SJCS Students Enjoy Successful Weekend at Thespian Festival

Fourteen students representing SJCS participated in the Palmetto Dramatic Association/SC Thespian State Festival February 16-18 at Dreher High School in Columbia, celebrating educational theatre with high schools throughout the state.

Several students submitted performances into the qualifying round of the International Thespian Excellence Awards. Of these entries, the following students received "Excellent" ratings in these categories:

• Josh Bannio, Joseph Mosley, Russell Shea and Porter Garrett in Group Acting
• Christopher Suarez, Emily Olsen and Ryan Lanza in Group Acting
• Mari Shea and Abby VanderLinde in Duet Acting
• Jacob Guirao in Short Film

In addition, Anna Quesnelle's Solo Musical Theatre entry and the Duet Musical Theatre entry performed by Lincoln Davis and Jacob Exposito received "Superior" ratings and have been selected to advance to compete with students from across the country at the International Thespian Festival (ITF) in June.

Our competition one act, The Mysterious Case of the Mysterious Case, directed by Porter Garrett, received an "Excellent" rating for Play Production, along with the following accolades:

• Excellent in Acting to Christopher Suarez
• Superior in Acting to Lincoln Davis and Anna Quesnelle
• Outstanding Contribution to a one act for Student Direction to Porter Garrett

This year, SC Thespians instituted two new endeavors:

• The first was an All State Theatre program in which students could audition to be selected for a group musical number, choreographed by Broadway performer Mackenzie Warren. These students rehearsed prior to and throughout the festival weekend to perform "Seize the Day" from Newsies as the opening number of the Awards ceremony. Anna Quesnelle was one of 17 students selected for this opportunity.
• The other new honor was created to recognize the work of SC Theatre troupes in their own communities. This process reviewed the production, programs, service and outreach of each troupe from the previous school year. St. Joe's Thespian troupe #6388 was recognized as a Silver Honor Troupe for its work during the 2022-2023 school year.

Jacob Guirao was named Co-Chair of the 2024-2025 Student Thespian Officer Board for the state of South Carolina.

Also, the group attended the Saturday Vigil Mass at St. Thomas More on the USC Campus. Afterward, Father Rhett Williams gave the students a tour of USC's Catholic Center and shared all the ways students can be involved while attending USC.

PHOTO GALLERY