13 Schools Selected for 2021 International Thespian Festival Main Stage

Thirteen schools have been invited to perform on the main stage at the nation's leading high school theatre festival.

The International Thespian Festival takes place June 22-25, 2021, in its all-virtual format. Produced by the Educational Theatre Association, the festival celebrates student achievement in the performing arts. The highly coveted invitation to the main stage is a huge honor for International Thespian Society students: High-caliber productions from across the country are screened each year, and only the best receives this honor.

This year's ITF main stage lineup reflects the pandemic's impact on school theatre. Several of the shows were created for virtual performance, and the lineup features 10 plays and 3 musicals. (Complete list of schools and shows follows.)

In addition to viewing main stage performances, at ITF drama students and their teachers can participate in more than 40 workshops, interact with 60+ colleges in a unified college fair and audition process, and meet with industry leaders and Broadway professionals.

JUST ADDED TO ITF 2021 WORKSHOP LINEUP: Hip-hop dancer Justin "Jet" Valles will instruct a hip-hop dance workshop suitable for both students and teachers. Valles appeared in the movies Breaking Through, Step Up: Revolution, and Step Up: All In.

ITF is packed with opportunities to be inspired by the best high school theatre in the nation and is open to all theatre lovers. Register at itf.schooltheatre.org.

TOP 6 PRIME-TIME SHOWS ON ITF 2021 MAIN STAGE

CLYBOURNE PARK

By Bruce Norris

Director: Roberta Emerson

Montverde Academy, Troupe 3977

Montverde, Florida

DISTANCE LEARNING

By Carey Crim

Director: J. Jason Daunter

Claremont High School, Troupe 2129

Claremont, California

A KILLER PARTY: A MURDER MYSTERY MUSICAL

Music by Jason Howard, Lyrics by Nathan Tysen, Book by Rachel Exler & Kait Kerrigan

Director: John Monteverde

South Eugene Theatre, Troupe 750

Flower Mound, Texas

CLUE, THE STAY AT HOME COMEDY (HS VERSION)

Adapted from the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn
Additional Materials by Hunter Foster, Eric Price & Sandy Rustin
Adapted from the Paramount Pictures film written by Jonathan Lynn and the board game from Hasbro, Inc.

Director: Jonathan Luke Stevens

Ashland High School, Troupe 4630

Ashland, Oregon

SHE KILLS MONSTERS VIRTUAL REALMS

By Qui Nguyen

Director: Danielle Miller

Hoboken High School, Troupe 7268

Hoboken, New Jersey

Disney's NEWSIES

Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Jack Feldman, Book by Harvey Fierstein
Based on the Disney film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White

Director: Bob Henrichs

Lincoln Southwest High School, Troupe 6547

Lincoln, Nebraska

7 ADDITIONAL MAIN-STAGE MARATHON SHOWS RUNNING ON DEMAND AT ITF 2021

GHOSTLIGHT

By Stephen Gregg

Director: David Tate Hastings

Olathe South High School, Troupe 5006

Olathe, Kansas

BREATHING THROUGH COVID

By the Company of Breathing Through Covid
Directors: Andrea Lee Roney & Debra Buckner
North Penn High School, Troupe 5464
Lansdale, Pennsylvania

THE TEMPEST

By William Shakespeare
Director: Clark Taylor
Mount Vernon High School, Troupe 7702
Sandy Springs, Georgia

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

By Oscar Wilde
Director: Pamela Hurt
Prestonwood Christian Academy, Troupe 6605
Plano, Texas

THE HOPE PROJECT

By Daniel K. Isaac
Director: WT McRae
The Berkeley Carroll School, Troupe 3946
Brooklyn, New York

WOMEN OF SPOON RIVER

From the anthology by Edgar Lee Masters
Directors: Jill Campbell with Kailani Stroup (student)
State College Area High School, Troupe 5029
State College, Pennsylvania

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD

Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Director: Katherine Rochon
New Jersey All-State Thespians
New Jersey