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Legendary Lesson Plan Contest

By Cory Wilkerson posted 5 days ago
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Do you have a lesson plan that has become your go to piece of curriculum? You know the one- that lesson plan that worked so well, got such great response from the students and really gave you a clear picture of what they have learned?  The lesson plan that has become a legend among your students.  If you do, consider sharing the love by making your lesson plan a part of the growing library of plans that will help our members stretch and grow. Join us in celebrating Theatre in Our Schools month by submitting your favorite lesson to the Legendary Lesson Plan contest.   All lessons will be adjudicated by members like yourselves, with a $25.00 prize for any lesson ...
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Chapter Director Elections Update

By EdTA News posted 9 days ago
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Congratulations to the following who will begin/continue to serve as chapter director August 1, 2019 to July 31, 2023: Alabama - Jamie Stephenson Arizona - Jenell Riordan Arkansas - Marissa Arnold California - Stacy Castiglione and Michele Richardson Hawaii - Julia LoPresti Idaho -Sterling Blackwell Kentucky - Carolyn Greer Louisiana - Kristi Jacobs and Cherie Firmin Nevada - Sharon Chadwick and Krysta Phenix North Carolina - Chris Veneris and Medina Demeter Oregon - Jo Strom Lane South Carolina - Joe Timmons III Tennessee - Mark Saltalamachia Virginia - Tori Kesling and Anthony Cimino-Johnson Washington - Stewart Hawk and Kristina ...
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Advocacy Update: March 12, 2019

By Katie Ferchen posted 12 days ago
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EdTA Advocacy Update March 12, 2019   The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.     EdTA NEWS Democracyworks Winner and Runners Up Chosen The winner of the 2019 Democracyworks essay competition is Brannon Evans, Millard West High School Thespian Troupe 5483, Omaha, Nebraska. Her winning essay was one of a record 68 essays submitted by members of the International Thespian Society (ITS) for this year’s competition. EdTA Member Exclusive in Celebration of TIOS—Educators Can Win a Chance to See the Broadway Opening of Hadestown An educator who is a ...
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Community Spotlight: Joel King

By Ginny Butsch posted 19 days ago
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One of the main goals for our Theatre Education Community is to help theatre students and professionals from all over connect and identify with each other in order to build resources and support the theatre education field. We shine a spotlight on a different member every other week by conducting a simple interview. Our next spotlight is Joel King, a technical theatre teacher at North Springs High School in Atlanta, Georgia, home to Thespian troupe 4389. Joel is a bronze level contributor who has been adding advice and resources to the Community for over a year, the most recent of which was a handy intro project for a technical theatre class. ...
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EdTA Member Exclusive in Celebration of TIOS--Educators Can Win a Chance to See the Broadway Opening of Hadestown

By EdTA News posted 20 days ago
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An educator who is a member of the Educational Theatre Association may be treated to a trip to New York City for the opening night performance of Hadestown on Broadway compliments of   On The Stage , an online ticketing, show promotion, and audience engagement system for schools, which was inspired to offer this opportunity as a way to salute and celebrate theatre teachers during Theatre in Our Schools Month. The contest runs from March 4-17, 2019. The winner will be selected by a random draw of entrants and active membership will be verified by EdTA. The winner will be announced on Facebook on March 15 and will receive a trip for two ...
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Improv Games for Medium to Large Groups

By Mandy Taylor posted 21 days ago
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Improv Games for Medium to Large Groups Playing improv games is a common method of warming up for actors.  They help achieve focus, strengthen connections among actors, and allow them to practice performance skills. They can also serve as ice breakers among novice actors.  Improv games are entertaining for performers and audiences alike; just look at the well known game show Whose Line Is It Anyway . Whatever your reason for playing improv games, we can sometimes draw a blank when trying to decide on which one to play. Over the years, I’ve developed quite a repertoire of improve games, but when put on the spot, without a physical list, it’s sometimes ...
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TIOS 2019: How Best to Prepare for a 21st Century Career? Put on a Play!

By EdTA News posted 24 days ago
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Students, Teachers, and Performers Advocate for TIOS Employers across the globe agree it is essential in today’s workplace to be able to collaborate, communicate, and think critically, as detailed in the Future of the Workforce Study conducted by the World Economic Forum.  These are the 21 st century skills that participation in theatre in school is known to develop, as other independent studies confirm . That’s why during March, as part of Theatre in Our Schools (TIOS) month , thousands of Thespians and theatre educators are taking that message to their communities, school boards, and elected officials, as well as spreading the word online, ...
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Democracyworks Winner and Runners Up Chosen

By EdTA News posted 26 days ago
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The winner of the 2019 Democracyworks essay competition is Brannon Evans (left), Millard West High School Thespian Troupe 5483, Omaha, Nebraska. Her winning essay was one of a record 68 essays submitted by members of the International Thespian Society (ITS) for this year’s competition. First runner up is Lena Dougherty, Middle Township High School, Thespian Troupe 7564, Cape May Court House, New Jersey. Second runner up is Julie Matta, South Tama (Iowa) High School, Thespian Troupe 1038.  The winner earns $250 cash and a trip to the National Arts Action Summit (formerly known as Arts Advocacy Day), the annual Washington, D.C. gathering of arts advocates from ...
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Advocacy Update: February 26, 2019

By Katie Ferchen posted 26 days ago
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EdTA Advocacy Update February 26, 2019   The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.   EdTA NEWS Announcing New Education Manager and Legendary Lesson Plan Contest EdTA is excited to announce the addition of an Education Manager to the staff, Cory Wilkerson, who will be supporting members with new educational resources. As a part of this effort, over the coming months there will be many opportunities for members to contribute ideas and resources with the first being the “Legendary Lesson Plan” Contest.  Educational Theatre Foundation Announces Grants to Aid ...
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Community Spotlight: Nancy Bernhard

By Ginny Butsch posted 02-19-2019
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One of the main goals for our Theatre Education Community is to help theatre students and professionals from all over connect and identify with each other in order to build resources and support the theatre education field. We shine a spotlight on a different member every other week by conducting a simple interview. Our next spotlight is Nancy Bernhard, a retired theatre educator in Salinas, California. Nancy was active on the California Thespians state board and helped us beta test the Community in 2013 before it was launched to the public. In retirement, Nancy spends time supporting current theatre teachers and exploring new hobbies. What inspired ...
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Announcing New Education Manager and Legendary Lesson Plan Contest

By EdTA News posted 02-19-2019
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EdTA is excited to announce the addition of an Education Manager to the staff,  Cory Wilkerson , who will be supporting members with new educational resources.  As a part of this effort, over the coming months there will be many opportunities for members to contribute ideas and resources with the first being the “Legendary Lesson Plan” Contest.   Wilkerson explained, “If you have a lesson plan that you created that works so well it’s become legendary, submit it to EdTA by April 15, 2019 for adjudication to become part of a curated set of member resources.  Winners will receive a $25 prize and a chance to win a free registration for EdTA's National Conference ...
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Advocacy Update: February 12, 2019

By Katie Ferchen posted 02-12-2019
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EdTA Advocacy Update February 12, 2019   The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.   EdTA NEWS NBC Entertainment Receives the EdTA Standing Ovation Award NBC Entertainment has received the Standing Ovation Award from the Educational Theatre Association. The award recognizes a corporation or organization that makes significant contributions to EdTA in supporting its mission of “shaping lives through theatre education” through philanthropic efforts, programs, and activities.   NATIONAL NEWS The Government Shutdown and the Arts Regardless of one’s ...
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NBC Entertainment Receives the EdTA Standing Ovation Award

By EdTA News posted 02-11-2019
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NBC Entertainment has received the Standing Ovation Award from the Educational Theatre Association. The award recognizes a corporation or organization that makes significant contributions to EdTA in supporting its mission of “shaping lives through theatre education” through philanthropic efforts, programs, and activities. The award was accepted by NBC’s Senior Vice President and Creative Director Dean McFlicker (pictured) at the Junior Theater Festival West in Sacramento, Calif. In presenting the award, Jeff Hall—a longtime theatre educator, director of Thespian Troupe 5575, and EdTA volunteer leader—praised NBC for increasing the appreciation of school theatre ...
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JumpStart Theatre Update 43: Leading by Example

By Ginny Butsch posted 02-07-2019
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A program designed to build sustainable musical theatre programs in underserved middle schools that currently have none. This is a series of monthly updates about the  JumpStart Theatre  pilot program launched in Cincinnati, Ohio. To view previous updates,  click here .  Congratulations, MCCA! Earlier this month at the Junior Theater Festival East , Playbill announced that JumpStart Theatre's newest regional partner,  Mountain City Center for the Arts  (MCCA) had received their 2019 Community Service Award . Additionally, current MCCA students were so moved by the idea of bringing theatre to students who ...
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Advocacy Update: January 29, 2019

By Katie Ferchen posted 01-29-2019
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EdTA Advocacy Update January 29, 2019   The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.   EdTA NEWS Theatre Education Advocacy Day Set for July The EdTA Theatre Education Advocacy Day will take place July 15-16, in Washington, D.C. The event, open to all adult and student members, will be modeled after the organization’s first national theatre education advocacy day held in 2017. Heather Achter Awarded the 2018 Linda P. Wise Grant EdTA has awarded its 2018 Linda P. Wise Grant for Theatre Educators to Heather Achter, theatre teacher and director of Thespian ...
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Community Spotlight: Robert Smith

By Ginny Butsch posted 01-29-2019
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One of the main goals for our Theatre Education Community is to help theatre students and professionals from all over connect and identify with each other in order to build resources and support the theatre education field. We shine a spotlight on a different member every other week by conducting a simple interview. Our next spotlight is Robert (Bob) Smith, a retired theatre teacher and troupe director turned EdTA Emeritus member. Bob also serves on the Virginia Thespians state board as the Treasurer. He has been lending his time and expertise to the Theatre Education Community for years and is a fantastic resource for problem-solving on the stage ...
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Introducing the New Dramatics Website

By EdTA News posted 01-22-2019
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As the only magazine written specifically for high school theatre students, Dramatics has been a go-to source for Thespians since 1929. Now, Dramatics can share even more stories from across the Thespian Nation at Dramatics.org . Dramatics.org is the newly launched companion website to Dramatics magazine. While the print edition will continue, Dramatics.org will feature even more of the stories you love, from practical tips on acting, designing, and writing to profiles of Broadway stars and theatre professionals. We’re also adding photo galleries and videos while shining a spotlight on more Thespians and Thespian troupes than ever ...
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Thespian Alumni Spotlight: Ross Jackson

By EdTA News posted 01-22-2019
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Ross Jackson is a Thespian alum from Troupe 1699, Lake Hamilton High School in Pearcy, Arkansas. He is AEA Stage Manager and Instructor of Stage Management at Irvine Valley College, one of only 10 working black male AEA stage managers currently. Jackson earned a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and an MFA in Stage Management from the University of California, Irvine. He gives credit to this Thespian experience for helping him achieve his current success. Jackson recalls, “At my second Thespian conference in Mena, Arkansas in 2007-08 school year I received the Thespian Spirit Award simply ...
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Heather Achter Awarded the 2018 Linda P. Wise Grant

By EdTA News posted 01-17-2019
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EdTA has awarded its 2018 Linda P. Wise Grant for Theatre Educators to Heather Achter, theatre teacher and director of Thespian Troupe 7561, at Kings Mountain High School in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The grant is awarded to an EdTA professional member and theatre educator who presents a well-laid plan for an in-class program in need of financial support. Achter teaches theatre classes ranging from beginner to advanced level and will use the funds to purchase professional stage makeup kits. Her students currently use their own store-bought makeup and materials brought from home. This grant will allow her students the tools and resources to learn the ...
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Advocacy Update: January 15, 2019

By Katie Ferchen posted 01-15-2019
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EdTA Advocacy Update January 15, 2019   The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.   EdTA NEWS Eight Schools Invited to Perform on Main Stage at International Thespian Festival Eight schools have been invited to perform on the main stage at the International Thespian Festival (ITF). The invitations are based on productions that were adjudicated last fall; three more will be invited this spring.   NATIONAL NEWS How is the Shutdown Affecting America? Let Us Count the Ways The National Endowment for the Arts says it will honor its fiscal year 2019 ...
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