High school theatre and performing arts students invited to sharpen their skills at TheatreFest

Hands on a Hardbody

High school students with interest in any of the many areas of theatre and performing arts are invited to Hesston College’s first day-long TheatreFest on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 8:30 to 3 p.m., on the Hesston College campus.

“We want this day to be an opportunity for students to sharpen their skills, broaden their theatre and performance knowledge and have fun doing it,” said theatre professor Carla Lahey.

Led by Hesston College performing arts faculty and students, throughout the day, participants will attend three workshops from a list of options including:

  • Mastering your Audition Monologue
  • Actor’s Workshop, where participants bring in a monologue in progress to receive suggestions and feedback
  • Dance for Musical Theatre
  • Vocal Techniques
  • Stage Management
  • Sketch Comedy Writing
  • Project Runway-style Costume Design Challenge
  • What to Expect as a College Theatre Major
  • Test Your Broadway Knowledge

The day will wrap up with an improv comedy mixer. Participants can also choose to meet individually with Admissions staff to learn about performing arts scholarships at Hesston College and more.

The cost to attend is $10, and includes breakfast and lunch. Participants who register by Oct. 19 will receive a free t-shirt. Find more information and registration online.

Contact Carla Lahey with questions at carla.lahey@hesston.edu or 620-327-8263.

Students with theatre interest – both as majors or extracurricular interest – have lots of opportunities to get involved at Hesston College as actors and crew. Each academic year, the theatre department performs several mainstage productions – a play during the fall semester and a musical during the spring semester – collaborates with the music department on a performing arts production incorporating both music and theatre, performs the plays of local playwrights at the annual Pen to Paper to Performance playwriting festival and wraps up the year with a theatre showcase, featuring students performing scenes, monologues and musical theatre numbers.

New in 2018-19 is the Traveling Theatre Company, which, this fall semester, has been traveling to area high schools to do improv workshops with theatre classes, and in the spring plans to take a show on the road.