Jackie Rutledge of White Bear Lake has been involved with drama for most of her life. First getting involved as a youth with Christmas plays at her country school, she along with all the other students were given a taste of drama since they were all needed in order to put the production on.
Recently Rutledge was presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award by the Saskatchewan Drama Association for her years dedicated to the program.
Now a retired teacher, Rutledge had been five years in Regina, three and a half in Estevan, and she spent the majority of her time in Oxbow at 22 years. Rutledge provided her assistance with the drama program in Oxbow from 1992 until 2012, so not only during her years teaching, which she retired in 1997, but for 15 years after as the school had difficulty finding someone to take on the extracurricular hours needed.
During this time she held numerous positions within the Saskatchewan Drama Association helping to promote the arts in schools. While also holding other positions including chair of the Donor's Choice, chair of the Air Cadet Committee in Oxbow, president of the Hospital Auxiliary there, provincial president of the Hospital Auxiliary for two years, and was on the Duke of Edinburgh Provincial Board.
She was the Regional Representative for Region 1 in 1993, which includes the entire southeast corner. While involved with this aspect of the program Rutledge became an advocate for allowing winning schools to acquire a percentage of the profits from the festival.
Rutledge then took on the task of becoming the Provincial President for the Saskatchewan Drama Association. She held two terms of two years in this position as well as a one year term as a transitioning of the Arts Board occurred, which she was integral in helping restructure.
Another way Rutledge helped to promote the arts in Saskatchewan, particularly the southeast, occurred when the Oxbow and Carlyle school districts amalgamated into the Â鶹ÊÓƵeast School Division. The school division Oxbow had been in used to pay for the bussing of the students to the Regional Drama Fest and to Provincials, as well as pay for the substitute teacher. Once the school divisions amalgamated this was no longer going to be the case and the Director of Education explained that since she had retired there was nothing that could be done to bring it back.
Getting a hold of Gwen Arthur they would contact various people in their areas and would develop a book similar to that of what was being used for sports at the time, which allowed funding for travel.
Now Rutledge may be fully retired, but she is still happy to help where she can when it comes to the arts.
"Drama is really important, especially in rural communities where there is such an emphasis on sports," Rutledge explained. "It's a challenge to work drama around sports and teachers in city schools have no concept of this because they have so many students, so I was a voice for the rural community and how to do things."
Rutledge went on to say that sports are also very important, but that youth gain different life skills than they do in sport such as becoming comfortable with being in front of a crowd which aids in public speaking.
"I look back on kids in Oxbow and do you remember Angel Sombrutzki, from the weather?" Rutledge questioned. "She was so shy in high school she wouldn't say boo to her shadow and I still cannot believe that's what she went on to do, but it's those kinds of things that drama can do."
Another notable drama student Rutledge remembers fondly includes Bradley Hayward, who has gone on to become a playwright.
"The year he got involved he was the only boy in grade, he was in grade eight and the girls teased the day light out of him," Rutledge laughed.
However, Hayward had become captivated by drama and even chose to give up figure skating according to Rutledge in order to continue with the drama program because the schedules had been conflicting.
While Rutledge directed high school drama she also allowed the students to give their preferences for which plays to perform each year, but this could be difficult.
"We had a terrible time finding something high school appropriate," Rutledge said. "That's why Bradley writes so many high school plays. It was almost impossible to find a Canadian or Saskatchewan written play that had to do with rural areas, so it's nice that he's gone on to do that and he's not the only one that does."
Importance of drama is something that Rutledge has always claimed and will continue to do so.
"You need to get kids when they're younger," Rutledge stated. "It's important to get kids involved at a young age otherwise they may get busy with sport and not want to try new things."
"If you have a chance get your kids involved."
Rutledge went on to say that the Missoula Children's Theatre is wonderful to see come into schools, while Carlyle is lucky to have a school which encourages drama as well as Cornerstone Theatre.
"This community is lucky to have a school and community theatre, not all adult theatre groups allow kids to participate, so they are lucky here," Rutledge said.
Rutledge was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Saskatchewan Drama Association on Thursday, May 8. She and another recipient, Walter Mills, were honoured with these awards. Though he was unable to attend his plaque was taken to Saskatoon to be presented to him at a later date.
Rutledge was very thankful for the recognition of her dedication to the Saskatchewan Drama Association and encourages families to involve their children in drama.
