difference between our Thespian troupe and the theatre program
The Thespian troupe and the school theatre program are not one and the same. The Thespian troupe is a subset of the theatre arts program. It is the student honor society, and membership is earned. Any student may be a member of the theatre program, but only students who have been officially inducted and registered with the EdTA (Educational Theatre Association) home office are members of the theatre program and the International Thespian Society.
What Officers Do For our Troupe
Troupe 5006 is one of the strongest Thespian troupes in Kansas. We have been honored as the best high school theatre program in the midwest by Stage Directions Magazine and the Outstanding School Award twice (2013 & 2020) by the Educational Theatre Association. Our officers are filling the shoes of the giants who have served before them. Being an officer is about living up to the expectations set by the Thespian Officers before you.
Michael Shurtleff, in his book Audition, says that you should "compete or die." Theatre is our sport and we play the game to win. Why ...because Olathe South Theatre has a strong history of winning.
We have a fabulous Thespian troupe at Olathe South. Our officers have the opportunity to shape some of next year. Officers can pick an area of the Kansas Thespian Gold Troupe rubric to plan, run and cleanup that fits one of our areas of need.
Michael Shurtleff, in his book Audition, says that you should "compete or die." Theatre is our sport and we play the game to win. Why ...because Olathe South Theatre has a strong history of winning.
We have a fabulous Thespian troupe at Olathe South. Our officers have the opportunity to shape some of next year. Officers can pick an area of the Kansas Thespian Gold Troupe rubric to plan, run and cleanup that fits one of our areas of need.
Requirements to apply:
- Inducted member of Thespian Troupe 5006
Expectations of all Thespian Officers:
- Be a role model for the Troupe and School.
- Term is from the Thespian Celebration this year until the end of the Thespian Celebration next year.
- Help with strike for Thespian Celebration in May.
- Attend summer leadership training.
- Attend every Troupe and Officer meeting.
- Add to the Troupe Planning Document.
- Involvement with every show:
- Apply for cast and/or crew
- Or serve as an usher
- Attend advocacy day in March.
- Set up and run the Thespian Celebration next year.
- RECOMMENDED: Apply to be an STO if you are currently a sophomore or junior.
- Any Kansas Thespian Officers will automatically serve as a Thespian Officer in our troupe.
Officers will be assigned one of the following roles:
- Chair(s): Represents the troupe, and assists other Thespian officers with all projects, and assists the Troupe Director.
- Creates agenda for Thespian Officer meetings.
- Runs and keeps officer/troupe meetings on task.
- Only votes in officer meetings, if needed to break a tie.
- Attend advocacy day.
- Vice-Chair/Junior Class Rep: Represents the junior class, assists the chair in running meetings, and assists other Thespian officers with all projects.
- Create comprehensive notes during officer/troupe meetings
- Manages notes and updates officer resources.
- Attend advocacy day.
- Attends the Student State Board meeting in Salina Kansas on August 17th.
- Should apply for STO
- Marketing: Helps run 3 marketing projects and assists other Thespian officers with all projects.
- These projects could include play advertising (posters, social media, banners), image boosting, ticket sales, and fundraising.
- Creates Marketing ideas in the Troupe Planning Document.
- Access to our official Instragram (tied to Facebook).
- Excellent graphic design skills
- These projects could include play advertising (posters, social media, banners), image boosting, ticket sales, and fundraising.
- Outreach/Service: Runs 3 community/school service projects and assists other Thespian officers with all projects.
- These projects could include Trick-or-Treat so Kids Can Eat, cross-curricular school projects, combined troupe activities, drama camps or any activity that creates a betterment of school of community.
- Creates Outreach/Service ideas in Troupe Planning Document.
- These projects could include Trick-or-Treat so Kids Can Eat, cross-curricular school projects, combined troupe activities, drama camps or any activity that creates a betterment of school of community.
- Troupe Community Building: Runs 3 activities and functions that create closer relationships within our troupe that are well-liked by the members of our troupe. Assists other Thespian officers with all projects.
- These projects could include the Thespian Kickoff, field trips, activities, combined troupe events, troupe social activities, and the Thespian Celebration.
- Creates Troupe Community Building ideas in Troupe Planning Document.
- These projects could include the Thespian Kickoff, field trips, activities, combined troupe events, troupe social activities, and the Thespian Celebration.
- Sophomore Class Rep: Represents the Sophomore class and assists other Thespian officers with all projects.
- Attends the Student State Board meeting in Salina Kansas on August 17th.
- Should apply for STO
- Attends the Student State Board meeting in Salina Kansas on August 17th.
- Freshman Class Rep: Represents the Freshmen class and assists other Thespian officers with all projects.
- Must be enrolled in an Olathe South High School Theatre class in the fall of 2024.
- Elected in August by Freshman
- Must be enrolled in an Olathe South High School Theatre class in the fall of 2024.
2024-2025 Thespian OfficerS
To be announced on Monday, April 15th during Advisory. These officers will be posted here by Monday evening.
Officer Application Questions
These are the questions on the application:
All answers will be shared in an anonymous format where any inducted Junior, Sophomore, or Freshman Thespian in troupe 5006 can vote to select the answers they like best to represent our troupe in the upcoming school year. These ballots will be available during advisory from April 15th thru April19th. Spring 2024 graduates are not eligible to vote, as they will not be at Olathe South in the fall to be represented by these officers.
- Are you a member of Thespian Troupe 5006?
- How would you define leadership?
- Describe your leadership skills?
- What is a marketing, outreach/service, or troupe community building project that you would like to plan, organize, and run next year?
- Why do you want to be a Thespian Officer?
All answers will be shared in an anonymous format where any inducted Junior, Sophomore, or Freshman Thespian in troupe 5006 can vote to select the answers they like best to represent our troupe in the upcoming school year. These ballots will be available during advisory from April 15th thru April19th. Spring 2024 graduates are not eligible to vote, as they will not be at Olathe South in the fall to be represented by these officers.
These are our current plans for 24/25:
Planning day in late July or early August - Date and time to be determined. It needs to work for everyone.
The Kansas Thespian calendar year (for Gold Troupe) is from January through December. Activities we do in the spring, will help the following year's Thespian officers achieve Gold Troupe the next year. As officers plan for 2024/20245 school year, all things they do must fit into one of the categories below for Kansas Thespian Gold Troupe:
Planning day in late July or early August - Date and time to be determined. It needs to work for everyone.
- We'll play a Breakout room together.
- We'll have a meal afterwards and work on planning for the year.
- Review the Thespian Constitution and Bylaws.
- Special emphasis will be on any planning for a troupe event that will take the place of the Thespian Kickoff over the summer.
- Design and plan for Thespian officer gear.
The Kansas Thespian calendar year (for Gold Troupe) is from January through December. Activities we do in the spring, will help the following year's Thespian officers achieve Gold Troupe the next year. As officers plan for 2024/20245 school year, all things they do must fit into one of the categories below for Kansas Thespian Gold Troupe:
- PERFORMANCE-WITH AN AUDIENCE - 5 projects
- The Performance Category include Full Length Productions, One Acts, Touring Shows, and
Others (variety show, talent show, improve show, etc).- We rehearse almost every day after school from late August through early May when school is in session. Thespian activities outside of shows need to happen on a day that we don't have rehearsals or performances.
- We have already done 2 shows since January, and three more coming in the fall.
- Dogg's Hamlet (Done)
- Urinetown (Done)
- Broadway Backstage (Upcoming)
- One Man, Two Guvnors (Done)
- Fall Musical (in October)
- Fall Play (in November)
- The Performance Category include Full Length Productions, One Acts, Touring Shows, and
- STUDENT LEADERSHIP ACHIEVEMENT - 3 projects
- STUDENT LEADERSHIP category includes Student Directors, Student Designers, Play Writing, State BOARD, STO/ITO, & Troupe Officers.
- We currently have the following:
- Troupe Officers (To Be Selected)
- an STO (Done)
- WE NEED A THIRD PROJECT
- MARKETING - 3 projects
- In the MARKETING category, Play Advertising, Image Boosting, and Fundraising count. This is an area we will need to work on to get Gold Troupe this year. Our posters for our shows count as one, but we need at least two more projects.
- We have the following:
- Show posters from Urinetown and upcoming shows. (Done)
- WE NEED A SECOND PROJECT
- WE NEED A THIRD PROJECT
- OUTREACH SERVICE - 3 projects
- For the OUTREACH SERVICE-ANY ACTIVITY THAT CREATES A BETTERMENT OF SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY, Community or School Service, TOTS, Cross Curricular, Combined Troupe Activities, Junior Troupe, and Drama Camp count.
- Collected over $1300 in a minute to give it for Happy Bottoms at Urinetown
- WE NEED A SECOND PROJECT
- WE NEED A THIRD PROJECT
- For the OUTREACH SERVICE-ANY ACTIVITY THAT CREATES A BETTERMENT OF SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY, Community or School Service, TOTS, Cross Curricular, Combined Troupe Activities, Junior Troupe, and Drama Camp count.
- TROUPE COMMUNITY BUILDING - 3 projects
- We also need to work on the TROUPE COMMUNITY BUILDING-ANY ACTIVITY THAT CREATES CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN YOUR TROUPE. The activities that count are Field Trips, Activities, Combine Troupe Events, Troupe Social Activities, and the Induction Ceremony. Technically, we already have two with the Fieldtrip to KC Rep (and maybe ITF), and the Thespian Celebration. But we could really use two more. Think the "Thespian Kickoff" or the Winter Movie night.
- Music Theatre Heritage field trip to Godspell (Upcoming)
- Thespian Celebration (Upcoming)
- WE NEED A THIRD PROJECT
- We also need to work on the TROUPE COMMUNITY BUILDING-ANY ACTIVITY THAT CREATES CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN YOUR TROUPE. The activities that count are Field Trips, Activities, Combine Troupe Events, Troupe Social Activities, and the Induction Ceremony. Technically, we already have two with the Fieldtrip to KC Rep (and maybe ITF), and the Thespian Celebration. But we could really use two more. Think the "Thespian Kickoff" or the Winter Movie night.
- EVIDENCE OF ...
- Our Thespian troupe being run at out school
- Official Thespian Induction (Done)
- Clear Thespian Point System (Done)
- Elect Troupe Officers for Current Year (Upcoming)
- Conduct Regular Meetings with Attendance (Done)
- Pay EDTA Renewal Fees (Upcoming)
- Have 1 State Board Member (NEEDED)
- Honor Troupe Book is Put Together in Orderly Fashion. (This was our presentation that earned us a Gold Honor Troupe at state in January) (NEEDED)
- Our Thespian troupe being run at out school
Troupe Governance Documents
These documents govern troupe operations. Officers should be familiar with these documents. They were designed to help our troupe operate smoothly and prevent confusion and/or conflict.
Each Thespian troupe is expected to adopt a constitution. A troupe’s constitution should include basic information about how your troupe operates. Items such as requirements for troupe officers, any additional local requirements for student induction or participation, and any changes to the recommended ITS point system that should be spelled out in the constitution. A troupe constitution template is available on the EdTA website and includes the process for approving changes. If the troupe has not adopted a modified version, the ITS troupe constitution template is the governing document.
At the end of the troupe constitution template is a section for troupe bylaws. These cover the day-to-day details of troupe operation, which vary greatly from troupe to troupe and may need to be updated more frequently than articles of the troupe constitution. Bylaws often include such things as rules of order for troupe meetings, elections, and induction ceremonies. Good, up-to-date bylaws help the troupe document and communicate these important details to everyone involved and provide continuity from year to year as officers and troupe directors change.
The troupe constitution and bylaws must be made available to all theatre students, their parents, and the school administration. Troupes are encouraged to send a copy of their final troupe constitution to the EdTA home office for their permanent records.
At the end of the troupe constitution template is a section for troupe bylaws. These cover the day-to-day details of troupe operation, which vary greatly from troupe to troupe and may need to be updated more frequently than articles of the troupe constitution. Bylaws often include such things as rules of order for troupe meetings, elections, and induction ceremonies. Good, up-to-date bylaws help the troupe document and communicate these important details to everyone involved and provide continuity from year to year as officers and troupe directors change.
The troupe constitution and bylaws must be made available to all theatre students, their parents, and the school administration. Troupes are encouraged to send a copy of their final troupe constitution to the EdTA home office for their permanent records.
Troupe Meetings
The troupe director and new officers should schedule at least one meeting at the beginning of the school year. This should focus on the contributions that the troupe plans to make to the theatre arts program and the school. Plans should include troupe-only activities and those in which all theatre students may participate. Suggestions for the year’s calendar of activities, including community service projects such as TOTS-EAT, may be considered at this first meeting as well. Thespian troupes should meet monthly throughout the school year. Inductions may be incorporated into troupe meetings.