Open Forum

I will be starting our troupe meetings on Tuesday. I was in Thespians in high school, but that was...checks notes... 18 years ago.
What do we do in meetings? Work on scenes? Just talk about theatre? Play games? Rehearse for an upcoming show? Is there a standard format?

Also, is there a standard for getting into the club aside from accruing the proper number of points? This is a brand new troupe, so we have not inducted anyone yet. Is there a standard for how long ago they can pull from to get inducted? Some students were in a few productions before I came to this school. \

THANKS!

------------------------------
Kevin Brown
Excelsior Classical Academy
------------------------------

We are a fairly new Thespian Troupe as well. Two years old, but Covid prevented meetings last year. I am interested in what others troupes do. I combine my Thespian meetings with my Theater Club meetings. Anyone can join Theater Club but then they learn about Thespians in the first meeting so they know what it takes to become one. My Thespian Officers run the meetings which are 15 minutes before school starts. We basically just discuss upcoming info (shows, auditions, fundraisers, etc). We will also do a theater game or some improv if there is time. Hopefully, I will get some ideas from others that respond to your post.

------------------------------
Amy Williams
District Librarian/Theater Teacher
Thespian Troupe #8881
Auburn High School
Auburn, IL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-16-2021 13:25
From: Kevin Brown
Subject: What do you do in a Thespians meeting?

I will be starting our troupe meetings on Tuesday. I was in Thespians in high school, but that was...checks notes... 18 years ago.
What do we do in meetings? Work on scenes? Just talk about theatre? Play games? Rehearse for an upcoming show? Is there a standard format?

Also, is there a standard for getting into the club aside from accruing the proper number of points? This is a brand new troupe, so we have not inducted anyone yet. Is there a standard for how long ago they can pull from to get inducted? Some students were in a few productions before I came to this school. \

THANKS!

------------------------------
Kevin Brown
Excelsior Classical Academy
------------------------------

At our thespian meetings the officers also run it. We discuss troop business both old and new and then break into committees. We also talk about competition and other items that are upcoming such as shows; however, we start planning things like end of year trips, induction ceremony ideas, etc.

We have an outreach committee that is separated into those that want to work with a local elementary school program and those who want to reach out to a high school program in our area that we have partnered with.

We are currently forming a committee again this year to find ways to encourage participation at our own school.  

We also have a tech committee that identifies any needs for tech help or equipment.  This group typically helps with set design and builds for shows. 

------------------------------
Amy MacCord
Musical Theatre Teacher
Westwood Middle School
FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 08:46
From: Amy Williams
Subject: What do you do in a Thespians meeting?

We are a fairly new Thespian Troupe as well. Two years old, but Covid prevented meetings last year. I am interested in what others troupes do. I combine my Thespian meetings with my Theater Club meetings. Anyone can join Theater Club but then they learn about Thespians in the first meeting so they know what it takes to become one. My Thespian Officers run the meetings which are 15 minutes before school starts. We basically just discuss upcoming info (shows, auditions, fundraisers, etc). We will also do a theater game or some improv if there is time. Hopefully, I will get some ideas from others that respond to your post.

------------------------------
Amy Williams
District Librarian/Theater Teacher
Thespian Troupe #8881
Auburn High School
Auburn, IL

Original Message:
Sent: 09-16-2021 13:25
From: Kevin Brown
Subject: What do you do in a Thespians meeting?

I will be starting our troupe meetings on Tuesday. I was in Thespians in high school, but that was...checks notes... 18 years ago.
What do we do in meetings? Work on scenes? Just talk about theatre? Play games? Rehearse for an upcoming show? Is there a standard format?

Also, is there a standard for getting into the club aside from accruing the proper number of points? This is a brand new troupe, so we have not inducted anyone yet. Is there a standard for how long ago they can pull from to get inducted? Some students were in a few productions before I came to this school. \

THANKS!

------------------------------
Kevin Brown
Excelsior Classical Academy
------------------------------

Congrats on the new position!

My school requires that we meet once a month and my students are very involved in just about everything, so we stick to that.  Our meetings vary month to month.  In August, I have a planning meeting with my executive board, and we try to figure out one activity a month for the club.  September is usually extending those ideas to the whole club at our first big meeting.  We update points from the summer and get the new inductees started on points sheets.  Lay out the plan for the year.  And then play games.  
I let my officers plan the year.  In the past, we have done a musical movie night, gone on field trips, gone to see shows together, had Christmas community fundraiser shows, done a 24 hour play-fest, behind the scenes tour at our big theater downtown.  Let the students plan the year.  They always come up with fun, theater-related activities.  

Good luck!

------------------------------
Amber Hugus
Seneca Valley High School
PA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-16-2021 13:25
From: Kevin Brown
Subject: What do you do in a Thespians meeting?

I will be starting our troupe meetings on Tuesday. I was in Thespians in high school, but that was...checks notes... 18 years ago.
What do we do in meetings? Work on scenes? Just talk about theatre? Play games? Rehearse for an upcoming show? Is there a standard format?

Also, is there a standard for getting into the club aside from accruing the proper number of points? This is a brand new troupe, so we have not inducted anyone yet. Is there a standard for how long ago they can pull from to get inducted? Some students were in a few productions before I came to this school. \

THANKS!

------------------------------
Kevin Brown
Excelsior Classical Academy
------------------------------

This is a sub-topic, I think. How do you update points from the summer and get started on new point sheets? I'm curious how involved students are in tracking and updating their points.

Laura

------------------------------
Laura Butchy
BASIS Independent McLean
VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 08:36
From: Amber Hugus
Subject: What do you do in a Thespians meeting?

Congrats on the new position!

My school requires that we meet once a month and my students are very involved in just about everything, so we stick to that.  Our meetings vary month to month.  In August, I have a planning meeting with my executive board, and we try to figure out one activity a month for the club.  September is usually extending those ideas to the whole club at our first big meeting.  We update points from the summer and get the new inductees started on points sheets.  Lay out the plan for the year.  And then play games.
I let my officers plan the year.  In the past, we have done a musical movie night, gone on field trips, gone to see shows together, had Christmas community fundraiser shows, done a 24 hour play-fest, behind the scenes tour at our big theater downtown.  Let the students plan the year.  They always come up with fun, theater-related activities.

Good luck!

------------------------------
Amber Hugus
Seneca Valley High School
PA

Original Message:
Sent: 09-16-2021 13:25
From: Kevin Brown
Subject: What do you do in a Thespians meeting?

I will be starting our troupe meetings on Tuesday. I was in Thespians in high school, but that was...checks notes... 18 years ago.
What do we do in meetings? Work on scenes? Just talk about theatre? Play games? Rehearse for an upcoming show? Is there a standard format?

Also, is there a standard for getting into the club aside from accruing the proper number of points? This is a brand new troupe, so we have not inducted anyone yet. Is there a standard for how long ago they can pull from to get inducted? Some students were in a few productions before I came to this school. \

THANKS!

------------------------------
Kevin Brown
Excelsior Classical Academy
------------------------------

Hello and congrats!  New troupe here as well, but our middle school troop is in its third year. We do our ITS meetings separate from our drama club meetings.  Our ITS meetings are to address any business and then we do some advanced improv games that help them take their skills to the next level. Drama club meetings are about five minutes of business and announcements and then we do improv and other games. Sometimes we cover something specific like technical theatre, careers in the arts, etc. Overall, they would rather be active, but since we do not have actual theatre classes, I try to incorporate as much as I can, so they know what is out there.  Good luck!

------------------------------
Carmen Caldera-Brzoska
Elizabethtown High School
KY
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-16-2021 13:25
From: Kevin Brown
Subject: What do you do in a Thespians meeting?

I will be starting our troupe meetings on Tuesday. I was in Thespians in high school, but that was...checks notes... 18 years ago.
What do we do in meetings? Work on scenes? Just talk about theatre? Play games? Rehearse for an upcoming show? Is there a standard format?

Also, is there a standard for getting into the club aside from accruing the proper number of points? This is a brand new troupe, so we have not inducted anyone yet. Is there a standard for how long ago they can pull from to get inducted? Some students were in a few productions before I came to this school. \

THANKS!

------------------------------
Kevin Brown
Excelsior Classical Academy
------------------------------

Congrats on the new position.  I'm in my 3rd year of Troupe Advisor.  It is definitely a learning curve.  My thespian board runs our meetings.  We start each meeting with a game, review previous meeting notes, take attendance, update points at each meeting, discuss events for the month (we try to do one a month), we always have some sort of theatre lesson that each member of my board is in charge of, then end with a game or two.  I believe points earned should be within the current academic year.  At leas that is what we do at my school.  If they are in any shows it is really easy to earn points.  

Hope this helps!  Good luck!

------------------------------
Kristen Bishoff
Dircecter & ITS Troupe Advisor
Chesapeake High School & Chesapeake Bay Middle School
Pasadena, MD
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-16-2021 13:25
From: Kevin Brown
Subject: What do you do in a Thespians meeting?

I will be starting our troupe meetings on Tuesday. I was in Thespians in high school, but that was...checks notes... 18 years ago.
What do we do in meetings? Work on scenes? Just talk about theatre? Play games? Rehearse for an upcoming show? Is there a standard format?

Also, is there a standard for getting into the club aside from accruing the proper number of points? This is a brand new troupe, so we have not inducted anyone yet. Is there a standard for how long ago they can pull from to get inducted? Some students were in a few productions before I came to this school. \

THANKS!

------------------------------
Kevin Brown
Excelsior Classical Academy
------------------------------