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PRESIDENT'S CORNER
The countdown has begun to our first day of school, Tuesday, August 12! In addition to renewing your Theatre Guild membership, I encourage you to take a moment to do two quick things before we get rolling with the new school year:
First, follow the Theatre Guild, the PTSA, and your respective class on social media. All the links are below.
Second, mark your calendar with important performance and other school dates. The Guild newsletter will keep you informed of volunteer opportunities and other updates throughout the year.
As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to me with questions.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
-Ferris Bueller
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THEATRE YARD SIGN ORDER
Preorder your yard sign by September 9!
Signs will be available to pick up during the fall performances in September and October. This will be the LAST opportunity to get a sign during the 2025-26 school year, so be sure to get your orders in!
There are two ways to purchase a sign:
1) Become a Theatre Guild member! Memberships purchased at the 9th grade four-year, Gold, Platinum, or Diamond level receive a sign. If you purchase your membership by September 9, you will have a sign ready for you!
2) Complete the form below to purchase a sign. We encourage you to also become a guild member at the Basic, Copper, or Silver level
*If you pre-ordered a sign already but did not pick it up during Flight School or Pegasus Pick Up, you can pick it up at the first theatre show.
THEATRE GUILD END OF SUMMER BASH
NEW & FRESHMAN Theatre Conservatory students & their families are invited to this fun chance to share a meal, learn about what to expect, and make new friends.
Volunteers are needed for the End of Summer Bash on Friday August 8 at Spark! We need parents of current 10, 11 or 12 graders to help us welcome the newest families to join the Theatre Guild. Additionally juniors and seniors are needed to lead small group activities with the new students.
All Theatre Conservatory students are invited to audition for the Mainstage Productions afterschool during the second week of classes on Monday August 18 or Tuesday August 19. Students should prepare a 1 minute contemporary monologue from a published play. (Freshman are allowed to use their BTWHSPVA audition monologue IF it fits these requirements.) The students are expected to have read the play that their monologue comes from and may be asked questions about their choices based on the character, motivations etc during the audition. More information will be provided to students by the Theatre Conservatory faculty.
SENIOR PARENT MEETING
The Theatre Conservatory faculty will be providing an overview of the upcoming school year focusing on deadlines, opportunities and events (like Senior Showcase) that are intended for Theatre Seniors. Please join them if you are able.
August 13 | 6-7:30pm | Black Box
Students in the Class of 2026 are welcome to attend BUT may find it repetitive of the information provided during school day conservatory meetings.
Theatre Headshots for Senior Showcase
This year Theatre Seniors will be getting their headshot photos taken during the school day in the first week of classes. The Senior Headshots are the official photos used for the Showcase materials and hung outside the Black Box Theatre.
WHO: All Theatre Conservatory Seniors
WHAT: Schedule your headshot session with Jordan Fraker
WHEN: August 12 & 13 during the extended flex period from approx 9:30 until 12
WHERE: MAT Lobby at Booker T. Washington
COST: $70 per person (to be paid in advance via Venmo)
Seniors can use this Sign Up Genius link to sign up to choose either Tuesday (Aug. 12) OR Wednesday (Aug. 13th) during extended flex.
Theatre Seniors may have also received this link directly from the Theatre Conservatory via Remind.
How to pay for it: Each Senior will be expected to pay $70 before they are photographed. Additional optional photos will be available for $50 each.
If paying the $70 fee is a hardship, please reach out to Ms Price, Mr Gavitt or Ms Cotie. All seniors need to have their headshots for Showcase and the Theatre Conservatory does not want a financial hardship to keep any Theatre Seniors from participating on August 12 or 13th.
VENMO QR CODE FOR PAYMENT IS BELOW.
Advice from Jordan Fraker on what to wear...
I recommend solid colors whenever possible. Some subtle patterns are acceptable, but please lean towards solids.
Your shoes and pants will not be in the shot, so no need to worry about that part! Just wear anything that is comfortable.
We are spending 10 min per person, so please try to eliminate any wrinkles or dust from your clothes in advance, before walking into the room for your session.
If you bring a couple top options with you and want my opinion, I'm happy to give it. But you do not want that conversation to eat up too much of your session time. The more prepared you are, the better the outcome. Have confidence in the choice you make and just know that I'll make ya look good.
...and about your hair
I will have a hand mirror in the room that you can look at just prior to your session, but please run to the restroom before walking in so you can spend a minute on placing your hair where you'd most likely want it to lay.
If your hair goes past your shoulders, I find it photographs best to bring your hair toward the front, at least on one side. It adds volume and frames the face nicely. In a photo, if your hair is behind your shoulders, it can look great as a side profile, but not for a frontal headshot. However, if you typically put your hair up in a bun or in a ponytail, and this is your preferred look, I leave this decision completely up to you. If in doubt, ask one trusted friend what they think.
Please be thoughtful of how your hair will likely appear during the showcase in November, and style it that way. Recognizability.
During the Session
I will photograph probably about 30-50 frames per person, more or less, and will get straight on, turned to the left, and turned to the right angles. I will narrow it down to about 1/3 of the shots we got for your individual gallery.
We will be getting a variety of expressions. Depending on your goals, the expression may be a rather important factor. I will pose and direct you accordingly, so don't worry about any of that. Just buy into the process and have fun with it!
After the Shoot
Once everyone has been photographed, I will create individual galleries that will be emailed to you. You will have a certain window of time to select your favorite image.
The 2025 All School Musical is produced by the Booker T Washington PTSA which means questions about Guys & Dolls should be directed to the PTSA and you will find lots of helpful information on the All School Musical page on the PTSA Membership Toolkit website and in the PTSA newsletters. For example, the playbill for the All School Musical is not a Theatre Guild playbill and any feeding of the kids will be overseen by the PTSA.
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.
All four class specific Facebook groups are private. These groups are open to members of the Theatre Guild 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.
Aug 13 Senior Parents’ meeting with Theatre Conservatory
Aug 18 & 19 Mainstage Auditions
Sept 2 PTSA Meeting + Theatre Guild Back to School Dinner & Meeting
Sept 25-26 Main Stage #1 in Black Box Theatre
Oct 1-3 Main Stage #1 in Black Box Theatre
Oct 22-24 Main Stage #2 in Black Box Theatre
Oct 22-24 Main Stage #2 in Black Box Theatre
Nov 17-21 Senior Showcase Week at BTWHSPVA
Nov 21 -22 Senior Showcase / Theatre
Nov 23 Improv at Stomping Ground Comedy
Dec 9-12 Ten Minute Play Festival
Check out the Theatre Guild website for more information. For the most up to date & comprehensive Booker T calendar entries, you can check the BTWHSPVA Activities Calendar. The Dallas ISD 2025-26 Approved Calendar includes district wide information including school holidays, professional development days and grading periods.
