Twenty-nine attend Thespian Festival at NSU

Twenty-nine students LSMSA participated with other junior high and high school students from across the state at the Louisiana Thespian Festival held Jan. 28-29 on the campus of Northwestern State University.

The festival included classes, workshops and performances, auditions for college scholarships and network opportunities with students and directors from across the state.

“This year was a banner year for our school,” said Jeff Thomakos, director of theater at LSMSA. “I am so proud of what we do here and the level of talent that our students possess.”

Of the five individual performance individual events that competed, four were passed on to the international competition in Nebraska this summer. The school also submitted technical individual events for the first time ever. More performers competed for the thespian scholarship than ever before, and Grace Dumdaw, a senior from Mandeville, won first place in that competition. Charlie Roppolo, a junior from Denham Springs, was elected student thespian officer chair of the state of Louisiana. Madi Bolin, a sophomore from Slidell, was elected as a student thespian representative officer. The showcase was a scene from “Rhinoceros.”

The LSMSA Foundation provided financial support for many of the participating students via the Student Enrichment Fund.

The festival is presented by the Louisiana Thespians Society, an active member of the Educational Theatre Association and the International Thespian Society. The Louisiana Thespian Society exists as a non-profit theater service organization for junior high and high school theater programs. Membership includes junior and high school students, theater teachers and art advocates.

LSMSA students who participated in the Louisiana Thespian Festival include Anne-Marie Higginbotham, a sophomore from Lafayette; Annie Noel, a senior from Mandeville; Ben Bordelon, a senior from Mandeville; Beth Fontenot, a senior from Ville Platte; Caitlin Foster, a junior from LaPlace; Caitlyn Morrison, a junior from Gloster; Caroline Adkins, a sophomore from Shreveport; Caroline Koonce, a sophomore from Baton Rouge; Charlie Roppolo, a junior from Denham Springs; Sidney Paulk, a senior from Deville; Edouard Ferrell, a junior from Natchitoches; Emma Miller, a junior from Meraux; Emma Millisor, a junior from Anacoco; Grace Dumdaw, a senior from Mandeville; Grace Messina, a junior from Baton Rouge; Haley Kastner, a junior from Denham Springs; Halle Mahfouz, a senior from Denham Springs; Jared Hulsey, a senior from Dodson; Kelsey Meshell, a senior from Bossier City; Larke Tyler, a senior from Calhoun; Lucy Rhymes, a senior from Breaux Bridge; Madeline Bolin, a sophomore from Slidell; Mallory Marziale, a senior from Bush; Parker Felterman, a senior from Patterson; Samantha Wright, a junior from Crowley; Shona McCullough, a senior from Baton Rouge; Vi Kinney, a senior from Natchitoches; Mason Rutledge, a senior from Patterson; and Sierra Bailey, a senior from Hammond.