Open Forum

Hey friends, 

Apologies in advance if this has been discussed. I tried searching for my question in the board but had no luck. I have two students who were invited to compete in the Thespys at International conference this year.  Unfortunately, I cannot attend. Has anyone sent kids with nearby chapters that have room for them with the chaperone ratio? is this against the rules? Im trying to think outside of the box to get them there. 

Thanks! 

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Kathryn Chapin
Theater Director/Social Studies Teacher
Jackson Hole High School
WY
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Yes, find a neighboring Thespian Troupe. They will have to register for your students. Find out from your school what needs to be done on your end (acceptance from the Board, permission slips, etc) as well as the neighboring school. This is the response I received years ago about chaperones and registration: "The best way to register them would be for their chaperone to complete their registration. To find the student records, they'd just need to search by email or troupe number like they do for any other attendee. The system won't stop them from registering someone who isn't in their troupe." Good luck!

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Sara Danke Lukaszewicz
Lincoln High School
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
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Hi, Kathryn

Sara and CJ are both correct! Here's some additional info that might help:

Hi, Kelly

I believe you've received our email reply, but I'll also reply here to ensure others with the same question have this info!

There are a few different ways to approach a situation like this:

1. Students do not have to attend ITF with a troupe/their troupe director. They can be chaperoned by any adult aged 21 or older as of June 22, 2025. This could be a parent/guardian, other family member, or a different kind of trusted adult.
2. If interested in them attending with another troupe, I'd recommend connecting with the Chapter in which you reside. Chapter Leaders may know nearby troupes who are planning to attend. You can find details about your chapter here: https://schooltheatre.org/chapters/ (Thanks, CJ and Sara for bringing this up!)
3. If, for whatever reason, attending in-person is not possible, we do offer Thespys and College Auditions as Virtual Programs. Details about Virtual Programs are available in the registration guide posted on the Prepare for Registration page of the ITF website.

If additional guidance is needed, please email events@schooltheatre.org so we can dig into specifics.

Thanks!

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Taylor Davis (she/her)
Events Program Manager
Educational Theatre Association
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