to go to New York.
Matt Burt, a Grade 10 student, said when the audience laughs at his jokes in the play, it is a good feeling.
“When they laugh, it’s the best feeling ever,” said Burt.
Katheryn Pickering portrayed Jill and Rachel Mallouk played Grace in the play. The two Grade 12 students said the experience was something different and nothing like what they were expecting.
What is next for Robert F. Hall’s drama team? The high school group hopes to plan a trip to perform their next original play in Barcelona, Spain or Portugal.
“Last year we performed in Italy, and the year before that, we performed in London,” said Ciccotelli on performing original plays all over the world.
“Right now, we’re hopefully going to do it in Barcelona,” he added. “But if that doesn’t work out, it might be Lisbon.”
As of now, however, no plans have been confirmed to travel.
“What we do know is that we’re going to step away from a serious issue, and we’re going to go back to comedy,” Adriano said.