The Estevan Comprehensive School's (ECS) Drama Club is putting on a historical play named 937 by Don Zolidis.
It’s a strong and heartbreaking story of an ocean liner SS St. Louis delivering 937 Jewish refugees out of the hands of Nazism to Havana, Cuba. The historical drama reveals the Jewish refugee struggle for freedom, survival and love back in 1939.
The play co-director Abby Hanna, who put it together along with Tayler Olver, believes that there couldn’t be a better time to bring this story back.
“I think it’s very topical right now, especially as it has to deal with refugees and turning people away. The SS St. Louis that’s in this play was a real ship, and very recently our prime minister apologized for turning it away. And I think that’s just something that is interesting to see how they think about it and can relate it to what’s happening now with refugees. I think, if there is a time to do this play, it’s now,” she said.
Hanna co-directed this play.
“We graduated, we performed it just for the community. It was good. We liked it. And then Mrs. (Evanne) Wilhelm, our drama teacher, contacted us around December-ish to say, ‘I want to try going to (Regional) Drama Festival. Would you guys come back and do 937 again.’ So we said ‘yes,’” explained Hanna.
The play cast has partially changed since some students graduated last or didn’t have enough time, but with just a few roles to fill there were no auditions.
“We just picked a couple of people and got it going again,” said Hanna.
All current performers are Grade 9-12 ECS students. Hanna noted that she was strongly impressed with how good the actors were in what they are doing.
“Everyone has been really good. It’s funny because they come into rehearsal joking and laughing, we are Grades 9-12, we are all teenagers. And you tell them, ‘We are going to go.’ And they just turn it on. It’s insane the way they can flip and just act whatever is required of them,” said Hanna.
Play participants were excited to be there and do more, and for Hanna this experience proved the stereotype of high school kids not willing to commit to anything was totally wrong.
“It’s such a great cast, I’m really happy to work with them,” she added. “I’m so proud of how far they’ve come in this amount of time.”
Planning and rehearsals started in January, and by the end of March, the Drama Club was set and ready to perform. However, not everything went smooth and easy.
“Getting costumes to look old (was hard). We had people to bring some stuff… Getting things to match the period I guess (was the most difficult),” said Hanna.
First, they will demonstrate the play to the Estevan community at the school's cafetorium, and later to the jury at the Regional Drama Festival in Yorkton.
“That’s going to be our big run through before we go… It’s mostly just to get them used to (playing) in a room where people are going to be there because it’s a completely different ballgame, ” said Hanna.
The group will be leaving for Yorkton the next day after the Estevan performance to participate in the festival that is scheduled for April 4-6. Hanna noted that there is a couple of schools signed to participate in the festival which are known for being really good at this.
“We are probably the only school at that festival, that it’s our first time ever going to a Drama Festival,” said Hanna.
And if that first experience goes good, Provincial Drama Festival will be the next step.
The local run through will take place at the ECS cafetorium on Wednesday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $5 and optional donations.
