A Spotlight on the Arts at Bayview Glen

BVG News, Lower School, Prep School, Upper School

Bayview Glen students have a wealth of opportunities to explore the performing arts at every stage of their education. From imaginative play in Preschool to full-scale productions in Prep and Upper School, each stage of the journey fosters creativity, confidence, and collaboration—cornerstones of our school community.

Discover below some highlights from this term:
Lower School – A Delicious Performance at Spring Festival
Prep School – The Prep Players are Back with a Bang
Upper School – Behind the Scenes of “The Three Musketeers”

Lower School
A Delicious Performance at Spring Festival​

“Let’s Eat!” was about kids at school who are very hungry, so they went looking around for food in the neighborhood, but they couldn’t find good options. Since they ran out of options, they went to Filling’s house, where they ate chicken pot pie. The songs from “Let’s Eat!” were “Banana Split,” “The Fast-Food Tango,” and “Thankful.” The funniest moment was when the character “Parched” thought that the learning course meant food course.

“Let’s Eat!” gave us an opportunity to sing, dance, and have fun. It taught us how to work together as a community. We developed an appreciation for music, and it helped me get over my stage fright during performances. We all improved our acting skills. In the end, “Let’s Eat!” was an awesome play and a memorable event for all of us.

Naya and Arya, Grade 4 students

Prep School
The Prep Players are Back with a Bang

This year, Drama made its post-pandemic return to the Prep School with the reinstatement of our co-curricular Drama programme, the Prep Players.15 actors took the stage to perform “Too Many Detectives at the Murder Mansion” by Ian McWethy – a quippy whodunnit featuring a cast of well-known characters including Sherlock Holmes, the Scooby Doo Gang, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, and Batman. An additional 15 students assisted backstage and in the booth, covering all the technical aspects of the show – lighting, sound, hair and costumes, and set changes.

Putting on a full-scale Drama performance is about so much more than memorizing lines and nailing your blocking. It requires a group of people to collaborate and support one another while also finding ways for themselves to shine and have their ‘moment.’ Seeing young actors work together to fumble through a scene on their first day ‘off book’ is a beautiful example of how real-time collaboration works, and it requires those actors to be flexible and adaptable while still getting their own lines right and getting the scene from point A to B. Similarly, when a group of crew members come together to manage a scene change, there is an incredible synergy that is formed through the simple act of working together to achieve a common goal.

It is absolutely wonderful to have the Prep Players back at Bayview Glen, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for future performances.

Greg Ryerson, Director of Teaching and Learning (Prep School)

Upper School
Behind the Scenes of “The Three Musketeers”

As the Upper School play counted down the last few days until performing Ken Ludwig’s “The Three Musketeers”, it became apparent just how fast time flew by. During these fleeting moments, it is essential to reflect on the journey we have been through to uncover the lessons we have learnt. Being one of the stage managers this year, I was able to contribute to and experience the play being pieced together one by one. Of course, it was not just a smooth ride. Despite the difficulties, through hard work, collaboration, and dedication, our perseverance flourished in this production. Before becoming stage manager, the year prior, I was a part of the play as a member of the costumes department. Designing and making costumes as well as being part of such a great community left me with memorable moments that made me all the more excited for what next year had in store. This desire to be more involved with the play motivated me to pursue a leadership role.

This year, as stage manager, I got to work alongside various departments and saw the collective effort fall into place. Compared to last year it felt as if my vision was expanded. Suddenly, I was aware of all the planning and dedication necessary for a successful production. Through my role, I aided the busy production during the auditioning process, weekly production meetings, and lively rehearsals. I was able to implement many skills such as collaboration, organization, initiative, and responsibility. A memorable moment during rehearsals and one of my responsibilities was to check in with each crew. Clasping a red binder that held rehearsal notes, I walked through the theatre, hallways, and room 212 where I witnessed many lost in their work, light chatter, and laughter floating through the air. Whilst scattered, all of these departments and actors were still connected; a collective effort towards a common goal. We were all working towards performing an amazing play. This is one of the many powers of art. It can unite people to work towards a common goal. The Upper School play showed me the importance of the journey and not necessarily the destination. While the result fills us with accomplishment and pride, what we truly gain lies in the process and not the final result. We experience ups and downs during our journey which builds character. Whether it is cultivating skills, exploring new interests, or making meaningful connections and memories, there is always something to be gained and learned by being a part of the Upper School play.

Sirin, Grade 11 Student