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34 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 8, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene Oakville Beaver · FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2008 34 Sheridan students shine at U of T drama festival Students of the joint Sheridan-UTM Theatre and Drama Studies Program took home a slew of awards at the University of Toronto Drama Festival. The competition is held annually at Hart House Theatre in downtown Toronto, and features entirely original work representing some 60,000 students from multiple U of T colleges and faculties on three campuses. This year's adjudicator was wellknown theatre educator David Dayler. The festival took place Thursday, Jan. 31 ­ Sat. Feb. 2. AD:450 PILOT by Marisa Ship, a fourth year theatre and drama studies student, was the top winner of the festival. It took the awards for Best Writing for Ship and Best Overall Production for the entire company, including stage manager Michael Twyman, lighting operator Darren Turner, both of whom are secondyear students, and sound operator Jess Phelan, a third-year student. The awards for Best Acting Ensemble went to castmates Shannon Shura (fourth year) and Paolo Santalucia (first year), and Best Direction went to Ryan Singh. The show also overcame the official Friday snow closure of all U of T campuses to take the Audience Choice Award on the night of its presentation. The second UTM Drama Club production, SNAP!, also distinguished itself by winning major awards. Directed by second-year student William Dupuis, the show boasted stage management by Juel Hughes (second year), and multiple functions including original music from Tyler Hunt (first year). An Award of Merit for writing went to fourth-year student Conor Walton, and the solo work of first-year student Brandon Macdonald was acknowledged with the prize for Best Individual Performance of the festival. DEREK WOOLLAM / OAKVILLE BEAVER SWEET SERENADERS: The barbershop quartet of (l-r) Rod Shepherd, Sam McComish, Grant Goodfellow and Jack Seedhouse.is just one of several The Entertainers are renting out on Valentine's Day to serenade your sweetheart. Hit the right note with your Valentine By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A barbershop quartet is ready to woo your Valentine on Cupid's favourite day. The Entertainers are once again offering `singing Valentines' to Oakville residents from Wed., Feb. 13 ­ Friday, Feb. 15. Singing is just part of what the group will deliver to that special someone. "What they'll get is two songs by the quartet, they'll get a small box of chocolates, they'll get a digital photograph and a personalized card," said The Entertainers' vice president of performance and music, Jack Smye. "The songs, of course, are love songs." Smye wouldn't say exactly what tunes they'll be singing ­ he wants it to be a surprise. The Entertainers have been offering these singing Valentines for years, but Smye says this is the first time they're presenting them "on a larger scale." The barbershop chorus draws its membership from the Halton and Peel regions, and has members in these areas. Their singing Valentines will cover everywhere from Oakville to West Hamilton to Brampton. "We're covering a pretty fair distance here," said Smye. In the past, these singing Valentines have been a real hit, and with a variety of audiences. "They're quite popular, and they're a lot of fun both for the quartet and for the recipients," said Smye. "Some of them are quite moving, the ladies can literally be touched and brought to tears." Then there's what Smye calls "the set-up jobs." "Sometimes you'll get the female school teachers, they'll want a singing Valentine for the male teacher who's looking after the cafeteria that day. You get four guys coming in and singing love songs to him in there, and it can be quite funny," he said. "Everyone knows, but the teacher, and all the students are laughing." The barbershop quartets have presented singing Valentines in dentists and lawyers' offices, churches, homes, schools ­ you name it. "If they allow you in, there's basically no place that they don't sing," said Smye. "Sometimes you're singing just to a single person, sometimes it might be to a staff. It varies." One of the quartets presenting singing Valentines this year is the Graytones ­ named for the colour of their hair. Singing Valentines cost $40, funds which will go to The Entertainers. The Chorus, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, supports two charities during the year through various fundraisers. One is Harmonize for Speech, which assists those with speech impediments. The other is Sing Canada Harmony, which promotes singing in high schools. To order a singing Valentine from The Entertainers, call Norm at 905-827-1084. Specific dates and times can be selected. For more on The Entertainers, visit www.entertainers-harmony.org.