Clayton Koff
Staff Writer
Thespians from all over the state prepare to face off this month in one of the biggest theater festivals in Idaho.
This 10-year tradition, held at ISU on April 21 and 22, showcases the talents of high school theater groups by presenting a one-act play they have been working on all year.
“It’s more than just a competition,” said Stefan Espinosa, assistant lecturer in the Department of Theater and Dance. “It’s also an opportunity for high school students to see the work that other schools are doing, meet and mingle with like-minded folks from other parts of the state, take part in workshops led by faculty and students at ISU, get a taste of what ISU Theater has to offer and learn a lot by watching each other and receiving objective feedback from professionals.”
Along with the festival, ISU usually puts on its own production to show potential ISU theater students the type of work they can expect and get them excited about being a theater major. For this year’s festival, the theater department is reviving “Stop Kiss,” a production put on last February. But that selection has sparked some controversy.
“This year, we didn’t have a show already scheduled at that time and we discussed remounting ‘Stop Kiss’ because it was the hippest, most accessible and exciting show for that age group in our spring semester,” Espinosa said. “It also has a small cast and wouldn’t be as difficult to revive.”
There was some discussion about the overall appropriateness of the play for a high school audience, but the department decided to continue with the production as an optional activity.
“Eventually, we decided that we would offer ‘Stop Kiss’ in conjunction with the one-act festival despite the adult language and a very brief instance of partial nudity, under certain conditions,” Espinosa said. “All the participating schools have been informed, in detail, about the nature of the content that may be controversial to students and parents.”
Each play is adjudicated and awards are given for best production, best actor and actress and best supporting actor and actress. Some of the awards come with scholarship money, trophies and recognition from professional theater practitioners from ISU and other universities.
The stakes are high for the young actors and actresses participating in the festival, but Espinosa assured they all can expect to leave with an experience they will never forget.
“It’s a high-energy weekend that brings young theater artists in Idaho together to celebrate art and each other,” he said. “It has been a very positive and often inspiring experience for everyone involved and I’m grateful to be a part of it. There are many events that celebrate athletic achievement on this scale, but relatively few for the arts. I look forward to another festival full of brave young people and expressive art.”
