December 17, 2024
From November 20-23, 2024, students from Plano ISD attended the annual Texas Thespians State Festival, held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Hotel in Grapevine, Texas. Students attended workshops and performances to further enrich their education and training in the theater arts discipline. The State Festival also provides opportunities for students from around the state to network with one another and the numerous colleges and universities in attendance (many students also had formal interviews or callback auditions with colleges and universities). Additionally, students and staff took advantage of other opportunities provided by the Festival in the following ways:
Mainstage Performers
Students from all across Texas participated in the All-State Closing Ceremonies show. They performed a musical revue created by directors around the state. Gina Phan from Plano East performed in the All-State Show this year.
Nicole Lee from Plano West Senior High School Troupe 6101 received 1st place in the Lip Sync Competition and was selected to perform at Closing Ceremonies!
Mainstage Callbacks
Students who compete in individual events at the Festival and receive a perfect score from all three judges are invited to a second round of auditions, this time for a chance to perform on the Mainstage for Closing Ceremonies. This is a very difficult achievement to earn. Those invited to Mainstage Callbacks from Plano ISD were:
Gina Phan, Monologue, Plano East Senior High School, Troupe 3436
Addisyn Barron, Solo Musical, Plano East Senior High School, Troupe 3436
Gina Phan, Duet Lip Sync, Plano East Senior High School, Troupe 3436
Haley Rogers, Duet Lip Sync, Plano East Senior High School, Troupe 3436
Jake Kerstine, Solo Musical, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Lillie Kellam, Duet Acting, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Catherine Cockrell, Duet Acting, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Nicole Lee, Solo Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Peter Yoon, Duet Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Giovanni Munthalli, Duet Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Ava Schelin, Group Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Caroline Wilson, Group Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Haley Shephard, Group Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Memori Keith, Group Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Lillie Kellam, Group Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Landry Sims, Group Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Miku Coulston, Group Lip Sync, Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Marathon Show
Plano East Senior High School students had the opportunity to present their production of Lord of the Flies by William Golding adapted by Nigel Williams as a part of the Texas Thespians Marathon Show Series. The following awards were given to Marathon performers:
Brayden Boggs, Honorable Mention Performance
Chrissy Pelton, All Star Cast Performance
Lauren Oliobi, Best Supporting Performance
Best Makeup
Best Props
National Qualifiers
Every year, thousands of students from Thespian troupes around the world participate in the Thespys. They progress from their school auditoriums to chapter qualifying events to the international stage.
Thespians are scored by a panel of adjudicators and earn fair, good, excellent, and superior ratings for their presentations. Those Thespians who earn overall Superior ratings at a qualifying event are invited to the final round of adjudication at the International Thespian Festival.
The following students earned overall Superior ratings, thereby qualifying for the International Thespian Festival in June 2025.
Plano East Senior High School, Troupe 3436
Addisyn Barron, Solo Musical
Gina Phan, Monologue
Gina Phan, Short Film
Brayden Boggs, Group Musical Theatre Dance
Kiara Leask, Group Musical Theatre Dance
Lauren Oliobi, Group Musical Theatre Dance
Briana Palla, Group Musical Theatre Dance
Plano Senior High School, Troupe 844
Mikayla Bigelow, Monologue
Spencer Gregory, Monologue
Zayden Demler, Solo Musical
Reagan Huffstutler, Solo Musical
Jacob Laury, Solo Musical
Evelyn Traynor, Solo Musical
Coda McCardel, Duet Musical
Emma Rogers, Duet Musical
Anais Dane, Duet Acting
Kassi Svatek, Duet Acting
Plano West Senior High School, Troupe 6101
Jake Kerstine, Solo Musical
Ellia Godasi, Solo Musical
Aaron James, Solo Musical
Addison Rosenthal, Solo Musical
Graciana Chavez, Duet Musical
Tadala Kachete, Duet Musical
Memori Keith, Group Musical
Landry Sims, Group Musical
Miku Coulston, Group Musical
Lillie Kellam, Duet Acting
Catherine Cockrell, Duet Acting
Nicole Lee, Duet Acting
Peter Yoon, Duet Acting
Maria Pavao-Bronco Duet Acting
Plano Senior HS Troupe 844 National Qualifiers; Top: Zayden Demler, Anais Dane, Coda McCardel, Emma Rogers; Middle: Kassi Svatek, Reagan Huffstutler, Jacob Laury; Bottom: Spencer Gregory, Evelyn Traynor, Mikayla Bigelow
Plano Senior High Troupe 844 ITS Officers; Back: Jacob Laury, Lauren Whitehead, Rehaana Mariam, Heidi Myers; Front: Evelyn Traynor, Sophia Papaleo, Reagan Huffstutler, Adeeba Zaman (Not Pictured: Isabel Bonilla)
All-Star Troupe Display
Each year, troupes are invited to showcase their theatre department via a tabletop display. The display is seen by thousands of attendees and is graded on the following criteria: Community Service, Production History, Student Leadership, Student Led Production Work, Overall and Display Concept. Out of over 100 entries, only a select few troupes were awarded the distinction of “All-Star Troupe Display.” This year, both Plano Senior and Plano West were recipients of this award for their displays!
Plano Senior’s All-Star Troupe Display.
Plano West SH All-Star Troupe Display.
Plano West Senior High ITS Troupe 6101 Officers
Back Row: Maria Pavao Branco, Nicole Lee, Lillie Kellam, Ava Schelin, Miku Coulston, Caroline Wilson, Joel Baxter
Front Row: Catherine Cockrell & Camille Dobrient
State Honor Crew Selection
Each year, a small number of students from across the state are selected to serve on the State Honor Crew. These students work with industry professionals as they develop production management skills by working at the State Festival. Plano East Senior High School’s Loren Mediana and Sarah Hernandez from Plano West Senior High School Troupe 6101 were two of only a few dozen students from around the state selected to serve as Honor Crew Members for this year’s Festival. Congratulations to Loren and Sarah for representing Plano ISD behind the scenes!
Plano East Senior High School Theatre ITS Troupe 3436.
