The students will compete in an assortment of categories, to name a few: Duet Acting, Solo Musical Theatre, Mime, Set and Costume Design, Film, and Monologue. Along with competing, the local thespians will put on a play while at the festival. You can watch the play tonight at the American Memorial Park theater at 6:30 p.m., free of charge.
Harold Easton who teaches drama, show choir, and speech at Marianas High School has headed the International Thespian Society on Saipan for the past 10 years.
“It is one of the only ways for students of the arts to review colleges and get into their programs without spending tons of money. They need to see what others are doing and the only way to do that is to go there,” says Easton.
He emphasizes, “It’s one thing to hear what the standards are and it’s another thing to actually see and know what they are.”
“They get a chance to have the college experience; they actually live at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. They can get familiar with the mainland and see what’s really there and not just what television tells us. But over all, students get the chance to be creative with their work,” Easton adds.
For Anna Rose Deleon Guerrero, a Saipan Southern High School junior, this will be her fourth time competing at the festival.
“ITS [International Thespian Society] has helped me to train alongside others that are just as talented and just as passionate. We are all able to get better together,” she comments.
Richard Matsuyama, an MHS senior, will be competing in group musical theater alongside with 15 other students who make up the MHS Glee Club, Rhythm and Harmony.
“I’ve been interested in the arts ever since my freshman year but I only heard about ITS this past year,” explains Matsuyama adding that he wishes he had gotten into the program earlier.
“I love music, acting, and performing. This will be my first year and I feel honored to be going. I’m definitely not scared, I’m excited,” he says.
Dowen Jocson of MHS who will be attending the festival for her second year describes the junior college audition process which she underwent last year.
“Basically you perform two contrasting monologues in front of 40 plus representatives from colleges around the U.S. You audition so colleges will ask you to apply and get interested in them. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the schools and all of the different programs they have to offer you,” Jocson says.
She adds, “ITS is a very helpful program for future actors, actresses, directors, and everyone who wants to get involved in theatre!”
Some of the exceptional colleges in attendance will be the Academy of Art University, Wake Forest University, New York Film Academy, Savannah College of Art and Design, Texas Christian University, and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
The festival offers workshops headed by experts in all fields applicable to the arts.
Akeiko Dela Cruz, junior at Kagman High School, who will be attending the festival for her third year describes, “There are great workshops you can attend there that really help you to open up and make lots of friends. The program really opens up more doors for you. The workshops cover singing, dancing, acting, set design, make up, writing” pretty much everything related to theater.
Along with college auditions for juniors, the festival presents seniors the chance to compete for thespian scholarships.
“I have to bring a huge portfolio with all of my work from ITS and Friends of the Arts,” Rozette Bunao, senior at MHS describes the process for tech students. Tech entails set design, costume design, and lighting amongst other categories.
“I present my work to judges and representatives from colleges and compete to receive a scholarship of around $2,000 to $4,000. I’m very nervous because I’m competing against other really great tech people,” says Bunao.
“It’s a great opportunity for film students to actually compete in the states,” remarks Jojo Alepuyo, film coach. “For the last two years MHS has been doing pretty well in film. Hopefully this year we’ll make it to Main Stage,” says an optimistic Alepuyo.
[If you place in the top at the competitions, you present your work to all at the festival during Main Stage.]
Melissa Duffy, group musical theater advisor, shares her feelings about heading out: “I’m nervous and excited. I think we will do a really good job and we should make the CNMI proud.”
The schools that will be representing the CNMI this year are San Antonio Elementary School, Hopwood Junior High School, Kagman High School, Saipan Southern High School, and Marianas High School.
The group is scheduled to leave on the 17th of this month.
