Pages

Saturday, February 8, 2014

On behalf of the St. James-Assiniboia School Division, it is my pleasure to recognize my friend and colleague, Judy Gislason, on her 25th year of directing the Musical Theatre program for the division. From Tom Sawyer to Anne of Green Gables, Seussical the Musical to The Little Mermaid, Judy Gislason has brought delight to audiences and enriched the lives of thousands of students who have had the opportunity to grow as performers on the stage.

Judy’s programs are of the highest quality gaining the attention of professional organizations such as Rainbow Stage who scout local talent from St. James. Judy’s influence has seen many of her students carry on to pursue their dreams of being stage actors.

Alyson Workman was one of those students. She attended Sheridan College in Oakville Ontario, has performed at Rainbow Stage and several other similar theatres in Ontario and was cast in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new production of The Wizard of Oz. Alyson is thrilled to be member of the ensemble and also the understudy for Aunt Em.  Just last week, they did their 400th performance!

The following are a few words from Aly Workman to you Mrs. G….

When I got to grade three I was the most excited eight year old in school because being in grade three meant I could audition to be in the Divisional Music Theatre. This was a dream come true!

I hope that you, Mrs. G, are incredibly proud of what you have created over the past twenty five years, and the opportunities you have provided for hundreds of kids with dreams of being a performer. Everyone needs to be given a chance, a shot at something they've never done before, and you gave me that opportunity and encouraged me for six years to pursue what I love doing, and now I am lucky enough to have achieved what has always been my biggest and wildest dream of being a professional actor. Thank you for your immense dedication to us: the kids waltzing down the grocery store aisles dreaming of waltzing around on a stage.  Thank you for giving us that stage. Thank you for giving us the chance.


Congratulations Judy on this last day of your 25th Musical Theatre Production. What a wonderful day to celebrate all of your achievements! You have left a legacy of instilling passion for the arts in many, many hearts. Well done and thank you!

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations Judy on this achievement. We are so lucky to have you and the shows every year are incredible. It's always a highlight of my year and our families to come and see the plays. It's been privilege to work with you and prepare students to join your casts.

    ReplyDelete