Mark Isfeld's dramatic play Bang Bang You're Dead will be showcased at the four-day provincial high school drama festival at Douglas College in New Westminster.
High school plays which won at their respective zones will be performed from across the province starting May 13.
"There will also be workshops for all students involved," says Mark Isfeld drama teacher Brad Smith, who cited the work of student producer Emily Taylor, who played one of the shooting victims in the play.
Taylor feels her play won zones because it stood out from the other competition.
"So much of theatre these days is just ‘entertainment.' You go and you watch your hour of theatre and that’s it," she says "Bang, Bang You’re Dead is something that makes you think and really has an effect on how you see the world and the people around you. It raises awareness and gives the audience some perspective as to what’s going on outside of our little Comox Valley.
She adds, "The simplicity of the set and the costuming allows no distraction to the message that we’re trying to portray and it’s really easy to lose yourself in this powerful and emotional story."
While there are actors who stand out on the stage in this play, Taylor says it was a team effort to garner best play accolades, versus winning individual awards.
"Something that makes this play so different and great is that every single actor is direly important to the entire story.  Every single character adds to the complexly woven journey that we take the audience on, and without a singular cast or crew member it would all fall apart," she offers. "Every actor in the play deserves praise because they all brought their own unique personalities and talents to this diverse and thought-provoking piece."
With the play already performed at the high school and subsequently at zones for adjudication, keeping the cast together and the play still fresh with provincials months away, it has not been easy returning to rehearsals.
"It has definitely been a challenge trying to keep everyone focused and devoted to the play, but I think the idea that we’re really making a difference on people’s perspectives keeps us going," says Taylor. "We’re so much a family now and we’re all so close that rehearsing feels like spending time together rather than doing a job we ‘have to do.'
"We’re not even in a class or any sort of club. This is completely volunteer and it’s only out of our compassion for each other and the devotion to this meaningful message that we keep going." 
Because the adjudicator did not offer up a written critique on why Bang Bang You're Dead was chosen to represent the Island at provincials, Taylor can only assume it was the subject matter that helped with Mark Isfeld's drama victory.
"I think it’s because it was a piece of theatre that was different and really made an emotional impact on the audience.  Also the adjudicator said we 'had the audience in the palm of our hands from the second we walked on stage.' The story and characters really capture the audience members and make them feel like they’re part of a different world."
With provincials more than a month away, Taylor says keeping the same energy going has been relatively easy because of the relationships developed since the cast came together last fall with Smith directing.
"I think the fact that we’re all so close and we all get along so well will really help us to keep the energy going," explains Taylor. "It’s definitely not going to be easy to preserve the passion we all showed in our last performance, but every time we perform it’s a new experience, a new audience, and we bring new subtleties to it that make all the difference."
What about tweaking the show before provincials?
"We’re just getting back into rehearsing after taking a bit of a break, and we’re in the early stages of discussing what to critique and what to change. We want to maintain the majority of what we had before considering it worked out well for us," says Taylor. "We are, however, discussing minor set changes and we’re going to try to incorporate the set pieces we have more into each scene."
She adds, "We’re going to do some more character development, too, but we’re keeping it mostly the same."
Looking back at the feedback provided by the adjudicators, Taylor says it was a wonderful learning experience.
"(Adjudicators) said they loved how well put together the play was, despite the fact we all put our own ideas and opinions into the creation of the play. They commented on the fluency and unity of the piece and how easy it was to lose yourself in the intricate and personal story," she recalls.
"They felt personally touched and, after seeing the play, they felt empowered to help and do something to prevent this from happening. They said they loved the simplicity, and the mood we set with simple things like formation and plain black shirts.
"They said that the comfort and compassion we have for each other really showed on stage because we moved so fluidly and well together and looked not like actors on a stage, but real people living real lives."
Bang Bang You're Dead won its provincial trip after winning the three-day North Island zone festival going up against 10 other high school plays. There was an array of subject matter, from musicals to tragedies, being adjudicated.
"Representing the North Island at the provincials in May is an incredible privilege considering this is Isfeld’s first year with our new drama department, and the actors were mostly first-year drama students," says Taylor. "This is also our first year with our teacher and director Brad Smith and he’s done a fantastic job helping everyone feel comfortable and like part of a team in the process of sculpting this into a powerful piece of theatre.
"We’re all very proud and excited as the cast and crew, and as students of Isfeld to have this amazing opportunity."
- Jules S. Xavier