ITF National Conference June 2017

Well we finally went back to Lincoln, NE for another round of the Annual International Thespian Festival, and as always it was a huge success!

Mr. Schaefer and 6 students from Webster Groves High School Troupe 191 attended. They all took workshops, several competed, one represented our MO chapter as an STO, and as always we saw a ton of shows.

We rented a minivan and Mr. Schaefer drove us up to the Festival. We made good time for the most part and like before it took about 7 hours to get there.

The students that attended the 2017 Conference were:

Elliot Williams (STO,and IE invite), Kate Becker (IE invite), Hannah Leatherbarrow (Scholarship Audition), Loren Karhoff (Scholarship Audition), Rowan Van Horn, and Logan Corzine

The Conference takes place on the University of NE -Lincoln Campus

We left St Louis Monday morning at 8:00am from WGHS and headed northwest through Kansas City and up to NE.

Troupe 191 represent'n (missing Elliot)

We arrived around 4:00pm and immediately checked in at the LIED Theater, got most of the information we needed for the week. Then we went to the dorms to get our rooms.

Elliot was up there representing the MO Chapter and had to immediately go check in at an STO meeting with Mr. Rackers and the other MO STOs.

We got into our assigned rooms, got settled a bit, went down to check out the cafeteria for the first time, got some food and let we let the festivities begin...

The Festival uses the GUIDEBOOK app for the program mostly (for updates and such).

Also everyone gets a great festival t-shirt to take home with them

SHOWS

The LIED Theater was for the big productions at festival. Throughout the year it brings in some really big touring shows to the Lincoln residence. This is Lincoln's Broadway House. It has tours come through and some really big acts. Kristen Chenowith and the B52s were both going to be there soon. It is also home base of operations at the festival. (Check in, tickets, fundraising, college reps, store...etc.) It is a beautiful building inside and out.

An evening depiction of the theater from campus

 
The 2nd floor lobby and house left entrance


The KIMBALL Theater Entrance and interior. 
The space seats around 400 and has a balcony. The sound is usually pretty good and it has a full lighting system. They don't have a fly gallery on stage.

    

We also saw several one act plays in the Howell Theater.


WE SEE MANY SHOWS...

                                     

      

 

 

  

A SPECIAL Moment...

Mr. Peter Sargent (from Webster University) was honored with a special award for his 50 years of service in the theater arts, teaching and designing.

                    He was extremely humble and is a great role model for young thespians

WORKSHOPS

There are a ton of workshops you can take while you attend the festival. Mr. Schaefer happened to catch two of our students in a sword fighting workshop.

 

Logan and Rowan getting a tutorial on fight choreography

COMPETITIONS

Individual Event

(DUET ACTING)

Kate Becker and Elliot Williams

Performed their cutting from Three Days of Rain

Kate and Elliot performed in front of three judges and a room of spectators. 

DANCES

There are dances every night with different themes and Troupe 191 decided to dress up a bit for the 1920's themed dance and went after the show that night. The dances are hot, sweaty and stinky. Luckily the weather was great. We got some heat during the day but at night it cooled off a bit.

What a great group of theater students!

 We had a great time at this year's conference, traveled back home safely, and we hope we get to go back again soon! The ITF experience is so valuable for the student looking at further studies in the artform. We meet so many professionals at this festival and the talent we are exposed to at the shows is wonderful.