P.E.I. school drama festival seeks boost from Go Fund Me campaign

P.E.I.'s provincial school drama festival is seeking some help from a Go Fund Me Campaign begun by the eventorganizer.

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Students from across the Island are staging 16 plays featuring more than 300 students for the annual drama festival, preparing their play or skit at school, getting the chance to work with professional adjudicators, and then finishing with a public performance on a real stage.

It's a tough festival to keep going but there are still people who will still come every year.Mariam Esseghaier

But the number of schools entering the festival has fallen off the past three years, as has attendance.

"I kind of feel like I need to save this a little bit. It has been a hard three years," said festival organizer and fundraiser Synthia MacEachern.

MacEachern blames winter storms for halving ticket sales in recent years.

"When children are out of school for long periods of time because of snow closures, we can't get the admission sales we need to meet all of our financial needs," she said.

"And it has made the drama festival look like it wasn't being used because schools couldn't attend to see the performances and performances were dropping out because of not having enough rehearsal time," she adds.

MacEachern has started a Go FundMe campaign with a goal of raising $1,500.

'Please help'

"I am spending more and more time worrying about the costs and less and less time marvelling at the brilliance of our youth. Please help," she writes on the Go Fund Me page, entitled ELSB Drama Festival 2016.

"I want to give it a bit of an infusion right now so that we can get it back on track and then when we decide to go look for sponsors next year, we will write those grant proposals and look for financial help in that way," explainedMacEachern.

In the past, the English Language School Board stepped in to cover thousands of dollars in cost overruns, over and above the $4,000 it annually gives the festival. MacEachern said it's unclear if thatsupport will be available this year, especially considering the board has been disbanded.

This year, the festival movedto two smaller theatres,Florence Simmons Performance Hall at Holland Collegein Charlottetown and Kings Playhouse in Georgetown,which is saving $5,000. And ticket sales have improved.

"It's a tough festival to keep going but there are still people who will still come every year," said Mariam Esseghaier, who helps her mother's Grade 4 class prepare for the festival every year.

"And I know my mom still wants to do it every year. It's a great experience."

The festivalruns from April 18 to21.