New Thespians and freshman Layla Thornton, Lucy Snyder, Logan Glaze, Gwyneth Jones, and Sloan Fuller laugh as they play a get-to-know-you game. New and returning Thespians attended the first meeting of the year on September 5th. “I thought that it was very informative and that it’s gonna be a lot more intense than I originally believed,” Glaze said.

It was a full house in the South Auditorium on the afternoon of September 5th. Crowds of Thespians, new and returning, were gathered for the very first meeting of the year. After receiving informational packets, the troupe split up into groups where they discussed the upcoming performance opportunities and got to know each other. Their get-to-know-you question was “if you were a utensil, what would you be.”

Despite this cheerful kickoff, the year will be getting off to a bloody start. The fall show is Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which Troupe Director and State High Art SmART teacher Jill Campbell said will focus on incorporating movement and vocal elements, and the role the witches play in the downfall of Macbeth. The classic tragedy focuses on young Macbeth, an heir to the throne in Scotland. Urged on by the evil witches and his power-hungry wife, Macbeth kills his father, the king of Scotland, and ascends the throne. In an effort to silence suspicious friends and nobles, Macbeth continues to kill those around him. Eventually, a rebellion occurs, the bloodthirsty king is dethroned, and spoiler alert: everyone dies.

Auditions for Macbeth will be held on the week of September 27th, and rehearsals will begin the following week. The fall rehearsal process will be fast and furious as always, with the performances at 7:30pm on November 16th and 17th and 2:00pm on November 18th. With less than a month to prepare, 2-hour rehearsals will be held after school every day, with a full week of 5-hour rehearsals leading up to the show.

The troupe has yet to announce their plans for the Spring musical, but the board will be voting on potential show options in the next few weeks. In the meantime, Thespians is making plans for a colorful homecoming float that continues the musical precedent they have set in years past. The homecoming theme this year is Redefine in 20-1-9, and Thespians has taken a creative take. The float, “Redefining Rain to Rainbows” will include clouds, umbrellas, and rainbow tie-dye shirts worn by seniors. The float will be followed by underclassmen, all wearing t-shirts representing various colors of the rainbow. The entire procession will be accompanied by their own recording of “The Rainbow Connection,” led by senior Taylor Elliott as Kermit the Frog.

The troupe is also resurrecting an old Thespian tradition: the Thespian Ice Cream Social. An informational/welcome ice cream social is an annual event, but it has not occurred in recent years. However, the board hopes to bring back this tradition as a sweet way to kick off the year and welcome new members. The social will be held on the evening of September 13th in the cafeteria.

Thespian Troupe 5029 has a busy year ahead, one that is sure to bring the group closer than ever. In the words of freshman, Christopher Cole, “It looked like a big family, and that was cool.”