The Thespian Society took their annual trip to ThesCon on Feb. 8-10 in Columbus, Ga. The event was a state convention that enhanced young thespians’ skills and love of theater.

The event featured various theatrical productions, acting sessions, and competitions. “Over 5,000 theater students gather in this large location, and they do showcase, they do a big opening number, a big closing number, ” drama teacher Savahna Silvas said. “They have different workshops for actors, technicians, and they are run by people from Georgia, New York, or guest artists.”  

Throughout the convention, students attended plays and workshops that taught them better skills in acting. While all the events were entertaining and educational, one of the most popular was a Cirque du Soleil type performance, that debuted Thursday night.

Another major aspect of the convention was the competitions. These contests are tests in various talent topics and are used to determine how a thespian ranks beside peers.  The contests are also used to see if the thespian can be part of the closing ceremony, the biggest part of ThesCon.

Starr’s Mill students had two major wins, the first being a group talent showcase. Using the combined forces of Starr’s Mill, McIntosh, and Northgate, students from each school collaborated and performed a number from the musical “Welcome to Wonderland.” This production proved highly successful and gave the group one of the spots for the ending show.

“They only choose ten schools and we were one of them,” Silvas said. “That’s a first for Starr’s Mill.”

The second successful competition was an individual test. Three high school thespians, seniors Jo Dearman,  Cara Clements, and Sydney Golden, all performed solos in hopes of earning a high rating. Dearman was most successful, earning a Superior rating on her song’s performance.

Other closing ceremony participants included:

• sophomore Olivia Wernecke
• sophomore Anna Samson
• sophomore Celeste Boullion
• junior Mya Burns
• junior Clarence White
• senior Doug Morris

“It’s just so fun to meet and see all the theatre kids in Georgia come together and have a great time doing what we love,” Dearman said.