By Pepper Parr
January 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Maybe 150 people came out to basically watch a television program, including the commercials, in a high school auditorium.
They do things like that at Central high school.
There was a place to collect cash donations and food for the Breakfast program at the school.
Catching up. From the right – Dania Thurman and Lynn Crosby and an unidentified male
There was popcorn and coffee that the cleaning staff were able to take advantage of. People milled around, got caught up on what was happening.
The occasion was the showing of the CBC’s latest mini-series – Pure.
Shawn Clement, a film arts teacher at Central high, handled the technical side of things while his dog “Buddy” roamed around the auditorium as if he owned the place. It looked like he did.
Jessica Clement – plays the part of a Mennonite high school student in Pure
What the promoters of the screening didn’t say was that one of the female performers was none other than Jessica Clement, Shawn’s daughter, who was an absolute delight.
A maybe 20 something with one of those slim as a rail physiques and eyes that convey all kinds of character and depth, plays the part of Tina Funk, who attends a local high school where she wears a full Mennonite attire including the bonnet.
The program was filmed in Halifax, NS
This reporter wasn’t able to stay for the full screening so can’t comment on the quality of the performance other than to say that many of the television reviewers felt CBC was quite bold in the decision to run the six part series.
Jessica Clement tells us that there is enough script material for several 12 show runs – – let’s see how the television program is received.
An Aldershot high school graduate who went on to earn a degree at the University of Guelph, Jessica started her career as an actress at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton at the age of seven and grew her skill set in that environment. At the age of 12 she began to perform outside Aquarius.
She has done it all: Stage, television, commercials. She was part of a Les Misérables cast; she performed as Marta in The Sound of Music
And there she was on the large screen at Central high school while her Dad, Shawn, looked after the technical side of the evening and his dog roamed through the aisles. He seemed to know or wanted to get to know everyone.
It was as if you were in a small town movie theatre; that is also a community centre that is a little on the run down side with all kinds of character.
No one made any speeches. It was just a community out for the evening enjoying themselves.
There is some talk about the high school being closed. The Board of Education may find that they have to close a few high schools – Central won’t be one of them. The place has just too much community going for it.
Jessica Clement – Pure cast member.
As for young Ms Clement – she has done a lot of work for someone her age.
Pure (TV Series)
2017 Meza
2013 Paranormal Radio (Short) (completed)
Casey Hopkins
2012 The Time Traveler (Short) (completed)
2015 Hemlock Grove (TV Series)
Damascus (2015) … Cherry
Brian’s Song (2015) … Cherry
2015 How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town
2015 A Christmas Horror Story
2015/I Life
2015 Let Me Down Easy (Short)
2012 Dear Scavengers (Short)
Closer to Free: Part 1 (2012) … Naomi
2010 The Man Who Loved Flowers (Short)
2010 Small Town Murder Songs
2008 The Border (TV Series)
Like just about everyone in theatre in this country Jessica has done Degrassi: The Next Generation (TV Series)
