Our talented Upper School thespians were offered a unique opportunity over Winter Term. The MICDS actors and crew members participated in the Theater Immersion course led by our very own Carolyn Hood, Upper School Performing Arts Teacher. Chaperoned by Hood and Upper School Arts Teacher Patrick Huber, students traveled to the Missouri State Thespian Conference. At this annual festival, they competed in performance and design events. When they weren’t competing, they attended a variety of classes, demonstrations, and exhibits. In the evenings, they attended productions and improv events.
Congratulations to the following students who competed in individual events and scored either Superior or Excellent in their categories:
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Natalie Benoist ’25
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Gigi Koster ’26
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Grant Nicholson ’24
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Abby Gray ’24
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Grace Powell ’26
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Anik Jukanti ’25
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Greysen Brown ’24
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Jaida Smith ’24
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Jada Greer ’24
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Virginia Portell ’24
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Katherine Rose Ellenhorn ’26
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Laurion Nicholson ’26
Brown received a perfect score in her event. « This was my second year going to ThesCon, » she said. « I love being surrounded by like-minded people along with my friends, and it is a great bonding experience. There are many workshops to choose from, and you can do several a day, so it’s fun to squeeze in as many workshops as possible. I took part in the Lighting Design individual event, where I presented my design for Silent Sky in front of a panel of judges. I received a perfect score, and that was definitely a highlight for me! »
Portell gave a glimpse into the individual event she was a part of. « I participated in the Group Acting category with Katherine Rose Ellenhorn and Laurion Nicholson, » she shared. « We got a superior, the highest rating possible. We performed a scene from Agnes of God. One of my favorite parts of ThesCon was getting to see so much talent. All of our performing IE’s were together, so we got to watch each other perform, as well as the students from other schools. I was honestly astounded at how talented some of the other students were! It was also so much fun to participate in totally new activities in the workshops. Grant Nicholson, Samantha Sullivan, and I went to a 1920s dance class where we combined 1920s steps with 2020 steps. That was something I never would have experienced at even a normal dance class, much less just in my life. But my favorite part was definitely making new friends. Everyone there has a strong shared interest, so there’s tons to talk about with new people, like shows and classes, and whatever the ‘mainstage’ (big performance that everyone goes to) was the night before! I made friends from Clayton all the way in Kansas City and Warrenton. »