Broadway Players of FHS prepare for thespian festival

The Fairfield area community is urged, encouraged and invited to attend a special performance of the Broadway Players of FHS?s production of ?The Diary of Anne Frank? Tuesday, according to director Scott Slechta.

Even though the curtain has dropped on the high school performance of ?Anne Frank,? the cast and crew are not done with rehearsals.

The cast and crew are preparing for the Iowa Thespian Festival and will have a free performance at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the FHS Auditorium.

The performance is free of charge, but freewill donations will be accepted to offset the trip costs, and food donations will be given to the Lord?s Cupboard.

Slechta said, ?We hope for a large audience to support the cast and crew as they prepare for this state-wide festival.?

Last spring, Slechta submitted an application for performance of its then-upcoming fall production to the Iowa Thespian Board of Directors and Student Board. After the board?s planning meeting in July, Slechta was notified of their approval for performance at the Iowa Thespian Festival set for Nov. 11-12.

The Iowa Thespians and the International Thespian Society are a part of the Educational Theatre Association. The EdTA is a professional association for theatre educators and the parent organization that operates the International Thespian Society.

The Iowa Educational Theatre Association is the link between an individual and the national organization. Iowa EdTA believes all schools have high quality arts programs and promotes the importance of theatre as a component of lifelong learning. Iowa EdTA offers its members a festival at which participants attend mainstage and studio performances and learn from workshops. Students also may compete in individual events and audition for scholarships.

The festival is a two-day event for students and adults from across the state. Approximately 1,000 people participate. They see four main stage productions; studio productions also are presented. Students also participate in various workshops in such areas as stage combat, character development and poster design.

FHS?s Thespian Troupe 544 has participated in the festival for many years. Slechta said, ?It is a great experience to attend. It is even more exciting to be performing.?

After ?The Diary of Anne Frank? closed Oct. 30, rehearsals continued for even further development of the production, and considerations were made for performance at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus at Cedar Falls.

Slechta said, ?It is a much larger venue than our auditorium. We will perform on a much larger stage which creates new challenges and opportunities.?

Because the group and other student attendees leave immediately after the Veterans Day assembly Friday to travel to Cedar Falls, they will miss the morning and afternoon events. After hotel check in, they will arrive on campus for registration and then they unload the set and begin re-construction of the set and placement of props.

Parent volunteer Darien Sloat is heading up a work crew to complete those tasks. Teacher volunteers Jim Edgeton and John Grunwald will work with the UNI staff and the student crew to establish the light plot and to prepare microphones and the sound effects. Also during that time, teacher volunteer Betsie Wotherspoon will assist with costumes and make up.

Slechta said a unique challenge: the group has 2.5 hours for unloading and preparation. After the show, everything is taken down in order to return home Saturday.

Slechta said the public is invited to travel to Cedar Falls and support the troupe. The curtain rises on ?Anne Frank? at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are available for Iowa Thespians Festival Performances at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Click on the GBPAC ?buy tickets? link to purchase tickets for ?Moon Over Buffalo,? ?The Diary of Anne Frank,? ?Crimes of the Heart? or ?Little Shop of Horrors? at www.vpaf.uni.edu/unitix.