McKinney ISD theatre students succeed at international convention

by PegNews wire

LINCOLN, NE – McKinney Independent School District high school theatre students recently achieved success for the fourth year in a row at the International Thespian Convention, (ITC), held June 25 through June 30 at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. More than 3,100 students, directors and chaperones attended the international week-long event.

Tyler Jones, a 2007 graduate of McKinney High School, was cast in the national cast premiere of Thoroughly Modern Millie – School Edition. In addition to the two public performances at the convention, the cast presented several public performances of the show in Wisconsin and also recorded the cast album. Jones went through a series of auditions at the state and national level during the 2005–2006 school year and was one of only 48 students from across the country to be selected for the cast.

In addition to Jones’ selection to the national cast for Thoroughly Modern Millie – School Edition, several other McKinney ISD students were also recognized by the ITC during casting calls for Hairspray – School Edition, which will be presented at the 2008 ITC Festival.

Four McKinney High School theatre students received callbacks after auditioning for the company at the state convention in November of 2006. McKinney High School juniors Anna Bryant and Olivia Cope auditioned for acting roles and seniors Rebecca Sheehan and Kendal Tolle submitted portfolios for consideration as crew members. Sheehan and Tolle were selected to the 11-member technical staff for the 2008 summer presentation of Hairspray – School Edition. Both will travel to Colorado in March, May and June of 2008 and work with the crew during the presentation of the play in June at the ITC convention.

Three other students from McKinney ISD also participated in the Individual Events Showcase auditions at the ITC National Convention. Allie Shaw, a 2007 McKinney High School graduate, presented The Skin of Our Teeth, and McKinney High School junior Olivia Cope presented a solo musical piece titled The Girl in 14G. McKinney Boyd High School student Brittany Sansom presented monologues from Wit and Lunch at the Russian Tea Room.

Cope was selected to present her piece, The Girl in 14G during the Saturday Morning Showcase for the convention and Shaw and Sansom both received high marks for their presentations.

More than 600 students participated in the Individual Events Competition at the national level with only three solo musical participants chosen to present for the delegation.