In the spotlight theater

The In the Spotlight (ITS) Theater Troupe is an internationally recognized student performance group from Willow Canyon High School in the Dysart School District in Surprise, Arizona, U.S.A. The International Thespian Society has established ITS as Thespian Troupe 6901 since 2005, under director Carol Swinney. They are actively competing, award-winning musical and theatrical producers. Performances are public, and based at the Willow Canyon Theater. The troupe is open to all Willow Canyon students, however, the Thespian Troupe membership is only open to those who meet the requirements set forth by the International Thespian Society.

History
Willow Canyon High School was built in 2003, its curriculum including three elective theater classes: Acting 1, Acting 2, and Intro to Theater. For the first season, the students put up a fall play, The Odd Couple (Female Version) by Neil Simon. During the spring semester, the Acting 2 students performed short scenes from the collection Cootie Shots, a book of scenes directed at breaking down prejudice and racial barriers for children. Groups of students from elementary schools in the district were invited to the production and post-performance discussion at Willow Canyon Theater. This year was overseen by Lisa Spencer, who left at the end of the year for a position with the Arizona Theater Company.

The '04-'05 season started with the Fall play, The Mouse That Roared, adapted by Christopher Sergel. This production was the dissertation project for director/teacher Ms. Good, for her Masters in Theater Education. The spring semester brought the school's first musical, Once on This Island, a Caribbean play directed by the other staff theater teacher, Carol Swinney, and choreographed by one of the staff dance teachers. At the end of the year, Ms. Good moved to a new position in Oregon.

In fall 2005, a meeting was held for all Willow Canyon students interested in theater, where Michi Abrahamzon was elected the first President of the newly established In The Spotlight Theater Troupe. Under Carol Swinney's direction, the troupe became registered as Thespian Troupe 6901, and the season held six plays. The first dinner theater, Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch, was performed in the Willow Canyon Cafeteria. Two senior-directed one acts, Dracula and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow were performed back-to-back the weekend of Halloween. A Christmas Madrigal Dinner was held just prior to Christmas break. At the beginning of the spring semester, the school's curriculum had added Acting 3, and the students of this class rehearsed and performed in their first competition, the Regional One-Act Festival. Their play, Wiley and the Hairy Man, received a Superior rating at the Festival. Wiley was also taken on a district tour to the elementary schools. Finishing up the spring season was the musical, Into the Woods (Children's Version), and the senior showcase commedia del arte play The Servant of Two Masters.

Two full length senior-directed plays, Arsenic and Old Lace and Harvey, started the 2006-07 school year. Also performed during the fall semester were the Holocaust play I Never Saw Another Butterfly and the holiday musical A Christmas Carol. The troupe again competed in the Regional One-Act Festival with the Chinese Opera-style play, Tourandot for which they received a Superior rating. This year, a state competition was organized for all excellent and superior rated 4A schools to compete in. ITS attended and earned another Superior rating at State level. The troupe also traveled to the State Thespian Convention, where they were able to compete in individual events. All troupe members received excellent and superior ratings, the duet acting group being awarded all superiors and receiving an invitation to compete at the International Thespian Convention in the summer. The Spring season ended with a production of Suessical the Musical and the senior showcase Shakespeare comedy, A Mid-summer Night's Dream.

Willow Canyon now incorporates the International Baccalaureate Program, wherein students can receive college credit for the IBC theater program, and complete production projects as part of the curriculum.

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Turandot

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Turandot Post-show

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Seussical the Musical

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Suessical the Musical Pre-show

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Wiley and the Hairy Man travel to competition

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Into the Woods

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'07 Graduating Seniors

In the News

ITS recent productions are covered in local and school news stories.

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