2026 EDANS - Acting Up In Class: Drama in Every Classroom

A Potion for Emotion tells the story of a monster who tries to end all fighting by putting a potion, that will eliminate all feelings, in the town water supply. In their rush to deliver, they forget how their actions affect others, and end up causing hurt and anger along the way. Ultimately, they are forced to confront what is at the root of the fighting and to think of other ways to help monsters understand each other. This original It’s Gonna Be Great Theatre production uses physical comedy, puppets, fantastical imagery, music and dance to celebrate the importance of empathy. It is designed for school-aged children but can be enjoyed by all ages. The show features original music by Justin Gregg, Laura Teasdale and Ranke De Vries (members of the ECMA nominated group Bingley and the Rogues), sound design by Jackson Fairfax-Perry and dance choreography by Liliona Quarmyne. Actor Rachel Lloyd performs as Goober with puppeteer Laura Stinson animating a cast of big and small monster puppets. The play is directed by Noella Murphy with dramaturgical support by Lily Falk and puppet direction provided by Franziska Glen. The show was made in response to a decline in social emotional learning which was highlighted during interviews with elementary school guidance counselors in Nova Scotia in 2023. Bio: It’s Gonna be Great Theatre is a new collective based in Mi’kma’ki that strives to create playful and thought provoking live content for young audiences. Featuring the combined forces of Noella Murphy, Rachel Lloyd and Laura Stinson, the group's work is rooted in puppetry, clown and physical theatre. They are dedicated to forming lasting collaborations both with fellow artists and their audiences. For their first production, A Potion for Emotion, they were honoured to receive mentorship from veteran theatre makers Laura Teasdale, Ann-Marie Kerr and Andrea Boyd. They are delighted to bring vibrant theatre to young audiences across the maritimes.

This workshop brings educators together to examine the opportunities created by working with a fight director. By looking at text and integrating on their feet skill development attendees will experience the workflow of partnering with a fight director. This workshop is about opening the door for further opportunities in creative work by developing communication and collaboration with an external fight director and movement coach. Bio: Dylan Brentwood is a twice Merritt award winning fight director in Halifax Nova Scotia. His training is through the Academy of Dramatic Combat & Violence in motion. He has been the fight director with Shakespeare by The Sea for the past 6 seasons, as well as their studio. Recently he worked with Neptune’s young company, and has worked extensively with groups of young people. Dylan has been fight directing for over a decade and has developed a style of intimate and visceral aggression which works to uphold safety through technique. This frees the artist to perform and the director to create. This style of integrated aggression allows for nuance and building opportunities to create dynamic moments within a script. Dylan is more a facilitator of violent intents, looking to excavate the core needs of story telling through physical engagement.

Drama teachers are invited to come with a favourite activity, game, warm-up, or lesson idea to share with the group. This will be an active, low-pressure session where we learn by trying things out together, talking about what works, and collecting ideas we can bring back to our own classrooms.

Using children’s literature as a springboard, this hands-on workshop demonstrates how drama can enhance learning in the elementary classroom. This workshop will include many subject areas however the main focus will be integrating drama into language arts, science, health, and social studies curricula. Come prepared to move, explore, and experience drama firsthand! You will leave with an understanding of key drama structures, practical strategies for classroom use and an increased confidence to implement drama into your teaching. Bio: Teena Turner is a Drama Fine Arts Specialist with Halifax Regional Arts at the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, where she has been working for the past five years. She holds a Master’s degree in Drama and Literacy and brings a deep passion for arts education to her work with students from Primary through Grade 12. Over the course of her career, Teena spent fifteen years as a high school drama teacher, where she built engaging programs that fostered creativity, confidence, and collaboration. She directed 19 school musicals, designed costumes for many productions, and supported numerous student-led theatre projects. In the elementary classroom, Teena loves teaching drama through children’s literature, thoughtfully weaving English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Health, and other subject areas into her drama units.

Drama 10 is a Foundational course and the first stop on a High School student’s performing Arts journey - and this workshop will walk you through a full semester's worth of assessments, units and Drama curriculum topics. New teachers to Drama 10, and those that need some new assessment ideas, can benefit from this workshop. Participants will learn how to structure their Drama 10 course, work with course materials and assessments, be provided with performance script options, resource suggestions, and a variety of engaging Drama 10 games specific to each unit. Bio: Natalie MacIsaac teaches at Horton High School in Wolfville. She teaches Drama 11, Drama 12: Theatre Arts, English 10, English 11 and English 12: African Heritage. She is also the CAS Coordinator for Horton’s IB program. She loves directing musicals, camping and travelling. Natalie has held various roles in the NSTU over many years, and has earned Master of Education degrees from MSVU (Curriculum Studies with a Technology Focus, and Literacy Education with a Drama Focus) and St. FX (Administration & Policy with a CRP Focus).

The goal of this session is to leave feeling, physically and emotionally better than when you came in. During our time we will do beginner practice, with Asanas, breathing and meditation techniques that you can pass onto your students. Bring comfy clothes and a willingness to take a little time to do things that will benefit your overall well being. Mats will be provided if needed. Bio: Peggy Priest has been a high school physical education teacher for 25 years. She was one of the pilot teachers for the Physical Education Yoga 11 course and is passionate about sharing its benefits with her students and peers.

This session is for folks who are curious about or currently teaching Art Dramatique 10 as well as FLA or Core French grades 7-12 teachers who are looking for more drama and theatrical supports in their French Classrooms. We will explore the Art Dramatique 10 course units of study, centering on games and activities to engage your students to speak and interact in French through Drama and how you can modify and incorporate these activities into any French language classroom. Activities range from improvisation and vocabulary focus to scripted work and story creating. We will also touch on physical movement and vocal delivery. Please note that this session will be "en français". Bio: Mel O'Hara (they/them) has been teaching French and Drama at Charles P Allen High School in HRCE since 2018. They graduated from Nova Scotia's Université Sainte-Anne, where they completed their degree in their second language, gaining a unique, empathetic perspective as a French Second Language learner. Their classroom approach is heavily influenced by a lifelong love of the stage, particularly the vibrant energy of musical theatre and joy that live theatre brings them. With a deep-seated passion for immersion programs, Mel is thrilled to collaborate with colleagues from across the province to demonstrate how drama can break down barriers and build confidence in the French Immersion and Core French classrooms.

Running a musical in a school setting comes with its own unique challenges, from working within limited time, budgets, and spaces to balancing the needs of students with varying levels of experience. In this workshop we will discuss practical tips and suggestions for running a successful school musical from auditions to opening night. Topics include: choosing the right show, auditions, rehearsals, building a production team and enlisting help, choreography, sets and staging, costumes, opening night and suggestions for creating a positive, supportive rehearsal environment. Whether you’re directing your first musical or seeking fresh ideas, this session offers useful documents, and real-life examples to help with the musical process. Bio: Teena Turner is a Drama Fine Arts Specialist with Halifax Regional Arts at the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, where she has been working for the past five years. She holds a Master’s degree in Drama and Literacy and brings a deep passion for arts education to her work with students from Primary through Grade 12. Over the course of her career, Teena spent fifteen years as a high school drama teacher, where she built engaging programs that fostered creativity, confidence, and collaboration. She directed 19 school musicals, designed costumes for many productions, and supported numerous student-led theatre projects. In the elementary classroom, Teena loves teaching drama through children’s literature, thoughtfully weaving English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Health, and other subject areas into her drama units.

If your teaching assignment includes Drama 11, Drama 12:Theatre Arts, or BOTH in the same time and space, and you’d like some tips on how to navigate that, join us! You’ll get: hands-on ideas, a chance to play some games, planning ideas, and sample schedules to align both courses! Bio: Natalie MacIsaac teaches at Horton High School in Wolfville. She teaches Drama 11, Drama 12: Theatre Arts, English 10, English 11 and English 12: African Heritage. She is also the CAS Coordinator for Horton’s IB program. She loves directing musicals, camping and travelling. Natalie has held various roles in the NSTU over many years, and has earned Master of Education degrees from MSVU (Curriculum Studies with a Technology Focus, and Literacy Education with a Drama Focus) and St. FX (Administration & Policy with a CRP Focus).

Starting or sustaining a drama club can transform your school culture in powerful ways. In this practical workshop, participants will explore how an after-school drama program can boost school morale, build student leadership, and create a strong sense of belonging across grade levels. This session will cover the essentials of running a successful drama club — from choosing shows and structuring rehearsals to managing challenges and preventing burnout. Participants will also learn engaging drama games, warm-ups, and rehearsal strategies they can use immediately. Whether you’re launching a new club or looking to strengthen an existing one, you’ll leave with concrete tips, creative ideas, and proven tricks to build a thriving, sustainable drama program in your school. Bio: Bryan Nash is a drama educator and theatre practitioner from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. He is passionate about creating inclusive spaces where students can build confidence, collaborate across grade levels, and feel a strong sense of belonging within their school community. Outside of teaching drama, Bryan is the co-founder of a theatre based comedy duo called “Private B’ys” and enjoys acting and directing at Cape Breton’s own Boardmore Theatre.

This interactive session explores how drama strategies can transform the Core French classroom into a space where students feel confident, engaged, and willing to take risks in the target language. Through simple, low-prep activities, teachers will experience how role-play, tableaux, improvisation, and scripted scenes can support oral communication, vocabulary retention, and spontaneous language production. Participants will learn how drama creates authentic contexts for communication while lowering student anxiety and increasing participation — even among reluctant speakers. Designed with Core French realities in mind, this session focuses on practical strategies that can be implemented immediately, without requiring theatrical expertise. Teachers will leave with ready-to-use activities, assessment ideas aligned with oral outcomes, and adaptable frameworks for Grades 7–10. Whether you are new to drama or looking to expand your instructional toolkit, this session will provide accessible ways to bring French to life in your classroom. Bio: Kristina Lundrigan has been teaching French for over 12 years and has spent the majority of that time at Memorial High School in Sydney Mines. During this time, she has primarily taught in the Late French Immersion program, teaching a mixed bag of courses including Art Dramatique, as well as Core French. Kristina enjoys creating interactive classroom experiences that help students build confidence and feel comfortable using French. She believes language learning should be active, engaging, and sometimes a little dramatic (maybe more than a little). By incorporating role-play, movement, and creative activities, she encourages students to, in the words of Ms. Frizzle, « take chances, make mistakes and get messy » (within reason). Kristina is passionate about helping students discover that speaking French can be both fun and empowering.

The goal of this session is to leave feeling, physically and emotionally better than when you came in. During our time we will do beginner practice, with Asanas, breathing and meditation techniques that you can pass onto your students. Bring comfy clothes and a willingness to take a little time to do things that will benefit your overall well being. Mats will be provided if needed. Bio: Peggy Priest has been a high school physical education teacher for 25 years. She was one of the pilot teachers for the Physical Education Yoga 11 course and is passionate about sharing its benefits with her students and peers.

This workshop will give PE teachers the opportunity to learn some new games and activities that can be done at the drop of a hat. No equipment, no time limit, any space. These activities will get students moving, working as a team, and ready for some fun using their bodies and their minds. Bio: James FW Thompson is a writer, teacher in the CBVRCE, theatre-person, and dad. He got hooked on improv when he attended DramaFest in 2000 and he found out that that thing that he always did was considered an art! Who knew? He went on to become a founding member of the award-winning improv group Improv U. He also writes, acts, and directs from time to time. He's a regular jack-of-all trades, though not particularly great at any particular trade. He was born and raised in Cape Breton, where we always get by in a pinch (lots of practical, inexpensive, DIY stuff) and that’s always been his approach to teaching, especially Drama. He likes board games, movies, and a good cup of tea—though he’d take hot chocolate if necessary. He dislikes writing bios of himself, for some reason, despite his incredible vanity.

Food props are an incredibly common type of prop required in theatre. This session teaches you the basics of making your own simple dessert prop, one that is reusable, realistic, and looks great on stage! We will start by carving foam to make the basic shape of your cake, cupcake, or other similar item. Then after painting, you will be able to mix your own "icing". This will be what brings the dessert to life. You can use multiple colours and styles to customize to your heart's content. After adding some extra decorations and letting it dry, your cake will be stage ready, and you can use it for your own shows or simply bring it home! It is recommended to wear clothing you do not mind getting paint on. Bio: Cal (He/Him) is a multidisciplinary theatre artist residing in Halifax/Kjipuktuk who focuses primarily on puppetry and prop making, but also works on both physical and digital illustrations. He thrives in collaboration with others, and enjoys turning imagination into reality. Whether he is crafting unique props or springing iconic puppets from paper to the stage, Cal is always looking for new challenges and experiences with his fellow artists.

Dungeons and Dragons? What actually is that all about? Come find out! This full-day interactive session begins with a morning deep-dive into the fundamentals of Dungeons & Dragons, including an overview of the rules, practical strategies for starting and running school clubs, and a discussion on the power of roleplay and gamification in learning. In the afternoon, the tables turn from theory to adventure! Participants will jump into a live gameplay experience using provided character sheets—no prior experience needed. Just bring your imagination, a willingness to try something new, and get ready to play! Bio: Savannah MacDonald began her teaching career in 2019, as an English and Social Studies teacher with a flair for the theatrical and a love of storytelling in all its forms. Savannah has run several youth programs that integrate drama and theatre skills—her school’s Horror & Film Club, Musical Theatre program, Student Radio, Creative Writing, and of course, Dungeons and Dragons. Savannah’s classroom, now that she's an art teacher, thrives on imagination, gamification, and student wellness more than ever. Her teaching practice centers on accessibility and joy—making sure every student has a way in. Currently completing her master’s thesis on early career teaching after the pandemic, Savannah’s research focuses on literacy, poverty, and how education can better support youth facing systemic barriers. She believes in the power of play—not just for fun, but as a vital tool for identity, connection, and expression. Alasdair Mackay Lanyon, B.A. (Phil.), P.G.C.E. (P), M.Ed. (Curriculum), M.Ed.(Administration and Policy), is a husband, father and ukulele toting, Scottish trained, Canadian elementary teacher, who has played and worked on both sides of the Atlantic, (and also on it as a boat skipper and tall ship officer). He recently completed a Master’s thesis on the rhetoric and discourse surrounding play pedagogies, a topic on which he has published, and presented, at Canadian teacher’s conferences. He has taught all elementary grades and is currently employed as a Grade Primary, (Senior Kindergarten), and K-6 music teacher in a small rural school in Nova Scotia. He has built some houses, plays several musical instruments, is a proud badge wearing nerd, and plays Dungeons and Dragons. He is sometimes a bit of a bore.

Facilitated by puppeteer Laura Stinson, this hands-on workshop will include the creation of a simple puppet from found material and an introduction to the fundamentals of puppet animation. Participants will start by creating a puppet out of a container, a stick and fabric. They will then be guided through the use of breath, gaze, weight and rhythm to bring their creations to life. Once their puppets are activated, participants will be placed into groups to create a short scene together. By transferring the pressure of performance onto the puppet, this workshop encourages active, unbridled creation with a focus on learning the fundamentals of puppetry through play. The workshop will run for three hours with a break for lunch. Bio: Laura crafts images from both found and traditional materials. These creations become narratives, characters and atmospheres in a variety of theatrical spectacles. She began her career in puppetry with Bread and Puppet Theater in 2016. After four years working as a touring member and subsequent resident puppeteer with the company, Laura moved back to Mi’kma’ki and co-founded North Barn Theatre with Ian McFarlane in 2020. Alongside making work with North Barn she continues to collaborate with other artists as a performer, puppet and set designer and builder. She also shares her specialized knowledge by leading workshops in both puppet construction and performance across the Atlantic region. She currently lives and makes art in Siknikt, Mi’kma’ki.

A practical, hands-on workshop designed to help teachers guide students through the process of creating a simple film from start to finish. This course breaks filmmaking down into clear, manageable steps that can be easily brought into the classroom. Participants will learn how to help students quickly identify a filmable idea, plan their story using basic storyboarding, and understand simple lighting and sound techniques. The workshop includes filming a two-person dialogue scene, followed by an introduction to editing, adding sound and music, and exporting a finished piece. By the end of the course, teachers will feel confident leading students through a complete filmmaking process—from idea to final scene—using accessible tools and techniques. Bio: David Overmars is an independent filmmaker based in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, with hands-on experience guiding projects from idea to finished film. He works as a writer, producer, and director, with a focus on practical, character-driven storytelling using accessible tools and small teams. David regularly supports emerging creators through workshops and community initiatives, helping participants break down filmmaking into simple, achievable steps. His approach emphasizes finding filmable ideas, working with available resources, and building confidence through doing.

This session will be fun and interactive with the nature of drama in education and diverse learners at the forefront. Time will be spent on demonstrations, activities, benefits/challenges, and a review of the diversity in today's classrooms. Time will also be spent on how best to work with drama and theatre/improvisation in today’s schools. The session will lean heavily towards how to use drama as both a motivational tool and how to use it on different levels for various students, as a means to meeting outcomes while also having fun in the class. Bio: Greg Woolgar is a two time National Award winning teacher who has based his 31 year career on working drama, fine arts and social and emotional health into the everyday classroom. Greg is a graduate of Memorial University in both Elementary Education and English, as well as the University of Central England with a Diploma in Fine Arts and finally a Masters in Leadership also through Memorial. Greg works to make curriculum connections with drama and fine arts to all areas of school programming and has given presentations around said topics across most grades. Greg has been an itinerant teacher for gifted students, taught in all elementary grades, as well as in several multi-grade setups, and has been both a presenter and lecturer on several occasions at Memorial University and with various schools. At retirement Greg worked as a Safe and Inclusive Itinerant for the NL school board.