Open Forum

Hey There! 

I am preparing to move to Phoenix in TEN DAYS to take a position with BASIS Phoenix Central. As part of my transition to teaching theater in AZ, i've done a little research, but would also love any input this forum could provide. Here's what i've found...

Here is the website for the AZ Thespian Festival. Arizona Thespians - Shaping lives through theatre education.. It contains information on the State-Wide Festival (Held in November) , the Regional Festivals (Held in January), and the Leadership Camp the Thespian Society hosts for student thespian leaders. (How cool...) It's definitely worth perusing, as there are complex entry details and timelines for adjudicated individual events and one-acts, etc. There is also information on the Junior Thespian Festival if you have a feeder middle school. (I highly recommend any High School Teacher do what they can to get a Junior Thespian Troupe active in their feeder school/s, as it can be a wonderful opportunity to build up the skill in your program if kids are already coming in with the basics) A couple of the folks with AZ Thespians responded stating that registration and updates will be forthcoming for the years activities. 

Here is the link to the International Thespian Festival--Home - International Thespian Festival 2018. Yep. There are 100% people on these forums way more educated than I about ITF, but it is held in Lincoln, Nebraska in the summer. This years ITF just concluded, but info about the 2019 festival will be forthcoming.

Other major opportunities for travel and performance include the Edinburgh Fringe Festival--Putting on a show, but for a program in it's infancy, that might be a tad ambitious. 

Beyond the major thespian sponsored events--I suggest looking at what you can do locally to create outside opportunities. Find your local community theater and organise field trips. Ask skilled local theater performers, designers, directors, etc. to come in and guest teach a class or two. I have seen many schools successfully host an "artist in residency" program, with a guest director who works for students for an extended period of time on a unique aspect of theater or skill (one year we had a Kabuki expert come and do Kabuki Shakespeare--it was amazing, and another we had a specialist in stage combat teach a unit during the Theater Arts I class, but also created a devised compilation of fight scenes for presentation). Perhaps find a high school close to you to do some joint thespian activities with, (I've seen successful pen-pal programs, lock-in events, and group outings to support the work of "sister schools")

Let me know if you find out any other information!

------------------------------
Sara Phillips
Middle Grades Drama Teacher
BASIS Phoenix Central
Phoenix, AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-30-2018 13:32
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: AZ Theatre Competitions and Events

Greetings,

I have just finished up my first year of teaching, and I am finally comfortable enough to begin encouraging my highscool students to enter theatre competitions as well as attend events.  Is there anyone in Arizona that could assists with information and advice on what is available?

Thank you!!

Tom Turner

Sara, welcome to Arizona! On the website you saw the info for last year’s festivals. Registration for this year opens after our Coaches Convention in August.

Sent from my iPad


Original Message------

Hey There! 

I am preparing to move to Phoenix in TEN DAYS to take a position with BASIS Phoenix Central. As part of my transition to teaching theater in AZ, i've done a little research, but would also love any input this forum could provide. Here's what i've found...

Here is the website for the AZ Thespian Festival. Arizona Thespians - Shaping lives through theatre education.. It contains information on the State-Wide Festival (Held in November) , the Regional Festivals (Held in January), and the Leadership Camp the Thespian Society hosts for student thespian leaders. (How cool...) It's definitely worth perusing, as there are complex entry details and timelines for adjudicated individual events and one-acts, etc. There is also information on the Junior Thespian Festival if you have a feeder middle school. (I highly recommend any High School Teacher do what they can to get a Junior Thespian Troupe active in their feeder school/s, as it can be a wonderful opportunity to build up the skill in your program if kids are already coming in with the basics) 

The bad news? Reviewing the website, it looks like registration for the November Conference and the January Conferences is already closed for this upcoming year. (That took me by surprise--IL has September/October Deadlines, as far as I remember), so you might be out of luck for the year...But don't despair!  

Here is the link to the International Thespian Festival--Home - International Thespian Festival 2018. Yep. There are 100% people on these forums way more educated than I about ITF, but it is held in Lincoln, Nebraska in the summer. This years ITF just concluded, but info about the 2019 festival will be forthcoming.

Other major opportunities for travel and performance include the Edinburgh Fringe Festival--Putting on a show, but for a program in it's infancy, that might be a tad ambitious. 

Beyond the major thespian sponsored events (especially if registration is indeed already closed for the 18-19 school year)--I suggest looking at what you can do locally to create outside opportunities. Find your local community theater and organise field trips. Ask skilled local theater performers, designers, directors, etc. to come in and guest teach a class or two. I have seen many schools successfully host an "artist in residency" program, with a guest director who works for students for an extended period of time on a unique aspect of theater or skill (one year we had a Kabuki expert come and do Kabuki Shakespeare--it was amazing, and another we had a specialist in stage combat teach a unit during the Theater Arts I class, but also created a devised compilation of fight scenes for presentation). Perhaps find a high school close to you to do some joint thespian activities with, (I've seen successful pen-pal programs, lock-in events, and group outings to support the work of "sister schools")

Let me know if you find out any other information!

------------------------------
Sara Phillips
Middle Grades Drama Teacher
BASIS Phoenix Central
Phoenix, AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-30-2018 13:32
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: AZ Theatre Competitions and Events

Greetings,

I have just finished up my first year of teaching, and I am finally comfortable enough to begin encouraging my highscool students to enter theatre competitions as well as attend events.  Is there anyone in Arizona that could assists with information and advice on what is available?

Thank you!!

Tom Turner

Thank You for the information, Steve! Any additional tips for a new AZ teacher?

------------------------------
Sara Phillips
Middle Grades Drama Teacher
BASIS Phoenix Central
Reno NV
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-02-2018 08:35
From: Steven Abaroa
Subject: AZ Theatre Competitions and Events

Sara, welcome to Arizona! On the website you saw the info for last year's festivals. Registration for this year opens after our Coaches Convention in August.

Sent from my iPad


Original Message------

Hey There!

I am preparing to move to Phoenix in TEN DAYS to take a position with BASIS Phoenix Central. As part of my transition to teaching theater in AZ, i've done a little research, but would also love any input this forum could provide. Here's what i've found...

Here is the website for the AZ Thespian Festival. Arizona Thespians - Shaping lives through theatre education.. It contains information on the State-Wide Festival (Held in November) , the Regional Festivals (Held in January), and the Leadership Camp the Thespian Society hosts for student thespian leaders. (How cool...) It's definitely worth perusing, as there are complex entry details and timelines for adjudicated individual events and one-acts, etc. There is also information on the Junior Thespian Festival if you have a feeder middle school. (I highly recommend any High School Teacher do what they can to get a Junior Thespian Troupe active in their feeder school/s, as it can be a wonderful opportunity to build up the skill in your program if kids are already coming in with the basics)

The bad news? Reviewing the website, it looks like registration for the November Conference and the January Conferences is already closed for this upcoming year. (That took me by surprise--IL has September/October Deadlines, as far as I remember), so you might be out of luck for the year...But don't despair!

Here is the link to the International Thespian Festival--Home - International Thespian Festival 2018. Yep. There are 100% people on these forums way more educated than I about ITF, but it is held in Lincoln, Nebraska in the summer. This years ITF just concluded, but info about the 2019 festival will be forthcoming.

Other major opportunities for travel and performance include the Edinburgh Fringe Festival--Putting on a show, but for a program in it's infancy, that might be a tad ambitious.

Beyond the major thespian sponsored events (especially if registration is indeed already closed for the 18-19 school year)--I suggest looking at what you can do locally to create outside opportunities. Find your local community theater and organise field trips. Ask skilled local theater performers, designers, directors, etc. to come in and guest teach a class or two. I have seen many schools successfully host an "artist in residency" program, with a guest director who works for students for an extended period of time on a unique aspect of theater or skill (one year we had a Kabuki expert come and do Kabuki Shakespeare--it was amazing, and another we had a specialist in stage combat teach a unit during the Theater Arts I class, but also created a devised compilation of fight scenes for presentation). Perhaps find a high school close to you to do some joint thespian activities with, (I've seen successful pen-pal programs, lock-in events, and group outings to support the work of "sister schools")

Let me know if you find out any other information!

------------------------------
Sara Phillips
Middle Grades Drama Teacher
BASIS Phoenix Central
Phoenix, AZ

Original Message:
Sent: 06-30-2018 13:32
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: AZ Theatre Competitions and Events

Greetings,

I have just finished up my first year of teaching, and I am finally comfortable enough to begin encouraging my highscool students to enter theatre competitions as well as attend events.  Is there anyone in Arizona that could assists with information and advice on what is available?

Thank you!!

Tom Turner

I did find this via the Arizona Interscholastic Association, which governs the competition side of the thespian festivals...This states that registration deadlines are through October...

http://aiaonline.org/files/14070/aia-thespians-dates-2018-2019.pdf

------------------------------
Sara Phillips
Middle Grades Drama Teacher
BASIS Phoenix Central
Reno NV
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-30-2018 13:32
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: AZ Theatre Competitions and Events

Greetings,

I have just finished up my first year of teaching, and I am finally comfortable enough to begin encouraging my highscool students to enter theatre competitions as well as attend events.  Is there anyone in Arizona that could assists with information and advice on what is available?

Thank you!!

Tom Turner

Tom send an email to me at steve.abaroa@arizonathespians.com. And please look us up at arizonathespians.com.

Sent from my iPad


Original Message------

Greetings,

I have just finished up my first year of teaching, and I am finally comfortable enough to begin encouraging my highscool students to enter theatre competitions as well as attend events.  Is there anyone in Arizona that could assists with information and advice on what is available?

Thank you!!

Tom Turner