Arts & Entertainment
Suburban H.S. Thespians To Perform At International Festival
The Illinois High School Theatre Festival's All-State cast and crew will present their production of Big Fish at festival in Nebraska.
ST. CHARLES, IL - From The Illinois Theatre Association: The Illinois High School Theatre Festival’s All-State cast and crew, comprised of student thespians from across Illinois, have been invited to present their production of Big Fish at the International Thespian Festival in Nebraska in June, 2018. Directed by LaDonna Wilson, director of Thespian Troupe 5981 of Champaign Central High School, they are one of only eleven groups in the nation invited to perform.
The International Thespian Festival (ITF), produced by the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), celebrates student achievement in the performing arts. The 55th event, which this year takes place June 25-30 at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, brings together more than 4,000 high school drama students and their teachers for a week-long immersion in workshops; interaction with colleges, industry leaders, and Broadway professionals; and opportunities to be inspired by the best high school theatre in the nation.
Premiering at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival in January, 2018 and produced by the Illinois Theatre Association, the Illinois All-State Big Fish cast, crew, and pit represent over 45 schools in the state. Hundreds of students auditioned and interviewed and 107 were selected to represent the best of Illinois High School Theatre. “This company embodies the most loving and supportive group of teenagers I have ever encountered; “ says Wilson, the director, “their performances mirrored their generosity of spirit and collaboration. They completely earned the honor of being one of only five shows chosen to perform on the large stage at Nationals.”
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The highly coveted invitation signals achievement of superior work in theatre according to EdTA’s Director of Educational Programs Nancy Brown. “It is a real honor,” she explains, “because we send screening teams out all across the U.S. and Canada during the school year and only eleven schools were selected to present their shows on the main stage. These Thespian troupes have earned a slot among those honored few:”
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Director: Shawn Hann
Denver School of the Arts, Troupe 5869
Denver, Colorado
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Bright Star
Director: Tara Whitman
West Orange High School, Troupe 1983
Winter Garden, Florida
Big Fish
Director: LaDonna Wilson
Illinois Theatre Association/
Illinois High School Theatre Festival
All-State Company
Director’s School: Champaign Central
High School, Troupe 5981
Champaign, Illinois
Disney's Newsies
Director: Robbie Steiner
Floyd Central High School, Troupe 1794
Floyds Knobs, Indiana
Trap
Director: David Hastings
Olathe South High School, Troupe 5006
One Man, Two Guvnors
Director: Jeremy Riggs
Blue Valley North High School, Troupe 4151
Overland Park, Kansas
Celtic Tales
Director: Leslie Coats
Paola High School, Troupe 66
Paolao, Kansas
Urinetown
Director: Greg Shaw
Pittsburg High School, Troupe 3149
Pittsburg, Kansas
Silent Sky
Director: Kristi Jacobs-Stanley
Mt. Carmel Academy, Troupe 2075
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Visit
Troupe Director: Tony Matthes; Show
Director: John Reidlinger
Edina High School, Troupe 1539
Edina, Minnesota
Freaky Friday
Director: Holly Stanfield
Bradford High School, Troupe 4982
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Production Team
| LaDonna Wilson | Director | Champaign Central High School |
| Tim Broeker | Producer | Urbana High School |
| Anna Louise Jakubka | Producer | Addison Trail High School |
| Sarah Mohr | Asst. Director/Choreographer | Champaign Central High School |
| Adrian Rochelle | Asst. Choreographer | Thunderbay Theatre |
| Dawn Farrell | Tap Choreographer | Oak Lawn Park District |
| Stacy Cunningham | Music Director | Leyden High Schools |
| Noah Pligge | Asst. Music Director | Elmwood Park High School |
| Alexandra Baxmeyer | Orchestra Director | Hinsdale South High School |
| Hunter Evans | Scene Designer | Downers Grove South HS |
| Lisa Gonwa | Technical Director | Victor J. Andrew High School |
| David Cermak | Asst. Technical Director | Victor J. Andrew High School |
| Noah Record | Lighting Designer | Protolight |
| Anthony Bartucci | Sound Designer | AB Pro Audio |
| Ian Garrett | Asst. Sound Designer | AB Pro Audio |
| Alex Holod | Props Designer | Addison Trail High School |
| Bob Schramm | Costume Designer | Broadway Costumes |
| Mollie O’Connor | Costume Designer/Coordinator | Wheaton North High School |
Cast
| Bennett English | Edward Bloom | O’Fallon Township High School |
| Danny Hollander | Edward Bloom Understudy/Ensemble | Palatine High School |
| Ellie Banke | Sandra Bloom | Downers Grove North HS |
| Audrey Hare | Sandra Bloom Understudy/Ensemble | Benet Academy |
| Jack Wartman | Will Bloom | St. Charles East High School |
| Jake Ziman | Will Bloom Understudy/Ensemble | West Aurora High School |
| Joy Woods | Witch | Homewood-Flossmoor HS |
| J’Lyn Hope | Witch Understudy/Ensemble | Urbana High School |
| Maddie Mazzella | Jenny Hill | St. Ignatius College Prep |
| Steven Klenk | Don Price | Crete-Monee High School |
| Robbie Matthew | Zacky Price | Glenbard West High School |
| Michael Ryan | Karl, The Giant | Champaign Central High School |
| Monika Nevarez | Karl’s Wife | Fenton High School |
| Natalie Doppelt | Josephine | Deerfield High School |
| Spencer Avery | Dr. Bennett | Bolingbrook High School |
| Tommy Ortman | Amos | Maine South High School |
| Brennan Dougherty | Red Fang | Glenbard West High School |
| Clarisse Austin | Ensemble | Libertyville High School |
| Omer Barkan | Ensemble | Champaign Central High School |
| Donalie Black | Ensemble | Vernon Hills High School |
| Mae Baustert | Ensemble | Barrington High School |
| Theodore Brown | Ensemble | John Hersey High School |
| Joel Castaneda | Ensemble | West Leyden High School |
| Jack Doherty | Ensemble | Lyons Township High School |
| Lucy Economos | Ensemble | Oak Park River Forest HS |
| Mackenzie Furlett | Ensemble | Vernon Hills High School |
| Kayla Johnson | Ensemble | Kankakee High School |
| Christina Jones | Ensemble | O’Fallon Township High School |
| Andrew Krueger | Ensemble | Oak Park River Forest HS |
| Kathryn Laird | Ensemble | Glenbard West High School |
| Wilke Macariola | Ensemble | York High School |
| Teah Mirabelli | Ensemble | Lake Zurich High School |
| Graeme Mahon | Ensemble | Barrington High School |
| Trevor North | Ensemble | Buffalo Grove High School |
| Phoebe Paslaski | Ensemble | Carmel High School |
| Nolan Rice | Ensemble | Lakes Community High School |
| Anja Schrag | Ensemble | Champaign Central High School |
| Peyton Shaffer | Ensemble | Crystal Lake South High School |
| Natalie Sipes | Ensemble | Plainfield South High School |
| Ethan Smith | Ensemble | The HS of St. Thomas More |
| Andrew Tufano | Ensemble | St. Ignatius College Prep |
| Connor White | Ensemble | Addison Trail High School |
The Illinois Theatre Association provides support and professional development opportunities for all
divisions of theatre. Annual events include the Illinois High School Theatre Festival, Statewide Non-Equity
Professional Auditions, Theatre In Our Schools Conference (produced in partnership with the American
Alliance of Theatre & Education), Middle School Conference, Annual Convention, and Awards of
Excellence Ceremony. For more information about the Illinois Theatre Association visit
www.illinoistheatre.org.
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