Open Forum

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

​These are some great traditions!  I have two questions, then I will share! 
Is the scavenger hunt at all considered "hazing"??  I am a new troupe sponsor and my school is crazy wild about hazing.  I would love to start something like that, but I am worried that since the older kids don't do it with them, it would be considered hazing.  Could you possibly email me more details??
Second, do you give your new members a big brother/sister in the troupe?  I don't know the term "neophyte" in relation to Thespians.  That's really fun.

Our biggest tradition is like your diamond tradition, but it is loud and out in the open.  At green room, the directors and adult crew heads present a "pin" to our greatest assets (actor, dancer, stage crew member, etc.), and at each subsequent show, they make a speech and pass the pin to the person they think deserves it.  It's a great tradition.  The student who receives it wears it during the show, proudly pinned to their costume or whatever!

We also allow our seniors to paint their name and graduation year backstage on the walls.  They are covered with old show titles and names and graduation years.  It's wonderful to roam around back there and see their pride in signing the stage.

I also present our four-year musical participants with a four-for-four award, if they have participated in musical all four years of high school in any way.  Some are in the cast four years, some don't make it freshman year but still join a crew, some are in orchestra, etc.  The best part is we have an elementary cast for fifth and sixth graders, so some years I give the kids a six-for-four award!

------------------------------
Amber Hugus
Harmony PA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-05-2017 09:40
From: Heather Cribbs
Subject: Troupe Traditions

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

We do a painting thing too! I didn't list it because I only started it last year. But I paint two bricks in Narnia (our costume shop/my office) and the seniors sign it at our Goodbye & Cry on their last day on campus.

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2017 08:33
From: Amber Hugus
Subject: Troupe Traditions

​These are some great traditions!  I have two questions, then I will share!
Is the scavenger hunt at all considered "hazing"??  I am a new troupe sponsor and my school is crazy wild about hazing.  I would love to start something like that, but I am worried that since the older kids don't do it with them, it would be considered hazing.  Could you possibly email me more details??
Second, do you give your new members a big brother/sister in the troupe?  I don't know the term "neophyte" in relation to Thespians.  That's really fun.

Our biggest tradition is like your diamond tradition, but it is loud and out in the open.  At green room, the directors and adult crew heads present a "pin" to our greatest assets (actor, dancer, stage crew member, etc.), and at each subsequent show, they make a speech and pass the pin to the person they think deserves it.  It's a great tradition.  The student who receives it wears it during the show, proudly pinned to their costume or whatever!

We also allow our seniors to paint their name and graduation year backstage on the walls.  They are covered with old show titles and names and graduation years.  It's wonderful to roam around back there and see their pride in signing the stage.

I also present our four-year musical participants with a four-for-four award, if they have participated in musical all four years of high school in any way.  Some are in the cast four years, some don't make it freshman year but still join a crew, some are in orchestra, etc.  The best part is we have an elementary cast for fifth and sixth graders, so some years I give the kids a six-for-four award!

------------------------------
Amber Hugus
Harmony PA

Original Message:
Sent: 10-05-2017 09:40
From: Heather Cribbs
Subject: Troupe Traditions

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Original Message------

​These are some great traditions!  I have two questions, then I will share! 
Is the scavenger hunt at all considered "hazing"??  I am a new troupe sponsor and my school is crazy wild about hazing.  I would love to start something like that, but I am worried that since the older kids don't do it with them, it would be considered hazing.  Could you possibly email me more details??
Second, do you give your new members a big brother/sister in the troupe?  I don't know the term "neophyte" in relation to Thespians.  That's really fun.

Our biggest tradition is like your diamond tradition, but it is loud and out in the open.  At green room, the directors and adult crew heads present a "pin" to our greatest assets (actor, dancer, stage crew member, etc.), and at each subsequent show, they make a speech and pass the pin to the person they think deserves it.  It's a great tradition.  The student who receives it wears it during the show, proudly pinned to their costume or whatever!

We also allow our seniors to paint their name and graduation year backstage on the walls.  They are covered with old show titles and names and graduation years.  It's wonderful to roam around back there and see their pride in signing the stage.

I also present our four-year musical participants with a four-for-four award, if they have participated in musical all four years of high school in any way.  Some are in the cast four years, some don't make it freshman year but still join a crew, some are in orchestra, etc.  The best part is we have an elementary cast for fifth and sixth graders, so some years I give the kids a six-for-four award!

------------------------------
Amber Hugus
Harmony PA
------------------------------

Our Thespian officers decide on a Thespian of the month and honor the selected student at the Thespian monthly meeting. They make a handmade gift and write a poem highlighting the reasons why the Thespian is honored. We decided that the selected student could not be an officer, to spread the wealth. At the end of the year the perpetual THESPIAN OF THE MONTH plaque is engraved with all of the years' honorees.
The officers also decide on a fun banquet award each year. One was entitled TRY, TRY AGAIN. It was given to the Thespian who really tried or accomplished a feat during the year or during a production. It was established in honor of a Thespian who tried to make brownies for a show's concessions and brought us a tin of burnt brownies. We shellacked the brownies and tin, and it became a perpetual rotating award. Fun side note the student who brought the original burnt brownies is now a composer in NYC and has worked with Sondheim.

Gai.jones@sbcglobal.net
Gai@gaijones.com
Www.gaijones.com


Original Message------

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Gai, I LOVE that Thespian of the Month award! My troupe president has talked about wanting to do that. They want to get a denim jacket and have "Thespian of the Month" embroidered on it and each TotM adds a patch. I love the poem idea too!!

The brownie pan may be the funniest thing I've heard all week.

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2017 11:19
From: Gai Jones
Subject: Troupe Traditions

Our Thespian officers decide on a Thespian of the month and honor the selected student at the Thespian monthly meeting. They make a handmade gift and write a poem highlighting the reasons why the Thespian is honored. We decided that the selected student could not be an officer, to spread the wealth. At the end of the year the perpetual THESPIAN OF THE MONTH plaque is engraved with all of the years' honorees.
The officers also decide on a fun banquet award each year. One was entitled TRY, TRY AGAIN. It was given to the Thespian who really tried or accomplished a feat during the year or during a production. It was established in honor of a Thespian who tried to make brownies for a show's concessions and brought us a tin of burnt brownies. We shellacked the brownies and tin, and it became a perpetual rotating award. Fun side note the student who brought the original burnt brownies is now a composer in NYC and has worked with Sondheim.

Gai.jones@sbcglobal.net
Gai@gaijones.com
Www.gaijones.com


Original Message------

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Here are a few of ours...

1. We meet every Thursday after school and at each meeting the student board/officers select someone who is labeled Thespian of the Week. This person sits in an old beat up "royal" chair that was once on a fairy tale set of some sort like ten years ago (it was old then, so you can imagine it's pretty beat up). The rest of the troupe members take turns pope corn style standing up and making statements about why they love the person who is Thespian of the Week. They say I love "so and so" because... it goes on for about 5-10 minutes and is full of laughing and fun, inside jokes, stories, really sentimental stuff and everything in between, and gives the whole troupe a chance to get to know that person a little better. We have often 80-100+ students at these meetings so it's easy to get lost in the shuffle or not get to know a lot about each person, so it's a nice way to do that. Thespians make suggestions for Thespian of the Week in our suggestion box secretly, based on something awesome and kind that they personally saw someone doing. The whole thing every week will darn near bring you to tears. It's not often a room of high school students takes time out to tell one another why they are loved.

2. We have a "Wall of Friendship" in the green room and whenever we do a show every student involved gets to decorate a big envelope with their name on it that is hung on the wall. Throughout tech week and performance days during off time or when they need to be quiet backstage waiting a long time for their next scene, students write little notes and doodles, and drop little tokens like stickers and such into the envelopes for each other (think elementary school valentines). Students don't take them down or read them until after the show when they each go home with their envelope. We used to have a lot of students who got big flower deliveries from friends and family and stuff like that back stage and it hurt the feelings of students who didn't have anyone from their family even coming to see the show (we have a very socioeconomically diverse student body) so we stopped really taking that stuff back stage and instead focus on sharing the love with each other. Some students spend a lot of time writing heartfelt letters or drawing a picture of each cast/crew member and others go to the dollar store and get small trinkets for each person. It changed the focus away from themselves and onto each other and everyone is included. We leave out markers, colored pencils and scrap paper on a table near the wall in the green room so it's easy to participate.

3. Every new member to our troupe, no matter their grade level, becomes a little and gets assigned a big. Bigs are veteran students who help their littles get sponsorships, fill out paperwork, learn lines, pack and prepare for festival, get ready for auditions, and so on. Bigs also meet their little's parents, spend time getting to know them outside of school, and make sure they always have someone to sit with, eat with, and are always included. Again our troupe is enormous so it's important that new people get individualized attention or we'll lose them in the shuffle. It's a privilege to be a big and students who want to participate in the program have to attend big training where we talk about how to best serve someone new coming in, plan "getting to know you" games and activities, and remind everyone what it was like to be new in our troupe to help prepare them to do an awesome job as a big.

4. Whenever we go on trips like District and State Festival, at least one student who has been to festival before is assigned to each hotel room. One of those vets in each room is assigned to be that room's "mom" or "dad." The mom/dad of the room makes sure that every person in the room understands the packing list in advance, has all of the clothes they need (some students need help getting/affording appropriate business professional attire for auditions or tech events, or dress clothes for opening and closing ceremonies), gets on the bus on time, eats at every meal, gets to bed at a decent time in the hotel and up on time in the morning, ... It's not uncommon for us to have 15+ hotel rooms so we need eyes and ears in each room keeping it safe, on time, and reporting concerns (like if someone throws up in the middle of the night). Again this is a privilege and students love the opportunity to be the one to help their room have an awesome time and great experience. It takes responsibility to make sure a whole group is getting everything handled. Over the years the students have added "cleanest room" competitions where the chaperones walk around to each door and peek in right before lights out to see whose room is cleanest. The room moms/dads can get pretty competitive as they rush around cleaning up their entire room and getting everyone else to clean (it also means the hotel cleaning service has less to do and can actually walk around the beds). The room moms/dads also often bring treats, snacks, and sometimes light decorations for their whole room to enjoy. It's wonderful to see how they work so hard to serve one another, and represent the troupe so well, and that example always means the next group of room moms/dads are trying to be even better in serving their peers.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Arnold High School Theatre
Panama City Beach, FL
Program Director and Thespian Sponsor

Florida State Junior Thespians
District 10 Chair

Florida Association for Theatre Education
Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2017 13:39
From: Heather Cribbs
Subject: Troupe Traditions

Gai, I LOVE that Thespian of the Month award! My troupe president has talked about wanting to do that. They want to get a denim jacket and have "Thespian of the Month" embroidered on it and each TotM adds a patch. I love the poem idea too!!

The brownie pan may be the funniest thing I've heard all week.

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL

Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2017 11:19
From: Gai Jones
Subject: Troupe Traditions

Our Thespian officers decide on a Thespian of the month and honor the selected student at the Thespian monthly meeting. They make a handmade gift and write a poem highlighting the reasons why the Thespian is honored. We decided that the selected student could not be an officer, to spread the wealth. At the end of the year the perpetual THESPIAN OF THE MONTH plaque is engraved with all of the years' honorees.
The officers also decide on a fun banquet award each year. One was entitled TRY, TRY AGAIN. It was given to the Thespian who really tried or accomplished a feat during the year or during a production. It was established in honor of a Thespian who tried to make brownies for a show's concessions and brought us a tin of burnt brownies. We shellacked the brownies and tin, and it became a perpetual rotating award. Fun side note the student who brought the original burnt brownies is now a composer in NYC and has worked with Sondheim.

Gai.jones@sbcglobal.net
Gai@gaijones.com
Www.gaijones.com


Original Message------

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Kathleen, I love ALL of these! I think I may steal your wall of friendship idea for our next show. And the room mom/dad idea too. These are some great traditions!

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2017 21:58
From: Kathleen McNulty Mann
Subject: Troupe Traditions

Here are a few of ours...

1. We meet every Thursday after school and at each meeting the student board/officers select someone who is labeled Thespian of the Week. This person sits in an old beat up "royal" chair that was once on a fairy tale set of some sort like ten years ago (it was old then, so you can imagine it's pretty beat up). The rest of the troupe members take turns pope corn style standing up and making statements about why they love the person who is Thespian of the Week. They say I love "so and so" because... it goes on for about 5-10 minutes and is full of laughing and fun, inside jokes, stories, really sentimental stuff and everything in between, and gives the whole troupe a chance to get to know that person a little better. We have often 80-100+ students at these meetings so it's easy to get lost in the shuffle or not get to know a lot about each person, so it's a nice way to do that. Thespians make suggestions for Thespian of the Week in our suggestion box secretly, based on something awesome and kind that they personally saw someone doing. The whole thing every week will darn near bring you to tears. It's not often a room of high school students takes time out to tell one another why they are loved.

2. We have a "Wall of Friendship" in the green room and whenever we do a show every student involved gets to decorate a big envelope with their name on it that is hung on the wall. Throughout tech week and performance days during off time or when they need to be quiet backstage waiting a long time for their next scene, students write little notes and doodles, and drop little tokens like stickers and such into the envelopes for each other (think elementary school valentines). Students don't take them down or read them until after the show when they each go home with their envelope. We used to have a lot of students who got big flower deliveries from friends and family and stuff like that back stage and it hurt the feelings of students who didn't have anyone from their family even coming to see the show (we have a very socioeconomically diverse student body) so we stopped really taking that stuff back stage and instead focus on sharing the love with each other. Some students spend a lot of time writing heartfelt letters or drawing a picture of each cast/crew member and others go to the dollar store and get small trinkets for each person. It changed the focus away from themselves and onto each other and everyone is included. We leave out markers, colored pencils and scrap paper on a table near the wall in the green room so it's easy to participate.

3. Every new member to our troupe, no matter their grade level, becomes a little and gets assigned a big. Bigs are veteran students who help their littles get sponsorships, fill out paperwork, learn lines, pack and prepare for festival, get ready for auditions, and so on. Bigs also meet their little's parents, spend time getting to know them outside of school, and make sure they always have someone to sit with, eat with, and are always included. Again our troupe is enormous so it's important that new people get individualized attention or we'll lose them in the shuffle. It's a privilege to be a big and students who want to participate in the program have to attend big training where we talk about how to best serve someone new coming in, plan "getting to know you" games and activities, and remind everyone what it was like to be new in our troupe to help prepare them to do an awesome job as a big.

4. Whenever we go on trips like District and State Festival, at least one student who has been to festival before is assigned to each hotel room. One of those vets in each room is assigned to be that room's "mom" or "dad." The mom/dad of the room makes sure that every person in the room understands the packing list in advance, has all of the clothes they need (some students need help getting/affording appropriate business professional attire for auditions or tech events, or dress clothes for opening and closing ceremonies), gets on the bus on time, eats at every meal, gets to bed at a decent time in the hotel and up on time in the morning, ... It's not uncommon for us to have 15+ hotel rooms so we need eyes and ears in each room keeping it safe, on time, and reporting concerns (like if someone throws up in the middle of the night). Again this is a privilege and students love the opportunity to be the one to help their room have an awesome time and great experience. It takes responsibility to make sure a whole group is getting everything handled. Over the years the students have added "cleanest room" competitions where the chaperones walk around to each door and peek in right before lights out to see whose room is cleanest. The room moms/dads can get pretty competitive as they rush around cleaning up their entire room and getting everyone else to clean (it also means the hotel cleaning service has less to do and can actually walk around the beds). The room moms/dads also often bring treats, snacks, and sometimes light decorations for their whole room to enjoy. It's wonderful to see how they work so hard to serve one another, and represent the troupe so well, and that example always means the next group of room moms/dads are trying to be even better in serving their peers.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Arnold High School Theatre
Panama City Beach, FL
Program Director and Thespian Sponsor

Florida State Junior Thespians
District 10 Chair

Florida Association for Theatre Education
Board Member
Membership Committee Chair

Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2017 13:39
From: Heather Cribbs
Subject: Troupe Traditions

Gai, I LOVE that Thespian of the Month award! My troupe president has talked about wanting to do that. They want to get a denim jacket and have "Thespian of the Month" embroidered on it and each TotM adds a patch. I love the poem idea too!!

The brownie pan may be the funniest thing I've heard all week.

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL

Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2017 11:19
From: Gai Jones
Subject: Troupe Traditions

Our Thespian officers decide on a Thespian of the month and honor the selected student at the Thespian monthly meeting. They make a handmade gift and write a poem highlighting the reasons why the Thespian is honored. We decided that the selected student could not be an officer, to spread the wealth. At the end of the year the perpetual THESPIAN OF THE MONTH plaque is engraved with all of the years' honorees.
The officers also decide on a fun banquet award each year. One was entitled TRY, TRY AGAIN. It was given to the Thespian who really tried or accomplished a feat during the year or during a production. It was established in honor of a Thespian who tried to make brownies for a show's concessions and brought us a tin of burnt brownies. We shellacked the brownies and tin, and it became a perpetual rotating award. Fun side note the student who brought the original burnt brownies is now a composer in NYC and has worked with Sondheim.

Gai.jones@sbcglobal.net
Gai@gaijones.com
Www.gaijones.com


Original Message------

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Thank you all for your wonderful contributions about ITS traditions and inductions. I think we can all agree that the best traditions introduce and embody the values of HONOR, PRIDE, AFFIRMATION, and INSPIRATION. As with any student organization, however, traditions can very quickly cross over into being perceived as or considered hazing. Seemingly fun and innocent activities have a way of morphing into something else over time. No one intends for it to happen. It's human nature for people to try to top last year's activities. In that process, events can get out of control and put students, programs, and even careers at risk.

One of the activities mentioned specifically as being prohibited in the EdTA Hazing Policy is scavenger hunts. The primary reasons for this are that scavenger hunts are typically given just to new or prospective members, singling out already vulnerable students to potential peer pressure and embarrassment. Scavenger hunts are often time-sensitive, and the resulting "mad dash" can pose numerous concerns for participants' safety, particularly where off-campus travel is required. They also tend to grow in scale and complexity over time, sometimes to the point where they interfere with production or school work and/or become costly and burdensome to the participants. If scavenger hunts are planned, here are a few suggestions to help ensure they comply:

1. Plan scavenger hunts at times that won't associate them with induction, induction week, or any other ITS membership related activities.

2. Make the scavenger hunt an activity for everyone. Don't limit participation to new students or inductees, and don't limit planning to the experienced students.

3. Whenever possible, make the activity educational in nature.

4. Be sure all scavenger hunt activities are reviewed in advance by responsible adults. Review activities for safety, legality, and propriety. Ensure activities won't cost participants money, require transportation, or shame participants or others.

One other practice mentioned is pairing experienced students with inexperienced students. The preferred terminology for a mentor/mentee in ITS is "Thespian/Thespian apprentice." While the practice of setting up these types of relationships can be beneficial in many ways, it should be implemented with caution and closely monitored through adult supervision. Left unsupervised, these relationships can quickly and easily result in activities prohibited by the EdTA Hazing Policy.

It's also important to remember that induction is only earned through excellence in theatre. It should be made clear to all involved that any additional activity is optional and should not be interpreted as an additional condition of induction.

We're very proud of the Thespian community for being one of inclusiveness and respect. To help ensure that these values are upheld and traditions remain appropriate, troupes should take time to review and discuss the EdTA Hazing Policy.

If you have any specific questions about your traditions as they relate to the policy, please email members@schooltheatre.org.

------------------------------
Brian Benz
Membership Manager
Educational Theatre Association
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-05-2017 09:40
From: Heather Cribbs
Subject: Troupe Traditions

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Brian, thanks for bringing that to light. This is only my 2nd year in this position and the kids BEGGED last year that I keep that tradition for induction week, as it's been around in our troupe for God knows how long. Looks like I'll have to rework some things this year.

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-09-2017 16:02
From: Brian Benz
Subject: Troupe Traditions

Thank you all for your wonderful contributions about ITS traditions and inductions. I think we can all agree that the best traditions introduce and embody the values of HONOR, PRIDE, AFFIRMATION, and INSPIRATION. As with any student organization, however, traditions can very quickly cross over into being perceived as or considered hazing. Seemingly fun and innocent activities have a way of morphing into something else over time. No one intends for it to happen. It's human nature for people to try to top last year's activities. In that process, events can get out of control and put students, programs, and even careers at risk.

One of the activities mentioned specifically as being prohibited in the EdTA Hazing Policy is scavenger hunts. The primary reasons for this are that scavenger hunts are typically given just to new or prospective members, singling out already vulnerable students to potential peer pressure and embarrassment. Scavenger hunts are often time-sensitive, and the resulting "mad dash" can pose numerous concerns for participants' safety, particularly where off-campus travel is required. They also tend to grow in scale and complexity over time, sometimes to the point where they interfere with production or school work and/or become costly and burdensome to the participants. If scavenger hunts are planned, here are a few suggestions to help ensure they comply:

1. Plan scavenger hunts at times that won't associate them with induction, induction week, or any other ITS membership related activities.

2. Make the scavenger hunt an activity for everyone. Don't limit participation to new students or inductees, and don't limit planning to the experienced students.

3. Whenever possible, make the activity educational in nature.

4. Be sure all scavenger hunt activities are reviewed in advance by responsible adults. Review activities for safety, legality, and propriety. Ensure activities won't cost participants money, require transportation, or shame participants or others.

One other practice mentioned is pairing experienced students with inexperienced students. The preferred terminology for a mentor/mentee in ITS is "Thespian/Thespian apprentice." While the practice of setting up these types of relationships can be beneficial in many ways, it should be implemented with caution and closely monitored through adult supervision. Left unsupervised, these relationships can quickly and easily result in activities prohibited by the EdTA Hazing Policy.

It's also important to remember that induction is only earned through excellence in theatre. It should be made clear to all involved that any additional activity is optional and should not be interpreted as an additional condition of induction.

We're very proud of the Thespian community for being one of inclusiveness and respect. To help ensure that these values are upheld and traditions remain appropriate, troupes should take time to review and discuss the EdTA Hazing Policy.

If you have any specific questions about your traditions as they relate to the policy, please email members@schooltheatre.org.

------------------------------
Brian Benz
Membership Manager
Educational Theatre Association

Original Message:
Sent: 10-05-2017 09:40
From: Heather Cribbs
Subject: Troupe Traditions

I'm interested in what traditions you guys have with your troupes. I'm not looking for new things to start, just curious. We have a couple.

#1 - "10-Minute Play" After the final dress rehearsal, we run the entire show in 10 minutes, sans costume changes and props (unless the actors think they're necessary). We run light cues. That's about it. The actors have to hit the key points in the show. It's absolutely hilarious. The tech crew comes and sits in the audience and watches.

#2 - Diamonds - On opening night, I give each of my cast members and managers (SMs and ASMs) a small plastic diamond. Before the night is over, they give it to the person they think has worked the hardest during this production. It's a silent affair. All they do is walk up and hand it to them. And we never talk about who got who's, etc. It's a silent show of appreciation.

#3 - Scavenger Hunt - During induction week, the mentors send their neophytes on a scavenger hunt using other thespians as clues. They're themed to the neophyte's interests. It's a week-long hunt, and at the end of the week, the mentors reveal themselves. It's WILD to watch.

#4 - Family Tree - At the banquet, after induction, the Thespians create a "family tree" where they put their hands on the head of their neophyte(s), and they do the same, etc. The pictures are HUGE​​​​. Sometimes, kids have to stand on chairs or lay on the ground because there will be 3-4 "generations" in one photo.



SO. What do you guys do?

------------------------------
Heather Cribbs
Theatre Director
New Smyrna Beach High School
New Smyrna Beach, FL
------------------------------