Santa Margarita Catholic High School Thespian Troupe #5524 was recognized at the California State Thespian Festival in Upland, CA as the 2016 California State Honor Troupe.
Honor Troupe Designation is similar to being identified as a “Blue Ribbon” School for participation in local, state, and national levels and for excellence in theatre.
This award acknowledges the achievements of Troupe #5524, from 2010 to the present, and is the cumulative effect of the combined effort of every Thespian board member and president since the troupe was reactivated in the fall of 2010 by Amy Luskey-Barth. Since that time, over 100 students have been inducted into the troupe.
Students have attended the International Thespian Festival and the California State Festival annually. In 2014, SMCHS was represented at the California Youth in Theatre Day in Sacramento where Thespian President, Joanna Pisano ’14, delivered her first-place award-winning essay about the importance of Educational Theatre. The troupe also performed at the International Thespian Festival in the Chapter Select Showcase in 2013 with “The Miracle Worker.” Numerous students have competed in the National Individual Event Showcase in Acting, Musical Theatre, Technical Theatre and Design by achieving superior ratings at the state festival. In 2014, Tyler Cotner ’14, won first place in Sound Design at the International Thespian Festival.
Many students have received sizeable scholarships from the Educational Theatre Association and State Thespians and have gone on to study at some of the top theatre programs in the country.