Thespians at Columbia State University: The Journey to ThesCon

photo by Shannon Hayes

The WGHS Green and Blackfriars journeyed to ThesCon (International Thespian Festival) at Columbia State University this past week. 
​by Ansleigh Hester

ThesCon Schedule
The schedule of ThesCon was rigorous and enjoyable for the many thespians in attendance. It included many opportunities to sing, dance, act, and watch plays. 

Their first day at the festival (Thursday) got students off to a great start with activities. Junior, Hayden Ross details her “day in the life” of a thespian at ThesCon. “We got there early afternoon. We all went to the opening ceremony and saw the all-state cast perform. Then I went to a yoga workshop and went to see “Between the Lines” and got great seats. After, we went to dinner, a disco workshop, and ended the day with karaoke.” 

On Friday, Hayden and three other thespy members had a special performance [Eurydice thespy], and they made callbacks. “Our group thespy getting a callback was so much fun because only about 30 out of 500 got picked,” Hayden explains. Their group didn’t make it to the next round, but they still did their best on stage. 

Approaching their final day (Saturday), our thespians went to a few activities and said their goodbyes. “...I started by getting front-row seats to “Into the Woods”. Then, I went to a class that teaches the best ways to belt. After that, I went to lunch. Finally, we sang songs from ‘Hadestown’,” Hayden mentions.

ThesCon Plays 
Thespian members analyzed many plays to improve their skills on stage. Junior, Samuel Camerena recalls, “Some plays I saw were ‘Company’, ‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder’, ‘Mean Girls’, ‘The Miraculous Life of Edward Tulane’, and Monty Python’s 'Spamalot’.”  

His favorite play was “Spamalot” because, “[Spamalot] was just visually amazing and the choreography was outstanding." 

However, Hayden disagreed about “Spamalot” being one of the best plays at ThesCon. “My least favorite was probably ‘Spamalot’ because the way they cut their show made it not make sense,” she explains. She still thinks of it as a comedic play.

Workshops 
Thespians participated in “workshops” (better understood as classes that members could use as pointers for their productions/roles). Junior Ava Brooks took many classes while at ThesCon. “I took a lot of different workshops because I wanted to experience a variety of different things. I went to a yoga class, a disco class, a juggling class, a stage combat class, and an Irish accent class,” she states. Experiencing those workshops was educational and fun for her. 

Personal Message 
Every member has a personal idea of what ThesCon means to them. “[ThesCon] is a place where drama kids can go to be with other drama kids, as well as learn a variety of acting, singing, and technical skills,” Samuel shared. Hayden sees the fun side of the festival. “ThesCon is a place where I meet new people who love doing the same things I do. It helps me learn how to be better at what I love,” she expresses.  


It was an entertaining and informational journey through ThesCon. Ava commented, “The overall experience of the trip was amazing. I met so many new people and made a few new friends. I got to learn so many new things.” Actors at WGHS can now use the skills they learned on the Green and Blackfriar's home stage.