The International Thespian Society (ITS) is the Educational Theatre Association’s student honorary organization. ITS recognizes the achievements of high school and middle school theatre students. Since 1929, EdTA has inducted more than 2 million Thespians into ITS. That number continues to grow, with more than 36,000 students from around the country being inducted each year.
How does ITS work?
Having a Thespian troupe at your school raises the profile and stature of your theatre program, making both your school and community aware of the activities and success of your students. A school has a Thespian troupe that is led by a troupe director—usually the school’s theatre teacher. Students earn an invitation to be inducted into the Thespian Society.
Who are Thespians?
Thespian troupes include students in grades 9-12, and Junior Thespian troupes include students in grades 6-8. There are troupes in more than 4,000 high schools and middle schools.
A few of our Thespian alumni are famous names from the entertainment industry, including Tom Hanks, Val Kilmer, James Marsters, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Stephen Schwartz. But most alumni are in just about any industry you can imagine and excel using skills they learned as Thespians.
How does ITS work?
Having a Thespian troupe at your school raises the profile and stature of your theatre program, making both your school and community aware of the activities and success of your students. A school has a Thespian troupe that is led by a troupe director—usually the school’s theatre teacher. Students earn an invitation to be inducted into the Thespian Society.
Who are Thespians?
Thespian troupes include students in grades 9-12, and Junior Thespian troupes include students in grades 6-8. There are troupes in more than 4,000 high schools and middle schools.
A few of our Thespian alumni are famous names from the entertainment industry, including Tom Hanks, Val Kilmer, James Marsters, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Stephen Schwartz. But most alumni are in just about any industry you can imagine and excel using skills they learned as Thespians.