Salina South’s Thespian Troupe recently competed in a statewide competition and performed very well.

According to Kate Lindsay, Salina South High School Theatre Sponsor, the Troupe received several honors at the 2020 Kansas State Thespian Festival:

· South’s Thespians once again received a Gold Honor Troupe award for successfully completing the set of criteria, which includes community service activities, fund-raisers, touring productions, and other activities. Drama Club officers Jacob Sweet, Whitney Turner, Lauren Zimmerman, and Mia Dennett put together our Honor Troupe application and President Jacob Sweet presented it during the Honor Troupe interview.

· Whitney Turner and Andrew Lagerman served as State Board members – helping to organize and run the conference. Ashley Carraway and Mia Dennett were alternate members.

· Whitney Turner received a $1,000 Kansas Thespian Performance Scholarship based on her audition and thespian application. Only 10 students from across the state received scholarships from Kansas Thespians.

· Jacob Sweet received a ‘superior’ ratings on his Individual Event (IE) in Solo Musical Theatre which qualifies him to perform at the International Thespian Festival this summer. Whitney Turner, Lauren Zimmerman, Ashley Carraway & Aidan Heusman received ‘excellent’ ratings on their IE musical theatre performances.

· Troupe members also put together a troupe display showcasing the productions and activities from the past year. This year’s theme was “What Thespians Can Do” (using the musical Waitress as inspiration) so the troupe used a food prep station for the display area. It was a great way to be creative in featuring all the work the troupe has done in the past year.

· Throughout the festival, students attended workshops and performances, while also participating in college auditions, Individual Events, and Late-Night theatre activities. The Kansas Thespian Festival is a highlight of the school year for theatre students across the state.

The Kansas Thespian Festival is a wonderful educational opportunity for theatre students across the state. Approximately 1,900 attended this year’s conference; participating in workshops, performances and a variety of activities. (This included the high school students, sponsors, guest artists, and college reps.)