What is College Showcase?

Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts' College Showcase is a multi-day event held each year in November with invitations sent to representatives from colleges, universities and conservatories from across the country. Over the course of the week, seniors in each of the four arts conservatories have the opportunity to present their body of work in various College Showcase events. Theatre Showcase events are traditionally held on the Friday and Saturday preceding Thanksgiving. The current schedule of events is provided after school begins in the fall.  

What are the areas that Theatre Conservatory seniors can choose for showcase?

All Theatre seniors participate in at least one College Showcase event. Students are allowed to showcase in multiple areas. Students choose from Acting (spoken word), Costume Design & Construction, Film, Hair & Make Up, Lighting Design, Musical Theatre, Playwrighting, Physical Theatre (mime and combat), Set Design & Construction, Sound Design and Stage Management. Theatre Showcase is usually held on the Friday and Saturday before Thanksgiving. That means that most Theatre seniors will need to be on campus after Thanksgiving Break begins. For those who are interested in what the Theatre Showcase included in prior years, click to see the 2025 Theatre Showcase schedule. 

What is the Theatre Guild's role in Showcase?

The showcasing seniors are the main attraction during College Showcase. The Theatre Guild maintains a presence in the background starting with the extensive mailing list used to invite prior attendees and first time guests. Before Showcase, the Guild provides logistical support in the form of informational emails and preparing welcoming spaces for visitors and seniors. Once Showcase events are underway, volunteers from the Theatre Guild staff a Hospitality Suite that provides visitors with a place to relax, grab a bite to eat, charge their phones or computers, do some work between scheduled events or talk with other representatives or Theatre Conservatory faculty. Theatre Guild volunteers act as guides to help visitors navigate the school and the myriad of events from attending Coffee with the Seniors to teaching workshops for juniors or seniors. There are staged readings, movement and stage combat choreography, a film screening, monologues, songs, and technical theatre presentations all before onsite callbacks are requested. With so many events, the Guild Hospitality Suite volunteers are able to answer questions and make sure that visitors feel welcomed and well informed. A separate set of volunteers maintain the Senior Lounge where showcasing students can grab bite to eat or a drink in between Saturday's back-to-back showcase events and callbacks. During College Showcase, the Theatre Guild relies on parents of 9th-11th grade students to staff the on-campus hospitality suite and volunteer in the senior lounge. This is one of the best ways for parents to learn what will be expected of their students during their senior year.