The entrance to the stage for the 1920s-clad characters is something a little cooler B次元官网网址� a refrigerator.

Set in an apartment, the musical is a merging of two worlds: the real one, with a sofa and appliances, and the fantastic one that happens as B次元官网网址淢an in ChairB次元官网网址�, a middle-aged, feeling-blue musical theatre fan, imagines the fictional 1928 show The Drowsy Chaperone set to the sounds of one of his LPB次元官网网址檚.

ItB次元官网网址檚 this magical fantasy of a world that Belle Warner, teacher and director of the school musical at Belmont Secondary School, chose to recreate when they selected The Drowsy Chaperone for their high schoolB次元官网网址檚 production which launches March 7.

B次元官网网址淚t was done twice in Qualicum Beach which was my home theatre community and I saw it done both times and itB次元官网网址檚 a show B次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� Warner pauses. B次元官网网址淧eople come through a refrigerator. ItB次元官网网址檚 a door to the show. And how can you not love a show that has a refrigerator that is used as an entrance?B次元官网网址� they said.

Warner goes on to describe the musical.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a lovely little show about a man in an apartment sharing his favourite musical with the audience and itB次元官网网址檚 really silly. It has all of the charm of really old musicals alongside modern humour.B次元官网网址�

Last yearB次元官网网址檚 school production, Once Upon a Mattress, had a lot of characters and Warner knew they needed to do something similar.

B次元官网网址淲e have so much talent, so many enthusiastic kids. I want to do a show that has big characters but also has a chance for them to shine,B次元官网网址� they said.

This year, so many students were interested (there are B次元官网网址�40-somethingB次元官网网址� kids involved) that the show ended up being double-casted, which Warner said has been a lot of extra work but has allowed more students stage time. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of growth in the program,B次元官网网址� Warner said.

Naiya Dowker, 18, is one of those students and plays Janet Van De Graaf, a 1920s starlet who is conflicted about giving up her vivacious life on the stage to marry Rober Martin.

B次元官网网址淢y character is really confident and really sure of herself which I feel is not really who I am off the stage, but itB次元官网网址檚 fun to be that person,B次元官网网址� Dowker said.

B次元官网网址淚 think when you get in the costume and you have the hair and makeup done, you become the character and it all comes out.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 just really like being on stage because I feel my most confident self,B次元官网网址� Dowker said.

Alexander Robinson, 17, who plays Underling, the head of staff for the hostess of the wedding, said he enjoys the challenge of being his character.

B次元官网网址淲ith Underling itB次元官网网址檚 an interesting mixture of being stone-faced with having witty reactions to things so I have to find a spot in between,B次元官网网址� Robinson said.

The musical is also full of choreography (done by an EA and one of the dance teachers), singing, dynamic costumes and a full set made by the stagecraft class, which Warner said was a bonus. Last year, the set was done after school but this year it was included in the classroom curriculum and Warner points out how great it is. The rest of the production is all extracurricular, showing the dedication of the students.

Assistant manager in stage management, Fernanda Araiza, said the whole experience has opened her eyes to career options after high school.

B次元官网网址淚 personally would really think about it. Because IB次元官网网址檓 too shy to act, but I love the feeling of a family you get just by being in a theatre company, and you get to B次元官网网址� help build it all together,B次元官网网址� Araiza said.

For Warner, this is their second year running the schoolB次元官网网址檚 production and there is lots that they love about it. WarnerB次元官网网址檚 favourite part is the connections made, both between departments in the school and with the students.

B次元官网网址淗aving connections with students and providing the opportunity for them to shine. I grew up doing a lot of theatre on stage and I think the best thing is giving them the opportunity to really shine on stage and providing those places for them to do what gave me a lot of joy when I was a student.B次元官网网址�

Tickets for The Drowsy Chaperone are $10 for adults, $5 for students and can be purchased at the door or at . The show runs March 7, 8, 9 at 7 p.m. and March 10 at 2 p.m. at Belmont Secondary SchoolB次元官网网址檚 theatre.