The 9 finalists chill out in the green room before the Awards Show. (l to r: Ayo Akinfenwa, Olivia Perry, Marie Foolchand, Lou-Anne Bouchard, Camilia Gélinas, Juliette Rolland Apergis, Luna Dansereau, Kiera Sandrock, and Mattis Savard-Verhoeven)
Students from all over Montreal line up to watch the show.
Program Coordinator Lindsay Cornish greets the incoming schools.
Olivia Perry collects her thoughts in the dressing room.
The judges review their score sheets. (l to r: Stephanie Bolster, Jeramy Dodds, Sina Queyras, Rita Mestokosho, and Jeanne Painchaud)
The finalists wait backstage for the house to close.
And the band plays on. (l to r: Éric Thibodeau, Nicolas Boulay, and Sébastien Pellerin of Grüv‘n Brass)
It’s a full house!
Johanne Blais was our host for the third year running.
Johanne invites the rest of the 39 National Finalists to take a bow.
Camilia Gélinas recites “C’est la guerre” by Louis-Philippe Hébert.
Lou-Anne Bouchard recites “Allô” by Benjamin Péret.
Luna Dansereau recites “J’ai pris un coup de lune” by Anthony Phelps .
The French judges applaud the end of the second round of the French Stream. (l to r: Rita Mestokosho, Pierre Nepveu, Jeanne Painchaud)
Kiera Sandrock recites “Preludes” by T. S. Eliot to start the English Stream.
Ayo Akinfenwa recites “Fear of Snakes” by Lorna Crozier.
Olivia Perry recites “From Red Doc>” by Anne Carson.
The judges discuss the recitations over the intermission.
Mattis Savard-Verhoeven prepares for the Bilingual Stream backstage.
Mattis Savard-Verhoeven recites “I Am the People, the Mob” by Carl Sandburg.
Marie Foolchand recites “Je t’attendais ainsi …” by René Guy Cadou.
Juliette Rolland Apergis recites “Wolf Lake” by Elizabeth Bachinsky.
Mattis wins the Bilingual stream, Marie places second, and Juliette wins third prize.
The trio share a hug.
In the English Stream, Olivia Perry wins, Kiera Sandrock places second, and Ayo Akinfenwa wins third prize. Johanne Blais joins the group hug this time.
Luna Dansereau wins the French Stream, Camilia Gélinas places second, and Lou-Anne Bouchard wins third prize.
Congratulations to all 39 students who won trips to Montreal and competed at the National Finals this year.
Contest co-founder Krystyne Griffin congratulates all the students in the theatre who recited a poem in class.
Luna Dansereau with Nathalie Piette (l.) and Marie-Pierre Genest (r.)
Marie Foolchand gives her mother a hug
Lou-Anne Bouchard and Mattis Savard-Verhoeven with their teachers Richard Lachance and Denise Ally.
Juliette Rolland Apergis with her teacher Marlène Sohier.
Cupcakes!
Kailen Regehr and Nicole Verstichelen discuss the show at the reception.
Andrea Rodriguez-Marin Freudmann and Gabrielle Nebrida-Pépin share a laugh.
Host Johanne Blais speaks with French judge Jeanne Painchaud.
Marie Foolchand can relax.
Poetry In Voice Director David Smith and Creative Director Damian Rogers chat with Kiera Sandrock.
Teachers and students discuss the show. (l to r: Catherine Faucher, Léanne Teran-Paul, Sonia Philibert, Marie- Audrey Bergeron, Sarah-Jeanne Séguin)
French Judge Pierre Nepveu speaks with teacher Marie-Andrée Arsenault.
Directrice des Voix Sepideh Anvar considers running away with the prize money.