At any given month during the school year, Middleton High School (MHS) Theatre members are hard at work on a production, whether it be a competitive one-act play, a show-stopping musical or a one-night sketch comedy extravaganza. On Sat., May 18, to conclude the hours of work that these students have contributed, the club held its annual awards show: Thespis.
Named after the first Ancient Greek poet to act onstage, Thespis includes a red carpet photo session with incredible photography by Jenny Washburn and an awards ceremony in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) hosted by director Katrina Brunner, PAC manager Jonathan Hagberg and the seven Middleton Theatre Officers. This small group of students represent the MHS Theatre community and lead events throughout the year.
During the ceremony, the Officers presented awards for two Outstanding Thespians in each grade, as well as mock awards for students whose contributions shined in unique ways. Many students were inducted into Thespian Troupe 2960, representing Middleton’s branch of the International Thespian Society. Students who had dedicated more than 40 hours to the program also received a varsity letter.
Additionally, the 2024-25 Middleton Theatre Officers were announced, welcoming new students to the board of leaders. One of these students was sophomore Ari Marckel, a member of the costume crew.
“I think it’s going to be great–I can’t wait to be a leader in our community,” Marckel said.
Complete with a cake and lemonade reception, Thespis was a night never forgotten for all of the tight-knit attendees. But the grind never stops: non-senior students will begin auditions for the 2024 fall musical, “Beauty and the Beast,” later this week.
For now, they can put six successful productions from this year behind them and be proud of the work they have done. Beyond varsity letters and trophies that students will show their families, the true success of MHS Theatre is the second family they have created both on and off the stage.
All photographs by Jenny Washburn
