Acting Class at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake posing with some of the cast of A Christmas Carol  

Globe and Mail series on LCI Main Stage -Part 1 of 8

Globe and Mail Series on LCI Mainstage - Photos of Players

Globe and Mail Series on LCI Mainstage Part 2 of 8

Globe and Mail series on LCI Mainstage - Part 3 of 8

Globe and Mail series on LCI Mainstage - Part 4 of 8

Globe and Mail series on LCI Main Stage - part 5 of 8

Globe and Mail series on LCI Main Stage  - part 6 of 8

Globe and Mail series on LCI Main Stage - Part 7 of 8

Globe and Mail series on LCI Main Stage - Part 8 of 8

Globe and Mail series on LCI Main Stage Gallery 

Lakeshore Collegiate Institute offers one of the most dynamic drama programs in Toronto. The Drama department regularly participates and excels at various competitions offered throughout the city. The annual spring Main Stage Production is the highlight of a very productive year offering a variety of dramatic masterpieces including Dracula and The Taming of the Shrew. A new collaborative effort with the Technology Department has added a new dimension to the Drama program at Lakeshore Collegiate. This exciting new program will allow students to take stage design as part of a wood shop experience, which will further enrich & compliment the drama program.

“Over the years, the students from LCI that come to Theatre at York have been very well prepared academically, and invariably do well in all our programs. And they seem to be getting better!” - Professor Peter McKinnon, York University

The Drama program at LCI is widely considered to be one of the finest in the entire city of Toronto. Drama students in every grade are guaranteed to have an experience that rivals any fine arts high school.

Drama is offered at every grade level, from 9 through 12. The Lakeshore Drama Department is on the cutting edge of offering specialized courses including Director’s Craft, Theatre Production and the prestigious Duel Credit Program in Theatre Lighting and Acting at Humber College. Plans are also in the works for Lakeshore Drama students to have access to the new fine arts facilities being built in the old Lion’s Club Arena.

Lakeshore is also known for its one of a kind “Acting Class.” Students need to audition to be enrolled in this class and once admitted, they become members of the theatre company that mounts our annual Mainstage Production. This year the Mainstage is the twentieth century masterpiece, Blood Wedding by Federico Garcia Lorca. Students of any grade are encouraged to audition for this highly specialized course.

Several years ago, The LCI Drama Department has launched a partnership with the University of Toronto called “Steps to University” where students are taught by a UofT professor and achieve a university credit as well as their Grade 12 Drama credit. These students also receive University of Toronto student cards that give them full access to all university facilities such as the libraries and athletic and fitness facilities.

Students enrolled in Drama at LCI have countless opportunities for public performances. We have won 30 awards at the Sears Ontario Drama Festival in the past eleven years. Including the award for “Best Host School three years in a row. Our annual ‘Play by the Lake Drama Festival’ enables students to write, direct and produce their own plays. Our Children’s Theatre Tour has grown to include schools from the entire GTA, and our Mainstage Production has become an established and celebrated southern Etobicoke community tradition. This year the Drama Department has launched the Young Company. This is an opportunity for our grade 9 and 10 students to mount their very own Mainstage production that will highlight the talent of our junior students. Many of our alumni have graduated from post-secondary institutions in theatre and currently working in the Theatre Industry.

“LCI has fascilitated my preparation towards a career as a theatre practitioner and an academic. I am incredibly indebted to all the educators at this institution for their constant support and knowledge.” - Anusree Roy, B.A. York University, MA University of Toronto, Dora Award Nominee

Grade 9

Grade 9, Open (ADA 1O1)

This course will introduce students to all the fundamentals of Drama. The grade nine program establishes the roots for all our future work. This course will develop the following life-skills: self-esteem, confidence, public speaking, group skills, negotiation, and leadership. Drama is valuable for anyone who considers themselves "shy". Students will create several drama structures all based on issues of "transition". For example, the transition from childhood to adolescence and the transition from elementary school to high school.

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Grade 10

Grade 10, Open (ADA 2O1)

This course continues the development of fundamental Drama skills. There will be an emphasis on character development and script creation. The highlight of the course continues to be the Children's Theatre Unit where students create a children's play that is taken on tour to our four feeder schools. Grade 10 Drama introduces students to public performances, which prepares them well for the Grade 11 course.

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Grade 11

Grade 11, College/University (ADA 3M1)

Students will focus on various dramatic forms, sources and scripts from many periods of history. The units of focus will be Ritual, Ancient Greek Tragedy, Commedia Dell'Arte and Shakespearean Monologue. Students will make two sets of masks and will work intensively with them in performances. Students will create and present several original and adapted works in front of live audiences.

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Grade 12

Grade 12, College/University (ADA 4M1)

Students will experiment through scene study, different forms and styles in dramatic literature. Particular focus will be paid to the experimental playwrights of the early twentieth century. Students will create/adapt and present several dramatic works including an evening performance for public presentation. Students will research dramatic styles, themes and theories of acting. Students will learn the fundamentals of stage combat and fencing techniques that will result in the creation of a fencing presentation for public view.

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Acting Courses

Acting Courses - Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12 (ADG 2O1, ADG 3M1, ADG 4M1)

Admittance into this class will be by Audition only. Students who are accepted into this class will focus their work on the various aspects of acting. This will be a highly specialized "conservatory" acting course that will focus solely on Acting. This class will be comprised of students from Grades 10, 11 & 12. The students in this course will also become the Cast of the annual Mainstage Production. Therefore, acceptance into this course automatically casts you into the school play. Students should only audition if they are interested in Acting in the Mainstage Drama Production. Although many of the rehearsals for the Mainstage will take place during class time, there will also be several after school rehearsals that will be mandatory. The rehearsals closer to Opening Night will run quite late into the evening. Important Option Sheet Info: If you would like to Audition for this class sign up for the regular Drama Class for your grade and then check the box indicating that you would like to Audition for the Acting Class. If you are not accepted into the Acting Class you will automatically be enrolled into the regular Drama Class.

Mr. Gregory Danakas
Dramatic Arts Teacher
Assistant Curriculum Leader of the Arts
gregory.danakas@tdsb.on.ca