Parkway South Graduate Competes In International Thespian Festival

The preparation process is long and demanding. The competition is tough. But, the rewards are grand for a number of local high school students and a theatre teacher from Lee's Summit, MO. 

Maddie Frank and Julia Levine of Parkway Central High School and Abbie Shull of Parkway South High School, have been chosen to participate in the annual International Thespian Festival, Monday-Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska. All three young women are 2011 graduates.

Shayne Daniel, a veteran theatre teacher from Lee's Summit North High School, has been chosen as director and will bring his dream production, a musical version of Jekyll and Hyde, to the festival.

The festival is a weeklong event that presents four different high school performances, learning opportunities for theatre students and educators, a playwriting program, and even provides auditions for students to earn thespian scholarships. 

Students must audition to become part of the all-state cast. Even makeup artists and technical crew audition. Directors apply by submitting a proposal for a play they wish to bring to the state conference. Actors, crew and productions are judged at the state level and can be selected to the International Festival.

“It’s quite an honor to be selected, and we are pretty excited,” said Daniel, who has taught and produced theatre for more than 16 years. “This will be my first experience as part of an all-state production. This cast and crew are the best of the best from across the state. In addition to their talent, the students are articulate and personable,” he said. “It’s an exciting opportunity.”

“It’s basically a whole year leading to the state conference. You spend a long time preparing for auditions,” said Shull, who has been involved in theatre since she was ten. “Cast and crew selections were made in March 2010. There was a 14-day rehearsal camp in July followed by a mock performance of the show. In the fall, we started rehearsals about once a month. Then, in January 2011 our troupe performed Jekyll and Hyde at the state conference, and we were chosen to bring the show to the International Festival.”

Nearly 200 students from across the Missouri auditioned for a chance to be in the production. Thirty students were chosen for the cast and 12 were chosen for the technical and design team. 

“There will be 47 student participants representing 30 plus schools across the state,” Daniel said. “It’s a very eclectic group and they have become an extended family during this process. Theatre is a great opportunity for students to explore the aspects of their artistic side.” 

“It’s been tough,” Maddie Frank said. “But the work will be worth it. The highlight of the festival will be the main performance of Jekyll and Hyde. The performance will show how much we all have worked, and we’ll be performing for more than just our family and friends.” 

After the festival and the performance, both plan to attend the University of Missouri, but their chosen careers will set them on different roads. 

Frank has worked in theatre since eighth grade and has been involved in all the stage productions at Central during her four years there. “All the productions were fun to work on and to be part of the group,” she said. “But I’m ready for college where I’ll begin studying elementary education.”

“I love the theatre," Shull said. “In high school, I developed a passion for theatre, and I want to do this for the rest of my life. I’ll be majoring in theatre and vocal performance at college. I enjoy costumes, set design, make-up. By learning all the aspects of theatre, I can see how my work impacts the group and the production. I don’t need to be a star; I just want to be in theatre."

Other area students involved in the festival production include Sarah Baughman, Parkway North High School; and Alex Greene and Will Moore, Marquette High School.