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  • 1.  Chartering a troupe time line?

    Posted 03-26-2018 11:58
    I had a jr. thespian troupe at my old school that was pre-existing.  I never had to charter it, so we paid the dues at the beginning of each year and paid induction fees at the end. 

    I'm at a different school now and they have never had a troupe.  I want to start one - but I was worried about the whole chartering/dues time line.  If I pay now, I'll have to pay again in the fall, right?  Would it be better to wait until the fall to start it and then do the inductions next year?  I'd like to start it now so that I have leadership, etc., but I don't want to have to pay twice close together.....thoughts?

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    Jennifer Simmons
    Lexington SC
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  • 2.  RE: Chartering a troupe time line?

    Posted 03-27-2018 10:08

    I would have everything lined up for a go in the fall.  Get your kids ready now.  Have all your induction invitations ready with kids.  Elect your officers and start your troupe now looking at the future.  Then in the fall pay and be official.  If things don't work out with Thespian Society,  you have structured a Drama Club.  Either way,  you are teaching organization, planning, community and leadership.  And that's a great thing.

     

    Break a leg and may all your theatre seats be filled.

     

    Kelly M. Thomas

    Department of Theatre

    Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School

    3300 Poteet Drive

    Mesquite, Texas 75150

    972-882-5300

    Kthomas@mesquiteisd.org

     

     




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Chartering a troupe time line?

    Posted 03-27-2018 10:27
    Yes, you would have to pay renewal fees in the fall.

    I had a similar situation with our HS troupe last year.  The biggest issue I see would be your current eighth graders and whether or not you want to have them inducted before going to high school.  My understanding of the rules is the student has to be in grades 6-8 at the time of induction, so the fall would be too late for them.  If you have deserving eighth graders and the funds to pay chartering fees/renewal fees close together, then I'd say it'd be worth it.

    Otherwise, just wait to charter in the fall.  You could still organize your troupe now.  Last spring, I informally organized my students until we were able to re-charter on August 1st.  Once we made things official, we hit the ground running.  We held an induction ceremony at the start of the school year, elected our officers and adopted our by laws.

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    Derek Friederich
    Thespian Troupe 417/Speech Coach/Jr. High Drama/Fine Arts Center Technical Director
    Postville IA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Chartering a troupe time line?

    Posted 03-27-2018 11:19

    Hi, Jennifer

    Thank you for bringing the Thespian tradition to your new school!

    Spring is actually a popular time to activate a troupe. Last year, one-third of all troupe charters took place between March 20 and June 20. While the end of the school year can be a very busy time, there are some solid reasons for doing so:

    1. It allows you to prepare for and start off the new school year at a sprint. If you like, you can choose your troupe officers and have time to plan with them in advance. If the new school year tends to be even busier than the end of the year for your program, this is a real benefit.
    2. You can induct your current year graduates. It's a great way to provide a special Thespian send off with recognition they'll cherish.
    3. If you're starting a new Junior Thespian troupe, inducting your 2018 grads as Junior Thespians will entitle them to start high school with half the Thespian points needed for high school Thespian induction. If they attend a high school with a Thespian troupe, that's the equivalent of 50 hours of work.
    4. Seeing your grads and other inductees honored this year will only help to motivate students to stick with the program and step it up in the coming year.

    Troupe activation only takes about 10 minutes for the application plus a minute or so per inductee. In most cases you can have a troupe active within a few days, and you can have charter and induction materials within a week or so, though an additional rush service fee for the induction materials may be needed. If you start your troupe this school year, an annual troupe renewal payment for the 2018-19 school year will be due between August 1 and October 15.

    If you have questions or would like to talk in more detail about your options and strategies, please feel free to contact us by email at members@schooltheatre.org, or by phone at 513.421.3900.

    We look forward to welcoming your school and students to ITS!



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    Brian Benz
    Membership Manager
    Educational Theatre Association
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    Original Message


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