For students who love performing, working behind the scenes or exploring the many sides of theater, the International Thespian Society offers a place to turn that passion into opportunity.
The International Thespian Society is a national honor society for middle and high school theater students that recognizes achievement in both performance and production. At Adair County High School, the troupe is still growing, having formed two years ago, but its members are already building a community around their shared love of the arts.
“The International Thespian Society is the only theater honor society for middle and high school students in the United States,” head sponsor Kaleigh Foster Cloyd said. “ITS recognizes, rewards, and encourages student achievement and celebrates the work of students in all aspects of theater – performance and production.”
The organization provides students with opportunities to earn recognition for their work, connect with other theater students and pursue scholarships, competitions and leadership experiences. Students can earn Thespian points through activities such as acting in plays and musicals, working on technical production and taking theater classes.
While students can attend meetings and participate in theater activities without being inducted, official membership requires meeting specific point and participation requirements.
According to Cloyd, induction into ITS gives students recognition for their accomplishments while opening doors to opportunities beyond their school.
“Benefits for students are an induction to an honor society (just like beta club), opportunities for grants and scholarships, and networking amongst other theater troupes,” Cloyd said.
ITS also provides opportunities to compete in the Thespy Awards, which recognize student achievement in a variety of theater categories. These include acting, costume and lighting design, makeup, musical theater, playwriting, scenic design, sound design and short film. Although ACHS has not yet participated, Cloyd said the troupe hopes to compete in the coming years.
The society’s focus extends beyond students who perform on stage. Those interested in costume construction, lighting, props, makeup and other technical aspects of theater can also find opportunities to contribute.
For Cloyd, one of the most rewarding parts of sponsoring the program is seeing students develop their abilities and confidence throughout their theater experiences.
“My favorite part of being this sponsor is seeing growth in each individual student no matter their role,” Cloyd said.
The program’s growth has been supported by its founding officers, including Angelica Bell, Emma Berry, Ella Burkhead and Abbie Kemp, who helped establish the troupe at ACHS. Current officers include Hannah Kotter as president, Burkhead as vice president, Kailan Parrott as historian and Zabastian Webb as secretary.
Kotter, who joined theater as a freshman when Cloyd took over the program and directed “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” has participated in 10 shows and earned approximately 100 Thespian points. She said her favorite part of the society is the community it creates.
“It’s lovely to have a group of people that share an interest and passion with you, and it’s certainly a safe space for me and many others,” Kotter said.
Beyond awards and recognition, Kotter believes theater helps students understand themselves and others by allowing them to explore different characters, perspectives and experiences.
She also hopes more students will give the arts a chance, even if they have never considered participating before.
“Everyone should give theater a chance, it could change your life,” Kotter said.
Whether students enjoy performing in front of an audience or prefer helping bring a production to life behind the scenes, the troupe welcomes those interested in exploring theater.
As the society continues to grow at ACHS, its members hope to show that theater is more than a performance. It is an opportunity to build confidence, develop new skills and find a community of people who share the same passion.
