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:
- All candidates to run for an officer position must be inducted members of Thespian Troupe 5006. Any student that joins our Thespian Troupe in the spring is eligible to run for an officer position.
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 every Troupe and Officer meeting.
- Involvement with every show:
- Apply for cast and/or crew
- OR ... serve as an usher
- Set up and run the Thespian Celebration next year.
- Any Kansas Thespian Officers will automatically serve as a Thespian Officer in our troupe.
Officers will be elected by a vote of our current Thespians after Spring Break.
- Chair: Represents the troupe. Assists all Thespian officers with their projects. Assists the Troupe Director(s).
- This position typically goes to a senior.
- Creates agenda for Thespian Officer meetings, and runs and keeps officer/troupe meetings on task.
- Only votes in officer meetings, if needed to break a tie.
- Vice-Chair: Assists the chair in running meetings. Assists all Thespian officers with their projects. Assists the Troupe Director(s).
- Marketing/Outreach/Service: Helps promote our troupe, as well as organize outreach/service projects. This officer will also assists other Thespian officers with all projects. Assists the Troupe Director(s).
- Troupe Community Building: Helps create closer relationships within our troupe that are well-liked by the members of our troupe. Assists other Thespian officers with all projects. Assists the Troupe Director(s).
- Class Rep(s): Represents their class and assists other Thespian officers with all projects. Assists the Troupe Director(s).
2025-2026 Thespian OfficerS
To be announced at the last Thespian meeting in April.
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 at our Thespian meeting in March. Students graduating in the current school year are not eligible to vote.
- Are you a member of Thespian Troupe 5006?
- Why do you want to be a Thespian Officer?
- How would you serve students as a Thespian Officer?
- Are you willing to make attending theatre meetings your top priority? (Officers meet one per month and lead a full troupe meeting once per month.)
- Will you assist with every show by either auditioning for the cast/crew, or volunteering to usher if you are not in a show?
- Do you plan to register/pay for the Kansas Thespian Festival? (The deadline to register is early in September. The festival is held in early January.)
- Are you willing to attend the Kansas Thespian Kickoff in August that is held at Salina High School? (Only two students may attend, but both will received $50 off attendance at the Kansas Thespian Festival for assisting the adults who run festival.)
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 at our Thespian meeting in March. Students graduating in the current school year are not eligible to vote.
These are our current plans for 2025 (The Kansas Thespian calendar year for Gold Troupe is from January 1st through December 31st. Activities our troupe does in the spring, help the following year's Thespian officers achieve Gold Troupe at the Kansas Thespian Festival.)
- Planning day for officers in early August. (Date and time TBD.)
- PERFORMANCE-WITH AN AUDIENCE - 4 projects
- Pirates of Penzance (In Progress)
- Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (In Progress)
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Upcoming)
- Fall Musical (in October)
- BONUS PERFORMANCE: Fall Rep Play (in November)
- STUDENT LEADERSHIP ACHIEVEMENT - 3 projects
- Troupe Officers - (In Progress - April 2025)
- Thespian State Board Members - (In Progress - August 2025)
- WE NEED A THIRD PROJECT - (possibly Students Directors, Designers, or Playwrights)
- MARKETING - 3 projects
- Show posters from Pirates and Too Much Light and upcoming shows. (In Progress)
- WE NEED A THIRD PROJECT - (Play Advertising, Image Boosting, or Fundraising)
- WE NEED A SECOND PROJECT - (Play Advertising, Image Boosting, or Fundraising)
- OUTREACH SERVICE - 3 projects
- Arts Advocacy Day - (In Progress - March 2025)
- Minute to Give It for Birthday Connections before The Pirates of Penzance - (In Progress - March 2025)
- WE NEED A THIRD PROJECT - (Community or School Service, TOTS, Combined Troupe Activities, Drama Camp)
- TROUPE COMMUNITY BUILDING - 3 projects
- Thespian Celebration (Upcoming - May 2025)
- Thespian Kickoff (Upcoming - August 2025)
- KC REP field trip (Upcoming - Spring or Fall 2025)
- EVIDENCE OF ...
- Honor Troupe Book is Put Together in Orderly Fashion. (Upcoming - December 2025)
- Have 1 State Board Member (Upcoming - August 2025)
- Pay EDTA Renewal Fees (Upcoming - May 2025)
- Conduct Regular Meetings with Attendance (Upcoming - Every month when school is in session in 2025)
- Elect Troupe Officers for Current Year (Upcoming - April 2025)
- Clear Thespian Point System (Upcoming - December 2025)
- Official Thespian Induction (Upcoming - May 2025)
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 expectations for members of the troupe, 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 expectations for members of the troupe, 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.