The International Thespian Festival is a weeklong immersion in the theatre arts specially for high-achieving middle and high school drama students and their teachers. Setting the standard for participatory educational theatre experiences, ITF broadens horizons, enriches learning, and celebrates the creativity of theatre students and educators.

For more than 50 years, ITF has been the preferred summer theatre experience for students and teachers alike. Once a year, experience once-in-a-lifetime moments. Produced by the Educational Theatre Association and held at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, ITF showcases outstanding school theatre productions on four professional stages and offers a wealth of learning and presentation opportunities encompassing all theatrical disciplines.

• Students and teachers can select from hundreds of rigorous and engaging workshops taught by experts in their field. Topics include acting and performing, lighting, sets, sound, makeup, costume design and construction, directing, stage management, dance, and playwriting. More specialized subjects may include puppetry, stage combat, commedia dell’arte, and more.

• Students can meet with recruiters from dozens of top college and university theatre programs from across the country to interview and audition for admission and for thousands of dollars in scholarships.

• Inducted Thespians who qualify at their state conference can participate in National Individual Events, a special program of the International Thespian Society that assesses and recognizes significant student achievement in theatre.