Standard Press Release
Contact Information:
Hoboken Public School District
Christopher Munoz
201-356-3738/201-978-2164
[email protected]
RELEASE DATE: Friday, May 14, 2021
Hoboken HS Theatre Department Receives International Recognition
She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms written by Qui Nguyen is one of the top six shows chosen as a Main Stage production for the International Thespian Festival 2021.
Hoboken, NJ, Friday, May 14, 2021 — The Hoboken High School Theatre Department (Troupe #7268) has been selected as one of six schools internationally to be featured on the Main Stage of the International Thespian Festival 2021.
Hoboken High School is the 1st school in the State of New Jersey to be selected with the honor of being featured on the Main Stage for the International Thespian Festival, which has been held annually since 1941. Our production will be viewed by thousands of thespians and school districts from around the world.
In addition to being featured as a Main Stage production, eight thespian students from Hoboken High School have been selected as Thespy Award qualifiers. The International Thespian Excellence Awards, or Thespys® for short, recognizes the highest level of achievement in school theatre performance and technical theatre.
Each year, The Educational Theatre Association holds a "Unified" multiple state theatre competition. Students can enter monologue, duet acting, and musical theatre categories in hopes of them then being able to move onto the International Level of competition. Selections this year were all rehearsed and sent to adjudicators through virtual platforms. In order to be eligible to compete at The International Thespians Festival, students need to first be "Inducted into the International Thespian Society" and then receive a "Superior Rating" which is a 19/20 out of 20 total possible points on a rubric.
Eight total Redwings have opportunities to compete with the best of the best in high school theatre from around the world to win an International Thespy's Award at The International Thespians Festival June 22nd-25th.
Kendall McDonough
Mable Bliske-Villavicencio
Rosie Cabelin
Sofia Melfi
Miguel Cabelin
Alana Rivas
Riddhi Damani
Daniel Weintraub
Mrs. Danielle Miller, Hoboken HS Teacher and Theatre Director said, “I am so proud of how our students rose up and learned how to "act" in virtual platforms this year. They had to adapt and learn entirely new sets of acting skills in order to be successful in these programs. Six of our eight students who qualified are freshmen which is just incredible. We worked harder than ever to create quality theatrical pieces and I am so happy the students get to now participate in the best theatre experience, The International Thespians Festival in June. They deserve this opportunity. I am so proud of this group of students as it has not been easy acting in a virtual world (via zoom). ”
Background
The International Thespian Excellence Awards
The International Thespian Excellence Awards (Thespys) is a multi-round competition that provides standards-based feedback on individual, duet, and group musical and non-musical events, technical events, and short film events.
The International Thespian Festival
The International Thespian Festival brings together the best performances, top teaching artists, and premier colleges and universities for a community-centered experience like no other. Plus, with daily surprises and special Broadway and Hollywood celebrity appearances.
- Students can participate in one-of-a-kind workshops highlighting every theatre interest.
- Dozens of acclaimed performances, all created especially for virtual audiences.
- Audition and compete for scholarships with more than 60 colleges and universities
Showcase your talent in the Thespy® Awards program, earning valuable recognition and feedback.