SUDBURY -- After a long seven months, drama students at the Sudbury Theatre Centre say they have been counting down the days to get back on stage and do what they love.
Three different drama classes take place each Saturday for kids aged 8 to 16.
Those taking part say they are happy to be back.
"I’m really glad to be back and to see all my friends again. We play games that will help us with things on stage, such as projection, and what not to do with our hands, easy ways to learn your lines," said Brianne Portelance, drama student at Sudbury Theatre Centre.
"I did this last year and I figured out that there was another drama class this year and I decided to sign up. I was really excited," said Cooper McCormick, drama student at Sudbury Theatre Centre.
Some of the students say what they missed the most, was their classmates.
"My favourite part about coming is because I like seeing people I met last year, because they were my friends," said Capri Ouellette, drama student at Sudbury Theatre Centre.
"What I like about it is that I get to meet new friends in a different place that is besides school," said Abi Mese, drama student at Sudbury Theatre Centre.
The youth drama instructor, Chelsea Papineau, says there is one thing she wants the students to take away from each class.
"I think a big piece of it is to find their social group and to find people that are creative and willing to be themselves," said Papineau.
"Just having that confidence and feeling confident in expressing themselves and how they’re feeling is a big takeaway from this."
Each class can normally accommodate 26 students but this fall, the classes had to be reduced - allowing only 15 per class.
Officials say half of them are new enrolments.
"To be honest, we weren’t sure if this was going to work or not and we actually had more parents want to sign up their kids than we had spaces for," said Ralph McIntosh, education director at the Sudbury Theatre Centre.
"So, we had a waiting list in case somebody didn’t show up. It’s just so gratifying to be able to continue to offer these classes so that the kids can have an experience that they are not able to have in the regular classroom."
The next set of drama classes will take place in January and McIntosh is hopeful the vocal classes will be able to return at the same time.
