a national event for middle school theatre

February 12–14, 2016 Denison High School in Denison, TexasWWW.SCHOOLTHEATRE.ORG/JRFESTIVAL

A NATIONAL EVENT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL THEATRE

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Welcome to the Junior Thespian Festival 2016

One of my favorite theatre teachers used a call-and-response game to motivate her students. “What type of actor do you not want to be?” she would ask. “Boring!” we’d respond. “What should you be instead?” “Interesting!” “How can you be interesting?” “Take creative risks!”She encouraged us to make bold choices, and she empowered us to attempt, to fail, and to learn.

In her theatre class, I was allowed to embrace my creative self, to be unique—to Be a Character.The Junior Thespian Festival speaks directly to the heart of the Educational Theatre Association’s mission: honoring student

achievement. Theatre makes great learners. And great learners go on to make great leaders, thinkers, citizens, and individuals. The study of theatre reinforces a balanced, rigorous curriculum, driving home for students lessons in language arts, math, and history. In theatre, students gain leadership skills, practice creative problem-solving, and work in teams toward a common goal. We strive to provide experiences like the Junior Thespian Festival, where students can learn and grow as people and as artists.

This is going to be a great weekend of theatre. Many people have worked hard to make Junior Thespian Festival 2016 happen. EdTA and our student honorary organization, the International Thespian Society, would like to thank our event sponsors Music Theatre International, Theatrical Rights Worldwide, Playbill, Samuel French Inc., and Tams-Witmark Music Library. We also thank all of the incredible teaching artists as well as our outstanding featured guest, Matthew Lee Robinson, for sharing their time and expertise. And thank you to all the teachers, parents, and school administrators who have made it possible for their students to attend this year’s Junior Thespian Festival. Finally, EdTA would like to extend a special thank you to our host, Denison High School and Troupe Director Amy Jordan.

Again, welcome everyone. This weekend, embrace what makes you unique. Be a character and act well your part.

Craig BranchJunior Thespian Festival coordinator


About the Educational Theatre AssociationThe Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) is a national nonprofit organization with approximately 100,000 student and professional members. EdTA’s mission is shaping lives through theatre education by: honoring student achievement in theatre, supporting the professional needs of theatre educators, and in-fluencing public opinion that theatre education builds essential life skills.

About the International Thespian SocietyThe International Thespian Society (ITS) is an honor-ary organization for high school and middle school theatre students at more than 3,900 affiliated secondary schools across the United States, Canada, and abroad. Its mission is to honor student achievement in the the-atre arts. High school inductees are known as Thespi-ans, and junior high and middle school inductees are known as Junior Thespians. ITS is a division of the Educational Theatre Association.

Badges: Delegates must wear badges at all times. There are times when schools will be on different schedules, which are distinguished by the color of their badge insert. If your badge insert is blue, your school must follow the blue times for the Junior Tech Challenge and Individual Events; if your badge insert is yellow, your school must follow the yellow times. Please be aware of your school’s badge insert color. Curfew: On Friday, delegates should be in their hotel room with the lights out no later than 10:30 p.m. On Saturday night, curfew is 11:00 p.m. Earlier curfews may be set by troupe directors and chaperones.Meals: Breakfast each morning will be on your own. Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, and Saturday dinner will be served in the cafeteria. A snack will be served Saturday afternoon between workshop sessions 3 and 4, also in the cafeteria. Food or beverages are not al-lowed in the classrooms or theatre. Security: Our host, Denison High School, has a beau-tiful new facility. Respect the school’s property and the property of other people. For your own safety, do not go into areas of campus that are not being used for the event. The first floor of the school is off-limits to all delegates. Emergencies: Delegates must complete the infor-mation on the back of their badges. If you are lost, sick, or hurt, inform your troupe director or an adult.

The Junior Thespian Festival emergency number is 513.205.7493. A first aid kit will be available at the Information Desk.I.E. assessments and awards: Individual Event as-sessment forms and superior medallions will be avail-able for troupe directors to pick up in the theatre lob-by on Sunday morning from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Adult Hospitality Room: An adult hospitality room is located in the teachers lounge, just off main cor-ridor near the cafeteria. It will be open to all troupe directors, chaperones, teaching artists, and exhibitors on Friday (4 – 10 p.m.) and Saturday (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)Workshops: Workshops may be intended for a spe-cific audience or level of experience. Read the work-shop descriptions in this program to see which are best for you. Chaperones are encouraged to attend, as well.Mobile program: In addition to this print program, the Junior Thespian Festival is using Guidebook, which you can access with your Apple or Android device, Windows phone, or internet connection. To download Guidebook, visit your app store or guidebook.com/guides. Search for Junior Thespian Festival 2016. This mobile app is sponsored by Samuel French, Inc.


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12

4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Registration, theatre lobby

4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Exhibit area open, theatre lobby

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Junior Thespian Festival 2016 kick-off, Smith Auditorium

6:15 – 7:15 p.m. Workshop session 1

7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Dinner/troupe time, cafeteria

8:15 – 9:45 p.m. Main stage production: Circus Olympus, Smith Auditorium

10:00 p.m. Return to hotels

10:30 p.m. Curfew

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13

8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Exhibit area open, theatre lobby

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Blue track: Individual Events (see I.E. schedule at registration desk); Yellow track: Junior Tech Challenge, Practice Gym

10:15 – 11:45 a.m. Yellow track: Individual Events (see I.E. schedule at registration desk); Blue track: Junior Tech Challenge, Practice Gym

12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Lunch/troupe time, cafeteria



3:00 – 3:15 p.m. Snack break, cafeteria



6:00 – 6:45 p.m. Dinner/troupe time, cafeteria

7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Main stage production: The Lion King, JR., Smith Auditorium

9:15 – 10:30 p.m. JFest Jive!, Practice Gym

10:30 p.m. Return to hotels

11:00 p.m. Curfew

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Exhibit area open, theatre lobby

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Be a Character, Junior Thespians!, Smith Auditorium

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Individual Event Showcase and Junior Thespian Festival 2016 Closing Ceremony, Smith Auditorium


Costume Holiday House

ITS Spirit Store

MTI – Music Theatre International

Samuel French, Inc.

Stage Partners

Theatrefolk

TRW – Theatrical Rights Worldwide

AlabamaOur Lady of the Valley School, Junior troupe 88732

ColoradoAmerican Academy, Junior troupe 88842Cimarron Middle School, Junior troupe 89276Mesa Middle School, Junior troupe 89186Mountain Ridge Middle School, Junior troupe 88933Sagewood Middle School, Junior troupe 89213

FloridaForest Glen Middle School, Junior troupe 89112Nautilus Middle School, Junior troupe 89320Oak Hall School, Junior troupe 88826

GeorgiaThe Champion School, Junior troupe 89129

IllinoisViking Middle School, Junior troupe 88093

KansasWestridge Middle School, Junior troupe 89009

MississippiColumbus Middle School, Junior troupe 89074Pearl Jr. High School, Junior troupe 89177

OhioThe Seven Hills School

OklahomaShawnee Middle School

TennesseeMeigs Academic Magnet Middle School, Junior troupe 89330

TexasArgyle Middle School, Junior troupe 88845Briarhill Middle School, Junior troupe 88912Coppell Middle School West, Junior troupe 88607 Griffin Middle School, Junior troupe 89178Lakeview Middle School, Junior troupe 88447Lufkin Middle School, Junior troupe 89231Scott Johnson Middle School, Junior troupe 89279 Scott Middle School, Junior troupe 88892WoodCreek Junior High, Junior troupe 89324

ChinaNanjing 29 Middle SchoolShanghai Foreign Language SchoolShanghai Jincai Foreign Language SchoolShanghai Luwan High School Shanghai World Foreign Language SchoolZhangjiagang Ivy Experimental School Zhejiang Fuyang School

SaipanDandan Middle School, Junior troupe 89328Hopwood Junior High School, Junior troupe 88755San Antonio Middle School, Junior troupe 88752


Circus Olympus (Friday 8:15)Written by Lindsay PriceProduced by Junior Thespian Troupe 88732 from Our Lady of the Valley School, Birmingham, AlabamaMichael Bridges, directorPerformed with special permission from Theatrefolk.

The circus has come to town. Well… sort of. There’s no elephant on a bicycle, but there are the Greek Geeks and have they got a story or two to tell. More specifically, a myth or two: Pandora’s Box, Persephone and the Underworld, King Midas, Athena and Arachne, and don’t forget the Mythapalooza Slam Jam.

The Lion King, JR (Saturday 7:00) sponsored by Music Theatre International Music and lyrics by Elton John and Tim Rice Additional music and lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, and Will Van Dyke Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi Based on the Broadway production directed by Julie TaymorProduced by Junior Thespian Troupe 89112 from Forest Glen Middle School, Coral Springs, FloridaPamela Stigger, directorPerformed with special permission from Music Theatre International.

Join Rafiki and the animals of the Pridelands as they welcome Simba, the newborn cub of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi. Watch Simba grow into a curious young lion, explore the savanna, and learn about the circle of life from his father. Alongside memorable characters like Nala, Zazu, and Timon and Pumbaa, Simba overcomes his father’s murder and finds the strength he needs to assume his rightful place as king of the Pridelands. Experi-ence the music and characters that have captivated the imagination of audiences around the world.

Matthew Lee Robinson

New York-based Australian composer/lyricist and performer Matthew Lee Robinson has won the UTAS Stephen Schwartz Songwriting Award, the Pratt Prize for Music Theatre, the Gilbert Spottiswood Churchill Fellowship, and the $100,000 Australia Council Music Fellowship. For sheet music, videos, and news, visit www.matthewleerobinson.com.

His latest musical in development, Atlantis, was most recently workshopped at the 2015 Canadian Music Theatre Project in Toronto and in New York readings mentored by Stephen Schwartz and representatives from Disney Theatrical Group, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Ambassador Theatre Group. His next musical in development, Hap-py People, has been developed by Village Theatre, Washington, and his first musical, Metro Street, received productions in Australia and South Korea, going on to be nomi-nated for five Helpmann Awards (Australia’s equivalent to the Tony Awards).

Robinson’s other songwriting credits include the Emmy-nominated television series Dance Academy, the musical revue Sing on Through Tomorrow (original cast recording on iTunes), and various songs for the events of Coca-Cola, Nintendo, Nokia, IBM, and the Australian Open Tennis Championships. His music has been heard in concert through the Ars Nova NYC Uncharted series, Seattle’s New Voices series, Lincoln Center’s Broadway’s Future Songbook Series, and the 2016 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta.

As a performer, Robinson has appeared in three lead roles for Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House, as the title role in Pippin (Sydney Theatre), in the original Australian cast of Mamma Mia!, and on television as a vo-cal coach for the FOX 8 reality television series The Singing Office, in the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg miniseries The Pacific, and opposite Mary Tyler Moore in the telemovie A Most Deadly Family.

Be in your seat at 5:00 p.m. on Friday—you won’t want to miss Matthew’s show!


A good actor is a good thief, Franklin SteeleStudents and teachers, all levelsAs actors, where do our choices come from? Would you believe that all artists “steal” from the world around them—a voice, a gesture, or the blink of an eye. In this session, we’ll create characters, and each movement will mean something to you. Come pre-pared to work.

Ace any theatre audition, Gai JonesStudents and teachers, all levelsGain audition insight as you practice entering the room, slating, taking directions, interviewing, improvis-ing, cold reading, analyzing a short monologue, ex-ecuting the final moments of the audition, and exiting the room with confidence. We will then step into the shoes of the casting director to see it all from the other side. Bring your monologues, so you can ace any the-atre audition.

Act up, act out, act right, Franklin SteeleStudents and teachers, all levelsLand the role you desperately want. As we study the audition process, we will examine what directors are looking for and how to win them over. Come prepared with an audition piece to perform.

Acting a song, Marty JohnsonStudents only, beginning to intermediate levelsIn a musical, every song tells a story and moves the plot forward. In this interactive workshop, we will explore various musical theatre songs while learning techniques that can help us create vivid characters and become better storytellers.

Adult meeting with Educational Theatre Associa-tion’s Executive Director, Julie Cohen TheobaldTeachers and adults, all levelsAll Troupe Directors, parents, chaperones, and adults are invited to join the Educational Theatre Association’s Executive Director Julie Cohen Theobald to discuss the organization’s accomplishments and future goals. Bring your ideas and questions to help shape EdTA’s strate-gic plan for the next five years.

The Bard’s not so bad, Chris VenerisStudents and teachers, all levelsWilliam Shakespeare—or “The Bard”—is often misun-derstood by theatre artists, both young and old. But anyone can perform Shakespeare, and perform him well. We will approach the works of William Shake-

speare without fear—from punctuation to performance. Everyone will leave feeling more comfortable with Wil-liam’s works.

Be bold, be brave, be unafraid: The MAP that guides successful leaders, International Thespian OfficersStudents and teachers, all levelsLeading requires bravery. To be successful on your leadership journey, there are necessary steps to take, important opportunities to experience, and positive traits to develop. In this workshop, we will discuss the MAP (making your own opportunities, acting the part of a leader, positivity) you need to follow on your path to strong leadership.

Choreographing shows for students of all abili-ties, Steven KennedyTeachers and adults, all levelsJoin a Broadway JR. resident choreographer for this workshop on the fundamental skills you need to make your next musical look spectacular. We will explore techniques designed for working with students of varied skill levels all the while maintaining a unified production that successfully tells an engaging story through dance.

Creating character through movement, Steven KennedyStudents only, all levelsThis interactive workshop examines techniques and activities designed to help you create believable and interesting characters. Focusing on movement, musical inspiration, and the story, we will strengthen our skills as physical performers.

Curtain up: Titles, tips, and tricks to licensing the best shows for your middle school, Samuel French/Courtney KochubaTeachers and adults, all levelsWe want to help your school produce the best show possible. Join Samuel French as we review the top plays and musicals for middle schools, as well as li-censing tips and tricks. We’ll end the workshop dis-cussing our newest program, Musicals 101, which was created to support directors when producing a Samuel French musical.

Don’t waste your breath: Be heard without shouting, Amy ShojaiStudents and teachers, all levels


If the audience can’t hear or understand you then what are you doing wrong? Microphones are great, but they turn some actors and singers into wimps. And when the tech stuff goes ker-flooey will your lines and songs be heard? This session teaches you how to project and enunciate whether speaking or singing.

Enticing, expressive ensemble experiences, Gai JonesStudents and teachers, all levelsThis interactive, highly charged workshop gives all par-ticipants a safe place to play, laugh, be creative, meet new Junior Thespians, and have fun. You can use these ensemble experiences in classrooms, rehearsals, club meetings—anywhere theatre creativity is needed.

Frantic Assembly movement pieces, Katie CrossStudents and teachers, all levelsTogether, we will learn different techniques to assist in the collaboration and creation of original movement pieces to tell amazing stories. Based on techniques originally devised by the Frantic Assembly theatre com-pany in London, England, this workshop is ideal for ensemble and character building.

Great PR for your theatre program, David LaFlecheTeachers and adults, all levelsDo you have all the administrative and community support you need for your theatre program? Become a master of PR. Learn how you can use your troupe and the achievements of your theatre students to bring attention and support to your theatre program. You’ll leave with more than ninety ideas that you can start using right away. Please come prepared to share your challenges and successes.

Junior troupe fundraising 101: If you raise it then they can’t cut it, Marion Combs and Karen PionkeStudents and teachers, all levelsJoin in a quick review of techniques and appeals that Junior Thespian troupes and chapters are us-ing to earn more money and increase donations for school theatre programs. Lots of funding channels will be discussed, from traditional ones (grants, ap-peals, donors, and booster clubs) to special events, crowd funding, and ticket and advertising sales. If you have an idea that works, help spread it around the country.

Licensing in-and-out: Royalties, rights, and scripts, Music Theatre InternationalTeachers and adults, all levelsAt this all-inclusive workshop you’ll discover MTI’s lat-est and greatest production resources, learn how to lower your royalties, and make your interaction with


your licensing house as pain-free and fun as possible. Be sure to stick around for the RehearScore Chal-lenge, where valuable prizes, including a free standard rental on your next show, could be yours. Everything you ever wanted or needed to know about making the licensing of a show painless, fun, and affordable. Bring along your questions about the dos and don’ts of licensing. Representatives from MTI will provide you with candid, supportive answers to enable you to produce money-making musicals. Additionally, you’ll learn the answers to the five most-frequently asked questions at MTI, including “Why can’t we videotape?” “Why is a show restricted to us?” “Why can’t we use pre-recorded music?” “Why are royalties so high?” and “When will the rights for Les Misérables be available?”

License to be obnoxious: Creating memorable characters, Amy ShojaiStudents and teachers, all levelsWigs, accents, props, postures, background, and atti-tudes—go beyond learning the lines, and get the script out of your hands. Free your imagination to get out of your way, look beyond the expected, and get obnoxious. Does she have a cold or cough? Does he have a goose-honk laugh? Bring your favorite character scene, and we’ll do some scene study and cold readings. Let’s stand your character on their head. (Seriously? Come see.)

Making blood and guts with everyday materials, Linda VenerisStudents and teachers, all levelsLearn how to make blood effects for the stage without spending lots of time and money. Come play with ma-terials to create the right mix for the effects you need for crash reenactments, Macbeth, Bat Boy, and more.

Managing, communicating, and selling your shows, Music Theatre InternationalTeachers and adults, all levelsAlways thought there had to be a better way to manage, communicate, and sell your shows? Come learn how it couldn’t be easier, more educational, and cost effective using ShowTix4U, Virtual Stage Management, and the latest, most innovative product to hit the entertainment market, The G-O Virtual Intercom System. Digital Theatre and MTI will be teaching a workshop on the features of these innovative applications along with their latest up-grades. See how ShowTix4U can be implemented quickly and economically and have you selling tickets in a whole new way. You will explore how Virtual Stage Manage-ment creates one central location where you can commu-nicate, store, and share show information with your cast, crew, parents, and staff. With the new innovative mobile app, The G-O Virtual Intercom System, see how users can communicate effectively using their existing mobile


device. Also, stick around for the MTI RehearScore Chal-lenge, where incredible prizes, including a free standard rental on your next MTI Show, could be yours!

Monologue this, Lindsay PriceStudents and teachers, all levelsYou love playwriting. But do you love monologues? Monologues are not an easy form to master and they can turn ugly on a dime. How can you write your best? Playwright Lindsay Price will show you how with tips, tools, and exercises from warm-ups to idea gathering to character development. Monologue it all.

Musical theatre boot camp, Marty JohnsonStudents only, all levelsThis fast-paced interactive workshop is the perfect introduction to all aspects of performing in musical theatre. Come play and learn new techniques in acting, singing, and dancing.

N.A.P.S. International Thespian Officers (ITO)Students and teachers, all levelsN.A.P.S. can change your life! N.A.P.S. (National Advo-cacy Plain and Simple) can help you improve your fun-draising efforts, gain more audience members, or even attain administrative support for your theatre program. Learn how to make your N.A.P.S. even more powerful.

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New musicals for middle school: Young@Part is available for you, TRW/Fred StuartTeachers and adults, all levelsThis workshop will look at the new collection of youth musicals just released from TRW. Perusal scripts, directing tips, and other resources will be dis-cussed.

New resources for musical theatre and licensing ins-and-outs, Music Theatre InternationalTeachers and adults, all levelsWin valuable prizes and try out new products and resources. Learn about the new shows and theatrical resources available and in development from Music Theatre International. Included is an in-depth intro-duction and demonstration of the RehearScore MIDI rehearsal pianist—the tireless computer-generated accompanist that has revolutionized the theatre in-dustry and MTI’s newest resource: The OrchEXTRA. With OrchEXTRA you can have a full orchestra sound even when you don’t have access to a pit full of musicians. Take the RehearseScore Challenge, a trivia quiz based on RehearScore examples where you can win valuable, fun prizes for your producing organization. Representatives from MTI will be on hand to answer all of your questions regarding these and other resources.


N-SYNC: Creating a dream team, ITOStudents and teachers, all levelsWhat does teamwork mean to you? Come learn how to establish values, build trust, and turn thoughts into ac-tions at this awesome leadership workshop!

Playwriting: The first seeds of your next great play, Morgan Gould and Jason PizzarelloStudents and teachers, all levelsNever written a play before? Have an idea for a play, but having trouble getting started? Or are you a sea-soned writing pro who wants to start a new project? Do some basic creative writing exercises that will help kick start your next play. For teachers, learn how to tie literacy core standards into your theatre curriculum through playwriting, and for students, these fun acting/writing exercises will help you figure out what you want to write about. Everyone will walk away with a short play and a whole lot of ideas.

Set the stage for student-written monologues, Lindsay PriceTeachers and adults, all levelsDo you want your students to write their own mono-logues but don’t know where to start? Have you tried to incorporate monologue units into the classroom with less than satisfactory results? Professional play-wright and theatre educator Lindsay Price will show you the five critical steps to take to ensure students are ready to write their first monologue.

Singing a comic song: Find your funny, Jim HoareStudents and teachers, all levelsIn this workshop, we will use many of the devices of comic timing and apply them to singing a song. As a group we will learn some comic show tunes from Spa-malot, The Addams Family, Forbidden Broadway, and others. Even though you will be singing as a group you will learn to find the funny inside of you.

What’s your advocacy SWOT? James PalmariniTeachers and adults, all levelsYou’re too busy to advocate on behalf of your pro-gram and, besides, no one listens. Maybe there are some strategies that you can apply to your daily work life that can turn you into an advocacy leader in your school, district, and state. How? By understanding your personal advocacy strengths, weaknesses, opportuni-ties, and threats, and the larger education ecosystem in which you, your students, and your program exist. We’ll do a short SWOT exercise that helps you better understand what you can and cannot do to support and grow your theatre program and consider school, district, state, and national education policies that can impact arts education positively and negatively.


Presenter RoomSession 1

Friday, 6:15 - 7:15 pm

Session 2

Saturday, 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.

Session 3

Saturday, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Session 4

Saturday, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Session 5

Saturday, 4:45 – 5:45 p.m.

A good actor is a good thief Franklin Steele 2127 3 3 3Ace any theatre audition Gai Jones 2109 3 3Act up, act out, act right Franklin Steele 2127 3 3Acting a song Marty Johnson Black Box 3 3 3The Bard’s not so bad Chris Veneris 2111 3 3 3 3 3Be bold, be brave, be unafraid: The MAP that guides successful leaders ITO 2114 3Creating character through movement Steven Kennedy Dance Studio 3 3 3 3Don’t waste your breath: Be heard without shouting Amy Shojai Choral Room 3 3 3Enticing, expressive ensemble experiences Gai Jones 2109 3 3 3Frantic Assembly movement pieces Katie Cross Band Room 3 3 3 3 3Junior troupe fundraising 101: If you raise it, they can’t cut it Marion Combs & Karen Pionke Lecture Hall 3License to be obnoxious: Creating memorable characters Amy Shojai Choral Room 3 3Making blood and guts with everyday materials Linda Veneris Art Studio 3 3 3 3 3Monologue this Lindsay Price 2116 3 3 3Musical theatre boot camp Marty Johnson Black Box 3 3N.A.P.S. ITO 2114 3 3 3N-SYNC: Creating a dream team ITO 2114 3Playwriting: The first seeds of your next great play Morgan Gould & Jason Pizzarello 2117 3 3 3Singing a comic song: Find your funny Jim Hoare 2126 3 3 3 3 3Adult meeting with EdTA’s Executive Director Julie Cohen Theobald Lecture Hall 3Choreographing shows for students of all abilities Steven Kennedy Dance Studio 3Curtain up: Titles, tips, and tricks to licensing the best shows for your middle school Samuel French/Courtney Kochuba 2116 3 3 3Great PR for your theatre program David LaFleche Lecture Hall 3Licensing in-and-out: Royalties, rights, and scripts MTI 2124 3Managing, communicating, and selling your shows MTI 2124 3 3New musicals for middle school: Young@Part is available for you TRW/Fred Stuart 2125 3 3 3New resources for musical theatre and licensing ins-and-outs MTI 2124 3Set the stage for student-written monologues Lindsay Price 2116 3 3What’s your advocacy SWOT? James Palmarini Lecture Hall 3

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Presenter RoomSession 1

Friday, 6:15 - 7:15 pm

Session 2

Saturday, 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.

Session 3

Saturday, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Session 4

Saturday, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Session 5

Saturday, 4:45 – 5:45 p.m.

A good actor is a good thief Franklin Steele 2127 3 3 3Ace any theatre audition Gai Jones 2109 3 3Act up, act out, act right Franklin Steele 2127 3 3Acting a song Marty Johnson Black Box 3 3 3The Bard’s not so bad Chris Veneris 2111 3 3 3 3 3Be bold, be brave, be unafraid: The MAP that guides successful leaders ITO 2114 3Creating character through movement Steven Kennedy Dance Studio 3 3 3 3Don’t waste your breath: Be heard without shouting Amy Shojai Choral Room 3 3 3Enticing, expressive ensemble experiences Gai Jones 2109 3 3 3Frantic Assembly movement pieces Katie Cross Band Room 3 3 3 3 3Junior troupe fundraising 101: If you raise it, they can’t cut it Marion Combs & Karen Pionke Lecture Hall 3License to be obnoxious: Creating memorable characters Amy Shojai Choral Room 3 3Making blood and guts with everyday materials Linda Veneris Art Studio 3 3 3 3 3Monologue this Lindsay Price 2116 3 3 3Musical theatre boot camp Marty Johnson Black Box 3 3N.A.P.S. ITO 2114 3 3 3N-SYNC: Creating a dream team ITO 2114 3Playwriting: The first seeds of your next great play Morgan Gould & Jason Pizzarello 2117 3 3 3Singing a comic song: Find your funny Jim Hoare 2126 3 3 3 3 3Adult meeting with EdTA’s Executive Director Julie Cohen Theobald Lecture Hall 3Choreographing shows for students of all abilities Steven Kennedy Dance Studio 3Curtain up: Titles, tips, and tricks to licensing the best shows for your middle school Samuel French/Courtney Kochuba 2116 3 3 3Great PR for your theatre program David LaFleche Lecture Hall 3Licensing in-and-out: Royalties, rights, and scripts MTI 2124 3Managing, communicating, and selling your shows MTI 2124 3 3New musicals for middle school: Young@Part is available for you TRW/Fred Stuart 2125 3 3 3New resources for musical theatre and licensing ins-and-outs MTI 2124 3Set the stage for student-written monologues Lindsay Price 2116 3 3What’s your advocacy SWOT? James Palmarini Lecture Hall 3

BLUE SCHOOLS

Columbus Middle School

Coppell Middle School West

Forest Glen Middle School

Lakeview Middle School

Nautilus Middle School

Our Lady of the Valley School

San Antonio Middle School

Shawnee Middle School

The Seven Hills School

WoodCreek Junior High

Zhangjiagang Ivy Experimental School

YELLOW TRACK

American Academy

Argyle Middle School

Briarhill Middle School

Cimarron Middle School

Griffin Middle School

Lufkin Middle School

Meigs Academic Magnet Middle School

Mesa Middle School

Mountain Ridge Middle School

Oak Hall School

Pearl Jr. High School

Sagewood Middle School

Scott Johnson Middle School

Scott Middle School

The Champion School

Viking Middle School

Westridge Middle School


Julie Cohen Theobald is executive director of the Educational Theatre Association. She has a lifelong involvement in theatre and twenty years of business, marketing, and management experience. She ranked in the Top 50 Marketers in the U.S. awarded by Ad-vertising Age in 2005. In 1997, Julie started at Procter & Gamble in the new business development group on the national launch of Febreze, which grew to $150 million sales in its first year, ranking it in the Top 10 new products in the 1990s. She spent six years in the laundry category, where she was brand manager for Tide detergent, comprising more than $2 billion in sales. She led Tide to the fastest growth in its sixty-year history, launching two new products that ranked in the top ten launches of the year. Julie holds an M.B.A. in business economics and marketing from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in public policy from Duke University. She is married and has an 11-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son, is active in Cincinnati community theatre as an actor, director, and producer, and serves on the board of trustees of the Cincinnati Arts Association.

Marion Combs is the director of development for the Educational Theatre Association and has worked over a thirty-five-year career in fundraising in both higher education and for nonprofit arts and cultural organiza-tions. Highlights prior to EdTA include positions at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Emory University (Arts & Sciences), Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and the State Theatre Performing Arts Center in New Jersey. Marion is married to Dr. Diana Williams Combs, an art historian, and has two children, Alexandria, a health-care consultant in Palo Alto, California, and Philip, an attorney in private practice in Charleston, West Viginia. Career highlights include three successful capital cam-paigns for facilities development.

Katie Cross is the director of theatre at Bryan High School in Texas, where she is also Troupe Director for their Thespian Troupe 3463. In 2014, she was named lead theatre for Bryan Independent School District and developed original curriculum for all levels of theatre in the district. She also served as contest manager for the Bryan ISD’s middle school theatre festival.

Morgan Gould is a playwright, director, producer, and theatre professional specializing in licensing and the creation and representation of adaptations for the stage. Formerly the literary manager at Playscripts, Inc., Morgan has also held multiple staff positions at Young

Jean Lee’s Theater Company, The Cape Cod Theatre Project, and Lark Play Development Center. She helms her own theatre company Morgan Gould & Friends and holds a B.A in directing from Fordham University and an M.F.A in playwriting from CUNY Brooklyn. She has directed works at theatres throughout New York City, and her own plays for schools have been per-formed across the nation.

Jim Hoare is the vice president of education and community initiatives for Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW). Jim has been involved in educational theatre for forty years, teaching theatre, as well as playwriting and composition, for thirty-one years in New York. He has presented workshops for students and teachers of all ages throughout the U.S. In 2011, Jim received the New York State Theatre Education Association’s Life-time Achievement Award. www.theatricalrights.com

International Thespian Officers (ITO) are six stu-dents, each from different areas of the U.S., who are elected to serve as the student voices of Thespians. The International Thespian Society honors student achievement and enriches their theatre education. The International Thespian Society has inducted more than two million members since 1929. The members of the ITO teach leadership and advocacy workshops and interact with Thespians at state events throughout the year. The ITO work year-round planning events for the annual International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Ne-braska. This year, the ITO look forward to meeting as many Junior Thespians as possible.

Marty Johnson was recently named by Playbill.com as one of the top ten educators who are shaping Broadway. Currently, he is the director of education and resident director at iTheatrics. Marty oversees all of iTheatrics’ educational programs, including the Junior Theater Academy for students, professional development workshops for teachers, and a partner-ship with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, which lead to Marty directing stu-dents for the first-ever White House Turnaround Arts Talent show hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama. Marty first experienced Broadway Junior as the di-rector of education at North Shore Music Theatre, directing pilot productions of new shows, a duty he is honored to continue at iTheatrics. Marty holds a graduate degree in theatre for youth from the Uni-versity of North Carolina-Greensboro and currently serves on the board for TYA/USA, the leading orga-


nization for the advancement of theatre for young audiences in the world. itheatrics.com

Gai Jones is the founder of California Youth in The-atre, taught at El Dorado High School (Thespian Troupe 199), and has a theatre named after her. She serves on the board of directors for the Educational Theatre Association and works as an adjunct assistant professor at California State University, East Bay, and Santa Barbara City College. Gai is also a SAG/AFTRA member and the author of theatre education books. She directs and conducts theatrical workshops across the country.

Steven Kennedy is a former New York City per-former. He is now the resident choreographer for iTheatrics and is developing a series of show-specific choreography DVDs. He serves as the choreogra-phy supervisor for such companies as Music Theatre International, Disney Theatricals, Samuel French, Tams-Whitmark, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Steven has a distinguished list of credits for his work on live musical theatre performances, including the honor of working with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities for the first-ever White House Turnaround Arts Talent show for First Lady Michelle Obama with Sarah Jessica Parker. He also worked on the opening gala for the John F. Ken-nedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Family Theater, starring Kristin Chenoweth and Andrew Lippa; the U.K. premiere of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka; the na-tional tours of The Musical Adventures of Flat Stan-ley, The Ant and The Elephant, Cassandra’s Angel, and A Year With Frog and Toad. Steven was thrilled to choreograph the Off Broadway smash-hit produc-tion of Dear Edwina, produced by six-time Pulitzer Prize-winning producer Daryl Roth. itheatrics.com

David LaFleche has been the director of membership for the Educational Theatre Association for more than seventeen years. A theatre techie in high school with a degree in business, David brings a professional ap-proach to theatre that will help teachers and students learn to “shine a spotlight” on the theatre program and its honor society, the Thespian troupe.

James Palmarini is the director of educational policy for the Educational Theatre Association and a leader-ship member of the National Core Arts Standards. He is currently directing the theatre portion of NCCAS’s Model Cornerstone Assessment Pilot Project, in which fifteen teachers are gathering student examples of stan-dards-based assessments. He is also editor-at-large of Teaching Theatre, a quarterly journal for theatre educa-tion professionals.

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Karen Pionke is the director of nationally recognized Viking Middle School in Gurnee, Illinois. She has been involved in theatre at several levels, both on stage and behind the scenes, for nearly her entire life. Karen served eight years on the Children’s Board of Theater Programming at The College of Lake County and as fine arts chairperson for Grayslake District 46. Karen has fourteen years of experience teaching theatre in the Chicago area and recently completed a term on the Educational Theatre Association’s board of direc-tors. Her school’s theatre program is almost completely self-funded, so she brings a wealth of ideas to the fun-draising table.

Jason Pizzarello is a playwright and theatre profes-sional specializing in project management, content cre-ation, and theatrical licensing. Jason formerly held vari-ous positions at Playscripts, Inc., for nearly a decade before co-founding Stage Partners. His own plays have been developed with companies throughout New York City. Sixteen of his plays are published and have been produced in all fifty states and in seventeen countries. Jason holds a B.A in playwriting, Fordham University.

Lindsay Price is the resident playwright for Theatre-folk, a publisher of playscripts for schools and student performers. She has been a professional playwright for twenty years and has over sixty published plays. Lind-say is a regular workshop presenter at festivals, confer-ences and in the classroom. Most recently she present-ed at the EdTA National Conference, the Association of British Columbia Drama Educators Conference, and the Florida Association of Theatre Educators Conference.

Music Theatre International is one of the world’s leading dramatic licensing agencies, granting schools, as well as amateur and professional theatres around the world, the rights to perform the larg-est selection of great musicals from Broadway and beyond. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists, and book writers of these shows to provide official scripts, musical materials, and dynamic theat-rical resources to over 60,000 theatrical organizations in the U.S. and more than sixty other countries. MTI is particularly dedicated to theatre as education and has created special collections for younger perform-ers. The MTI Broadway Junior Collection includes JR. titles, sixty-minute musicals for performance by middle school children, and KIDS titles, thirty-min-ute musicals for performance by elementary school children. MTI School Editions are musicals that have been annotated for performance by high school students, and the Theatre for Young Audiences Col-lection are seventy-minute musicals for adults to per-form for children.

Samuel French was established in 1830 and is the currently largest publisher and licensor of stage plays and musicals in the world. The Samuel French catalog includes some of the most acclaimed plays and musicals ever written for the stage, as well as work by writers at the forefront of contemporary theatre. The Samuel French Company began publish-ing contemporary drama on both sides of the Atlan-tic nearly 200 years ago, developing the amateur theatre movement by making more plays available to nonprofessional theatres. Nearly two centuries after Samuel French revolutionized the theatre in-dustry, his company continues expand its catalogue, develop a community of theatre artists around the world, and lead the industry with new technological advancements connecting theatre makers and theatre lovers alike. Samuel French proudly advocates for playwrights, composers, and lyricists and celebrates all those who make theatre happen. www.samuelfrench.com

Amy Shojai is an actress and playwright who, along with Frank Steele, has co-authored and produced plays and musicals—most recently Strays, The Musical, in which the actors portray cats and dogs. She has a B.A. in theatre/voice and taught middle school and high school choir and coached musical theatre/voice at Denison High School in Denison, Texas. Amy is also a certified animal behavior consultant and the author of thirty plus pet books. She’s acted or played piano and cello in several dozen plays in six states and made countless media appearances including CNN and Animal Planet.

Franklin Steele is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the American Federation of Television Artists (AFTRA), and the American Society of Compos-ers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Throughout his career, he has worked in film, television, and theatre. He also taught middle school for thirty years. “Middle school is my passion,” he says. “Call me crazy, but it is.”

Fred Stuart is the chief marketing officer for Theatrical Rights Worldwide. Previously, he was executive and artistic director of the Haymarket Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska, which he founded in 2002. Fred has directed scores of shows with adults and young people alike for theatres across the U.S. From 1997 to 2001, he worked as project manager of the Broadway Junior Program for Music Theatre International. His responsibilities included overseeing workshop productions as well as writing and editing production manuals and director’s guides. Fred spent ten years as a performing artist in Los Angeles and San Francisco, where he appeared for two years in that city’s longest-running show, Beach Blanket Babylon.


His theatre administration career began with the Ned-erlander Organization’s West Coast operation, where he worked in a variety of front-of-house jobs, rising to house manager of the legendary Pantages Theatre at the intersection of Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles. www.theatricalrights.com

Christopher Veneris is the resident actor for Shared Radiance Performing Arts Company and co-founder of Greensboro’s Shakespeare in the Park in North Carolina. Recent acting credits include Sir Toby Belch (Twelfth Night), Stephano (Tempest), and Oberon (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) with Shared Radiance. Directing credits include Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Richard III with Greens-boro’s Shakespeare in the Park. Christopher is also

the chapter director for the North Carolina Thespians, advocacy chair for N.C. Theatre Arts Educators, and a theatre educator at Southeast Guilford High School in Greensboro.

Linda Veneris is a high school theatre teacher at Western Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, and acting teacher for youth and adults at The Drama Center in Greensboro. She has been awarded the police chief’s award in Greensboro for her work with crash site reenactments for “MSG 2 DIE 4,” a campaign against texting and driving for high school students. She also works with Greensboro’s Shakespeare in the Park where she has co-directed and created makeup effects for Macbeth (or “the Scottish play,” if you’re reading this in a theatre).


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