By Mandy Moraes, NLPS staff
A large cast of student performers is bringing an ambitious and visually striking production to the stage at Wellington Secondary this week. The show blends Greek mythology, original design work, and powerful themes of resilience, family, and growth.
Where the Sky Meets the Sea by Mandy Connor tells the tale of five abandoned children who must navigate a challenging world shaped by their parents’ actions. Inspired by Greek mythology, the story introduces figures like the Furies and an Oracle. The Wellington productions feature 26 students in their cast and crew.
For the student actors, the story goes beyond mythology.
“For me, it’s about overcoming adversity, whether through relationships with people or the environment,” said Molly Racz, who plays one of the five children on stage. “It’s a beautiful tale of overcoming fear, anger, and anguish in each other, and growing with those around you. This group excels at that.”
Bowen Danbert, who plays Irene, added that a major theme of the show was family.
“Obviously, with the biological family of the three sisters, and then with the two brothers. We all come together, we protect each other. We also fight like family on stage and also … off stage,” she said with a laugh.
Months of preparation led to this production. While rehearsals kicked off in the fall, students had begun groundwork such as set design, costume planning, and puppet construction as early as last summer. Their drive to succeed prompted them to invest personal time and embrace new skills, from sewing to building large puppets.
One of the most distinctive elements of the show is its use of elaborate, hand-built puppets. Designed to represent the Furies and other characters, the puppets combine wearable structures, fabric, sculpted elements, and headpieces to bring the characters to life. Inspired by productions like Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, as well as performance styles such as Cirque du Soleil, they aimed to have the puppets feel whimsical and larger-than-life.
“It was a lot of trial and error,” said Heidi Friesen, who helped make the puppets and plays a Fury. “But it was great to see it all come together.”
Friesen said that while building the puppets, she drew on her experience creating an Audrey Two puppet for a previous Little Shop of Horrors production.
Set design shapes storytelling. The cast uses fabric, lighting, and sound to turn one stage into many locations, conveying movement and shifts in time and place.
The play was chosen by the drama teacher, who wanted to challenge students with a visually rich, collaborative project. “It was risky,” Kristin Thomas said. “But I had the right students. I wanted creativity, movement, and design.”
That creativity extends beyond the school stage.
The Wellington students recently performed at the North Island Regional Drama Fest, where they won several awards. They were among several schools showcasing their work in a supportive, festival-style environment. Students participated in adjudicated performances and workshops focused on acting, stagecraft, and technical skills. The experience also gave students the chance to grow as performers and creators. They gained insight they can carry into future productions.
The group will represent the North Island Zone at BC Drama Fest in New Westminster at the end of April.
As the cast prepares for upcoming performances, they feel confident and proud of their shared work.
“We’ve put in so much time and effort,” Racz said. “We’re ready.”
The NIRD-fest winning production of Where the Sea meets the Sky will be staged at Wellington Secondary on Wednesday, April 22, and Thursday, April 23. Both shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets are by donation. Proceeds support the students’ travel costs for the upcoming three-day festival.