ICHS Drama Students Attend Illinois High School Theatre Festival

drama students joined thousands of other high school students from across the state at the 37th annual Illinois High School Theatre Festival last month at Illinois State University. This year’s theme, Theatre: the Art of Connection, offered the attendees an in-depth exposure to all facets of theatre. Representing ICHS were Brendan Daly, Isabelle Munoz, Taylor Dorband, Katie Fenton, Aimee Gaspari and Ainsley McGrath.

The largest theatre festival of its kind in the country, the Illinois High School Theatre Festival is a blend of workshops, special events and performances that educate and challenge participants. Students were able to see more than 20 productions selected from high schools across the state. The opening ceremonies this year featured the Chicago Theatre company Neo-Futurists, who performed their trademark show Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, which has been running for 23 consecutive years at their theatre, The Neo-Futurarium, on the corner of Ashland and Foster in Chicago.

The festival also featured performances of John Cariani’s Almost Maine, a production performed by an All-State cast and crew selected by auditions from students throughout Illinois.  This year’s All-State production was directed by Ben Stoner of Crystal Lake South High School. This festival is produced by the Illinois Theatre Association, sponsored by Illinois State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and has been endorsed by the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education.