Student-directed productions still in the spotlight

"New Faces," a medley of song and dance that airs on the Blair stage Thursday at 7:30, follows the success of the Thespian club's "Bus Stop," which brought in a profit of over a thousand dollars.

"New Faces" is a student-directed musical revue with selections of songs from Broadway shows: Show Boat, Rent, Once on This Island, South Pacific, and The King and I. Besides being the only student-directed musical production at Blair, "New Faces" is performed with minimal dialogue and more informal atmosphere than the official Blair spring musical.

Feeling that the competitive atmosphere of auditioning for the official Blair plays discouraged many talented students from trying out, English teachers Kelly Newman and Regina Carlow began "New Faces" last year to encourage more students to participate in Blair theatre. According to student director senior Sam Horne, everyone who tried out for "New Faces" received a part.

Unlike "New Faces," which is produced by Newman, Carlow, and organized by the student-directors, "Bus Stop," which was performed on January 17 and 18, was produced and directed by the Blair thespian club. The club's presidents Miriam Sievers and Shira Kahan are very impressed with the success of "Bus Stop." Both are astonished by the show's success, especially considering that there were only two performances located right before exams and was only minimally publicized.

Sievers and Kahan, after the success of "Bus Stop," hope that the club will achieve "independence" with a legacy continued by the many sophomores and juniors that comprise the thespian cast. The club had been inactive during the past three years and Sievers and Kahan were proud that they were able to start the revitalization of the club. "It was really nice to accomplish something," said Kahan.

Sievers and Kahan hope to reaffirm the club's original affiliation with the National Thespian Association and return to the club's original purpose as a place where students can to talk about theater, help members with auditions, play improvisation games, and develop students acting and technical skills.

As part of the National Thespian Association, the club will be able to reap several benefits. First, the NTA has special events and educational programs such as the Thespian Festival, a weeklong celebration of theatre for students and their teachers, the EDTA Convention, the Middle School Theatre Forum, and Professional Development Institutes. The NTA also has several award and scholarship programs. Over $25,000 in scholarships is given out each year at both the state and national level to graduating seniors pursuing theatre education beyond high school.

Tickets for the "New Faces" show are two dollars.

Auditions for the Blair spring musical, "She Loves Me" are on February 11 and 12 in the auditorium.