Main Stage Thespians: The Drowsy Chaperone JR.

From heartfelt dramas to laugh-out-loud comedies, the International Thespian Festival (ITF) Main Stage brings a wide range of student talent to the spotlight. This year, Thespian Troupe 6209 from Martin Luther King High School delivers big laughs and vintage flair with their production of The Drowsy Chaperone JR.

In this show-within-a-show, a die-hard musical theatre fan drops the needle on a favorite cast album, and the 1920s come to life — complete with starlets, gangsters, mistaken identities, and a chaperone who’s rarely sober. It’s a fast-paced, feel-good tribute to the golden age of musicals.

Ahead of their ITF performance, Dramatics chatted with the cast to hear about their favorite moments, character prep, and what it’s been like bringing the show to the Main Stage.

Compared to performing at your school, what’s different about preparing for one of the largest stages in school theatre? How has your mindset shifted to help handle the added energy and scale?

Hailey Baerenklau, Janet: This is a huge opportunity, not just for me, but for the entire cast and crew of this show. We’ll be able to perform what we worked so hard to show off while also getting an understanding of what it might be like for us to perform on college campuses. My mindset has gotten even more motivated to succeed. Being able to perform at ITF is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I want to make the most of the experience.

Jaz Haider, Man in Chair: Most definitely scale. Being in front of voices, creators, and actors from all parts of the U.S and by greater extension the world, adds a sense of nervous excitement to every part of the performance. But in a way, that energy is used to enhance the emotional beats of the story itself! As I’m relearning my lines, especially as Man in Chair, it gives this sort of heartbeat, this extra soul to the character and the passion behind the show within a show that I now have.

Morgan Robinson, Assistant Director & Thespian: One thing that seems to be constantly nagging on my mindset while preparing for Main Stage would be logistics. I have no doubt in my team and cast that we’ll exceed expectations with our performance and adapt well, but the logistics of moving all of the aspects of our show, including the cast and crew, is a hard challenge. The money, time and planning will be the hardest part of this journey, no doubt.

Dymphnia Zemanek, Mrs. Tottendale: It’s a lot more nerve wracking, imagining yourself in front of thousands rather than the 200 or so seats our theater contains. But I think it’s good to remember we’re sharing the stage; it’s all of us up there and then the audience. So even if it feels scary, I tell myself it’s just the excitement talking, the feeling is pretty similar after all!

What aspect of your show are you most proud of, and why?

Lizzy Barry, Gangster: I really enjoy the silliness and laughter we get out of it, both from the audience and from us. It’s always super fun performing comedies, especially musical comedies, and especially, especially musical comedies inside of musical comedies.

Cassandra Heston, Lighting Designer: I’m most proud of the song “Show Off,” which is performed by Janet in this show. The lighting shifts I created are very fun and add to the performance as this is a showy way of her saying she would not like to show off anymore. My over exaggerated lighting helps the comedy, and it just looks the best overall in my opinion.

Carleigh Rios, Gangster: Although backstage, I’m really proud of the sense of community behind this show. Everyone involved has been nothing but kind and supportive, and I just feel so honored to be a part of this cast.

Morgan Robinson, Assistant Director & Thespian: Our efficiency and team effort. This show was cast in the last few weeks of school, actors and crew were given their scripts and told to memorize their lines and songs or write cues and ideas by the time we got back at the end of summer. This show took a lot of trust in everyone to do their part. The set, bless our theater teacher Mrs. Williams, was partially assembled over the summer. Once we all got back it was go time; blocking, choreographing, building, costuming, just everything all in just one month. By far the fastest show King High School has ever put on. It wouldn’t have been possible without the best team of determined cast and crew.

Any memorable rehearsal moments or backstage traditions that stood out to you during the process of mounting the show?

Jaz Haider, Man in Chair: If we’re talking about memorable moments and cast traditions, show circle comes to mind. It’s this little tradition where all the seniors come up and repeat a mantra that starts with “There’s magic in the theater, and the theater is magic.” It really helps start every show right and builds this sense of connection with every cast member that’s like an: “I’ve got you, I’m gonna make you shine brighter than you already do.” I have no doubt in my mind that show circle at ITF is gonna bring up some waterworks especially as I’m both entering my senior year and bidding farewell to the seniors that shaped this show experience for me.

Dymphnia Zemanek, Mrs. Tottendale: One of the funniest things I remember is how people would gather in the wings just to watch Adolpho. Every time, without fail, people would gather and mouth the words or dramatically reenact it out of sight of the audience backstage.

Preparing a show is always a learning process. What’s been your biggest lesson throughout the process of prepping your show, applying for adjudication, and now being told you’re heading to ITF?

Brooke Briones, Drowsy Chaperone: Enjoy your time. You only get to work with this cast once. So use your time wisely and just have fun.

Carleigh Rios, Gangster: The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that sometimes, it truly is best to just go for it. I auditioned for The Drowsy Chaperone on a whim, and could never even imagine an achievement like going to ITF to come out of it. Stepping out of my comfort zone has rewarded me in ways I still can’t quite fathom!

Dymphnia Zemanek, Mrs. Tottendale: My biggest lesson was simply to go for it! Get yourself on that stage no matter how jittery you are or how many scary ‘what if’s’ reside in your head. You have a story to tell and a character to be, the show must go on, whether you’re ready or not.

What’s your favorite moment in the show?

Brooke Briones, Drowsy Chaperone: When I’m singing “As we Stumble Along.” There’s something about being onstage by yourself and just pouring emotions into the song you’re singing. It’s something you have worked hard on, and it’s such an amazing feeling to be able to share your passion with people through that.

Cassandra Heston, Lighting Designer: My favorite moment in the show is watching Rowan perform Aldolpho. He’s such a funny character and Rowan plays his role very well. His partner in this song, Brooke who plays the Drowsy Chaperone, is very talented and helps add to the comedic elements with her reactions as he sings. This song always makes laugh and I become more enthralled in the show as I’m running my lighting cues.

Carleigh Rios, Gangster: It’s definitely a tie between “Toledo Surprise” and Man in Chair’s ending monologue. “Toledo Surprise” is just plain fun, but I can resonate with Man in Chair heavily in that final moment. Fiction can bring people together in incredible ways, and truly, we’re all just stumbling along through life.

As a Thespian, what about this production makes you proud to share it with the ITF community? What do you hope the national audience remembers after the curtain falls in June?

Jaz Haider, Man in Chair: As a Thespian and as a person, this show brings me enormous pride and pleasure to bring to the Main Stage because it’s in essence what theater is all about – a show with big beautiful musical numbers, a kick-line, and an eccentric cast of characters falling into those classic dynamics that at its core moves you to feel more and do more. The show reminds you to let yourself be taken away by art, to feel, to “love while you can”, and that’s a really sweet message! All of us can really use the wake-up call that is theatre, and this show provides that so seamlessly, and I couldn’t be prouder to bring it onto IU.

Rowan Gilstrap, Aldopho: I really am proud of the sense of enjoyment of life this show holds within it. It’s cooky and wacky and weird and I think that’s what life is supposed to be. Life can be really heavy sometimes and it can be really hard, but I’ve always found it important to have fun with what you’re given and not let anything ruin that fun.

Jayden Jones, George: I hope everyone can leave the show with their love for theater burning stronger than when they got there. I hope they can all see us and their passion for doing what they love only becomes greater.