NKEC alumni present summer dinner theatre production

By Brent Fox

The Advertiser/NovaNewsNow.com

They are young men and women now -- getting on with their lives -- but they were more than happy to take the opportunity to relive some of the good times of their high school days.

Alumni of the Northeast Kings Education Centre (NKEC) annual dinner theatre performed Joe Wharf and the Seven Dwights at the Sheffield Mills Community Hall Aug. 11 and 12.

It has been five years or so for some of them, and they had to make time around work for rehearsals -- but they didn’t miss a beat when heading back on stage.

Currently retired educator Gordon Porter has been producing the annual dinner theatre at the old Cornwallis High and NKEC for a decade and a half. His work has instilled teamwork and confidence in the participants.

Over the years, production alumni have been returning to watch the antics of the dinner theatre participants still at NKEC. But this year, some of them took it further got together for a summer performance of Porter’s latest script. Three current NKEC students were brought in to help.

So, Porter had a script and a cast.

The production wasn’t long without a venue, Porter noted. The Sheffield Mills Community Hall was available as was the catering for the dinner.

Porter was pleased with the venue, service and the opportunity to help with revenues for the hall.

In a performance reminiscent of noted actor/comedian Bill Carr, Gary Corbin played the evil King with great flare and fun.

Though he graduated five years ago, Corbin still took to the stage as if it were only yesterday.

He said that dinner theatre was a highpoint during his school years and he wanted to take part as soon as he heard that Porter was doing a summer production.

Asked if it was all he expected, Corbin said, “it was. Everything, and more.”

Playing the “Mirror,” Melissa Reekie, a recent graduate of the University of Western Ontario, acknowledged, “I was a little nervous, but you get used to it.”

Dalhousie costume design student Jessica Best, who was one of the Dwights in the production, said of dinner theatre, “I missed it. I did it in high school and it was so much fun.”

Another Dwight, 2005 graduate Tara Jeffery said, “it’s great to see everybody again. It’s like a big reunion.”

Still another Dwight, Megan MacBride had been involved in dinner theatre since Grade 7, and even directed in her final year, 2006. Now a student at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, NB, she was pleased when she heard that there could be a summer production. And she was happy with the final product.

Playing the flunky Huntsman, Innes Irvine also graduated a year ago. He said, “I learned it was going on and I wanted to be part of it. I had fun the previous times.”

Also a 2006 graduate, William Kluska, Prince Joe in the production, was glad to be able to get together with other alumni and do it all again.

“The time out of high school gives you more perspective.”

Victoria Pilon, one of the current NKEC students in the cast said, “it was exciting to work with these guys again.”

Porter said of the participants, “I owe them a lot.” He noted that they started rehearsals the last weekend in April, and rehearsed every Sunday evening, juggling work commitments at the same time.

Yes, the NKEC dinner theatre is a concept with lineage.