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ArtsceneStudents grabProfessional vacationer is having fun at workJeff Mahoneyprocess the experience, packaging it intotheatre awardsMETROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUPblogs, Facebook posts, video posts, writtenarticles.A number of students from the jointFor something that she calls a dream job, Sheridan-UTM Theatre and Drama StudiesIm often up very late getting it all done.Kate McKenna isnt getting a lot of sleep.program have brought home the top awardsIts exhausting, but I wake up and feelShes having too much fun.from the University of Torontos Dramatotally excited, says McKenna. Its my ownI still have to pinch myself every morn-work ethic. Sometimes itFestival.s only when I takeing to believe it, says McKenna, 24, who a coupThe festival took place the weekend of le of days off that I realize how tired Iwon a nationwide contest last December, am.Feb. 16-19, where participating U of T stu-which landed her the job of travelling for a Asdents presented original, one-act plays in aide from the other obvious attractionsyear while blogging, writing and videoing ocompetitive setting. The festival took placef her new job, there is the food.about it for Transat Holidays, as well as tak-at U of Ts Hart House Theatre.Im having amazing meals, saysing photographs.McKenna.The local students are part of the jointThe Oakville resident and former Ticats Sheridan College and University of TorontoLobster, shellfish, the most decadentTV host in Hamilton is, essentially, a profes-Mississauga drama program and competedfood, so I try to work out at the gyms in thesional vacationer. She gets to hit 12 destina-under the banner of UTM Drama Club.resorts and I run on the beach and some-tions over the 12 months of 2011, and she The biggest winners of the festival weretimes play volleyball. Sometimes my bodyhas just begun her third one in Cuba, after the Sheridan-UTM members who workedreally hates me, but I dont want to end upcompleting a visit to the Dominican headingon the play Pathetic, which received four of forThe Biggest Loser.Republic, which followed a sweep through Not muchthe top five awards. Ben Hayward received chance of that.Mexico in January.McKenna won the contest bythe Robertson Davies Award for Best Play producingIt is as much work as it is vacation, but a video on a local tourist spot. Her video was(his second in two years) and the HartI would be lying if I said I didnt enjoy it, on HutchHouse Theatre Award for Best Performance.s Restaurant in Hamilton, and shesays McKenna, who lives in Oakville.beat out 2The entire company earned the IATSE,000 other contestants.I am learning so much and meeting ter-The rest of her year promises manyLocal 58 Award for Technical AchievementKate McKennarific people wherever I go and seeing so adventures, andand the Presidents Award for Best some of the spots she ismany amazing places already.Production.scheduled to tour are the United Kingdom,McKenna tried surfing in Nuevo Vallarta, she's recording all of her vacation adven-TurkeyThese were not the only awards for the, Egypt, Greece, France, Spain, ItalyMexico, for the first time in her life, and she tures.andstudents in the joint school program. Cancun, Mexico.did it with a camera on the board so she In Mexico, McKenna also visited Puerto McKenna would like eventuallyFraser Woodside earned an Award of to pursuecould post video material of the experi-Vallarta, Manzanilla and Guadalajara.a career in Merit for Playwriting for his playPiece. Thejournalism. Both her parentsence.Every place was very different and I workplay also earned a merit award for technical in the field her mother, SueIt is really hard. Im pretty athletic, but enjoyed the cities as much as the resorts, Prestedge, is head of the broadcast progachievement to the entire company, whichramyou have to be a very strong swimmer to be with their murals and artwork. I got to visit at Mohawk College, and her fatherincludes director Owen Fawcett, stage, Tima good surfer. After half an hour of instruc-everything from forests to ranches to the McKenna, is a photo edmanager April Leung, sound operatoritor withThe Globetion about what to do if youre caught in a beach.andMegan OKelly, and a cast of Jonathan Walls Mail.rip tide, I tried to ride the waves. I was hor-She saand Hallie Seline.ys she gets such a charge out of the My mom gives me pointers about myrible at it, but it was fun.people, the places and the experiences, but writing andWoodside was further rewarded with the my posts all the time.You can see how she did on vacationer.thats not the whole job. Somehow in her Constructive criticism and advice pairedRobert Gill Award for Best Direction, for histransatholidays.com, the website where days and evenings she has to find time to with praise, saywork in Andrew Di Rosas playLandslide.s McKenna.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, March 11, 2011 26