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ITF Main Stage: Antigone in Munich

Matt Curtis — Mon, 01 May 2023 14:13:28 +0000

Troupe 2075 from Mount Carmel Academy, an all-female high school in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been garnering attention for their powerful production of Antigone in Munich by Claudia Haas. Drawing inspiration from Sophocles’ classic Greek tragedy, the play brings new life to the timeless themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice by recounting the story of a group of German university students who resist the Nazi regime during World War II. The production has been selected to perform at the International Thespian Festival in June 2023.

Kristi Jacobs-Stanley, director of the production and teacher at Mount Carmel Academy, shared, “We selected Antigone in Munich because of its relevance to the current world situation. The play is about moral courage and resistance, and it is an important reminder that we all have a responsibility to stand up for what is right, even when it is difficult.”

The story of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose Society is not as well-known as other World War II stories, but it is one that is so identifiable today. Sophie and her friends faced great danger as they spoke out against the Nazi regime, but their bravery and commitment to doing what was right continues to inspire people around the world. By updating the setting and reimagining the storyline of Sophocles’ Antigone, the play offers a fresh perspective on the original work, while still capturing its spirit and message. Through the character of Antigone, the play explores the importance of fighting for what is right, even when doing so comes at a great personal cost. Mount Carmel Academy’s talented cast and crew bring this powerful story to life, offering audiences a chance to reflect on the importance of courage, determination, and resilience.

Jacobs-Stanley also shared a fun fact about the production: “We had to get creative with our casting because we are an all-female school with limited access to male performers. So, some of our female actresses are playing male characters in the show!”

Finally, Jacobs-Stanley wanted readers to know that “theater offers us a great opportunity to tell important stories like Antigone in Munich and inspire audiences to take action. We hope that our production will encourage others to speak out against injustice and fight for what is right.”

If you’re attending the International Thespian Festival in June 2023, be sure to catch this inspiring production of Antigone in Munich and witness the power of theatre to tell important stories and inspire change.

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Mean Girls: High School Version

Patty Craft — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 18:04:41 +0000

The International Thespian Festival (ITF) main stage hosts the most outstanding productions in school theatre. In 2023, Mean Girls: High School Version will be performed by Thespian Troupe 6896 from J. J. Pearce High School (Texas).

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savannah, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming, but ruthless Regina George. When Cady and her friends devise a “revenge party” to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a queen bee without getting stung. Adapted from Tina Fey’s hit 2004 film, Mean Girls took Broadway by storm and will leave you seeing stars.

Here’s a peek behind the curtain with director Heather Biddle. (At the time of this posting, you can still register for ITF and see this production live and in-person!)

DRAMATICS: Why this show right now? What considerations were made in the selection process?

BIDDLE: The story in Mean Girls: High School Version is important to be told right now because we live in a society where people feel protected to say whatever they want online. We have forgotten that behind the screens are real people with real feelings. Mean Girls might not only be about social media its perils, but it plays into the larger message very clearly: that everyone is dealing with something. We never truly know what is going on with others.

DRAMATICS: Finish this sentence. You wouldn’t know it but…

BIDDLE: If you’re thinking of producing this show at your school, we highly recommend using Broadway Media for the projections. Their products make it so easy – you could do the entire show with only a cyc and some tables. Scene changes are seamless and Broadway Media makes it so easy for your audience to imagine that they are in the world of the show. Borrow rolling tables and desks from your school’s cafeteria and your set budget it minimal!

Additionally, costumes for this show are so simple, if you have any parents who are collectors, I can guarantee they have all the costumes you will need. Bonus points for chunky belts, Doc Martens, and tank tops over t-shirts.

DRAMATICS: Tell us about the unique creative process you had during the rehearsal period.

BIDDLE: We are without a theatre for the next 18 months, so we blocked the entire show in other areas of the school, like a locker room, a gym, a hallway, and other non-theatrical spaces. We rented the Allen Performing Arts Center for our performances, and because of these challenges, tech week was only the third time we had been on a real stage during our entire rehearsal process.

We would be remiss not to thank to our wonderful friends at Richardson High School (our district neighbor school) for letting us use their theatre a few times before our tech rehearsals began. The lesson we learned is this: You do not need to have a traditional stage if the story is good. The story and your company will make it all work!

Patty Craft is content manager for Dramatics.org.

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Lend Me a Tenor

Patty Craft — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 17:04:30 +0000

The main stage at the International Thespian Festival (ITF) shines with the best in high school theatre. In 2023, Lend Me a Tenor will be performed by Thespian Troupe 1470 from Mount Vernon High School (Iowa).

Set in September 1934, Lend Me a Tenor follows the story of Saunders, the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, who is primed to welcome world-famous singer Tito Merelli – known as “Il Stupendo,” the greatest tenor of his generation – to appear for one night only as the star of the opera. Tito arrives late, and through a hilarious series of mishaps, is given a double dose of tranquilizers and passes out. In a frantic attempt to salvage the evening, Saunders persuades his assistant, Max, to get into Merelli’s costume and fool the audience. Madcap, screwball hijinks ensue, guaranteed to leave you teary-eyed with laughter.

Mount Vernon High School’s Troupe director, Tom Stephens, took us behind the scenes. (At the time of this posting, you can still register for ITF and see this production live and in person!)

DRAMATICS: Why Lend Me a Tenor now? Why this show for this season?

STEPHENS: “COVID obviously impacted the ability to offer programming in the arts everywhere. We lost our spring production in 2020 and have slowly built our theatre department back with virtual audiences, masked actors, and small cast shows just like everyone,” he says. “This year, when it finally felt like we’ve regained a sense of normalcy, we wanted to do something lighthearted, engaging, and just plain fun. Nothing beats a farce, and Lend Me a Tenor is one of the best. Full live audiences were welcomed back to our performing arts center to enjoy the escape that only live theatre can offer.

DRAMATICS: Please finish this sentence. You wouldn’t know it but…

“I’m a big baseball fan. In fact, it’s my goal to take my son to see all 30 MLB ballparks (we’ve made it to 20 so far). Lend Me A Tenor is set in Cleveland in 1934. In 1932, the Lorain–Carnegie Bridge opened, featuring the eight Guardians of Traffic art deco statues (the namesake of the newly re-christened Cleveland Guardians baseball team). Our hotel suite set features a large black and white photo of one of these Guardians as a period-correct nuance and also as a nod to my personal interests. IYKYK.

Another fact you likely wouldn’t know is that we’re a very small school with only 440 students. Performing on the ITF main stage is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. I credit the work ethic of the students and the amazing support of our community. We are so humbled and appreciative of being included in this year’s #ThesFest and can’t wait to see everyone in Bloomington!”

Patty Craft is content manager for Dramatics.org.

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Damn Yankees

Patty Craft — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 15:38:11 +0000

The main stage at the International Thespian Festival (ITF) hosts the best and brightest productions in school theatre. In 2023, Damn Yankees will be performed by Thespian Troupe 8503 from Bridgeland High School (Texas). It’s Faust meets professional baseball in this Broadway sendup of love and the American pastime. Based on the novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant by Douglass Wallop, Damn Yankees follows the story of middle-aged baseball fanatic Joe Boyd, who trades his soul to the devil for a chance to lead his favorite team to victory in the pennant race against the New York Yankees. Transformed into a young baseball sensation, Joe single-handedly whips the hapless Washington Senators into a winning team, only to realize the true worth of the life that he’s left behind. Debuting on Broadway in 1955 in the hayday of the golden age of musical theatre, ITF is excited to present this classic on the 2023 main stage.

Here’s a peek behind the curtain with Bridgeland director Adam Delka. (At the time of this posting, you can still register for ITF and see this production live and in-person!)

DRAMATICS: Please finish this sentence : “You wouldn’t know it, but … “

DELKA: You wouldn’t know it, but Bridgeland High School is only six years old. In this short time, we have grown our theatre department into a successful and competitive program. This experience is certainly a highlight, and we couldn’t be more excited or proud. We have also performed on the Texas Thespians Main Stage the past two years, had State University Interscholastic League Theatrical Design qualifiers, advanced to the Texas Region One-Act Play competition for three consecutive years, have earned numerous Houston Tommy Tune Awards musical theatre nominations, qualified a Best Performer contestant to the NYC Jimmy Awards, and this year we qualified more than 50 students in the ITF Thespys.

It is also interesting that we use LED screen panels versus projections in our production. We worked with Covenant Communications out of Houston to be one of the first high schools to implement this technology in a musical. This heightened the visual element, which we feel is a game changer in high school musical theatre.

DRAMATICS: Even though you’re only six years old, it seems like you have an immense amount of talent in the program.

DELKA: We have a lot of fantastic talent and dedication in the Bridgeland Theatre Company. So much so that roles are often double-cast. This year for Damn Yankees, Gloria’s and Lola’s roles are double cast, which is exciting for our audiences that get to see the musical more than once!

More About Main Stage

The main stage at ITF is the only place you can watch the best in high school theatre productions, from around the globe, all in one place. Troupes selected to perform have invested maximum amounts of time, energy, and passion for their craft to achieve this distinction. Here are all the shows you can see at ITF 2023. We hope you’re registered and we’ll see you at the show!

Patty Craft is a regular content contributor for Dramatics.org. Thanks goes to Mr. Adam W. Delka, Bridgeland High School Theatre Director, Bridgeland Theatre Company, for taking us behind the scenes of their production of Damn Yankees.

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