While walking through crowded hallways, students scan through a brochure containing a variety of available theater workshops to attend. From all around, teens have traveled to this festival in hopes of improving their performance, showing off their talent and connecting with people of the same interest.
Stationed at the University of Illinois, Drama Club students had the opportunity to attend the Illinois Theater Fest between Jan. 9 to 11.

The three days were filled with a variety of workshops each day, teaching new techniques and giving pointers and suggestions to students. From costuming to stage combat, these workshops benefited students who perform on stage or help behind the curtain. During classes, most activities involve group work, encouraging interaction from other schools and offering a chance to learn from one another.

Aside from instructional learning, students had the opportunity to show off their talent and present what they learned by performing in plays/musicals during the event. Each school had the opportunity to develop their own show to perform during the festival, showing off their skills plus incorporating the new techniques they learned.

In addition, students could perform in the annual all state production that takes place during the middle of the trip, this year’s production was The Prom. Teacher Paula Levin, who participated in the festival as a workshop instructor, reflects on the impact the festival has on theater students.

“I think it’s a really cool opportunity for students who are interested in theater to find other people sharing the same interests as them, even outside of their school,” Levin said. “We think of ourselves as such a small bubble of people, but when you put all those bubbles together it’s a really energetic, exciting festival to be a part of.”