LEESBURG, VA: The Virginia Thespian Festival (VTF) is a theatre festival meant for students, teachers, colleges, and others in the arts community to come together and learn more about theatre. This year, VTF was held at Shenandoah University in January.

There are over one hundred workshops for the different aspects of theatre, anywhere from stage combat to prop making. . Students also can compete in competitions known as thespies, audition for colleges and audition for scholarships.

“I went as the prop master and I mainly wanted to see the campus as well,” senior Jose Guerrero said, “I thought it would be a fun time to get to hang out with everybody.”

“At VTF, I went to a film and TV workshop where you learn that acting isn’t just joking and auditioning. Most of acting is making your own films and you can make your own films right at home,” sophomore D’Andre Bullock stated.

Students got to see the college campus and see what some of the college life will be like after they graduate.

VTF also invites schools to bring plays to compete. Tuscarora brought a one act play entitled The Insanity of Mary Girard to show off their skills in competition. Though the play did time out past the 45 minute time limit imposed on one act plays, actors still won awards for their performances.

“It was incredibly fun and I’m proud and happy to be a part of the production of The Insanity of Mary Girard,” Jose Guerrero, prop master, stated.

Michael Anothony, senior, won one of the three awards for Excellence in Acting in a One Act for his role as Mr. Girard and one of the Furies. Bullock, who played the Warder and a Fury, and junior, Ava Peach, who played Polly and a Fury, both won an award for Best Outstanding Performance. The Insanity of Mary Girard also won the award for Best Movement Piece out of all the one acts.

“I was really shocked,” Bullock stated.

As the Warder, Bullock had to learn a new accent he had never done and work on creating a creepy character that would cause the audience a bit of uncomfortability.

Dillan Vanzego, senior, won a $500 scholarship for her performance of Home from The Wiz. Along with four of Tuscarora’s tech leaders, senior prop master Guerrero, senior sound designer Joshua Chamberlain, senior lighting designer Jordan Ayoub, and junior tech director William Anderson, won the Tech Olympics, which is a competition that gives people who construct the sets, design the lights, music and other things a chance to show their skills.

“Winning the Tech Olympics was great, it helped that we had the leader for each of the departments that the challenges were based on,” Guerrero stated.

Another activity students were excited for when going to VTF is the main stage performance. This year, the two main stage events were Carrie the Musical and the play Almost Main.

“Carrie the Musical was my favorite part of VTF. It was so good to finally sit down and watch a show instead of being in it,” Bullock said.

The Virginia Thespian Festival gives students many opportunities with colleges and careers. Students meet professionals in the fine arts career path and other students from across Virginia interested in the same things.

“People should participate in VTF because VTF opens up a lot of opportunities for people to win awards. Especially those participating in Thespies. A lot of people went and won Thespies,” Bullock said.