Students from Guelph and Palmerston earned top honours at the National Theatre School of Canada DramaFest regional competition, which took place in Gravenhurst between April 14 and April 18, 2026. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the festival (originally founded in 1946 as the Sears Drama Festival), a major annual event that brings together more than 12,000 students and educators across Ontario to celebrate youth theatre.
John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute in Guelph received the Outstanding Production award for their play, Here’s What You Missed. The production, which features students using their bodies to depict an airplane while telling stories of international travel, was based on true accounts shared by seniors at the Elliot Community in Guelph. The student directors of the play, Grace M. and Quincy K., also received an Award of Excellence for Directing, and the cast was honoured with the Autumn Smith Adjudicator’s Award for the Collective Creative Ensemble. Teachers Meaghan Lugsdin and Jennifer Hutchinson noted they could not be prouder of the group’s achievement.
As a result of their win, the students from John F. Ross will head to North York at the end of May 2026 for the Ontario Provincial Showcase. They will participate in four days of workshops, performances, and celebrations alongside other qualifying schools.
Norwell District Secondary School, located in Palmerston, also found success at the regional festival with their production, darklight. The play explores themes of anxiety, depression, and resilience through movement and ensemble storytelling. Norwell student Blair C. earned an Award of Excellence for Sound Design, while the cast received an Award of Merit for both the Anxiety Ensemble and the Depression Ensemble. Teacher Dillon Bernier praised the students for their dedication and creativity, noting this was only the school’s second year attending the festival and their first time reaching the regional level.
