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By: STO Lia Graham, Texas High School, Troupe 2526
Goodbyes are never fun. Spring is always bittersweet for the STOs as it comes time to pass the torch onto the 2021 board, but the 2020 STOs have a few farewells. Some faces you will see for another year, but the rest take their place in the STO Hall of Fame. Here’s some words of advice from the 2020 Texas Thespians State Thespian Officers; “The most valuable lesson I have learned is definitely how to advocate. Advocating for Theatre Education has made a lasting impact on my community and helped to inspire the students that feel their voices won’t make an impact. I’m going to miss the people, the STOs, and the adults, but I’m also going to miss working with and for Texas Thespians. This organization truly changes students’ lives and paves paths for them and their future.”
“I’ve learned that every new opportunity that comes up, take it. The most valuable skill I’ve learned is how to incorporate and compromise the ideas of everyone. I am going to miss all of the STO’s that are graduating because I never knew how close I could become to these people in such a short amount of time. I’m looking forward to making next year’s Thespians even better than this past year! (And this past year was pretty amazing)!”
“The most valuable skill I’ve gained is the ability to make effective, concise, and more aesthetically pleasing presentations, which is something I struggled a lot with before. I’m going to miss teaching about Advocacy and getting to talk for a full 45 minutes about it to people who are so willing to listen.”
“It is insane how much connecting with other thespians can increase your knowledge of both theatre and leadership as a whole. During COVID I realized how important it is for thespians to be around other thespians. Despite not seeing each other in person all that much, I still feel emotionally attached to every single STO, and I am incredibly thankful for every second I've experienced with this family. Being on a call and seeing everyone's incredible personalities and working with these amazing leaders has been something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
“I have effectively learned how to advocate for myself and the arts. You won’t always be the best at something, so it’s more important to operate as a team to fully succeed at your goals. I’m going to miss the relationships I built with the STOs. They are my family, and now I’m sad it’s all ending.”
“A lot that I did not realize before being an STO is it requires a great deal of organization, taking responsibility, and ownership. The most valuable skill I’ve learned is editing videos in a short period of time. What I'm going to miss the most is the zoom calls, meeting up, connecting, and making videos.”
“One of the most valuable skills I've learned through being an STO is turning things in on time. Working in such a large group with many tasks and goals, by turning things in on time, we are able to complete our tasks and goals more efficiently. Prior to being an STO, I was rather hesitant about communicating in large groups. However, I was able to overcome this and be better at talking in large groups.”
“This year is not what we expected it to be. When we heard that festival would be virtual and that we couldn’t meet for STO camp, we could have easily given up. We all know that would never happen though. Even through a global pandemic, we led, advocated, and reached out. I am so proud of the work all thespians across Texas have accomplished, and I can’t wait to see where this foundation takes them next.”
“The thing I will miss most is definitely getting to work with my fellow STOs. They are some of the greatest people I have ever met and I am going to miss them so much! I am looking forward to being able to continuously make Texas Thespians better than we found it. I can't wait to work with the 2021 board to continue to make Texas Thespians amazing!
“I’m going to miss the people on this board the most and the connections we’ve gotten to make virtually this year across the state. I’m looking forward to taking what I’ve learned and using it to lead this new board to success. I’m looking forward to planning festival and leading a hopefully in person festival as an STO.”
“Being an STO has definitely made me appreciate every little thing that goes into setting up things like festival or leadership camps because I never knew how much time and effort it required. I’ve learned to appreciate everyone and everything that people offer and give up so they can help others. I’m very excited for next year because I’ll have more understanding of the expectations of events and processes the STOs undergo.”
“I think the most valuable lesson I’ve gained from being an STO is being able to fully appreciate teamwork. I’ve always worked on teams in the past, but it really wasn’t until I served on this board where I truly saw the importance and value of teamwork. I was never afraid to not have help, because everybody was so open, kind, and always willing to lend a helping hand.”
“Being an STO helped me improve on my team work skills and helped me learn to lean on people to become a better person and leader. When we were all chosen we didn’t know a pandemic was going to happen, so this taught us to have back up plans and also to adapt to overcome. Although I didn’t get to see them a lot in person, they have truly impacted my life with all their support and love. Each and everyone one of them has made me a better person and leader.”
“I’ve learned that not everything is going to go your way like you plan, so you have to embrace the change coming. You have to work hard even on the days you don’t want to continue persevering. I’ve definitely learned to be flexible and how to navigate through technology better, especially with COVID-19 throwing off a majority of our year, I think we all learned to adapt to changes very quickly.”
“Because of my time as an STO, I have learned many valuable things, but my experience working with a team to try and get things done is what I will most likely take with me for the rest of my life. Through being an STO I have learned a lot about time management and meeting deadlines.”
“We as a STO board had to work together even though we only met each other in person twice. My leadership skills are something that have grown. By being a STO, you have to be a leader and also be on the receiving end of leadership. I’ll miss the people. Getting to work with them is what made this experience worth it.”
“The most valuable lesson I've learned through being a State Thespian Officer is to trust the process. Things may look messy and disorganized at first, but trust your teammates. If you listen and work through the rough patches, the end product will turn out better than you imagined.”
With love, Your 2020 Texas State Thespian Officers
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By: STO Gabriel Brock, Goose Creek Memorial High School, Troupe 8132; STO Folarin Oyeleye, Foster High School, Troupe 7961
The 2020-2021 school year has been one for the history books. Every aspect of school life was flipped on its head, and the UIL season was not any exception. This year One-Act Play and Theatrical Design both saw significant renovations to the contest structure and procedure. While OAP entered its 20th competition year, having to make a significant shift from how the contest functioned in the past, the Theatrical Design’s format played a considerable part in how it operated this year. We sat down (virtually) with Rachael Gomez, the UIL Theatrical Design State Director, and talked with her about how UIL Theatrical Design operated this school year amidst the Covid pandemic. Q: Theatrical Design is probably the UIL event best suited for operating during Covid because of the event’s format, but how has the contest functioned this year? A: We knew what our situation was going to be, and we knew it had to be virtual. We set it up in such a way that saved the integrity of the event but kept everyone safe; we wanted it that way. We didn’t have to rent any space, which meant we would be able to really help out other contests financially by making that choice as well. UIL Covid protocols were already going to limit the number of participants. So having OAP and Theatrical Design [in the same venue], would cause extra chaos or people to be on the same site. It just made sense to do it virtual this year. Q: How would Theatrical Design work at State during an in-person year? A: At State [during a regular year], you send your stuff in, it goes up on display, and you know what it and everybody elses’ looks like. I haven't been able to turn [the submissions] into a gallery for everybody to be able to see that digital work. You get to see everything. If you go to the State and you get to walk through that gallery. Oh, I just miss that so much. Beautiful. Yes, it’s like looking at a travel brochure instead of being at the site, you know? Q: Have there been any unique challenges or tribulations faced this year? A: We had the weather kind of hit. We were all set up to have everybody enter, and then that's when the snowpocalypse came on and that was right at our deadline. Because that was the week before preliminaries were due. The oral aspect, which was introduced two years ago, is probably the one major part of the contest [that would be the hardest logistically to implement]. I don't see how we're gonna be able to Zoom each person in to have 30 seconds with the judge and out. That just sounds logistically, horrible. If we can figure out how to make it happen, we're all for it. It's just the logistics of this. So many kids getting together one at a time. It would take a much more savvy technical person than me to do that. Q: How have certain aspects, whether preliminary level or the state contest, different from those in previous years? A: Obviously, last year, we had to make the decision that the state contest was going to be virtual, and this meant that kids couldn’t resubmit updated work. There were some new people that hadn't won before who won. I saw some new names of schools, and it was really fun. This year we saw an increase in [students and sponsors] that had not done it before. We've seen some growth of introducing new people because it was virtual. Another thing is we created a submission template. [It will] have the titles, the UIL logo, etc., and they insert their work into them. All of the judges will see consistent work. This way, we make sure nobody submits anything upside down or sideways. Hopefully, it'll be some new technology that we all learned this year that makes some sense. We also were able to get state judges that we never would’ve been able to get if we were in person because of travel. We have a couple of judges from New York, including a previous Hair and Make state champion who now makes wigs on Broadway and agreed to come. And we wouldn't have had that opportunity if we weren't virtual. We also have another judge who’s a professor at Texas State [University]. Q: How have kids, teachers, and sponsors handled the increased amount of emails due to changes and adding a virtual aspect? A: I think it hit the hair and makeup kids the hardest. The kids who aren’t as good at the application or not as good at drawing rely on that side of it being the way to show their expertise. It turned out to be the worst year ever for makeup. Some kids were having to put makeup on their little brother because that was the only model they had. I definitely had an increase in emails, a lot of them starting with “Hi, I’m a first-year teacher” or “Hi, this is my first year sponsoring this event,” but the truth is this was like a first-year for everybody. If I have that many people asking it, I need to be more clear in the handbook. We love, love people asking questions. Q: How has the state office dealt with equity in the contest, not just between schools affected by Covid, but between less and more affluent schools in the state competing? A: I think that there absolutely needs to be more equity in the UIL contests, and we try our hardest to even out the playing field whenever it comes to theatrical design. Obviously, schools that have fewer resources aren't going to compete at the same caliber as more affluent schools. The school with five theatre directors will be much more capable than the school with a coach who has an off-period that teaches five UIL events. We try to make sure that the contest, as it stands, leaves an opportunity for any kid to place because every kid can have a great idea, it’s just a matter of communicating that idea and putting it on paper. While we can’t make the contest so easy anyone can win, we try to keep it fair and modest. Q: While we’re over a year out before the next contest, is there any rumbling as to whether or not Theatrical Design 2022 will return in person? A: That is definitely the plan. We had to stop and deal with the pandemic and everything. All we have to do is get over the speed bump, get through these years, make them as great as we can, and get back on track with the other. Theatrical Design was not the only UIL Theatre event that had a serious face lift. The One-Act Play competition went through quite a serious overhaul to adjust to the current times, both major and minor: changes to the contest structure like modifications to official tech rehearsals and setup, the nullification of the 1-minute rule, a 10 minute break to allow for any finishing touches, once that ends curtains go up! You still had the usual 7 minute strike, but afterwards a fun twist! Critiques came right after strike, so there's no waiting around until after results. Not only did the individual contest see changes but the entire advancement chain was changed with the elimination of the Area contests, arguably making the contest more competitive. These new guidelines have been vital in ensuring the One-Act Play experience was still enjoyable, but safe first and foremost. We extend an enormous thanks to everyone who helped the show go on and Rachel Gomez for contributing to this blog. Thank you to OAP companies and Theatrical Designs participants, to Contest Managers and Adjudicators, to the host schools, teachers, and sponsors, as well as the folks in the State office who helped make everything run smoothly. Thank you! Your 2020 & 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers By: STO Piper Daniell, Midway High School, Troupe 4770, and STO Gentry Phillips, Springtown High School, Troupe 1494
One Act Play has definitely looked different this year. With COVID-19 being an ever present fear, schools had to problem solve and think creatively in order to give the green light on their shows. Thus far, schools have competed in Zone, District, Bi-District, and Area competitions. That leaves Region to be conquered next. Ah yes Region, the second scariest competition (State takes first place of course). These shows displayed a great amount of determination at the hands of the people who are running them. They worked tirelessly, actors, technicians, and directors alike, to make their show the best it can possibly be. We applaud you and are so proud of you! After Region is state, the part of One Act Play everyone has collective dreams (and nightmares) about. This is the thing everyone has been working towards all of second semester. To move onto State is a great honor and privilege. For everyone competing in State, congratulations and break a leg! So, where does that leave the rest of us? Do we just throw away our shows forever and forget this ever happened? No, of course not! Whether your school made it all the way or not, be proud of it! Your hard work and dedication speaks volumes, especially in the world's current climate. Theatre has the power to afflict the comfortable, and comfort the afflicted. Your show made an impact on someone. It might be your director, a cast mate, an audience member, or even yourself. That impact is something to truly celebrate! We are so proud of all of you! Your 2020 & 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers By: STO Talya Hammerman, Ridge Point HS, Troupe 7678, and STO Karis Klammer, Montgomery HS, Troupe 5986, and STO Brenna Kenney, Rouse HS, Troupe 7679
As the school year is coming to an end, we are so excited to welcome a whole new class of freshmen into our schools! Now, freshmen, we know that you are probably scared thinking about going to a bigger school, meeting new people, and having to try the cafeteria food, but have no fear because the STOs are here to answer all of your questions about high school! Below you will find the STO’s “Declassified School Survival Guide” (although you may be too young to understand that reference)!
There you have it: everything you could possibly need to know about high school (besides how to pass physics)! We hope this helped calm your nerves about high school and answered your most dire questions. We promise it’s not as scary as it looks in movies. The STOs wish you the best of luck in your high school endeavors, and now that you’ve read this blog, you are an expert on all things high school. If you have any more questions, let us know in the comments! Break a Leg Freshmen, Your 2020 & 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers
By: STO Gabriel Brock, Goose Creek Memorial High School, Troupe 8132; STO Talya Hammerman Ridge Point High School, Troupe 7678; STO Folarin Oyeleye Foster High school Troupe 7961
We have reached the final week for Theatre In Our Schools Month! While the moment may be bitter-sweet, seeing as we are coming to a close on the month, hopefully, you’ve enjoyed these past three weeks advertising, reaching out, and teaching. This week, we’re focusing on social media and its relationship to theatre. Social Media is an ever-important aspect of theatre culture, and it ties in the other three points of ARTS: Advertising
Reaching Out
Teaching
Challenges
Have a phenomenal rest of your Theatre In Our Schools Month, and continue to use the skills you’ve learned over the past three weeks throughout the rest of the school. Hope to see you all again next year! Sincerely, Your 2020 & 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers By: STO Piper Daniell, Midway High School, Troupe 4770, and STO Gentry Phillips, Springtown High School, Troupe 1494
Texas Thespians proved time and time again that theatre not only serves as a means for thespians to embrace their creative selves but also proved to be a place where everyone is involved. Whether we are techies, directors, or actors, we all have a place to teach others about what we do in theatre and about how that has shaped us as people. For Theatre In Our Schools Month, Texas Thespians shared an acronym many of us can easily relate to: A.R.T.S. This week is Teach! For so many of us, theatre has been our safe place and an area where we feel free to be ourselves. However, many thespians don’t realize what theatre taught them until they stop to reflect. Not only does theatre teach us about ourselves, but being in theatre and advocating it allows every thespian to teach others about the importance of the arts. Below are some statements from STO’s about what theatre taught them, along with what it has taught our wonderful director, Nicole Morgan. STO: Campbell Lemons, Chair What is something theatre has taught you about yourself?: Theatre taught me to trust myself even if I am unsure of the outcome and to always take the opportunities that come up. How has theatre impacted the way you work with others?: It helped me to better understand different ways of thinking creatively and bettered me as a performer, leader and person. How has what you’ve learned in theatre impacted you outside of the theatre?:The main thing I have taken away from theatre is how to advocate. Not just advocating for the arts, but advocating for myself. Advocating for yourself is something that I have relied on throughout the college application process and more. STO: Annie Bailey What is something theatre has taught you about yourself?: I learned that I struggle with eye contact but I have gotten much better at doing it and not feeling uncomfortable. How has theatre impacted the way you work with others?: I am empathetic and more apt to consider what motivates the actions of others rather than rushing to be upset over small things. How has what you’ve learned in theatre impacted you outside of the theatre?: I have learned lots about time management and public speaking skills. I say a lot less “ums” than I used to. STO: Elisa Pedraz Sanchez What is something theatre has taught you about yourself?: Theatre taught me that I am stronger and more confident than I think. It takes a lot of courage and training to stand up in front of a crowd and perform and before I joined theatre I never thought I would be able to do something like that someday. Theatre taught me how to be confident in my own skin and rock all of the things that make me different. It also made me a stronger person because of all the people I was surrounded by and all of the challenges I went through to get to this place. How has theatre impacted the way you work with others?: Absolutely! Before doing theatre I HATED doing any kind of team work activities but theatre taught me that I can't do everything alone. Like with shows, it takes a whole team to put on the show and it would be impossible for one person to do that by themselves. Theatre taught me how to collaborate with my peers, how to express my ideas better and how to listen to other people's ideas. Theatre impacted my work ethic positively! How has what you’ve learned in theatre impacted you outside of the theatre?:Theatre in general taught me how to be more confident and that is something that is absolutely necessary in the real world because that is the way you portray yourself. It taught me how to be true to myself and how to fight for the things I believe in even if the path might be rocky. It made a huge impact in my life by teaching me there is always beauty even in the darkest places. Thespian Board Director: Nicole Morgan What is something theatre has taught you about yourself?: Perseverance How has theatre impacted the way you work with others?: I learned to listen more. How has what you’ve learned in theatre impacted you outside of the theatre?:It gives me confidence to tackle the problems that will arise and know that I can do things as needed. No matter what theatre taught you, always remember how much we can teach others through the work of the arts. With March being Theatre In Our Schools Month, take every opportunity to better educate others about the significance of the fine arts and how it enriches our lives. Go teach! You 2020 & 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers By: STO Brenna Kenney, Rouse High School, Troupe 7679
It is week 2 of the greatest month of the year, Theatre In Our Schools Month! We have loved celebrating this month with you all and we can’t wait to MARCH into this second week! As you know, last week we dived into advertising, the first part of the acronym A.R.T.S.! This week, we are reaching out! There are many different ways to reach out, in your school, community, and even state level! Reaching out in your School Advocating in your school is one of the most simple ways to begin your advocacy journey! You can put up signs around your school to advertise shows, support other organizations by going to sports games or showcases, advertising your shows and activities through announcements, posting on social media, and so much more! All of these ideas can bring awareness to your department and the benefits of theatre in your school! Reaching out in your Community Once we are recognized in our schools, the next step we can take is advocating in our communities. This doesn’t mean parading down the streets of your town in full costume and makeup, but asking to advertise in local businesses, write newspaper articles, invite influential people to your shows, or volunteer to do community service. These ideas only scratch the surface of how you can gain support from your community, and we can’t wait to see more of your ideas! Reaching out on the State Level This may sound daunting, we get it, but it is not as scary as it sounds! Advocating on the state level brings a greater awareness to all the hard work, time, and energy we put into this thing we love so much: theatre! Reaching out on the state level can look like keeping open lines of communication with elected officials, or even getting Theatre In Our Schools Month declared in your city/town, so we can gain a better stepping stone moving up to the state level. This is one of the most important steps on our journey to advocacy in our state and we would love for you all to join us! We can not wait to see how your troupe reaches out! Stay tuned for more advocacy tips and tricks throughout the month of March, and REACH OUT to us on social media! Happy Theatre In Our Schools Month, Your 2020 & 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers By: STO Lia Graham, Texas High School, Troupe 2526
That’s Right! You guessed it. We’re talking about the A in ARTS advertising! There are so many ways to advertise for your theatre and events, so let’s get started! There’s no one way that's better. All advertising is good advertising. Whether through your school newspaper, radio, posters or flyers, simply spreading the word is enough. With that being said, it’s your turn! Find new inventive ways to advertise your show. Reach out to your school and community personally. Need some ideas to get the creativity flowing? We have you covered!
If you need more ideas, check out our “Advertise” video on Instagram! This is your time to put your leadership skills to the test. If you feel your troupe’s advertisement falls flat, CHANGE IT! You have the power to push ideas into action for the better of your troupe. Step up and make the change. We believe in you, Your 2020 & 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers By: STO Lia Graham, Texas High School, Troupe 2526 The time has come for (drum roll please) THEATRE IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH! It’s the one time of year when schools have a reason to shine the spotlight on theatre and hopefully find ways to incorporate theatre in core classes. This month, we’re focusing on the A.R.T.S. (obviously). A- Advertise R- Reach out T- Teach S- Social Media Sound familiar? If you attended leadership day or our advocacy workshop you may have been introduced to A.R.T.S. We will be diving into this acronym over the next 30 days providing your troupe and you with ideas, tips, and activities to grow your advocacy skills and spread the benefits of theatre! Add a little bit of spice… We have prizes!! Below, you will see the first ever Theatre in our Schools Month Bingo! Each square has a fun activity for you to do throughout the month of March, and bring your troupe together to complete challenges to increase participation. Depending on how many rows you complete, you could win gift cards, Texas Thespians Merch, and most importantly, Ducks!! Take our ideas and make them your own. Take independence to make this year the best Theatre in our Schools month ever! Stay updated with A.R.T.S on our blog and social media. Let the advocating begin! See you soon! Your 2020 & 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers  |
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