An elaborate float, surrounded by animated actors, throwing out candy through neighborhood streets, a bustling bake sale filled with delicious pastries and snacks, personal and partner construction projects around the high school; all of these are ways in which the Chantilly High School International Thespian Society will contribute to the community in the 2006-2007 school year. The International Thespian Society is a massive organization bringing actors and stagehands from high schools everywhere together to celebrate the craft of theater in their community. This fall, the Chantilly I.T.S. has come together and organized new activities to further identify the group.
The ’06-07 Chantilly I.T.S. Officers include President Laura Kim, Vice President Chloe West, and Historian Emily Withers. Officers are decided by end-of-the-year elections, in which all current and prospective I.T.S. members are allowed to vote. I.T.S. induction is based on an application essay as well as participation in the theater department through either behind-the-scenes work or performance, which is ranked in “drama points.” Officer candidates must be veteran members, and since you cannot be inducted into the society until you are a rising junior, that makes all officials from the senior class.
The homecoming parade, bake sale, and service projects, have been constant ways that I.T.S. has reached out to the community in the past years. Every year the float in the parade advertises the upcoming fall musical. I.T.S. designs a truck and dresses up the members in costumes and marches through the neighborhood passing out candy. This year the float will advertise “Big, the Musical,” which will be showing Nov. 8, 9, 10, and 11 at Chantilly. The bake sale takes place during the spirit rally on homecoming weekend at the school. Every I.T.S. member must submit a tray or bag of baked goods, which will be sold prior to the homecoming football game. Towards the end of the year, I.T.S. members split into partners, and take on many different service projects around the school. Usually these include organizing files, painting and construction, and community advertisement outreach. This is a requisite for membership in the society.
Last year, Thespian Societies from Chantilly, Westfield, Centreville, and Herndon, came together for an interschool theater kickball tournament. The teams had a wild and fantastic time with body paint, team cheers, and athleticism, as a way of not only celebrating themselves, but celebrating each other. This year, I.T.S. went on a camping trip to Prince William forest. The thespians enjoyed roughing it in the wilderness by playing capture the flag, hiking to a creek and hunting crawfish, and roasting marshmallows around a massive campfire. All the participants were given “wilderness” nicknames at the end of the trip, including teachers Mr. Monk and Mrs. Khatcheressian, and are planning to create camping sashes and badges to be distributed at the annual school drama awards at the end of the year. Hopefully the camping trip and kickball tournament will become annual traditions alongside the parades, bake sales, and service projects of the past.
Membership in the International Thespian Society benefits drama department members in many ways. It qualifies as an extra-curricular activity and club, and looks fantastic on college applications and resumes. But apart from college admissions, it gives theater students a sense of membership to a theater community, and a chance to celebrate their collective passion with each other, and to serve the entertainment needs of their community. Chantilly I.T.S. serves as a representation of the Chantilly Drama Department as a whole. It is esteemed and respected by the school, and is worn as a badge of pride by all members and participants.