As the weeks of November progressed, the Trinity Prep Thespians celebrated a different holiday season: showtime season. On Nov. 22nd, more than 40 members of Thespian Troupe 1780 headed to Lyman High School and displayed their talents in the field of theater.
The troupe’s results were just as great as they had been in recent years. Of 22 pieces displayed, 17 recieved a superior rating, the highest possible rating in Thespian competition. The play Top Girls, featuring Cameron Miller and Ailsa McFadyen-Mungall, won best in show for the Duet Acting portion. Senior Karsen Green won the District Three scholarship for students pursuing an acting degree in college.
On the technical side of the tournament, sophomore Brandon Israel recieved an Honorable Mention in Student Directing in his first ever Thespian competition. Fellow sophomore Robin Sharp recieved an honorable mention in Costume Design.
Although 17 pieces were eligible to go to the State Festival, only five from each school can be submitted. These pieces will include Miller and McFadyen-Mungall’s Duet Act, along with an act in the Duet Musical, Small Group Member and Ensemble Acting category. One other Duet Act will also be featured.
The District Three tournament is the first level to qualify the troupe for the international event, preceded by the State Festival. The scores are based on a five part rating system, ranging from poor to superior. In order to make it to the state competition, a piece must receive a superior ranking. Then, those pieces are weeded out into five talented acts that will move on to the next level of competition.
Schools can participate in up to three types of events displaying their talent at Districts. Some of these events include Solo Musical, Duet Acting, Pantomime and Ensemble Acting.
“This year I’m taking an Ensemble Acting Piece from a show called Dinner with Friends,” co-president Joy Harlynking said. “I’m also acting in a student directed scene where Nicholas Reifler is directing a scene from the show Electra.”
Senior Thespian co-presidents, Karsen Green and Joy Harlynking, were in charge of preparing the troupe for Districts. As leaders, the two must coordinate activities at the festival between other troupes and their own troupe.
“As co-presidents, Joy and I arrange bake sales, organize drama club nights out and basically remind everyone of the things that they have to be doing to prepare for the Thespian competition,” Green said. “This year, Joy and I really wanted to focus our presidency on bringing the Thespians together as a whole and allowing us all to become closer.”
Both Harlynking and Green said that the new freshmen members were significant forces to be reckoned with in the competition. Some of these new members included Liam O’Connor, Madeline Myers and Alexandra Rick, all of whom performed in a piece at the competition. Many, including Myers and O’Connor, also had roles in the recent musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Last year, the Thespians had great success at the District Three tournament. Trinity won 17 superior ratings in individual events, and was also one of four qualifiers in the one-act category to advance to the state competition. In addition, Kiko Ilagan and Madeline Walker won Best Featured Actor and Actress, respectively.
At the State Festival, Troupe 1780 received five superior ratings and two excellent ratings.
As a member of the International Thespian Society, Trinity Prep Troupe 1760 performs all around Florida at festivals and in competitions.
In just a few weeks, they will head to the District Three competition in an effort to advance to the state competition in Tampa.
Any Trinity Thespian will tell you that being a Thespian is more than just acting in a play.
In addition to acting in traditional dramas, thespians work as stage managers, act in comedies and perform musical acts.
In order to qualify as a lifetime International Thespian Society member, students must obtain a number of ‘points’.
To acquire points, students must act in school plays, assist in stage management and volunteer in theater related activities.
One point generally correlates to one hour of activities.
After becoming a member, actors can climb the ranks of the Thespian society and earn new titles such as a Three Star Thespian by obtaining more points.
The Thespian hierarchy reaches all the way up to an International Honor Thespian by obtaining 180 points.
Before the District Three festival even began, the presidents accurately predicted their results.
“This year, because our Thespian troupe has so many people, it would be amazing if we could take home a few best in shows,” Green said. “With the talent and heart in our troupe, I know that it can be done.”
The Florida State Thespian Festival will begin on March 22, 2015.
