'...no matter who we are, where we come from, and how different our backgrounds are, thespians are a welcoming, friendly, and amazing group of people.' ~ Oregon State Thespian Participant In just a matter of weeks, Oregon's premiere high school theatre event is coming to the Salem Convention Center! The Oregon Thespians State Festival a.k.a 'STATE WARS', is truly one of our favorite annual events. There is something very special and unique that happens in the atmosphere when 1000+ talented young actors give once in a lifetime performances over a 3 day period as they compete. But this event is much more than a competition. It's an opportunity for these young men and women to bond together as they showcase their incredible talents. 'My favorite aspect of State was the camaraderie between troupes,' says Darien, a South Eugene High School Student who participated in State in 2013. 'We could be from completely different areas of Oregon, yet we all shared something; the love for theater. This made for a great event that had many joyous activities'. The amount of creativity and talent that goes into developing these performances is simply amazing. You just never know what you'll see as you walk through our building during this year's competition which will take place March 31-April 2, 2016. Just watch this outstanding group of theatre students from Grants Pass rehearsing for a performance during last year's competition! [video width='426' height='240' mp4='https://storage.googleapis.com/brewer-vacations-frontend.appspot.com/clientmedia/brands/salem-convention-center/images/11105985_10152811614467532_1987167988_n.mp4'][/video] The Oregon Thespians State Festival is the signature event for High School Theatre in our state, and it's a pleasure to have them back year after year. Accommodating an event of this nature requires a tremendous amount of planning and flexibility. These kids and their teachers are here to focus on productions, one act plays, technical theatre events, workshops and presentations and our experienced event staff is ready to go above and beyond to ensure their needs are met. It's fun to watch as our meeting rooms are transformed into rehearsal sites, audition rooms and theatre workshop spaces. Each workshop, taught by local and national theatre professionals, is unique and has a range of requirements that our staff is happy to accommodate. One of the big pieces of the 3 day convention is the State Thespian Educational Vendor Expo, or 'STEVE', where young actors, playwrights and technical theatre designers can meet artists and theatre educators face to face. The 2016 Oregon Thespians State Festival events are happening here at The Salem Convention Center and The Elsinore Theatre in downtown Salem, Oregon. Please visit www.oregonthespians.org to learn more about this organization. Break a leg thespians!
