The Vincent Massey Public School had a tradition of performing musical dramas for the entertainment of the students, staff and community members, but that tradition was last upheld in 2009.
Over the last 17 years the musical drama/artistic performance had been dormant until 2026 when the current cast was put together by the musical director, Scott Roos based on a script he wrote titled ‘Nobody asked for Vincent Massey’.
“Today is a testament to the fact that we can do it, we can pull it off, we can do it well,” Roos said. “It’s a great team building exercise, I am still feeling like … this the best the students have done yet since we started doing full run through.
“I’m very happy with everything. It’s very inspiring working with these guys. It’s an amazing thing to just see it all happen and all come together as well as it has.”
Grades 5-7 students at Vincent Massey School in Grade 5 to 7—and one from Grade 8—held the audience spellbound as they delivered line after line. The students said they were happy to be up on stage.
“It feels good. I feel like I have to be an adult and more mature than I actually am now because I acted in the role of the Principal,” said 12-year-old Eliiana Greyeyes. “I feel it came really easy. I actually really enjoyed this play. The choreography, the songs and the lines were amazing. I am just very very happy.”
Students acting the musical satire “Nobody Asked For Vincent Massey” on Wednesday, April 1 at the Vincent Massey Public School.
The man of the day, Vincent Massey, was played by Milion Kiflay, a 12 year-old Grade 7 student.
“It was fun playing the role of an old character,” Kiflay said. “I don’t have that much experience but i was more historical and I had to develop the British accent which is needed in the play.”
He added that he would love to go into acting.
The musical satire was about the character of Charles Vincent Massey, who was born on Feb. 20, 1887 and died Dec. 30 1967. Massey was a Canadian Diplomat and statesman who served as Canada’s 18th Governor General.
In the play, Massey appears at the school in the 21st Century.
“It’s kind of a tongue in cheek title like ‘Nobody asked for Vincent Massey’. The whole musical itself is a bit of a metaphor for the school to a certain degree,” Roos said. “It’s a bit of a metaphor for the way education is right now in the province, or maybe in the country. It’s also just a way of us kind of politely poking fun at ourselves a little bit too.
“A lot of the humour is tongue in cheek. It’s just us having fun with ourselves and our school. It’s meant to be a funny humorous title.”
Vincent Massey Principal Harriet Tomporowski was full of praise for the students as well as the staff, especially Roos, for showing such great commitment to get the musical made.
“It is a very proud moment,” Tomporowski said. “It’s so wonderful to see our students and staff shine in that kind of light. Our students are very young. They are from Grades 5 -7 and only one person from grade 8.
“I am really proud of Mr Roos because this is a huge undertaking and the effort and time that he put into it, to write, direct it, gather the live band and then recruit staff to help. It’s a really big undertaking and I’m very proud of them all.”
The School also opened its doors to the Prince Albert community to come and enjoy the performance and appreciate what the students have put together.
“It is a really proud moment for our school,” Tomporowski said. “It’s great to see the arts coming to live again after so many years.”
