Grade 2 students from Greentree School took to the provincial stage in Edmonton on Friday, May 31, earning a score of distinction in choral speaking.
    “We got distinction and they were very good ambassadors for Drumheller,” said teacher Cindy Gerodo. “They spoke well and the adjudicators complimented on their choice of piece and t-shirts.”
    The class performed two pieces, Drumheller Dinosaur Dance and My Shadow. They had performed the same two pieces at the Drumheller Music Festival in March and were awarded a superior grade, which qualified them to head to provincials.

Cindy Gerodo’s Grade 2 class earned a grade of distinction for their two pieces Drumheller Dinosaur Dance and My Shadow. The class was chosen to go after receiving a superior grade at the Drumheller Music Festival earlier this year.

    Choral speaking uses voice combinations and contrasts to bring out the meaning or tone of a passage of poetry or prose. Performers are judged based on their diction, presence, timing, actions, and response to the conductor.
    “It was really exciting. They learned so much,” said Gerodo. “What an honour to have been chosen to go.”
    Afterwards, students had some fun. They headed to Galaxy Land in West Edmonton Mall.
    The trip would not have been possible without community support.
    “There was incredible support from people,” said Gerodo. “Where else, other than a small town can you raise $6,000 for something like this.”

    Calgary-based film production company North Country Cinema is returning to Drumheller. This time, to produce an independent feature film entitled Down In The Valley.
    The North Country Cinema team, composed of filmmakers Kyle Thomas, Alexander Carson, Cameron Macgowan, and production manager Sara Corry, has produced numerous short films in the Drumheller area in recent years, many of which have earned awards and critical acclaim at major film festivals around the world.
    In 2011, North Country Cinema produced the Drumheller-based short film Not Far From The Abattoir, which  won top awards at the Calgary and Edmonton International Film Festivals, before screening at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The film went on to play in Cannes as part of Telefilm Canada’s Not Short On Talent program, and was broadcast on CBC television earlier this year.
    Following the success of Abattoir, Thomas was granted funding from Telefilm Canada to make Down In The Valley, a full-length dramatic film set in the Badlands of Alberta. The project will chronicle the life of a small town over the course of one year, focusing on a diverse cast of characters that includes a pregnant teenager, a struggling alcoholic, an aging taxidermist, and an ambitious RCMP officer.
    The film’s intertwining stories will offer a rich and intimate portrait of rural life in central Alberta.
    For Thomas, the Drumheller valley is an inspiring place with a rich landscape, history, and culture.
    “There is something incredibly inspiring about this valley that cuts its way through the endless prairies,” says Thomas. “The striking geography provides a great backdrop for stories in various genres. Whenever I’m in Drumheller the creative wheels just start turning and I can’t wait to make another film in the area. The people here and the local businesses are always so friendly and accommodating too, which helps.”
    The film will be shot in two sections, the first in August, and the second in November, with completion set for mid-2014. The team is hoping to cast as many roles out of Drumheller as possible and will be holding auditions at the Kaleidoscope Theatre on Sunday, June 16, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
    North County Cinema is encouraging individuals who are interested in appearing in the film, regardless of film experience, to contact production manager Sara Corry for more info or to book an audition time (sara@northcountrycinema.com).