Congratulations to District 230’s very own Amos Alonzo Stagg High School senior Sydney Anderson and Victor J. Andrew High School junior Gavin Schatz, who were selected as All-State crew members in the recent 50th anniversary Illinois High School Theatre Festival (IHSTF) production of Newsies! 

Jacob Fisher Stagg High School Auditorium Director said, “Being selected for the All-State Performance is a great honor and excellent experience for theater students. Anderson and Schatz are part of a long tradition of District 230 theater students taking part in the IHSTF All-State Performance.” 

The Illinois High School Theatre Festival is the largest and oldest non-competitive high school theatre festival in the nation. The All-State cast, crew, and pit orchestra are comprised of top student performers, musicians, and technicians from Illinois. 518 talented students auditioned for Newsies; 123 were selected for the final production Company. 

The IHSTF organizes more than 120 workshops, with topics such as acting, musical theatre, auditions, improvisation, technical theatre, directing, stage management, make-up and costumes, lighting and special effects, to name a few. In addition, more than 20 high school productions, both showcases and full-length, from around the state are selected to perform. 

On the first night of the Festival, participants attend the opening performance. Another highlight includes college/university auditions for high school juniors and seniors. Students who plan to pursue theatre or musical theatre in college may audition/interview for theatrical programs in and around the state.

Over the following two days of the Festival, attendees see and participate in different sets of workshops, student showcases, high school productions throughout the day, and various social activities, plus the All-State Production of Newsies.