Arviat (Jun 07/06) - Theatre-lovers in Arviat were treated to an eclectic mix of fairy tale comedy and teenage angst by the Qitiqliq school drama and music Students this past week.

The cast Narrator: Jackson Kablutsiak Lena (skinny stepsister):Andrew Kuksuk Fatima (fat stepsister): David Muckpah Cinderella: Kelsey Budden Stepmother: Marcia Kaurayok Fairy Godmother: Emily Inukshuk Oscar (the page): Samuel Tagalik Prince Charming: Joe Karetak Jr. Greasers: Ponyboy Curtis (Jordan Konek), Darry Curtis (Greg Gibbons), Sodapop Curtis (Tommy Ussak Jr.), Johnny Cade (Aaron Burgess), Dallas Winston (Harry Manilak) and Two-Bit Matthews (Manasie Thompson) Socials: Bob (Jason Whitmore), Randy (Douglas Ollie), Cherry Valence (Elizabeth McClintock) and Marcia (Tuni-Mary Josephie)

The students performed a four-scene comedic version of Cinderella and seven scenes from the opening act of S.E. Hinton's classic tale, The Outsiders.

Director Gord Billard decided to combine the two productions so he could highlight the work of both senior and junior students.

Two shows earlier in the school year featured mainly junior actors.

Billard says having two young male students play the funny stepsisters in Cinderella was a huge hit. The boys were outfitted in wigs and wore dresses with balloons inside.

"They got a laugh every time they entered without saying a word," Billard says.

"They really got into a lot of physical comedy once they became comfortable with their roles and having balloons in their dresses.

"It was pretty hilarious watching them trying to navigate on stage.

"We had a little choir sing love songs between scenes and it all went over well."

Senior students have been pushing Billard to do The Outsiders for years.

He decided to tackle the project this year, but due to time constraints, narrowed his focus to seven scenes from the first act.

The senior students have already turned up the pressure to perform the entire show this coming school year.

Billard says The Outsiders was written for Tulsa, Oklahoma, so there's a few southern cultural references he has to rewrite for it to be easily understood by an Arviat audience.

He says if the group is going to tackle the full production, they'll have to start the project by early September.

"We will miss Aaron Burgess, who played Johnny in this production. His family is moving away and he did a great job with the role.

"We were all bemoaning the fact we wouldn't have him next year, but then the kids started throwing names at me of people we should recruit to audition for the part.

"So, as they say, the show must go on."