Joining the Raven Players Chapter
of the International Thespian Society
What is a Thespian?
Actors and actresses are called thespians in honor of Thespis, a Greek playwright and performer. Around 535 B.C.,
Thespis added a new dimension to drama by stepping out of the Greek chorus during a performance and reciting
portions of the text alone, becoming the first actor. He is also credited with inventing the theatrical mask.
“It is generally supposed that Thespis, who managed a traveling company, transported his actors in wagons, which
also served as their stage,” according to The Cassell Companion to Theatre, which quotes this couplet from John
Dryden:
Thespis, the first professor of our art,
At country wakes sang ballads from a cart.
Thespian with an uppercase “T” refers to a member of the International Thespian Society, the world’s largest
honor society for theatre students. The designation “Thespian” includes student members who excel in technical
and production fields as well as performance in their high school theatre. Junior Thespians are middle school/
junior high members of ITS.
Benefits of Thespian induction
Membership in the only international honor society for high school theatre arts students—a recognized
demonstration of achievement and a valuable addition to college and employment applications.
A membership certificate (see “Thespian credentials” below).
A personalized membership card (see “Thespian credentials” below).
A one-year (nine issues) subscription to Dramatics magazine (a $27 value). The first issue will arrive
within 6 to 8 weeks for students inducted August through March. Students inducted April through July
will receive their first issue in September.
The ability to renew the subscription at a special member rate ($15 as of 4/1/10). Note: All Thespians are
sent renewal notices before their subscription expires. This provides them the opportunity to continue
receiving the magazine at our lowest member rate, and is a lifelong benefit.
Leadership opportunities at the troupe, chapter, and international levels.
Eligibility for scholarships through EdTA chapters and the home office.
Eligibility to apply for student grants, including the Doug Finney Festival Grants (juniors and seniors),
which are need-based grants to help Thespians attend the ITS Festival.
Eligibility to audition at the Thespian Festival for admission to college theatre programs.
Eligibility to submit original plays to the Thespian Playworks program.
Eligibility to audition for chapter Individual Events programs and qualify for the National Individual
Events Showcase (NIES) at the Thespian Festival.
Eligibility to receive Thespian graduation and honor items (honor cords, point stars, pins, etc.).
Eligibility to advance to Thespian ranks of Honor, National Honor, or International Honor Thespian.
Eligibility to receive Thespian scholar distinction for academic achievement.
The Official High School Thespian Point System
The International Thespian Society (ITS) is the honor society for theatre students. Membership is granted for the performance
of meritorious work in theatre arts that meets the Society’s general guidelines.
Troupe directors must notify theatre arts program participants that records of their activities will be maintained and that
Thespian membership may be conferred when qualifications have been met. The troupe director makes the final decision
regarding the awarding of Thespian points. The troupe secretary or clerk is often responsible for maintaining point records,
which should be available for student review.
The recommended Thespian point awards listed on the next page provide the troupe director with a quick and easy way to
award points for work performed in the theatre programs. Numbers indicate the point awards for the duties listed. Troupe
directors may award up to 2 additional points for any task performed with exceptional merit, and can use their discretion in
awarding points—from 0 to the maximum—according to the quality of effort and work accomplished.
The following are general guidelines for the awarding of Thespian points:
• Inductees must earn 10 points, 5 of which should be awarded for work done at the school where he or she will be
inducted.
• In general, 1 point represents approximately 10 hours of excellent work. Troupe directors should use this formula in
awarding points for categories not specifically listed in the recommended Thespian point awards.
• A Thespian moving to another affiliated school is entitled to transfer his or her membership. Transferring Thespians bring a
minimum of 10 points with them to the new school. See the Thespian Troupe Handbook for details.
• Induction points should be earned through participation in at least two full-length productions, or one full-length and two
one-acts, or four one-acts.
• Induction points should be earned in at least two of the listed categories, for example, acting and production. Students will
not become full Thespians until they have earned points in at least two categories.
• Thespian membership will be made available on an equitable basis to all students who qualify. No student will be elected
into the Society. No student will be denied membership if he or she has accumulated the required 10 points and has fulfilled
all membership requirements.
***ALL INFORMATION HAS BEEN COPIED FROM THE ITS WEBPAGE. Visit www.EDtA.org
for more information.***
NEW JERSEY STATE THESPIAN FESTIVAL - This year the festival will be on March 24 & 25,
2012 at Kean University. Troupe members who choose to attend with Mrs. Sussman will be able to
perform in various festival categories, compete in a variety of theatre design and production categories,
watch and network with student performers from other schools, participate in a variety of workshops
with theatre artists, and, if seniors, audition for colleges and for scholarships. Information will be
forthcoming about this year’s festival as soon as we receive the materials from the state.
To enroll in the International Thespian Society, please complete the form below and return with your one
time payment of $25 no later than Friday, October 21. This is the only time we are enrolling members
for the 2011-2012 school year. If your form is late, you will not be able to join ITS until June. The
official induction ceremony with letters, pins, certificates, etc will all take place at our Raven Players
awards dinner each year in June.
Thespian Point Awards
Category
Position/work done
One
Act
Full
Length
Acting
Major role
Minor role
Walk-on
Chorus
Dancer
Understudy
4
3
1
1
1
1
8
5
2
3
3
2
Stage manager
Asst Stage Manager
Stage crew
Lighting crew
Set designer
Set construction crew
Costumer
Costume crew
Properties master
Properties crew
Sound crew
Makeup manager
Production Asst
Musicians
4
3
2
2
4
3
3
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
8
5
4
3
5
4
6
4
5
3
3
2
4
3
Graphic Design
Publicity crew
House crew
2
2
1
3
3
2
One
Act
Category
Position/work done
Directing
Director
Directing Assistant
Vocal director
Asst vocal director
Asst vocal director
Choreographer
Asst choreographer
Dance Captain
4
2
3
2
2
4
3
Original play (prod.)
5
Production
Full
Length
6
5
5
3
Writing
Miscellaneous
Participation in theatre
festival or contest
Attending theatre festival
Teaching Creative
Dramatics Workshop
Stock Clean-out in summer
Attendance at 25+ club meetings
3
1/day
1/session
1 per 10 hrs
3
Officers
Business
President
Vice president
Secretary
6
4
5
Thespian Honor Rank Summary
Thespian points earned
Thespian rank
Honor signified by…
10
Thespian induction.
Membership card, certificate, and
induction pin awarded.
25
Thespian
Raven Players letter
50
Honor Thespian
Drama Mask pin for letter
75 + 2 semesters of theatre class with
an A- or above average
Honor Scholar Thespian
Honor Scholar Thespian pin
120
National Honor Thespian
National Honor Thespian pin
100 + 3 semesters of theatre class with
an A- or above average
National Honor Scholar Thespian
Graduation cords and National Honor
Thespian pin
180
International Honor Thespian
International Honor Thespian pin
180 + 3 semesters of theatre class with
an A- or above average
International Honor Scholar Thespian
Graduation stole and International
Honor Thespian pin
*This point ranking is a modified version of what exists on the official EdTA page. The categories included reflect only what we
offer as a high school with the titles that we use here in order to make it easier for our students to track their points. To that end,
Evening of Stars, Improv Smackdown, and Shakespeare Festival will each be considered a One Act for the purposes of awarding
points for participation.