MacTheatre students participated in workshops and various competitions for acting, dancing, singing, and technical theatre at the Texas State thespians festival from Nov. 15-18. Thespians festivals offer students a chance to work with different instructors and people from other schools and work on new skills and techniques in workshops. Eight groups received superior ratings in their respective technical, acting, singing, and dance competition categories. All eight will advance to compete at the National Thespian Festival over the summer of 2025 in Indiana as long as all members are available.

Sophomore Fiona Kirsch felt that one of the biggest challenges throughout the festival was the confusion with hotel bookings. The festival had forgotten to book their hotel, so they had to move around hotels throughout the whole weekend. When all the MacTheatre students first arrived at their originally designated hotel in Corpus Christi, they were met with many challenges. 

“We were moving around a lot, and I know we were all tired,” Kirsch said, “but we still managed to get up in the morning and go.”

According to sophomore Bella Robinson, the hotel confusion actually helped everyone to bond. Although it was inconvenient at the time to move around hotels, it would help to form stronger connections. 

“My favorite part of Thespians this year was the crazy situation that happened with our hotel,” Robinson said. “It was annoying at the time, but we all trauma bonded over it, and I will definitely never forget it.” 

While the hotel debacle did cause some chaos, the workshops and competitions ran more smoothly. Sophomore Lucy McTeague participated in several acting and dance workshops. McTeague’s favorite workshop was called “Movement Matters,” which helped her to use movement get into different characters. 

“We started by walking normally around the room, and then we chose to change something about how we walked,” McTeague said. “And then we developed that, like, changing into a full character and just walking around.”

For Kirsch, her favorite workshop would be one working on Musical Theatre dance techniques. Kirsch liked how there were not many other people in the workshop. 

“It was a really small group of people, but I feel like I made a lot of new friends from other schools that I didn’t know,” Kirsch said. “It was really one-on-one with the teacher, and the dance was super fun.”

Students, like Kirsch and Robinson, were able to participate in multiple activities, including both workshops and various competitions during the festival. Some participants, such as junior Mailyn Gil, were even able to participate in competitions with categories they do not typically practice. 

“[I] liked the team mask challenge because I am not big on tech theater, but it helped me realize what I can do,” Gil said. “And [understanding] more of the work that is put into costume and designing.” 

Gil also competed with sophomore Finley McBride and junior Mia Gonzales in the Musical Group competition with “At the Ballet” from Chorus Line. The group received a superior rating, which qualified them to advance to finals, in which they gained the ability to compete in the National Thespian Festival in the summer. 

“If all of us can go, that’ll be something that we do over the summer, and we’ll rehearse during the summer, we’ll perform it there, and then we’ll take it home, and hopefully we’ll advance,” Gil said. “We’ll see but that would lead to us getting a thespie.”

Kirsch competed in a blank scene acting challenge, a tech team challenge and a Duet MT Dance to the song “What You Don’t Know About Women” with sophomore Pia Sosa. Kirsch and Sosa received superior scores, which allows them to progress on to the National Thespian Festival as well. 

“It was nerve-wracking, for sure, and also, my partner, Pia, was entered in so many competitions that it was like she wasn’t there with me for our performance until right before,” Kirsch said. “So she was so busy that I was waiting for her. And that was kind of scary.” 

Although Robinson was also nervous before competing in her category of knot tying, it helped to see the other people competing in the category. Knot tying for this competition means that you tie three types of knots, clove hitch, sheet bend and bowline, as fast as you can. 

“Before arriving at the center, I was pretty stressed about doing well because the times for other technicians at McCallum were pretty good,” Robinson said. “But when we got to the center and saw people practicing their knots [too], and I really don’t want to sound cocky when I say this, I began to feel confident  that I had a chance at winning.” 

Robinson won the category. According to Robinson, the actual facilities were better last year. Despite this, Robinson enjoyed this year more than last year.  

“I think that the convention center (and the hotel obviously) were better last year and overall the convention just felt better planned,” Robinson said, “but for me personally I liked this year better because I got to compete in way more events and more of my friends went.” 

Gil appreciates that the convection allows for a break from the busy school year. It also allows Gil to deepen her acting and overall performance skills. 

“I decided to go because it’s really fun, and it was a good time,” Gil said. “It’s a chance to learn more about all aspects of theater, be it film or tech or performance, and I think it helped me grow into a better performer.”

Kirsch decided to participate again this year because of her experience last year as well. Kirsch agrees that last year was fun and that the event helped in networking with others in the community. 

“I had a really great time freshman year, and I also think it’s just a really good opportunity to connect with other performers in Texas,” Kirsch said. “Not just in Austin, and not just at McCallum, but also to interact with professionals who have so much knowledge to share.”

Kirsch looks forward to seeing more of the theatre community on a national level. Similar to Kirsch, Gil can’t wait to work with all of the thespians again and to see the different theatrical opportunities nationals has to offer.

“I am most looking forward to working with those people again, working with each other, seeing what other schools and what other [teachers] have to bring and have to offer,” Gil said. “And I just think it’s a really fun experience all around.”