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Initially, there was a building, a name and some students, but a fledgling school spirit. It was a time of turmoil and no one felt that any stronger than Sacino, a Grade 10/11 English teacher at Loyola, who was handed the job of drama instructor. Sacino flinched. In 1990 when a burgeoning St. Ignatius of Loyola divided ranks and sent some students and staff to the old G.E. Perdue site on Margaret Drive, St. Thomas Aquinas was Sacino is head of the drama department at St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, and the dramatic arts room, with its row of makeup mirrors and black stage curtain, is his. home away from home. Much of Frank Sacino‘s life the past four years has been spent in a brightlyâ€"lit, sparselyâ€"furnished room. He designed it, watched it being built and he has rarely set foot outâ€" side of it since. By KATHY YANCHUS Oakville Beaver Staff Drama teacher says goodbye to his ‘kids‘ THE COWBOY WAY (AA) Coarse WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN (PG) Coarse language, mature theme. Evgs. 7:00 9:35. Sat. Sun. Mats. 1:30. CITY SLICKERS 2 (PG) Evgs. 7:00 9:30. Sat. Sun Mats. 1:40. No passes accepted. Language, Violence. Evgs. 7:20 9:45 Sat. Sun. Mats 1:40. THE FLINTSTONES (PG) (Dolby Stereo) Evgs. 7:00 9:00. Sat. Sun. Mats. 1:00, 3:00 5:00. THE COWBOY WAY (AA) (Dolby Stereo) SPEED (AA). Not recommended for children, coarse language, violence, frightening scenes. (Dolby Stereo) Evgs THUMBELINA (F) Sat. Sun. Mats. 1:30. B CITY SLICKERS 2 (PG) Evgs. 6:30 9:15. Sat Sun Mats. 1:30 4:00. No passes accepted. THE CROW (R) Brutal Violence. Evgs 7:15 9:30. Sat. Sun. Mat. 1:45. Coarse language, violence. Evgs. 6:30 9:15. Sat. Sun. Mats. 1:15 3:30. _ FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (AA) Evgs. 7:05 9:20. Sat. Sun. Mats. 1:45. SCHINDLER‘S LIST (AA) Brutal violence, mature theme. Evas. 8:00. Sat. Sun. Mat. 1:30. THREESOME (R) Evgs. 7:20 9:25. Sat Sun. Mats 1:45. JURASSIC PARK (PG) Frightening scenes Evgs. 7:00 9:20. Sat. Sun. Mat. 1:30. 7:15 9:25. Sat. Sun. Mats 2:00 4:20 No passes accepted. Mark Dubois is back! See him perform with us at the Oakville Waterfront Festival, Sunday, June 26, Lakeside Park, 2:00 p.m. The ‘FUNNY AND INVENTIVE WitH Lots OF In a relatively short period of time, drama students, who blossomed with the program, have reached the level where they have taken on the challenge of The Mikado, a fitting tribute to Sacino as he says farewell to his ‘baby‘ and his ‘kids‘ to continâ€" ue his studies at Lakehead University. They have worked their way up to the challenge says Sacino doing indiâ€" vidual theatrical presentations, monoâ€" â€" Whatever they did to enhance the arts in the minds of students, howevâ€" er, worked. Today, 80% of the stuâ€" dent population is involved in the arts through music, art or drama and there is healthy integration of sports with arts â€" the head football coach, for example, builds all the theatre sets. "Because my background isn‘t in the arts. I have a degree in English and history," said Sacino, a native of Thunder Bay. "It was like having another person‘s curriculum shoved down your throat." In establishing an arts department, the first year was the most difficult, carving out a curriculum, working from "tiny shoeboxes" and rousing the students. HARRELSO! ) alnelcornloo . NO PASSES COLUMBIA 0 on NNY AND INVENTIVE Witk Lots OF logues, stage plays each year and venturing into the city to witness live Canadian theatre. His ‘kids‘ have matured personally as well as theatriâ€" cally, he says. "The comments I get from staff are that they have the ability to think St. Thomas Aquinas drama students, under the direction of Frank Sacinc, present Flashback, excerpts from work done over the past four years, tonight. Doors open at 7 p.m. with an 8 p.m. curtain time. Admission is $5. (Photo by Peter McCusker) Wednesday, Friday Sunday Your Connection to our Community Sacino‘s initial frustration was penned in an original script Speakeasy which he wrote for his a lot more openly in class, their (the drama students) presentations are that much more creative and that enhances their classes," says Sacino. Sacino is usually the one laughâ€" ing the loudest in the audience and come the end of the school year, when Sacino heads for Thunder Bay to complete his Honors in English and his Masters in Curriculum Studies, he will also be the most emotional. Not only were the students taken with his drama curriculum, but the initially reluctant Sacino fell hard for the program too, and wound up earnâ€" ing his ‘drama specialist‘ diploma from the University of Toronto. This past year alone, they entered the Sears Drama Festival for the secâ€" ond time and, at the very least, made an impression, a goal Sacino had worked towards. "That‘s what I teach â€" riskâ€"takâ€" ing," says Sacino. "I don‘t ask a kid for miracles or to do backâ€"flips, I ask them to try." students to, among other things, deliver the message that there was life after Loyola. But each year the challenges for the drama students became more demanding and the enthusiasm from students and staff, more spontaneous and committed. ALWAYS WEAR A LIFE JACKET OR PFD BE WATER SMART.