Theatre Collingwood summer season college student tickled by Leacock award get

Theatre Collingwood’s summertime student spent the very last couple weeks aiding to make certain performing arts productions ran efficiently and she also earned a spotlight for herself. 

For this week’s version of People today of Collingwood we spoke with Sylvie Potje, 18, Theatre Collingwood summer months scholar and 2023 winner of the Stephen Leacock Pupil Humorous Shorter Tale Competitors.

Q: In which did you grow up?

A: I grew up in Barrie. My grandparents have lived in Wasaga Beach front for a long time. In 2020, we inherited their place. Since then, we’ve been residing there just about every weekend and generally the total summer months.

I did not genuinely come to Collingwood extremely typically while I have been heading up there considering that I was very little.

I graduated from Bear Creek Secondary School in June 2022, but I took an further semester. I’ve been off due to the fact February, which is why I’ve experienced all these prospects in the group, and got this summer months work.

Right up until this position, I didn’t really get to see Collingwood.

When I arrived, it was gorgeous. I cherished it.

Q: Can you tell me a tiny little bit about the career?

A: I did a large amount of theatre in Barrie, mainly with Kempenfelt Neighborhood Gamers. I begun undertaking reveals with them when I was in Quality 7 each on and off-stage. I liked theatre.

This spring, I was seeking for a summer season task, and was seeking to get concerned in theatre. I was on the lookout for matters close to Collingwood or Wasaga Beach front.

I, miraculously, was able to find both. I was extremely fired up about that.

The job was as a output assistant with Theatre Collingwood. It was largely helping out at displays and a small bit of administration function.

I’m definitely happy of the Porchside Festival we had all over July. I was front-of-household supervisor for most of those people displays. I would co-ordinate the volunteers, look at tickets, I would MC. It was a big task that took up most of July.

In August, I have been doing far more business office function. I wrote a 55-web page report about the Porchside Pageant with notes from every solitary exhibit, and I’m happy of how that turned out.

Q: What makes you fascinated in theatre?

A: I adore carrying out it. I generally liked singing and doing in normal. It’s about the workforce you are with. I have manufactured a great deal of pals by way of theatre and experienced fantastic activities.

It is not even about becoming on phase, it is about the course of action foremost up to it.

Q: Did you learn anything this summer all through your get the job done with Theatre Collingwood that you believe will provide you shifting forward in existence?

A: I was by no means self-confident prior to answering the cellphone, but soon after executing it 20 instances a day, I can now. Basic business techniques, you can take for granted, but exactly where is a technology like mine meant to understand those people points?

Further than that, I also acquired interpersonal capabilities like greeting customers.

Q: You had been lately named the 2023 winner of the Stephen Leacock University student Humorous Short Tale Competitiveness. Can you tell me about your tale?

A: I entered the contest three yrs in the past in 2020. They cancelled it because of to COVID-19. The following 12 months, I submitted once more and I got shortlisted. With that, I wasn’t invited to the gala but I finished up with tickets. I noticed the learners who received that 12 months reading through their stories.

It appeared truly pleasurable. So I tried really hard this yr.

My story is termed The Elephant in the Room(ba). It is about a wise vacuum my household owns and how it hates my doggy with a enthusiasm. The story starts off with the pet at the prime of the stairs, and the vacuum at the bottom having just fallen down. You really don’t know if the pet dog pushed the robot or if the robot fell on its possess. It builds to that minute.

Q: How did you feel when you found out you received?

A: I was a minimal bit shocked. I understood I tried my finest on it and I was extremely proud of my composing. I was truly hoping for 3rd or second so I would get the possibility to go to the gala and read in front of the authors.

Q: What are your foreseeable future programs?

A: I’m heading to the University of Waterloo in the drop in a application referred to as knowledge integration. It’s a exclusive interdisciplinary plan that brings together artwork and science. I’ll be ready to damp my ft in all the distinctive departments.

It’s important to me that I obtain a task that I enjoy. I have been doing work tricky to figure out what that would be. My volunteering and work have gravitated towards theatre and the arts and I truly take pleasure in it.

This job has demonstrated me how it is possible to not be on the phase but however perform a big role in offering performances for audiences. I could see myself as a trainer, or going into theatre administration, or crafting, or editing.

Q: Do you have other hobbies exterior of theatre?

A: I do a whole lot of music. I performed in band all as a result of significant university, taking part in trumpet and other brass devices. I play piano. In my last calendar year of high school, I worked with 4 buddies to generate an initial musical we put on at the university. It was referred to as The Present Will not Go On and I directed it. It was spurred by our principal’s selection to suspend the faculty musical.

Q: Is there just about anything else you’d like folks in Collingwood to know about you?

A: I have been invited to work with Theatre Collingwood all over again future summer time. If anything lines up, I would love to appear again.

I savored my ordeals below. I seriously hope I will be back again in Collingwood up coming year.

For our characteristic People today of Collingwood, we talk with exciting folks who are both from or are contributing to the Collingwood group in some way, letting them notify their own tales in their very own words. This element operates on CollingwoodToday every weekend. If you’d like to nominate or counsel somebody to be showcased in Folks of Collingwood, e mail [email protected].