This past Thursday I traveled all of 15 minutes to attend my fourth and final state conference in downtown St. Louis. I have been extremely lucky to get to go to all four, and my has it been a ride! Since the first time I have attended, Thes Con has awakened something in me that has a hard time dying off when I travel home. I suppose, rather, that the thing is: I'm not traveling home, I'm leaving it.
Missouri is one of the largest state thespian conferences in the states, and is the largest in Region II. There were several conferences this weekend, a number of which where within Region II, but as Missouri is my home state, it was only fitting that I attend the one just downtown.
Entering, I was ready to get to work. I may be a student from Missouri, but I am aware of my ITO duties and was ready to help out any way I could. I quickly found out, however, that the State Thespian Officers had everything absolutely under control. These four girls had worked their butts off to get the conference in tip top shape, and had every spot covered. They've adopted a new system in the past couple of years where State Officers are elected at the fall Leadership Conference for not the present term, but the next year. This year's Officers were elected in the fall of 2012 and had a whole year and a whole other conference to shadow and learn from their prior Officers. Their successors were there, too, to help run the conference and to know what is in store for their next year. That left me with next to nothing to be able to help out with!
I did get a chance to speak at the first General Session on Thursday. I introduced myself, briefly explained my position, how I got it, and what the ITO are working on this year.
For the rest of the conference, I mixed in with the rest of the crazy MO thespians. The workshops were professional, varied in interests, and all a lot of fun! I competed in the Individual Events competition with a Duet Acting scene, cheered on my troupe in other IE's and Improv Olympics, and enjoyed a couple of very well done mainstage productions! I didn't make it to the One Acts, but my friends say those, too, were well done.
Overall, I was reminded of the free spirited and fun loving nature of the thespians over the course of the conference. Despite all the competitive events, not one felt as though anybody held a grudge against another team. Everyone was friendly and simply in a state of Thespian bliss for the three days of conference. Even my troupe, which was rather heartbroken after our fall show was not picked to go to state, never for a second acted bitter or upset over the outcome. It was a nice bookend to four conferences with my MO Thespian family.
Props to Jennifer Forrest-James and Chad Little for their hard work and dedication, as well as their Student Board for the same. Thanks to Ruben Van Kempen for being our EdTA representative all the way from Washington as well.
If anyone has questions regarding my role in the conference, or further curiosities about the conference or Missouri Thespians in general, please contact me I would love to answer all!
-duncan