International Thespian Festival
June 19-24, 2017
Every summer, thousands of middle school and high school Thespians bring their love of all things theatre to the International Thespian Festival, a celebration of student achievement in the performing arts. Organized by the Educational Theatre Association and hosted at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Festival is a one-of-a-kind, weeklong immersion experience in singing, dancing, acting, designing, directing, creating, writing, and memory-making. Festival features workshops presented by theatre professionals, individual and group performances, programs for technical theatre students, and opportunities to audition for college admission and scholarships. Whether you're just beginning your theatrical journey, a seasoned senior with an impressive resume and great headshot, or an educator seeking enriching professional development—the International Thespian Festival has something to offer you, including:
Great high school performances on four stages,
More than 200 workshops and masterclasses,
A student leadership program,
Auditions for college admission and Thespian scholarships, and
Student written Thespian Playworks and Thespian Musicalworks programs.
Each year juniors who are interested in pursuing theatre as a career travel with Mr. Despars to the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska. This trip, primarily reserved for students who will begin their senior year in the Fall, allows students to audition for the top colleges and universities in the country as well as see 16 Main Stage productions and take workshops with industry professionals from all over the world. It is through this festival that FUHS students have been able to secure more than $250,000 in scholarship and financial aid to top colleges and universities.
2017 Participating Colleges and Universities
AMDA College & Conservatory of the Performing Arts New York, NY
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts New York, NY
American Musical Theatre Academy New York, NY
Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN
Belhaven University Theatre Department Jackson, MS
Berry College Mount Berry, GA
Carroll College Helena, MT
University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music Cincinnati, OH
University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO
Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO
Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL
Cornell College Department of Theatre and Dance Mt. Vernon, IA
The Theatre School at Depaul University Chicago, IL
Drake University Des Moines, IA
University of Evansville Evansville, IN
Hastings College Hastings, NE
The University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance Houston, TX
Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL
Ithaca College Ithaca, NY
Lindenwood University St. Charles, MO
Loyola University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA
Manhattan School of Music New York, NY
Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
Miami University Oxford, OH
Midland University Fremont, NE
Millikin University Decatur, IL
University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Minneapolis, MN
Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
Johnny Carson School of Theatre & Film, University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE
Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE
The New School College of Performing Arts New York, NY
New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts New York, NY
New York Film Academy New York, NY
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO
University of Oklahoma Helmerich School of Drama Norman, OK
Otterbein University Westerville, OH
Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA
Relativity School Los Angeles, CA
Rockford University Rockford, IL
Roosevelt University Chicago, IL
Saint Louis University St. Louis, MO
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Savannah, GA
University of South DakotaVermillion, SD
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL
Southwestern College Winfield, KS
Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX
University of Utah - Department of Theatre Salt Lake City, UT
Viterbo University Theatre and Music Theatre La Crosse, WI
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC
Waldorf University Forest City, IA
Webster University St. Louis, MO
William Jewell College Liberty, MO
William Woods University Fulton, MO