International Thespian Festival 2023

The International Thespian Festival 2023 is the premiere teen theatre experience! The festival is June 19-23, 2023, on the campus of Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. As a teaching artist who has presented at festival in the past, my team and I will be bringing workshops again this year and we hope you’ll join us. You’ll learn how-to tips on makeup for darker skin tones, styling Black hair safely, and much more!

As I say in the video, “You know what to do.” Get registered for the International Thespian Festival 2023 (#ThesFest) now and start making plans with your theatre friends. Along with workshops there are full-length main stage shows, college auditions, an exhibit hall full of cool theatre tools and products to check out. And most of all … thousands of theatre lovers all in one place!

More reasons to come to ITF 2023

Here’s a bit more incentive to get registered for #ThesFest, your ITO will be there for the week. Connecting with them IRL gives you firsthand experience with student leaders making a positive difference for theatre. Talk with them and be inspired to get more involved with the power of theatre in our schools.

You don’t want to miss full-length main stage shows, chapter selects, and so many other live performances. Last year I saw shows including Beauty and the Beast and Fela. The Educational Theatre Association’s Pathway program brought Fela to the festival and it was A-MAZING! Pathway enhances the school theatre experience and makes an impact in communities facing racial disparity by creating opportunities for students to work with industry professionals of color while performing works that encourage dialogue around racial equity.

“Fela” at the International Thespian Festival 2022. Photo courtesy David Slaughter Photography Network.

Destinee Steele has an MFA in wig and makeup design. She is the CEO of The Beauty Menagerie, LLC. She is also a Founding Board Member of Black Hair and Makeup United. Destinee is a regular content contributor to Dramatics.org. To learn more visit her at destineesteele.com.