This winter break, the Westside Thespian Troupe participated in the Nebraska Thespian Festival, held in downtown Omaha. The event was a resounding success for Westside, with several students participating in Thespy callbacks, performing on stage, and earning awards.
Emma Gordon performed in the final showcase, while Oli Carolus received the Superior Technical Thespy in Stage Management award. Sophia Keele also earned a Superior Technical Thespy, and the Westside Troupe banner won Best Banner and a gold star for their impactful community work.
Ellie Litwin chose to submit a monologue for the festival.
“When I went up to do my monologue, hearing everyone laughing seemed to calm me down,” Ellie said.
Both the Tech Team and Improv Team showcased their talents by performing and competing. Additionally, Westside’s Advanced Acting class performed an adapted play about *Frankenstein*, with Claire Heuertz playing a key role.
“My mindset going into my performance was remembering that I knew what I was doing. The performance was kind of stressful, so making sure that I was not getting so worked up and just focusing on having fun on stage was really my mindset,” Claire said.
The Nebraska Thespian Festival offered several opportunities for students, including masterclasses, games, and improv jams. One thing that Westside did was a scavenger hunt and it was a huge hit. It was a fun way to meet new people from different schools!
“Getting to meet and interact with lots of new people and performers was a way to expand my field of performing. I got to see how other people put work into their shows and characters,” Claire shared.
Ellie also found value in the festival’s workshops.
“I also attended stage fighting class. The instructor told some fun stories from previous years, and I got to learn some fighting without actual contact. But bonding with my troupe and roommates was probably the best part,” Ellie said.
Overall, the Nebraska Thespian Festival was a fantastic experience, providing a competitive environment for students to showcase their skills while also fostering connections with fellow performers.
