Northwestern Middle School
Students Receive Excellent, Superior Ratings
at Regional Thespian Convention in Texas
Twenty-two drama students from Northwestern Middle School
participated in a regional thespian convention at Clements High School in Sugar
Land, Texas, in February. All Northwestern students who participated received
no less than excellent ratings in overall competition scores.
This year’s theme at the Junior Thespian Festival-West was
“Art Alive.” During work sessions, the students created a dramatic production
interpreting famous works of art. During these sessions, the students were
divided into groups with other drama students from all over the country.
Students were also invited to compete in several different
divisions including monologues, duets, lyrical production and more. From this
competition, any student receiving three scores of superior qualified to
compete in the National Thespian Festival to be held this summer at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Two Northwestern students, Shelbi Bush and Connor Fuselier,
qualified and will compete in the convention in June. Bush and Fuselier
performed a duet in the showcase and were the only act at the festival to get a
superior from all of the judges.
There were only three acts selected for the showcase, and
two of the three were from Northwestern Middle school students. River Kirby was
featured in the showcase and performed two contrasting monologues, scoring two
excellents and a superior. Haley Methvin, Jet Troth, Chelsea Triche and Whitney
Davis all received excellent ratings.
The cost of the trip was covered from ticket sales to the
drama club’s recent production of “Virgil’s Family Reunion.” Theater director
Paula Swilley organized the group and was also a featured instructor at the
convention. “These kids worked hard and put on a top-notch production.
They not only learned their lines and
developed their characters, but also sold tickets, promoted the show, and built
the set & costumes.”
Congratulations to all of the students who participated!