Martin C. Barry
Donald Trump in all his manifestations seems to be turning up just about everywhere these days – whether it’s on stage at Laval Senior Academy or on Saturday Night Live.
The newly-elected U.S. president’s mesmerizing influence was evident in LSA’s 2017 Blue & Gold Review ‘Trapped!,’ which they put together with the help of more than a half-dozen staffers who helped stage it at the Souvenir Blvd. school on the evenings of Feb. 24-25.
LSA welcomes Trump
In a scene towards the conclusion of the second act, an LSA student who bears a glancing resemblance to Trump – but who has a Trump-like crop of wavy blonde hair atop his head as a visual cue – takes over centre stage where he spouts Trumpisms for a short stretch. Whatever else he might be worth, the 45th president of the U.S. is useful for comic relief as the butt of endless jokes.
The show, which drew more than 400 people both nights, drew on the talent of around 80 performers and nearly three dozen other behind-the-scenes people. It was the continuation of a tradition that began at the former Laval Catholic High School almost four decades ago as an extra-curricular activity, according LSA lab technician Ralph Di Iorio who was a staff advisor to the production.
Six months’ work
A tremendous amount of preparatory work went into the show, which included a succession of scenes featuring humorous situations and punch lines, between which were live music performances. Auditions began as early as last September, while rehearsals were underway since last October, said Renée St-Germain, an LSA French teacher who also served as an advisor.
“The nice thing about this is it’s cross-curricular,” said LSA principal Dena Chronopoulos. “They get drama, music, literature. They put all these together to create this performance, which was a process that lasted a good six months.”
An LSA group effort
According to Chronopoulos, the success of this year’s Blue & Gold review is concrete evidence that the two former high school communities, Laval Liberty and Laurier Senior, which were fused just a few years back to form the new Laval Senior Academy, have finally emerged as one.
“Clearly what the kids have accomplished they did as a unified school showcasing its talents,” said Chronopoulos. “Tonight it’s about the arts, it’s about celebrating, about love and unity. It’s about coming together and putting on something that’s spectacular in a way that wasn’t done before.”