Looking Back at the Oregon Thespian Conference

Northwest Academy Thespians and other members of the theatre department went on a trip to Salem, Ore. to experience the annual Oregon State Thespian Conference at the beginning of April.

Earlier in the school year Northwest Academy Thespians competed at the Regional Thespian Competition at Liberty High School. Students that ranked within the top 10 percent had the opportunity to audition at the State Conference. Students that succeeded in the audition process got to perform at a showcase designed to display the state’s best student talent.

The theme for this year’s conference was “Everybody’s a Thespian!”, which is derived from the popular internet series “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog.” Unfortunately, none of Northwest Academy’s students were selected for the showcase.

“The showcase (was) a two act, two-hour show showcasing about 20 of the 180 auditions that occurred,” Wade Willis said, the Northwest Academy troupe leader that orchestrated the school’s participation in the conference. “Ilana Newman, Jared Kerman and Marisol Ceballos had the honor of auditioning their pantomime to be included in the final showcase.”

Willis and David Bliss, technical theatre instructor, chaperoned the trip.

“We still got to learn a lot so it is not a disappointment,” Kerman said.

Other activities Northwest Academy students enjoyed at the conference included three full-length play productions from other attending high schools, ‘workshops’ designed to enhance performing skills and social activities.

“This year we saw ‘Holmes for the Holidays’ performed by Churchill High School in Eugene, ‘Hamlet’ performed by McNary High School in Keizer and ‘Rumors’ performed by Westview High School in Beaverton,” Willis said.

Northwest Academy performed “Holmes for the Holidays” under the alternative name “The Game’s Afoot” earlier in the school year.

“It was very interesting for our students who were in our production in the fall to see someone else’s take on the same play,” Willis said. “While Churchill High School’s take on the play was very different from ours, it was very good.”

Students attending the conference were encouraged to take workshops. Troupe leaders also had to teach workshops in order for every troupe to contribute to the conference.

According to Willis, the conference was an outstanding success. He claims that it gave the theatre department a sense of community and a way to connect in a non-academic environment.

“State (Thespian Conference) always has the power to bond the students,” Willis said. “I think more than anything, it gives them a sense that we are all in this together and working toward the same goals.”

At the nightly dances, Northwest Academy students spent time with thespians from around Ore. During the two events, students enjoyed food, danced to hip-hop music and socialized.

“The dances were fun,” Kerman said. “There were just a lot of people and everybody was there to have fun.”