As you prepare to attend our 2019 State Festival or Junior Thespian Day, here is your checklist of things to do:

PREPARE TO BATTLE with your Lip Sync! Junior Thespians will have this built into their day, but High School Thespians can also enter our Lip Sync Battle during the dance on Thursday night. Selected entries may be invited to perform during the Closing Event on the Elsinore Stage!

SHARE YOUR TALENT at the Talent Show on Friday night! During Friday’s dance, High School Thespians are encouraged to show off at the Coffee House upstairs at the Convention Center. Selected entries may be invited to perform during the Closing Event on the Elsinore Stage!

APPLY FOR HONOR TROUPE by March 22. Click here for more information.

SUBMIT YOUR PARADE OF TROUPE SLIDE by April 1. Click here!

CREATE A THEATRE ETIQUETTE VIDEO that may be shown before one of the Main Stage presentations. Click here to learn more.

STUDENTS: Connect with your STO to learn more about Dance Themes and other exciting features of this one-of-a-kind Thespian Weekend.

TROUPE DIRECTORS: Nominate yourself or others for the State Board, or for one of several Awards to be presented at the Closing Event. Click here!

PARTICIPANT FORMS must be duplicated and signed by everyone attending. Troupe Directors should click here for the forms and further instructions.

DOWNLOAD GUIDEBOOK! This free app for iOS and Android devices will be in important information source during the Festival. You can download the app any time. We hope to have our Festival Guidebook live by April 1. No fooling!

GET READY FOR TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT! We are filled to the max this year, and there are literally hundreds of students who wanted to register but couldn’t due to our limited capacity. If you are among the lucky ones to attend this year, don’t let any opportunity presented go to waste! Come to the Festival fully EMPOWERED to make the most of it!

The success of Thespian Events is heavily dependent on qualified Judges for both our Regionals and State activities.  We need every Troupe to participate in the recruitment of qualified judges.  Click here for more information.

There are TWO Judge Training locations on January 12, so candidates can attend the one that is most convenient. The day begins at 10 am and will last until approximately 3 pm. Everyone receives a FREE LUNCH and (if you travel more than 30 miles one way to the training site) may be paid round trip mileage.  Judges must be 21 years old and be at least 4 years removed from high school.

Northern Training Location: Rex Putnam HS in Milwaukie on Saturday, January 12. (North Regional events are at Liberty HS in Hillsboro and Reynolds HS in Troutdale on Feb 2).

Sourthern Training Location: McKay HS in Salem on Saturday, January 12. (South Regional event is at Central HS in Independence on Feb 2).

Those who attend this training are given scheduling priority to judge (earning $100) at the Regional events on Saturday, February 2. There are additional judging opportunities in April at our State Festival in Salem.

Troupe Directors and previously trained judges are strongly encouraged to attend the session as well!  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

STO Anna Williamson has launched an exciting new resource for Oregon Thespians.  From Anna:

Oregon Thespians ShowStop was created to help Thespian Troupes in the state of Oregon get in contact with each other!  Community really is what theatre is all about, but isn’t it awesome to have one big tech forum to really rely on each other like one big happy family?!?  Yes it might be way easier to just go order a cheap set piece off of ebay or craigslist, or maybe even just put an online buying option right here, but with technology growing and developing every day, wouldn’t it be nice to make a (almost) human interaction?  We think so! Now, go forth and TRADE!!!

Getting Your Account Going:  If your troupe does not already have access to ShowStop, no need to worry! Simply have your director email annawilliamsonsto@gmail.com.  Really, it’s that simple! Anna will give that email address access to publish item posts for your troupe.

For more information (including instructions), visit oregonthespiansshowstop.wordpress.com today!

Thank you to Anna and all the STO for their valuable contributions so far this year!

It’s not too early to start thinking about the 2019 Oregon Thespians State Festival in Salem, April 4-6.  Now is the time to consider applying to have your production featured on the Festival Main Stage.

CLICK HERE for more information on bringing a full-length production to State.  Note that everyone is invited to bring a one act!  Begin thinking ahead to get in on the act!

Also, we’re looking for GUEST ARTISTS and RESOURCE VENDORS to provide workshops, and to participate in STEVE, our State Thespian Educational Vendor Expo.  If you know of any artists who would like to propose a workshop, have them click here.

If you know of a college or university program, or someone with an opportunity or resource they’d like to share with the greater Oregon Thespians community, have them click here to apply to join us at State!

Your Board will be meeting in December to make initial decisions regarding Guest Artists and Workshops.  Help spread the word!

The 2019 OTEA (Oregon Theatre Educators Association) Conference is Friday and Saturday, October 12 and 13 at the Hallmark Resort in Newport.  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for this important opportunity to network with your fellow professionals, and explore the many hats we wear as we advocate both for our kids and our programs.

Among the guest speakers/presenters is Jon Bullock. Jon is currently the Executive Director for the Redmond Proficiency Academy.  He has been a City Council Member, Academic Board Member for Southern Oregon University, and has been involved in countless layers of education & educational leadership development.  You can click here to read more about Jon.

The discounted room rate at the Hallmark Inn is no longer available, but lodging options abound in Newport.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION and register by October 9.

The day begins Friday with check in from 8:30 to 9:30 am at the Hallmark Resort in Newport.  Lunch is provided, and no-host dinner opportunities will follow afternoon sessions, ending at approximately 5 pm.  An evening reception will feature an excellent opportunity to spend student-free time with your fellow theatre educators from across the state.

Breakfast on Saturday begins at 8:30 am, with breakout sessions following,  ranging from Teen Mental Health, to Cultural Sensitivity, and Improving/Building Relationships with School Administration.  We end at 11:30 am on Saturday.

WELCOME BACK!  We have exciting things in store!  Here are a few things needing your immediate attention:

INSTANT THEATRE is the new name for Oregon Thespians’ Improv Festival, and this year we’re adding TECH to the mix, thanks to the work of our very creative and industrious STO.  The event is October 6 at McNary HS in Keizer.  Registration is online and must be done by September 27.  Click here for more information.

THE ANNUAL OTEA CONFERENCE for teachers is in Newport on October 12 and 13.  Online registration is now open!  Click here for further information.

COLLEGE AUDITIONS will be offered for Thespian Seniors this year, on October 14 at Artists Repertory Theatre.  We are currently up to 20 colleges attending.  We’re excited to make this event a mainstay on our calendar.  Click here for details and application procedures.

Mark your calendars now!  Location specifics will be updated soon.  Make plans to join us for another great year of Thespian events in Oregon!

We are in the process of finalizing event hosts and sites.  Additional important dates such as Judge Training, Board Meetings, and Registration Deadlines will be posted as available.

Note, for future planning, that Improv is generally the first Saturday in October, Regionals are generally the first Saturday in February, and State is generally the first weekend in April.

NOTE: Event locations in italics are in the process of being confirmed.  These initial locations will be set by the start of next school year and their status will be updated here.

2018-2019 Dates

Camp Thespis – August 10-12 (Camp Tamarack)

EdTA Conference (Denver) – September 13-16

Leadership Summit (Ashland) – September 22-23

Instant Theatre! (McNary HS) – October 6

OTEA – October 12-13 (Newport)

Judges Training (Rex Putnam HS and McKay HS) – January 12

Junior Thespian Play Day (ACMA) – January 19

Regionals (S, Central HS: NE, Reynolds HS; NW, Liberty HS)  – February 2

State (Salem) – April 4-6

To navigate the 2018 Oregon Thespians Festival, you need to use GUIDEBOOK.

Download this free resource on your device and always have the most up-to-date information about schedules, workshops, one-acts, times, locations, and special announcements.  CHANGES OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVAL.

Click here to get Guidebook now!

We will have an updated list posted near REGISTRATION at the Convention Center, but you can have all you need in the palm of your hand by clicking HERE.

If you’d like to download and print your own copy of the initial information (subject to change, so check for updates on the Guidebook or the posted schedule at Festival) you can CLICK HERE.  This will be out of date almost as soon as you download it, but you’ll have a great idea of all the great stuff waiting for you at the 2018 OREGON THESPIANS STATE FESTIVAL:  THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE STATE!

Life is a journey, and at this year’s Oregon Thespians State Festival, we’re going to be celebrating that journey with our ALL STATE SHOW.

In keeping with the Oz-themed fun of this year’s Festival (THESPIANS: THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE STATE) students are encouraged to bring songs, scenes, monologues, original work, movement pieces … you name it … that illuminate your journey.  What moves you down that yellow brick road?  What’s over your rainbow?

Auditions will be in the Marion Room of the Grand Hotel in Salem (connected to the Salem Convention Center) from 2 pm to 5 pm on Thursday, April 5.  Audition slots will be filled on a first-come first-served basis.  Additional auditioning will be done during the dance that evening, from 10:30 to 11:30 pm.

Please bring 2 typed copies of your script to the audition – this includes lyrics, poetry, monologues, scenes, songs … movement pieces should have descriptions.  Recorded music should be easily accessible via bluetooth.

If you have any questions regarding the All State Show, contact Janet VanWess at vanwessj@hsd.k12.or.us.

Those selected will rehearse during workshop sessions.  The All State Show will be performed at the closing of the Festival on Saturday afternoon.