I can honestly say that if I was not involved in Thespians in high school, I would not be the person I am today. And no, I'm not just talking about the after-school club who puts on productions. Being a Thespian is so much more than that. Once you are inducted into the International Thespian Society, you are a thespian for life. During your high school experience, it makes you eligible for so much more.
As an inducted Thespian, you are eligible to attend the many events and conferences held by the Thespian Society in your state. My freshman year of high school, I decided to attend my very first Nevada Thespian conference, Southern Nevada Leadership/Tech Conference. I learned so much and grew so much just from attending one conference. After that, I was hooked. I attended every single conference put on by Nevada Thespians every year throughout my high school career. Any thespian from any school in Nevada is welcome to attend these conferences. Throughout the year, there are four types of conferences that are put on.
Leadership/Tech in both Northern Nevada and Southern Nevada is a two-day event. The first day is all about Leadership. The officer board members from every troupe in the area attend leadership workshops that help them become better leaders and overall a better team as a board. These workshops are taught by student leaders called State Thespian Officers. They can be identified by the bright blue and yellow sashes they wear, they help plan and run every conference throughout the year. There is a new board elected each year, and they come up with a theme that helps bring together Thespians from across the state each year. The Tech portion is on the next day of the conference. Technical workshops take place where students can learn whatever they like about technical theatre. The Tech Olympics also take place, where each school enters a team that competes to be the best at each technical event. They compete for the coveted Golden Drill, by attempting to get the best times overall as a team in each event. The conference ends in an award ceremony where the first, second, and third places are given for each event.
Improv Festival only takes place in Southern Nevada, and is all about Improv Theatre. Once you arrive, you are given a t-shirt with a color that determines what team you are on. Students from all different schools are thrown together into one team that takes workshops together to learn all they can about improv. The conference ends the day with a showcase of an improv game from each team, and is basically an improv show in itself. The ending show is always really fun to be a part of and to watch.
The Regional Theatre Festival in both Northern and Southern Nevada enables students to submit a piece to compete over a period of three days. A student is judged by three judges on whatever they compete in, whether it be monologues, solo musical, group scene, stage management, and more. A student can earn four different scores: Poor, Good, Excellent, and Superior. A student who earns an Excellent or Superior score is eligible to compete at the state level. At the end of the conference, an award ceremony is held in which the top score from each category is presented, and the ribbons for Excellent and Superior are announced and given out.
The State Thespian Conference takes place in mid-March every year in Las Vegas. Students travel from all across the state to attend. The conference opens with a show called "Opening Number," in which students from every school can audition to perform within a twelve-hour rehearsal the day before. The conference follows with workshops, MainStage shows that are selected by the State Board, one-act plays from different schools compete, and the individual events competition. Just like with Regionals, students compete the same way. Only this time, if they wish to compete at the International level, they must receive a Superior score. One one-act play is selected to represent the State at the International Thespian Festival. As per the other conferences, it ends with a big awards ceremony and a celebration of the year. A new state board is elected and everyone finds out they're scores. This conference is always the best of the year because of every thespian in the state of Nevada is there.
I was extremely lucky to be elected onto the State Board my senior year of high school. Nevada Thespian state board became my second family. With a combination of teachers and students, the board runs every event throughout the year. Being on the board led to me growing as a leader and to meet so many wonderful thespians throughout the state. I can honestly say being a part of Nevada Thespians has influenced me to be the person I am today. The thespian community is a community that you are a part of for the rest of your life.
There is also the International Thespian Festival every year in June, where thespians from across the country as well as internationally are invited to attend. If a piece received a Superior rating at their state level, they are welcome to compete at the International level. ITF is so much more than just competing though. There are so many opportunities to watch shows, attend workshops, make friends. There are activities that you can attend, like dances and scavenger hunts. Once a year, thousands of thespians from around the world gather to celebrate their love of theatre.
Currently, I still help out and volunteer at conferences as an alumni. I help teach workshops and help judge at competitions. Being around people who are all a part of this thespian community is just refreshing. We all share the experience of attending these conferences and festivals, which connects us all. We are all so passionate about what we love and what we do, and we all share the love of theatre. I am proud to say I am a thespian, and always will be.
