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Wednesday, Jan. 07, 2009

Northside performs play to feed hungry

While Northside High’s drama department has just won a historic third year in a row state championship, that doesn’t mean that the thespians have forgotten where they come from.

As is the school’s tradition for the past several years, Northside will present an encore performance of its award-winning One Act performance, “Once on This Island,” on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 3 p.m. at the Ray Horne Theatre at the school.

Admission to the show is varied: either five canned goods or $5 at the door. Proceeds will go to the weekly food bank at All Saints Episcopal Church to help replenish their stock.

“I talked to All Saints last week and they told me that the number of people coming in has increased in the last months so we want to raise as much money and food as we can for them,” said Brian Barnett, drama director at Northside.

Barnett said that last year the drama department took two pickup trucks full of boxes of canned goods, but the school wants to do even more this year.

So while the dollar price of admission didn’t go up, Northside raised the canned goods “price” from two cans last year to five this year.

The idea of a performance for food came from long-time Northside supporter Marlys McMeans. She has designed costumes for Northside since the late 1970s, when her daughter was a member of the drama department.

In November, Northside High won its 14th state One-Act title with “Once on This Island.” The win made GHSA history, with Northside being the first Georgia school to win the state title for three consecutive years.

Also recognized at the competition were Rashaad Williams and Morrissa Dunbar, chosen as All-Star cast members. Kiandra Richardson took home the Best Actress award.

The production involves a cast of 39 and a crew of 23 students. The play is a highly original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.”

The cast sings and dances the story of Ti Moune, a peasant girl who rescues, nurses and falls in love with Daniel, a boy from a wealthy family. When Daniel is returned to his people, the gods who rule the island guide Ti Moune on a quest to test the strength of her love against the powerful forces of prejudice, hatred and death.

“Our kids love to do the show,” said Barnett. “They feel like in performing and entertaining they are giving back to the community. This performance just takes that one step further.

“At Northside we believe we are a family a family that is here to help each other and help our community.”