Latest news with #BoundbyPomegranate:APersephoneRetelling
Ottawa Citizen
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
A.Y. Jackson's presented an 'enchanting' production of Bound by Pomegranate: A Persephone Retelling
Article content Show #15 Article content Mary Fraser, Lead Critic Merivale High School Article content A.Y. Jackson Secondary School transported the audience to the Underworld with their production of Bound By Pomegranate: A Persephone Retelling. With Greek mythology, modern comedy, and an emotional journey of self-discovery, the play gave the audience a chance to laugh while reflecting on valuable life lessons. Article content Article content Written and directed by Hajer Zorgani and accompanied by five pieces of music composed by Ava Charbonneau, both students, Bound by Pomegranate: A Persephone Retelling reimagines classic Greek mythology through a modern lens of transformation and introspection. Sent to the Underworld, Persephone enters a realm that unexpectedly awakens a sense of purpose within her. There, Hades, the strong king, is torn between his responsibilities and a growing connection with his new guest. Hades allows Persephone to explore the Underworld freely, but when she eats from a pomegranate, the fateful fruit of the kingdom, she unknowingly seals her place there forever. As their worlds begin to unravel, Persephone and Hades learn to embrace the power of their voices in the unlikeliest of places. Article content Zorgani demonstrated professionalism that elevated the performance, writing a hilarious script that showed character development and combined a writing style reminiscent of ancient Greece. The audience heard 'Oh my Aphrodite!' along with modern teenage jargon such as Perseus being on trial for 'slaying too hard'. As a director, Zorgani kept the pacing tight and the story flowing, the creative vision bringing each scene to life. Article content Article content Hades, played by Marten Skubnik, delivered an incredible performance. Skubnik exhibited power as the strong-willed King of The Underworld, with seamless emotional transitions, from anger toward his siblings to vulnerability with Persephone. Ava Britten gave a remarkable performance as Persephone, embodying the goddess's innocence and compassion with depth and authenticity. Britten skillfully conveyed Persephone's inner turmoil, shaped by her mother Demeter's isolation and being 'a slave to her happiness,' while showcasing the character's evolution from a soft-spoken girl to a determined goddess. Article content
Ottawa Citizen
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
St. Patrick presents an enchanting, outstanding performance of The Little Mermaid
Article content As the vocal coach, Tala Alyasin's pre-recorded harmonies ensured vocal synchronicity and added rich dimension to the musical soundscape. The Dinglehopper Philharmonic beautifully supported the vocalists and executed challenging pieces with an eclectic repertoire of instrumentation. Choreography provided by The Ocean Motion Crew's was interactive and engaging with the successful integration of fans, lights, and brooms. Article content The collaboration of a multitude of tech crews; Deep Sea Divas, The Soundly Seahorses, The Barnacles, Lightning McQueens, The Fintastic Fittings, Under The Set, and The Mercrew successfully actualized a vibrant, aqueous wonderland. Jetsam and Flotsam's handcrafted costumes were executed by The Fintastic Fittings using LED lights and frills to tie into Ursula's character design. Bling, glitter and shine rippled through the application of 75 makeup looks from the Deep Sea Divas. Article content St. Patrick's High School's vivid performance of Disney's The Little Mermaid explored emotional waves of love, acceptance and self-discovery, illustrating how the fusion of two worlds can create one unified existence. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content About the reviews: Article content The St. Patrick's High School production was reviewed by 27 critics representing 8 schools. The critic discussions were mentored by teacher Helen Smith of Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School and student reviews were edited and selected for publication by teacher Andrew Swandel of Hillcrest High School, who could see only the reviews, not the names or schools of the reviewers. Article content Next review: A.Y. Jackson Secondary School's production of Bound by Pomegranate: A Persephone Retelling. Article content About the Cappies:
