Table of Contents
What to Pack
All Your Questioned Answered: State Festival Edition
Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS
Two Night of Fun, One Great Cause: Night Activities at Festival
Playworks
Playmarthon
Workshops at Festival
Southern and Northern One Act Festival Review
ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED:
State Festival Edition
Vlada Bazilevskaya
What is there to do at state?
Everything you can imagine! There
are auditions: Individual Events,
College Auditions, scholarships,
etc! You can audition for
Playworks and Playwrights, or the
All-State Show. This year we are
even offering assistant directing
positions by interview! With all the
workshops offered, you are sure to
learn new skills and meet new
friends. All-Festival Event allows you
to experience the best of the best
at State Festival. Then the evenings wind down
with two great activities: the Spring Fling dance
and a screening of Thespians: the Movie!
How is the audition process for the I.E.'s?
Before you arrive at Festival check online at our
website for the Individual Events schedule, it is a
spreadsheet with I.E. time(s) and room
number(s). You will report for your audition at the
given time. You and the other performers will
then wait to be called by the judge. You will
then give your slate and give the performance
of a lifetime. Make sure that you review the rules
of your event and bring your Share Sheets and
performance rights. There will be a room monitor
timing you to make sure you don't go over the
time limit. Break a leg!
Who can you go to for help?
We have a delightful Help desk that is run by
Alumni staff members and the Adult
State Board, and they will be able
to answer all your questions. Also,
look for people wearing State
Board Shirts; they will always be
able to lend a helping hand.
Where do I go if I have nothing to
do?
Well, never fear, there is always
something to do! As well as the All
Festival event, we have workshops
throughout the day, showcases to sign up for,
and numerous auditions. Feel free to support
your friends and practice your individual events.
Make sure to check out the Thespian store for
some nice Thespian swag. And if all else fails,
grab some friends, make some new friends and
play some ensemble games!
WHAT TO PACK
Cameron LaBrie
Hello Thespians! Who’s excited for Festival? I
know that the Student State Board is super
excited for this year’s festival! We are packing
our bags and so should you! So here is a helpful
list of things that are important and useful to
bring to Festival.
 Clothing
- Comfortable shoes
- Workshop Clothes: Clothes you can move
in
- A watch: Being on time is the best!
- Troupe Spirit Apparel
- Interview/Audition Apparel: keep it classy,
keep it simple!
- an outfit for the Broadway Cares’ Spring
Fling Dance
 Pocket Change: for Snacks and to Donate
to Broadway Cares
 Toiletries
- The Basics (toothbrush, hair brush,
toothpaste, and deodorant)
- Bobby pins and hair ties! Make sure you
are ready and looking pristine for
Interviews/Auditions

Paperwork: It’s very important that you are
prepared with all your paperwork for IE’s
and interviews.
 Electronics
- A boom box (for IE Solo Musical, Dance,
etc)
- Camera: these are the memories you will
cherish for the rest of your life!)
- Batteries: the Gatorade for your
electronics
BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS
AIDS
Allison Aoun
Broadway
Cares/Equity
Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is the official
charity
of
the
International
Thespian Society. This is a great
opportunity for all thespians to
give back to the community and
the world at large. We ask you to
begin raising money now in your
own troupes, and have the Troupe
Sponsor BRING A CHECK TO TURN
IN AT REGISTRATION. Hold bake
sales, set up donation jars, have a Mime-a-thon
or create your own fundraiser. No amount is too
small. Gather the troops and band together for
a worthwhile cause!
In addition to raising money on your own,
the Student State Board is organizing continual
effort to fundraise for Broadway Cares the
weekend of State Festival. We have had charity
drive efforts in the past but this year we added a
fun little twist to the fundraising campaign. This
year we are asking you to come ready to laugh
as we will be having the ultimate showdown:
Mean Girls. As if the feature film starring Lindsey
Lohan and Tina Fey wasn’t enough of a laugh,
the battle will be up to all of us. All of your
donations are a vote that will decide what do
you want to see? Would you rather see our
interpretation of Regina George being hit by a
bus or our rendition of some of the best lines of
the movie? At State Festival, buckets of two
colors will be available to add money,
representing either the bus scene or the best
lines. Anyone who wishes to donate to
Broadway Care may do so by putting money in
the bucket representing the clip they want to
see. On the last day of Festival, the winning clip
will be shown. Hoping for a tie?
Donate money to both buckets in hopes
that they will receive the same amount and we’ll
have to show both! Our goal this year is not only
to raise as much money as possible, but also to
raise awareness in a way that enables students
of this generation to connect to the cause. This
iconic film of our generation allows a little bit of
fun to ultimately come together as California
Thespians to fundraise money and awareness for
Broadway Cares.
TWO NIGHTS OF FUN, ONE GREAT
CAUSE: Night Activities at Festival
Danielle Velasco
Thespians, need a way to unwind after a
long day of IEs, interviews and auditions? In the
past we have offer two dances, however this
year we are changing it up. This year at State
Festival, Friday night is Movie Night and Saturday
night we will dance the night away! That’s right,
on Friday night, there will be a screening of the
film Thespians the
Movie.
Then
Saturday
night,
there will be a
dance, and where
we will keep up with
the spirit of the
movie Mean Girls, it
will
be
themed
“Spring Fling”! While
we encourage creative outfits and costumes,
we do have a strict dress code that will be
enforced. So please cover your midriff and
cleavage, and avoid excessive or mature
exposure of skin. Dances are always a highlight
of our Festival, so to ensure the continuation of
the dances, crowd surfing, moshpits and fighting
are strictly prohibited.
Also, for everyone
involved no public displays of affection. Wear
comfortable shoes and let’s get to partying!
At both events the Student State Board
will be raising money for Broadway Cares/Equity
Fights AIDS, our official charity. We encourage all
students to participate in this effort and we now
offer this enticing incentive (see Broadway Cares
article for more info). Donations are collected in
donation buckets during the nightly activities.
So, make sure to bring anything from the big
bucks to pocket change because every cent
counts!
PLAYWORKS
Alicia Chavez
The International Thespian Society has a
great tradition and commitment to celebrating
all areas of theatre which include a great tribute
to young playwrights in California Playworks.
Playworks is a great event in which student write
a one act that is submitted for adjudication by
the State Board. Scripts are then chosen and
performed Main Stage during the festival.
Playworks playwrights have the privilege of
working with professional directors as their vision
come to life. The Playworks scripts have yet to be
announced but it promises to be a great
addition to our Thespian experience.
A new opportunity being offered this year
is the prospect for any thespian to apply to be a
Playworks Assistant Director. This means you
would have the privilege of being involved in
picking the cast and directing for two days. Ask
your thespian troupe director to schedule an
interview during the first day of festival if you are
interested in this great opportunity.
Always remember that there is still the
opportunity to perform in this great premiere of
work for festival. So put on your acting pants and
audition for CA Playworks! Audition, write or
direct in the fantastic opportunity to make
theatre magic happen! Hope I see you there!
PLAYMARATHON
Laura Miller
One of the great events at California
State Festival is Play Marathon, an event which
allows high schools all over California an
opportunity to screen their recent performances
main stage at CA Thespian Festival. One of last
year’s Play Marathon winners was the show,
Starmites, presented by Claremont High School.
This production also qualified to be featured at
the International Thespian’s conference in
Lincoln, Nebraska.
With 12 entries for Play Marathon this year,
Kim O’Rourke, a committee member in charge
of Playmarathon says that “there was a great
deal of diversity for Play Marathon, and it made
the choice difficult to narrow down to two
winners,”. However, two productions emerged
victorious. This year’s Play Marathon features
Glenn High School’s production, Children of a
Lesser God, and The Bishops School’s
production, The Laramie Project.
Both
productions have had a remarkable journey
making it all the way to festival.
Children of a Lesser God, by Mark Medoff,
deals with a hearing teacher in a school for
hearing impaired students for both adults and
children. The students at John Glenn High
School, Troup #2006, were directed by Patrick
Mackoy. They spent 7 months preparing for this
production. This included the entire cast learning
American Sign Language. It was taught to them
by another student who was experienced in
signing. “The body language throughout the
entire piece is brilliant,” exclaims Kim O’Rourke.
The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman
and the Teutonic Theatre Project is presented by
The Bishops School, Troupe #5619, directed by
Courtney Flanagan. In this production, the
students present a cutting from this very sensitive
treatment of a young man who was murdered in
Wyoming because of his sexual orientation. Kim
O’Rourke states, “It is a moving and unfortunate,
true story which shows the shocked reactions of
the citizens of Laramie.”
This year’s Play Marathon will be a great
experience, something you won’t want to miss!
So remember to look out for Play Marathon at
California State Festival. Come see the
spectacle for yourself and experience the
passion of each performance.
ONE ACT FESTIVALS
Audrey Sechrest
This year we continued our great tradition
of Northern/Southern Californian One Act
Festivals. These Festivals bring together high
school theatres from all over California to share
one acts, the short but sweet theatrical event.
The One Act Festival is a great place to
showcase student-directed one acts and
student-written one acts as everything and
everyone is welcome at this event. These
festivals were hosted on January 28th in Northern
California at Westmont High School and
Southern California at Alhambra High School.
The One Acts performed at the Northern
and Southern One Act Festivals are adjudicated
by judges and the performers were then able to
receive live feedback on their performance
during the course of the day. As an added
bonus, one school at each festival is chosen to
perform Main Stage at CA State Thespian
Festival. From the Northern California Thespian
One Act Festivals, Palo Alto High School’s English
Made Simple was chosen and from the Southern
Festival, Almost, Maine performed by Upland
High School was chosen.
As a great addition to the One Act
Festivals, CA State Board offered the opportunity
to perform and compete with select Individual
Events. This was the first year that we offered this
opportunity and it has proved to be a chance to
practice and perfect IE’s before State Festival.
The Individual Events offered were: Solo Musical
Theatre, Monologue and Duet Acting. Receiving
a Superior in an IE at the One Act Festival would
qualify for the Callback rounds at State Festival.
So, look for the One Act Festivals next year for
the chance to perform and meet new friends
and thespians.
WORKSHOPS AT FESTIVAL
Kelsey Stewart
California Thespian Festival is offering
some great opportunities for our fabulous
selection of workshops. Along with all of the
other events at State Festival, workshops are one
of the greatest activities offered. Taught by
theatre professionals from all over the state,
these workshops give us a chance to learn even
more about theatre, from the experts working in
their field today. As always the workshops
available this year are: acting, movement,
vocal, dance, technical, non- performance
theatre and audience.
For most, if not all of these workshops, you
will need to be wearing comfortable shoes and
clothes so that you can bust a move if
necessary. We encourage that you go to all of
your workshops. All of the workshops are fun and
exciting and offer an opportunity to expand
your knowledge and expertise. You never know
what you will learn.