Originally delivered on 1/13/2025 9:04 am

SUBJECT: Theatre Guild eNews - January 13, 2025 Guild Newsletter

January 13, 2025

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Newsletter in Brief: Top 5 This Week
  1. Here's to a meaningful and happy New Year!  We're thinking especially about our Seniors and Class of 2025 families; best wishes for a fantastic final semester!
  2. It's Only a Play begins tech this week.  Please see the volunteer links below to sign up to donate needed items or help with Feed the Kids and Concessions.
  3. Playbill ads for It's Only a Play due Wednesday, Jan. 15.  
  4. It's audition season!  See information below regarding auditions for Advanced Acting, Musical Theatre, and other elective classes.
  5. NO GUILD MEETING this week due to Parent University and other campus conflicts.  We look forward to seeing everyone at our February 11 meeting.  Feel free to reach out with questions anytime.


You can find the 2024-25 Theatre Guild Board Members' contact information using this link and in the Theatre Guild's Membership Toolkit Directory 

Auditions for Spring 2025 Theatre Conservatory shows

Paul Baker New Works & One Act Play Festival

Auditions will take place January 15th, 16th, and 17th starting at 8:00 AM. Come prepared with a maximum 1 minute monologue. 

Paul Baker: Rehearsals will take place after school. These are 6 student-written plays directed by faculty or other professionals. Performances are March 4th-7th.

Senior Directed One Acts: Rehearsals will take place in the mornings (and after school closer to the performance dates). These are 12 published plays directed by the students in the senior directing class. Performances are March 19th-21st and 26th-28th. 

These  are open to all current Theatre Conservatory students. Auditions will be in person before the members of the Senior Directing Class. Tapes of these auditions will be used by faculty directors to cast the Paul Baker New Works Festival. (Students can choose to audition for one or both of these upcoming productions.) Students must prepare a one minute monologue. 

Sign up information has been distributed to the students. The audition form link already went out to students and will be on the call board.  All the information is in the Google form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfl8zPoxVUTO_1ufZ0JLtlCrXaxskxUdh-gAGv9uhiDI-zpnA/viewform 


Auditions for 2025-26 Classes 

Senior Electives: Learning Lab/Advanced Acting and Directing

Auditions for Learning Lab and Advanced Acting are only open to the members of the class of 2026 (current Theatre Conservatory juniors). These taped auditions may be prepared outside of school and will be submitted to the faculty per the instructions provided. Students must prepare two contrasting one minute monologues: one contemporary monologue and one classical monologue. Students will be placed by faculty based on these auditions. Theatre Conservatory faculty have provided detailed instructions to the current juniors.  

Here is the link to the form for audition only acting classes (learning lab/advanced acting). Follow the submission instructions and deadlines provided by the Theatre Conservatory.  

The Senior Directing Class is open to members of the class of 2026. There is an essay/written application and interview component.

Here is the link to the form for Senior Directing it is due March 22th by midnight. Interviews will begin on Monday March 27th.


Musical Theatre Practicum Class

Note that these auditions are open to members of the class of 2026 (current juniors) and class of 2027 (current sophomores) from all conservatories. 

Auditions for the 2025-2026 Musical Theatre class will take place on January 29th and 30th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM in Room 276. Students should have a strong foundation in music, acting, and dancing, and are encouraged to maintain these skills through private voice, dance, and acting lessons. For the singing audition, students should prepare 16 to 24 bars of a musical theatre song and bring sheet music, as a cappella auditions and backing tracks will not be permitted. An accompanist will be provided.
In addition to the singing audition, there will be a dance call on January 31st from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Students must attend one singing audition and the dance call to be considered for the class. Please check Remind or the theatre call board to sign up for an audition time. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to see Mr. Miller in Room 274. 


Mime Troupe 

Auditions for admission to the 2025-26 Mime Troupe will be conducted later in the spring semester. Members of the class of 2028 (current freshman Theatre Conservatory students) will be welcome to audition. 

Want to celebrate a hardworking member of the cast or crew? It's easy. The Playbill Design Team volunteers can turn your photo and words into a full color ad. Playbill ads start at $25 for a quarter page. And playbill ads are a Theatre Guild Member benefit starting at the Copper Membership Level. Remember that January 15th is the deadline to submit your ad for It's Only A Play.  The deadline for placing an ad in the mime show playbill is January 29th.  

If you would like to buy an individual ad or use a Theatre Guild membership benefit please click this link to the Theatre Guild Individual Playbill Ad webpage.  You can email the Design Team to submit your ad at playbilldesign@btwtheatreguild.com

Feed the Kids will be providing meals for the cast and crew of It's Only A Play January 13-17 and 22-24.

Current Menu


1/13 Monday Pizza

1/14 Tuesday Herbed Chicken & Rice Pilaf

1/15 Wednesday Nacho Bar

1/16 Thursday TBD 

1/17 Friday Jimmy John’s 

1/20 Monday No School-MLK

1/21 Tuesday Ravioli

1/22 Wednesday Baked Potatoes

1/23 Thursday Pizza

1/24 Friday Taco Bar

We appreciate the families who have already volunteered to sponsor a FTK dinner for our entire 60+ person cast and crew!

The Ruibal family on Thursday 1/16 

The Sabater family on Friday 1/17 

If you would like to sponsor a night by feeding the entire cast, crew & production team, please reach out to the Feed the Kids Co-Chairs Ashley Gregory and Stephanie Ruibal at feedthekids@btwtheatreguild.com 

Use this Sign Up Genius link to Volunteer to Feed the Kids in the Senior Balcony of the Commons before tech rehearsals and shows OR in the MAT lobby on performance nights selling Concessions and/or Merchandise.  

You are invited to shop on Amazon using the Theatre Guild's Wish List. Amazon will ship donations directly to Concessions Chair Alicia Rico. 
Or you can shop for water bottles or any of the other requested items in a brick and mortar store and deliver them yourself. All donated items should be clearly marked "Theatre Guild Concessions." You MUST coordinate delivery with Alicia Rico. Donations can no longer be dropped of at the reception desk. Use this link to Donate Concessions

GOT QUESTIONS?

Questions about Playbill ads should be directed to Playbill Chair Adam Mora at playbilldesign@btwtheatreguild.com 

Questions about Feed the Kids Donations or FTK Volunteer shifts should be directed to Co-Chairs Ashley Gregory and Stephanie Ruibal at feedthekids@btwtheatreguild.com 

Questions about Concessions Donations should be directed to Alicia Rico at concessions@btwtheatreguild.com 

Save the Date February 13, 2025!

Keep an eye out for all the details. They will be coming very soon and you don't want to miss this once-a-year musical theatre event!  

We don't want to miss an appearance or accomplishment! We rely on our guild members to let us know where to spot a Pegasus in the wild. If your Pegasus is in a non-Booker T production, please let us know. Our talented kids are so busy we need your eyes and ears to make sure we get the word out. Please include viewing dates, ticket links and any other details that will help us spot a Pegasus in the Wild. Alumni are Pegasi as well so keep those tips coming in too!!! 


You can submit the information to Communications Chair Kathy Gameros via email communications@btwtheatreguild.com 

The African Company Presents

Soul Rep Theatre's 30th season is opening with The African Company Presents, a powerful historical play inspired by a true story of the first Black theatrical group in the country, the African Grove Company of New York.  Forty years before the Civil War, the African Grove Theatre Troupe in New York sets about staging a production of Richard III to which black and white audiences flocked. But when a major (and white) New York company scores a big name star to be featured in their own production of Richard III, they are determined to shut down the African company's show at any cost.  The production is directed by our Lisa Cotie (Assistant Director of the Theatre Conservatory) and the cast includes Booker T. Theatre alums Emir Price (BTW 2018) and Zariyah Perry (BTW 2023). Price was Booker T's first Presidential Scholar in the Arts in 2018 and Perry received the honor in 2023.

The show runs from January 30th to February 8th and tickets are available for purchase using this link to The African Company Presents

Use this link to the Theatre Conservatory's Audition Workshop 2025 informational slide show


Use this link to the Theatre Conservatory's Audition information including what to expect on audition day, suggested monologues and more

 

If you are looking for the general application timeline and the actual application use this link to official Applying & Audition Information webpage for Booker T Washington HSPVA




Want the latest information & updates? Make sure to follow us on Booker T Washington HSPVA Theatre Guild Facebook / BTW HSPVA Theatre Guild Instagram to keep up between newsletters!

got stu co questions?

Follow the official 
Booker T. Stu Co account on Instagram @btwhspvastuco


This year’s STUCO winter ball dance theme is “Club 75201” - referencing BTW’s zip code. On February 22nd from 7-11pm at the Frontiers of Flight Museum join us for a night of fun! Club 75201 is a night of dancing, hanging with friends, and great music. 


Support STUCO in lowering the dance ticket price and supplying vendors! Please donate via check payable to Student Council. Drop off donations at Ms. Price’s room (342).

Look here for information from the PTSA
WAYS TO STAY IN THE KNOW
Guild Instagram
Facebook Page
Facebook Groups for Current Classes
Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors

If you are the parent or guardian of a Theatre Conservatory student you are invited to join the individual class Facebook group for additional information & updates about everything that is going on at Booker T. 

Seniors: Theatre Guild Class of 2025 Facebook group 

Juniors: Theatre Guild Class of 2026 Facebook group

Sophomores: Theatre Guild Class of 2027 Facebook group

Freshmen: BTW Theatre Guild Class of 2028 Facebook group

All Facebook groups are private and you will need to provide your BTW student's name and answer the questions in order for your request to join to be approved.  

Digital Callboard
Campus Callboard

Students are also STRONGLY encouraged to regularly visit the campus callboard on the second floor.  

Sign up for Remind via text
  • Jan 15-17 Auditions for James Baker & One Act Festival
  • Jan 21-24 Performances of It's Only A Play in MAT (Student Preview Jan 17)
  • NEW Feb 5-8 Mime Show (Joseph Merrick)
  • Feb 13 Backwards Broadway 
  • Mar 3-6 Paul Baker New Plays Festival
  • NEW Mar 19-21 Senior Directing One Act Play Festival
  • NEW Mar 26-28 Senior Directing One Act Play Festival
  • Apr 8-12 Musical Theatre Spring Show 
  • Apr 17 Film Festival
  • May 10 Learning Lab Showcase
  • May 12 Thespian Induction Ceremony
  • May 25 Graduation

    Check out the Theatre Guild website for more information. For the most up to date & comprehensive Booker T calendar entries, you can check the BTW All School Calendar the BTWHSPVA Instructional Calendar.
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