What Officers Do
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 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. The chair's job is to support the officers in making their plans come true. The vice-chair's job is to assist the chair.
These are our current plans:
Breakout trip in July - 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 2023/2024 school year, all things they do must fit into one of the categories below for Kansas Thespian Gold Troupe:
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. The chair's job is to support the officers in making their plans come true. The vice-chair's job is to assist the chair.
These are our current plans:
Breakout trip in July - 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 2023/2024 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 5 shows since January, and three more coming in the fall.
- !Artistic Inspiration (Done)
- Awesome 80's Prom (Done)
- The Play that Goes Wrong (Done)
- Our Town (Done)
- Check, Please (Done)
- Thespy Showcase
- Macbeth (in October)
- Into the Woods (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 (Done)
- an STO (Done)
- Student directors from this semester: Caleb (twice) & Gracie. (Done)
- 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 The Awesome 80's Prom, The Play that Goes Wrong, James and the Giant Peach, and Our Town. (Done)
- We also have the GroupMe poster that Lake wanted us to put up in the hall, and that Addie designed. (Done)
- 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.
- WE NEED A FIRST PROJECT
- 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.
- KC Rep Fieldtrip to Peter Pan and Wendy (Done)
- Thespian Celebration (Done)
- 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 (Done)
- Conduct Regular Meetings with Attendance (we need to have a sign-in sheet for meetings)
- Pay EDTA Renewal Fees (Done)
- Have 1 State Board Member (Done)
- Honor Troupe Book is Put Together in Orderly Fashion. (This was our presentation that earned us a Gold Honor Troupe at state in January) https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/13_46p9FZYD50Upg84BhXw_PT3_iFTY8lrO6R21Vjws8/edit?usp=sharing
- Our Thespian troupe being run at out school
difference between our Thespian troupe and the theatre program
The difference between the school’s Thespian troupe and the theatre program The Thespian troupe and the school theatre department or 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 home office are members of the theatre program and the International Thespian Society.
Strict guidelines prohibiting any type of hazing within an ITS troupe.
Troupe Constitution and Bylaws
Troupe constitution and bylaws 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.