All the worlds’ a stage at Orléans theatre school 2L:After two decades of entertaining the masses and churning out up-and-comin

As part of launching its 2009-2010 anniversary year, OYPTS will host the Fringe Festival hit Countries Shaped Like Stars on Saturday, Sept. 12, in conjunction with an open house, information session and auditions for both its ENCORE! Young Company and upcoming winter production, explains artistic director Kathi Langston.

“It feels fantastic” to be celebrating 20 years in existence and their new home in the Shenkman Arts Centre, she describes, recounting the school’s evolution from a basement set-up run by volunteers to a well-respected staple of the east-end and local theatre scenes.

“In the beginning, it was more recreational, like a long, drawn-out summer camp,” Langston says. “It was able to grow and move into the arts centre because it’s very, very much community-oriented.”

Part of that development has seen the number of classes jump – to 34 from 26 last year alone, thanks to larger facilities offered by Shenkman – and class sizes increase from a cap of 12 to 14, she recounts, as well as offering new courses like intensive movement workshops and potential instruction on clowning or puppets.

With this weekend fast approaching, Countries Shapes Like Stars – which took home an award for Outstanding Overall Production at this year’s local Fringe – also has the added benefit of everyone involved either previously teaching or boasting an upcoming instruction role at OYPTS, Langston recounts.

The story follows two characters on a fantastical, musical fairy-tale journey, Langston says, calling the production “magical; I saw it and thought, ‘This is what theatre is all about.’”

Nick Di Gaetano, artistic co-director of ¡Mi Casa! – the company behind Countries Shaped Like Stars – and an upcoming instructor at OYPTS, says the aim of the show was to create a “fun, intimate experience that would transcend traditional theatre … to create a magical experience reliant only on us as performers.”

Langston, he continues, “has been a supporter of us since she saw the show,” also pointing to a previous partnership between the OYPTS and Countries Shaped Like Stars director Patrick Gauthier, as well as ¡Mi Casa!’s other behind-the-scenes partner, Emily Pearlman.

“It all happened to fall into place,” adds Di Gaetano, who will lead adult movement and acting for Francophones at OYPTS starting this year. “It’s wonderful when that happens.”

Looking towards the coming months, the school’s overarching theme will be the classics, continues Langston, a subject she explains will take on different permutations, influenced by everything from music to visual arts.

Working together, classes will develop performances pieces around that topic, she recounts, including their new French-language courses via a partnership with fellow Shenkman residents MIFO.

“It couldn’t happen without the students and the excellent teachers,” Langston says of the school’s development thus far. “The direction we’re taking it is exactly the direction in which I want it to go.”

For more information, please call 613-580-2764 or e-mail administrator@oypts.ca