California State Thespian Festival is a 3-day extravaganza for high school students of theatre.
The CA State Thespian Festival is a 3-day event that celebrates, recognizes, and supports high school theatre students and their teachers in California.
While the details of the event schedule change slightly as we improve each year, the following outline may help you understand the flow of events. Daily start & end times are accurate, but this is not the final schedule.
Friday March 21, 2025
9:00 Registration, Opening Number Rehearsal, Room Chair Orientation, Thespys
10:00 Orientation for New Troupes
11:30 Mainstage Event – Opening welcome
12:00 Lunch, State Thespian Officer Candidate Meeting, Opening Number Rehearsal
1:30 Workshops, Thespys, Playworks Auditions, Chapter Select Showcase Performances
5:00 Dinner
7:00 Mainstage Event
8:30 Late Night Events
10:30 All delegates must vacate the campus
Saturday March 22, 2025
9:00 Thespys, Festival Finale Tech Work
10:00 Workshops, Playworks Rehearsals, Student Rep Meeting, STO Candidate Speeches
11:30 Lunch
1:15 Workshops, Thespys
4:30 Mainstage Event
6:00 Dinner
7:00 Late Night Events, Festival Finale Tech Work, Festival Finale Rehearsal
10:30 All delegates must vacate the campus
Sunday March 23, 2025
7:30 Festival Finale Tech Rehearsal
8:00 Playworks Performances, Thespy Showcases
10:00 Mainstage Event
12:00 Festival closes
This schedule is subject to change. Registration for the State Festival gives attendees access to all Mainstage Events and Workshops. Meals are not included. Other opportunities require supplemental applications, as outlined in the following pages.
This following is intended to be a quick guide to all Festival happenings; for details, guidelines, and sign up procedures, use the links below.
This is intended to be a quick guide to all Festival happenings; for details, use the links below or visit the State Festival website (website updates in progress as of Nov 12).
Alumni Staff: Alumni Thespians who provide support roles throughout the festival. charles.martinez@cathespians.org
Festival Finale: Close out the weekend with a celebration of the best student work within the festival theme. Scott.Robinson@cathespians.org
Improv Spectacular: Improv groups perform for adjudication. Details coming soon. No fee. pmcloy@laalliance.org
Late Night Activities: Fun, non-competitive events, great for troupes with some students in late night rehearsals. No fee. Charles.Martinez@cathespians.org
Opening Number: The Fabulous Oscar Gonzalez is the Director for the Opening Number. Opening Number song will be ‘Raise You Up’ from Kinky Boots. Don.Amerson@cathespians.org
Chapter Select Showcase: 30-minute one acts or cuttings performed mainstage. One per troupe. Apply by attending any Regional Play Festival. $200 per Play Festival entry. Jeff.Bengford@cathespians.org
Playworks: Staged readings of student-written plays. Playwrights, Actors, ADs, Dramaturgs. No fee for actors or ADs. $40 per Thespy playwriting submission. Colette.Murphy@cathespians.org
Room Chairs: Vital time keepers and room facilitators. Required at least 2 per troupe. No fee. Olivia.Parker@cathespians.org–
Scholarships & Fellowships: Scholarships available for undergrads and seniors in 10 distinct categories. Inducted Thespians. No fee. Festival attendance not required. Colette.Murphy@cathespians.org
State Thespian Officers: Student officers elected to one-year terms. Inducted Thespians. Max 2 per troupe. No fee. Mohammed.Mangrio@cathespians.org
Student Design Showcase: Selected student designers work with an industry professional/mentor to create their design for a Festival Showcase. Inducted Thespians. No fee. Kirsten.Giard@cathespians.org
Student Assistant Directors, Dramaturgs & Choreographers: Students assist professional directors on Opening, Playworks, or Festival Finale. Inducted Thespians. Max 3 per troupe. No fee. Emily.Stamets@cathespians.org
Tech Challenge: Fun, competitive event challenging your tech skills. No fee. info@cathespians.org
Tech Crew: Student tech crew runs all tech for Festival under the mentorship of professional technicians. No application fee. Domenica.Diaz@cathespians.org
Thespys: Individual students or student groups perform/present for judges for adjudication. Inducted Thespians. 1 per frosh/soph, 2 per junior/senior, Playwriting not included in cap. $40 each Thespy. Sarah.Thermond@cathespians.org
MEALS
Time is allotted for meals. In 2025, food trucks will be available on campus, or Troupes may go off campus for meals, bring their own, or procure deliveries with services such as Orange Crate and Uber Eats. Pomona College and Bridges Auditorium are within walking distance to the Claremont Village, with multiple food options.
updated Nov 27, 2024