North Returns to State Thespian Conference
This year, Parkway’s All-District Production of The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee was selected as one of three full-length shows to perform at Springfield, MO, on the campus of Missouri State University on Jan. 5, 6, and 7.
“When we finally found out that we were chosen to go to state, I was really excited because the musical was such a great show and I couldn’t wait to perform it one last time on a bigger stage with an even bigger audience,” said senior Josh Byun, who is an actor in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
The show will be featured on the main stage on Jan. 7 for around 1,500 students and 3 judges.
“The production will be reviewed by a panel for the International Thespian Festival. It is held at the end of June in Lincoln, Nebraska and hosts five countries. If the panel likes the show, they can offer it a slot at the Festival,” said Speech and Drama teacher Chad Little.
The State Thespian is also a great opportunity for students to learn more about subjects of particular interest, and also a great way for some students to receive special recognition for their talents.
“[At the conference, students] attend workshops they are interested in, props, dance, vocal dialects, building characters, costume design, improv, stage combat, [and] special effects. They can also participate in competitions like individual events in scenic design, lighting design, Solo Musical Theatre Performance, or Musical Theatre Group Dance. They could also be a part of our school’s Tech Challenge, where a team of five competes against other high schools for the best time in each category. We took first place in last year’s Tech Challenge,” said Little. “Some seniors have the opportunity to audition for college Scholarships funded by Missouri Thespians or can earn tuition scholarships from individual colleges.”
Each year, the conference also has a theme with which all competitions and events are based upon. This year’s theme is titled ‘Mix it up’. With such a broad theme, competitions at this year’s conference are sure to be interesting. There is undoubtedly much preparation going on behind the scenes in order to perform well at the conference, and to increase the likelihood of getting chosen to compete at the international festival.
“Students are finding songs and monologues to prepare for events and scholarship auditions, rehearing their lines for The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee and having some dress rehearsals over the winter break, practicing their knot tying and building skills,” said Little.
Students at North, part of Troupe 4551, are excited for the chance to showcase their talent to other schools, and also for the opportunity to learn, grow, and be rewarded for their days of practice and hard work.
By Steven Chaffin, Jr.