Last night, our most recent ITO Chair Alex Minton said it so well -- Thespians is a journey. A journey that begins with that first question at the Thespian table at the HS Activity Fair in the fall, or when your mom takes you to your first "real show" - "Godspell" the National Tour at the National Theatre in Washington DC, or when you first step on the stage as one of the kids in a community theatre production. It is a journey that starts with likely no destination. Rather is a journey that is shaped and guided by the key connections one makes with peers and influential adults - likely educators, and more likely theatre educators. The journey may lead to Broadway, or to the stage management console at a regional theatre or theme park, or to a desk at a bank or trading firm, or to the front of a classroom. Wherever the journey leads, the key skills of collaboration, creativity, empathy, problem solving, peer leadership, team building and so many more that are clearly results of participation in theatre are essential to success. In a career or in life.
The tremendously talents of many new and veteran Broadway performers on stage at Feinstein's/54 Below last evening are living representations of that journey. But not only on stage ... the pleasure of having iconic designer John Lee Beatty (more than 110 Broadway shows) in the audience and Robert Lilly running lights (recent SUNY Purchase graduate and Honor Thespian) shows the legacy that Thespians has had and continues to demonstrate.
This evening was about celebrating, raising some money, but hopefully more about raising awareness. Hopefully there are some who were in attendance who will reach out to friends and peers and share the experience and engage others in support of Thespians and EdTA. It is this network effect that will create the strong brand and support for Thespians to continue to grow and make a difference in people's lives.
So whatever your part in this endeavor is - act it well as certainly there all the honor lies.