Baker Lake (Feb 23/05) - The theatrical community is beginning to spread its roots across the Kivalliq region.

Jonah Amitnaaq secondary school in Baker Lake introduced a new wave of Kivalliq thespians to its community earlier this month.

The school sponsored the production of A promise is a Promise to rave reviews.

Sign language interpreter Dianna Rasing directed the play, based on the book of the same name by Michael Kusugak and Robert Munsch and adapted for the stage by Barbara Poggemiller.

Rasing says once she decided to proceed with the project, the call for auditions went out to the student body.

"We have some new blood here at the school with myself and language arts and drama teacher Lynn Goodwin, and we thought it would be a great idea for the kids to get involved with a theatrical production," says Rasing.

"We had about 20 students audition and they all received a part in the play."

Four shows

A pair of students were brought in from Rachel Arngnammaktiq elementary school for the roles of the two children in the play, producing a cast of students from Grade 5 to 12.

One performance was held for both the elementary and middle schools, while two public shows drew about 100 people each night.

Rasing says the students enjoyed taking part so much, they're already asking about next year's play.

She says a number of students who saw the play also became interested in joining next year's cast.

"We adapted the play to fit our community.

"Originally, there was a juggling song from the Rankin Inlet region, but we asked elder Irene Taviniq Kaluraq to come in and teach us a local song which cast members Mariele de Peuter and Steven Oovayuk performed very well."

Rasing also selected A promise is a Promise for the school's first play because she performed it herself with the Prairie Theatre Exchange in Winnipeg about four years ago. "I thought it would be great to do here because it is an actual story of the North.

"The show was quite well received, so I think we're going to see a much-greater response when we put the call out for auditions next year."