VA Thespian Update
VA Thespians Kudos & Happenings
SEPTEMBER: Happy Back to School!
Happy fall & back to school! We hope your school year is starting well! Our registration window. opens next week! Check out website for the most up to date information and follow us on our socials! Schedule a meeting with Addie and take our 2023-24 survey (similar to last year's if you completed it with updates for this year).
We would also love to share out about your programs on our social media pages. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @vathespians so we can follow you back/keep track of your happenings. You may see your school or show featured soon. Use #vathespians for us to easily find your post!
What were Thespians up to this summer?
Miss Virginia Pageant
The Jimmys
Collaborative Camps/ Production
Other Good News from Summer!
Tori as Chapter Relations for EdTA!
Josh as one of six ITOS!
Summer Intensives
We hope you had a theatrical & amazing summer!
VTOS
Teacher Tool of the Month: Thespy Crash Course
TEI 2024: Aug 4-6th at the Drury Plaza Hotel
TEI: Thespian Educator Intensive
UPCOMING EVENTS/ CALENDAR
-VTF Registration: Sept 8th- Nov 1st, Late Window until Dec 1st
-EdTA Teacher Conference: Sept 28-30th
-VTO Fall Fundraiser, more info coming soon!
-VTF 2024: Jan 4-6th in Tysons Corner, VA!
-Statewide NYC Thespian Trip (NEW DATES) Feb. 23-25th, register by Oct. 1st!
-On the horizon (online Fall Fundraiser with VTOs, Arts Awareness Day in March, etc.)
HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL & FALL!
Other Thespian Summer Events!
Leadership Summit: Tysons Corner/ DC
ITF: Indiana U.
EdTA Advocacy Day!
Chapter Leadership Summit July 2024, TBD
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: Taryn Smithson
Know an alumni doing incredible things? Email executivedirector@vathespian.org so we can brag about them and their accomplishments!
Rebranding your ITS Troupe?
How to Find out More...?
Email: executivedirector@vathespian.org
Website: https://www.vathespian.org/mission.html
Location: Winchester, VA, USA
Phone: 703-554-3416
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaThespians
Twitter: @thespians1
Virginia Thespians Alumni Group
Spring/ Fall ITS Inductions Checklist
1. Hold an interest meeting. Ask- Who is interested in becoming inducted into ITS?
2. Share out the point application (your own copy) for students to complete with their past and current theatrical experiences for certain point values.
3. Have students fill out the Member Google form, (your own copy) for the exact information you need to collect to put them into the official ITS/ EdTA system, and pay $35 for the one-time membership fee, which lasts them a lifetime. (More materials at the bottom of the newsletter to promote and explain ITS.)
4. Hold inductions. Here is a sample outline to use. You can create your own rituals, traditions, or if you are in a pinch, it can be less than 30 minutes before school starts or before a rehearsal for example.
5. Log into your myedta account to input all of your new inductees.
6. Pay the lump sum as the director, if your students didn't pay EdTA directly. Our suggestion is to collect the money as you typically do for school events, work with your bookkeeper or boosters to cut one check to EdTA to keep it simple.
7. Hold an end of year or semester celebration to hand out the new goodies when they are delivered to the school!
Don't have a troupe yet? Read more about the benefits and process here! You do not need a minimum number of students now to activate/ reactivate your troupe. Get started today! Other resources on inductions from EdTA.
*Hold fall inductions so your students get inducted so they get the discounts for all events and so they can qualify to move onto nationals with their Thespys.
VIRGINIA THESPIAN FESTIVAL 2024!
The Main Auditorium
The Vault Blackbox Space
The Hilton Tysons McLean Hotel Lobby
Festival 2024!
1. Do you want to bring a show? We are accepting mainstages & one acts NOW!
2. Do you want to come for one day or a full weekend? Only full weekend schools can compete now so consider fundraising, asking your administration for support, add this into your yearly calendars now to plan your season around it.
3. Will you need transportation? Reach out to nearby schools to consider sharing a bus to save on money and getting to know a nearby program.
We hope to see you there!
Need information to share about Thespians or VTF 2024?
Here is a Festival Guide for students or new troupe directors.