In preparation for the Texas Thespians Festival Nov. 19-22, student thespians performed their individual events (IEs) in front of friends and family to fine tune their performances.
“Performing in front of an audience gives you the opportunity to work out the kinks in your blocking,” senior Olivia Lay said. “It gives you a chance to read how the audience reacts to certain things, especially with a comedic piece you can see where people laugh and dramatic you can see where people gasp.”
After preparing audition pieces, students perform for their directors who then decide who will compete at the festival. Students who do well will receive a callback to perform at a higher level of the competition.
“The IEs are very different from everything else we do in theater,” Lay said. “ You have to come up with your own blocking and pick your own material. It’s a lot of pressure to make those choices yourself before you can even bring it to your directors.”
Students can perform anything from monologues and partner scenes to technical events like filmmaking and scenic design.
“It’s my first time doing a technical IE,” senior Nicole Castillo said. “I feel like the tech aspect is going to be more stressful but it’s going to be more rewarding.”
Sophomore Mira Padusenko is using the competition as a way to combine her many talents.
“I chose to do a musical solo dance because I’ve always been really passionate about it,” Padusenko said. “Being able to combine theater and dance is a really great opportunity for growth, learning and also a way to challenge myself.”
The challenges of an IE can seem intimidating to students, especially when considering how many people participate.
“Competing is very nerve-wracking, because you’re sitting in a room with a bunch of different people from different schools, and everybody is so talented,” junior Nitya Purini said.
While nerves about the various talent showcased at the IEs are common among the thespians participating, some have mixed emotions about showcasing their work and creative expression.
“I’m kind of nervous but excited,” freshman Deepak Missula said. “I’ve been trying to practice with my monologues, but I have no idea how the competition is going to be and how it’s going to look.”
