Heather Latter
The 73rd Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts is set to begin next week, with four different divisions set to be adjudicated.
Joleen Beninger, chair of the Festival committee, noted the dates for the divisions are April 8-11 (piano), April 16-19 (English and French drama), April 18 (instrumental), and April 23-24 (vocal).
“The final preparations are underway for this year’s festival and we’re looking forward to getting things started,” she enthused.
“We’re very excited about the changes that have taken place on the committee and the enthusiasm that has come with some new members,” added Beninger.
However, the committee is seeking volunteers to assist at the upcoming sessions.
Beninger noted at least three or four “helping hands” are needed to run each session of the event.
Positions include someone to do certificates, an adjudicator’s assistant, the chairperson (the one who reads the names), and a person at the door.
“We’ve always had people willing to help out, and we hope that continues this year so that we can make [Festival] a success once again,” Beninger remarked.
She added it’s a great way for high school students to earn their volunteer hours needed to graduate or for others looking to give back to the community.
Anyone who would like to help out is asked to contact Maureen Hahkala at 274-6014 or via e-mail at mhahkala@yahoo.ca
In addition, the program for the festival now is posted at ff-festival.com
Participants are encouraged to check out the program and note the date, time, and venue for each of their performances.
“Programs will not be sold in advance,” Beninger stressed. “They will only be available at the door of each session.”
But she added people are invited to print out their own copies of the pages they require to bring along with them.
And if anyone feels the need to withdraw from a class, or has any concerns or questions regarding the classes, they are asked to contact Beninger at 274-5399.
The committee also is thrilled to have five outstanding adjudicators for the 2013 festival, including three who have local ties to Fort Frances.
Ryan McMahon, a comedian from Fort Frances who now lives in Winnipeg, will be adjudicating the English Drama portion of the festival.
A graduate of the prestigious Second City Conservatory in Toronto, McMahon is known as “one of the most dynamic aboriginal/Native American comedians working in Canada and the United States today.”
And he has many achievements under his belt, including becoming the first native comedian to ever tape a one-hour stand-up comedy special for CBC TV.
“We’re very excited to have him on board with us this year,” Beninger enthused, adding McMahon also will be offering a workshop to local high school drama students while here.
“He was actually involved in the festival here as a young person and I find it very encouraging that someone who was involved with the dramatic arts here has gone on to pursue that as a career,” Beninger said.
“To me, that shows that our festival is a good platform to start performing from,” she reasoned.
“That students can take the skills they learn and apply them to other facets of their lives, and continue to use them for the rest of their lives.”
Another local adjudicator will be former Fort Frances High School music teacher John Dutton, who will oversee the instrumental categories.
“He’s been a pillar of music in our community,” noted Beninger. “It’s wonderful to have him here to continue to help grow our young musicians.”
Jacques Fafard, meanwhile, will be adjudicating the French Drama portion of the festival.
Born, raised, and educated in a southern Saskatchewan French community, Fafard moved to Fort Frances in 1964, where he spent 27 years teaching, with his last five years in the French Immersion program.
The other adjudicators for this year’s festival include Manitoba residents David Klassen (vocal) and Nancy Nowosad (piano).
Klassen holds a Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Manitoba and a Master’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Minnesota.
Nowosad, meanwhile, holds an Associateship Diploma in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance.
The annual festival highlights concert is scheduled for Sunday, May 5.
For more information, call Beninger at 274-5399 or visit www.ff-festival.com
