Penn State Thespians

Last updated
The Penn State Thespian Society
FormerlyThe Penn State Thespians
FoundedOctober 22, 1897;126 years ago (1897-10-22)
Founder Fred Lewis Pattee, John Leete
Headquarters State College, Pennsylvania,
United States
Website psuthespiansociety.com

The Penn State Thespians, a student-run theatrical organization at State College, Pennsylvania State University, has the stated goal of 'presenting theatrical entertainment and providing students of the Pennsylvania State University with an educational experience in all phases of a dramatic production, thereby enhancing the cultural diversity of its members and the University[ citation needed ]

Contents

In the fall of 2018, The Penn State Thespians changed its name to the Penn State Thespian Society to comply with university regulations.

History

The Penn State Thespian Society, previously known as The Penn State Thespians, is the oldest consecutive running organization on campus, the second oldest student-run organization on campus, after the Penn State Glee Club, and is the second oldest college theater organization in the country. [1] The first Thespians meeting was called to order on October 22, 1897, by the founders, Dr. Fred Lewis Pattee (author of Penn State's “Alma Mater”) and Dr. John Leete. Dr. Pattee was the head of the Department of English, and Dr. Leete was a professor of Mathematics. Neither had roots in theater, yet they came together to form Thespians. This tradition continues today, as many members are amateurs not actively pursuing degrees or careers in theater.

The first show performed by the organization was The Rivals , performed on February 14, 1898.

Notable Alumni

A few notable alumni from the organization include:

Events

Some notable performances that the organization holds throughout the year include:

Becoming a Member

To become a member of Thespians, one must first start out as a New Member. This is a two-semester process in which one must fulfill certain requirements. This includes helping out with the main stage shows through the crew, set, and costumes, creating a pledge project, asking members questions, and creating a skit. New Members also have a "Big" to help them with their joining process.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Paul Academy and Summit School</span> Private, day school in St. Paul, MN, USA

St. Paul Academy and Summit School is a college preparatory independent day school in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, for students in grades K–12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania State University</span> Public university in Pennsylvania, US

The Pennsylvania State University is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, in 1863, Penn State was named the state's first land-grant university. Its primary campus, known as Penn State University Park, is located in State College and College Township in Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yale Dramatic Association</span> US college theater company

The Yale Dramatic Association, also known as the "Yale Dramat," is the second oldest college theater company in the United States. Founded in 1901 by undergraduates at Yale University, the Dramat has been producing student theatre in the United States for over a century.

<i>Daily Collegian</i> Independent student newspaper of Pennsylvania State University

The Daily Collegian is a student-produced news outlet, with a newspaper and website, that is published independently at the Pennsylvania State University. The newspaper is printed once a week during the fall and spring semesters, and not at all during the summer semester. It is distributed for free at the University Park campus as well as mailed to subscribers across the country.

The International Thespian Society (ITS) is an honor society for high school and middle school theatre students. It is a division of the Educational Theatre Association. Thespian troupes serve students in grades 9–12; Junior Thespian troupes serve students in grades 6 through 8. A few famous ITS alumni include Tom Hanks, Val Kilmer, James Marsters, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Stephen Schwartz. Festivals are held annually at the state and national levels. Each June the organization holds the International Thespian Festival. For 25 years it was held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As of 2019 it is being held at Indiana University-Bloomington where the first ITF was held in 1941. Membership currently stands at approximately 139,000 student members across 5,000 schools. The one millionth Thespian was inducted in 1976 and the two millionth Thespian was inducted in 2009. As of 2019, there have been over 2.4 million Thespians inducted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn State Harrisburg</span> College of Pennsylvania State University

Penn State Harrisburg, officially known as the Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg—Capital College and also called The Capital College, is an undergraduate college and graduate school of the Pennsylvania State University located in Lower Swatara Township, Pennsylvania. The campus is located 9 miles (15 km) south of Harrisburg. Penn State offers two associate, 34 baccalaureate, 24 master's, and three doctoral degrees as well as certificate and certification programs. It was an upper division college from its founding in 1966 until accepting freshmen and sophomores in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn State Erie, The Behrend College</span> Satellite campus of Penn State University

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, officially known as the Pennsylvania State University at Erie, The Behrend College and often shortened as Penn State Behrend, is a public satellite campus of Penn State University and is located just outside Erie, Pennsylvania. It is among the largest of Penn State's commonwealth campuses, with about 4,400 students enrolled in Behrend programs on campus and online. The college offers more than 40 undergraduate majors in four academic schools: The Sam and Irene Black School of Business, the School of Engineering, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the School of Science, which includes the Nursing Program. Penn State Behrend also offers five master's degrees, as well as a diverse range of continuing education trainings through its Community and Workforce Programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masters School</span> Private, boarding school in Dobbs Ferry, New York, United States

The Masters School, is a private, coeducational boarding school and day college preparatory school located in Dobbs Ferry, New York. Its 96-acre (390,000 m2) campus is located north of New York City in the Hudson Valley in Westchester County. It was founded as an all-girls private school in 1877 by Eliza Bailey Masters, and first admitted boys in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn State University Press</span> American university press

The Penn State University Press, also known as The Pennsylvania State University Press, is a non-profit publisher of scholarly books and journals. Established in 1956, it is the independent publishing branch of the Pennsylvania State University and is a division of the Penn State University Library system.

The Penn State Smeal College of Business at the Pennsylvania State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and executive education programs to more than 6,000 students. Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Smeal, is home to more than 150 faculty members who teach and conduct academic research on a range of business topics. The college also features a network of industry-supported research centers.

Senior societies at University of Pennsylvania are an important part of student life.

University of Pennsylvania student life includes numerous events and social gatherings around campus, with some sponsored by the college.

The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, also known as the College of IST, opened in 1999 as the information school of The Pennsylvania State University. Headquartered at the University Park campus in University Park, Pennsylvania, the college's programs are offered at 21 Penn State campus locations. Dr. Andrea Tapia currently serves as the college's interim dean.

The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Radiation Science & Engineering Center (RSEC) houses the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor (BNR). This reactor is the oldest operating in the nation and has undergone numerous power upgrades, renovations, and other changes. The reactor serves the research purposes of the Penn State Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering as well as researchers from industry and other universities. Its total licensed thermal output is 1.1 MW, however the reactor is procedurally limited to 1.0 MW (for 100% operation).

The Duquesne University Red Masquers are the oldest amateur theatre company in the city of Pittsburgh. Known as the Red Masquers since 1914, the company can trace its roots back to the late 19th century when Duquesne first started to offer courses in drama. The name Red Masquers refers to Masques, a form of European court entertainment in the 17th century, and the "red" of course representing Duquesne's colors.

The Pennsylvania State University School of Hospitality Management is located at the main campus of The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, and serves over 500 students. SHM is one of the three oldest continually-operating hospitality management programs in the United States and offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Hospitality Management. The B.S. Degree offers an optional minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn State Law</span> Law school in University Park, Pennsylvania, US

Penn State Law, located in University Park, Pennsylvania, is one of two separately accredited law schools of the Pennsylvania State University. Penn State Law offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees. The school also offers a joint J.D./M.B.A. with the Smeal College of Business, a joint J.D./M.I.A. degree with the School of International Affairs, which is also located in the Lewis Katz Building, as well as joint degrees with other graduate programs at Penn State.

The Penn State fraternity hazing scandal involves a case related to Timothy John Piazza who died as the result of hazing at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Pennsylvania State University at University Park, Pennsylvania. The incident led to closure of the fraternity's chapter at the university, and at least 26 members of the fraternity had charges of involuntary manslaughter dropped by a presiding judge.

Punchinello Players, founded in 1914, was a theatre organization of the University of Minnesota. When it closed it was the second oldest student-run community theater in the U.S. Punchinello - located on the St. Paul campus - originated for the purpose of improving the lives of the greater community. As a university-associated theater it changed with the times and continued to explore and interrogate the human condition. Punchinello Players closed in 1994 due primarily to its home, North Hall, being slated for demolition.

The Black Caucus at Penn State's University Park Campus is a student organization founded in 1971. The Black Caucus serves as an umbrella organization to minority students and student organizations. They aim to promote the social and political development of students at Penn State. In addition, they provide students of color with a safe space to voice the struggles experienced in a predominantly white institution. During the Fall and Spring semesters, the Black Caucus holds weekly meetings titled Sankofa. Every year since 2009, the organization hosts the Ashe Awards - an award ceremony dedicated to honoring students, faculty, and student groups who have excelled in promoting diversity at Penn State.

References

  1. "PSU Thespian Society". PSU Thespian Society. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  2. "Our History PSU Thespian Society". psuthespiansociety.com. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  3. Cullen, Mackenzie (2020-01-28). "Penn State Thespians To Shine 'A Light In The Darkness' With Annual MasquerAIDS Benefit". Onward State. Lazerpro Digital Media Group. Retrieved 2020-07-02.