Submitted
On 01/04/2024 through 01/06/2024, Central High School Thespian Troupe 639 attended the Kansas Thespian Festival 2024 at the Hyatt Regency and Century II Convention Center in Wichita, KS. It competed in several categories, earning many awards, including Gold Honor Troupe for its year of work on productions, community service, fundraising, and troupe activities. Troupe 639 also received the highest honors of performing as a Mainstage production with their production of Noises Off! winning the Chapter Select One Act Competition for the fourth consecutive year and setting an all-time record of consecutive wins by a single school in this category for the Festival and qualifying the production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for the International Thespian Festival 2024. Wyatt Angell was selected as a State Thespian Officer for the 2024-2025 Festival. Several students received superior ratings on their individual events (known as Thespys), qualifying them for the International Thespian Festival in June.
Students also attended workshops by professional presenters, connected with other thespians from around the state, and shared their love of theatre with other young artists in both performance and competition events. CHS troupe 639 will be working on raising funds to present their champion one act at the International Thespian Festival 2024. This is an honor awarded to only one high school in the entire state, an honor that has been held by the Troupe 639 for four consecutive years.
What is the International Thespian Society?
The International Thespian Society (ITS), founded in 1929, is an honorary organization for high school and middle school theatre students located at more than 4,900 affiliated secondary schools across America and abroad. The mission of ITS is to honor student achievement in the theatre arts. High school inductees are known as Thespians and junior high/middle school inductees are known as Junior Thespians. ITS is a division of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA). Kansas Thespians falls under this organization as the state chapter.
Salina Central results at State Thespian Festival
Gold Honor Troupe (video submission made by Michelle Simmons depicting community service, productions, fundraising efforts, and public outreach during the 2023)
Noises Off was selected as a mainstage production
Directed by Barbara Hilt
Technical Direction by Bill Weaver
Students performed for full houses twice as the opening production in the Mary Jane Teall Theater on January 4th, 2024.
Cast: Jaxson Rutz, Zander Flener, Mackenzie Martinez, Brynn Shaft, Andrew Graber, Mac Sheforgen, Kasheia Peterson, Benjamin Campbell, Quinn Duxler
Crew: Alyssa Maas, Keaton Myers, Bishop Talbott, Katie Morgan, Ellie Riekhof, Donovan Johnson, Kaiden Comeau, Madison Berndt, Mari Brown-Mereles, Jayda Rasmussen, Gabriel Freeland, Alyx Parker, Carson Ablard, Marcos Lira, Wyatt Angell, Anna Kraft
Ushers: Katherine White, Lin Miller, Shya Helzer
Wyatt Angell (so) was elected as a State Thespian Officer at the festival and will help host the event with other elected officers from around the state. Anna Kraft (so) was also a finalist.
State Board Officers: Alyssa Maas (jr), Brynn Shaft (jr)
Alternate State Board Officers: Wyatt Angell (so), Anna Kraft (so)
1st place in Chapter Select One Act (fourth consecutive year champions)
by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin
directed by Barbara Hilt & stage managed by Kasheia Peterson (sr)
Chosen to perform at the International Thespian Festival at University of Indiana Bloomington June 23-28
Cast: Jaxson Rutz (sr), Michelle Simmons (sr), Benjamin Campbell (sr), Donovan Johnson (sr), Alyssa Maas (jr), Mackenzie Martinez (sr), Mac Sheforgen (so), Brynn Shaft (jr), Zander Flener (sr), Andrew Graber (so)
Crew: Kasheia Peterson (sr), Wyatt Angell (so), Anna Kraft (so), Bishop Talbott (so), Joseph Zepeda (sr), Keaton Myers (sr)
Pit: Guillermo Rodriguez, Tyler Breneman, Janae Montoya (sr), Brock Dolton (sr), Julian Lundberg (so), Madelyn Craft (sr)
Receiving a superior distinction in their Thespy (Individual Events) and qualifying for the International Thespian Festival:
Michelle Simmons (sr)-Solo Musical
Wyatt Angell (so)-Solo Musical
Receiving an Excellent Distinction in their Thespy (Individual Events):
1st place Lobby Display (second consecutive year)
Lillian Crow (jr), Anastasia Corl (jr) & troupe members
Students also competed in Competitive Improv, Speed Charades and Creative Costuming.
Troupe 639 Executive Board 2022-2023
President…………...............................Benjamin Campbell
Vice President……..................……….Kasheia Peterson
Secretary...............................................Alyssa Maas
Treasurer................................................Zander Flener
Publicity....................................................Mackenzie Martinez
Historian.................................................Michelle Simmons
Advocacy.................................................Anna Kraft
