Julie Cohen News

Eight schools have been honored with an invitation to perform on the main stage at the nation's leading high school theatre festival, which is produced by the Educational Theatre Association. The invitations are based on productions that were adjudicated last fall; three more schools will be invited this spring. (Complete list of schools and shows to-date follows.)

With a commitment to preserving and advancing the art form of Musical Theatre through performance and education, STAGES St. Louis has announced its partnership with the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), the nation's preeminent organization dedicated to enriching lives through performing arts education and home of the International Thespian Society.

The second annual Thespians Go Hollywood event, supporting access and excellence in theatre education programs for underserved schools, takes place November 12 at Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Angeles, California. The event, produced by the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) and the International Thespian Society (ITS), is chaired by Krista Carson Elhai, EdTA board member and president of the California Educational Theatre Association.

Organizers of the third annual GI Film Festival San Diego (Oct. 18-22) announce a special preview screening of Thank You for Your Service today, October 19, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at Regal Carlsbad 12 (2501 El Camino Real).

A standing room only crowd packed Feinstein's/54 Below on Sunday for the third annual International Thespian Society alumni benefit concert. The event, produced by the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), home of the International Thespian Society, was chaired and hosted by Hunter Bell ( title of show , Found).

Organizers of the third annual GI Film Festival San Diego (Oct. 18-22) announce a special preview screening of Thank You for Your Service on Thursday, October 19, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at Regal Carlsbad 12 (2501 El Camino Real).

R&H Theatricals and the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) are joining forces in honor of the 75th anniversary of the celebrated musical Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!. The first of many collaborations by this legendary duo, Oklahoma! is credited by historians as marking the beginning of the modern American musical.

Members of the Educational Theatre Association elected two board members in results announced at the annual meeting held Friday, September 15 at the EdTA National Conference.

From the 50-yard line to front-row center, high schools are a central aspect of community life. While the identity with sports may not be surprising, the realization about school theatre may be.

In an effort to facilitate support within the school theatre community during and after a natural disaster, Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), home of the International Thespian Society, has made a new response form available to help match those who need support and those who are able to give support.

The third annual Broadway Back to School, benefitting theatre education programs for underserved schools, takes place September 24 at Feinstein's/54 Below. The event, produced by the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) and the International Thespian Society (ITS), is chaired and hosted by Hunter Bell ([title of show], Found).

Peter Sargent of Webster University has been honored with the Educational Theatre Association's Founders' Award which is presented to an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the growth and development of theatre education, research, and practice. The award recognizes work that supports the principles and mission of the EdTA founders to promote and strengthen theatre education.

The Educational Theatre Association, home of the International Thespian Society, has announced that Hans Weichhart will join the Association in a new role as Chief Relationship Officer, charged with leading member, chapter, and business development for the Association.

Based on the success of the inaugural year of the New Troupe Charter Grant program, the Educational Theatre Association is pleased to announce that Tams-Witmark Music Library will again underwrite the program in 2017-18 school year.

Theatre in Our Schools Month (TIOS) is a grassroots effort to draw attention to the benefits of having theatre in the schools, as well as the need for more access to quality programs for all students. For 2017, the national spokesperson is Kevin Kline, who, in a video in support of the campaign, points out that in this digital age, the lessons that theatre provides for communications skills are more critical than ever.

The Educational Theatre Association announced the award of the first New Troupe Charter Grants, just 30 days after the program was launched.  The program is dedicated to bringing honor and recognition to theatre students in financially challenged communities through access to the International Thespian Society. The initial gift to fund the program has been made by Tams-Witmark Music Library.

The New York City-based iTheatrics has received the Standing Ovation Award from the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA). The award was developed to recognize a corporation or organization that makes significant contributions to theatre education on the national level through philanthropic efforts or its programs and activities.

The Addams Family topped the list for the most-produced high school musical for the second consecutive year, and Mary Poppins made its list debut at second place, in an annual survey conducted by the Educational Theatre Association's flagship Dramatics magazine.

The International Thespian Society's second annual New York Alumni Council event, Broadway Back to School, is a benefit to support theatre education for underserved students taking place September 26 at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Jeanette S. McCune, who has led the Kennedy Center's programming partnerships with Washington, D.C. schools for fifteen years, has been appointed to a seat on the Board of Directors of the Educational Theatre Association.