Alabama Thespian Hall of Fame
Alabama EdTA recognizes the members of the Alabama EdTA Hall of Fame for their dedication to the thespians of Alabama, their promotion of theatre arts and arts education, and their years of service. Potential honorees can be nominated by any EdTA member or Thespian in the chapter. Inductees are chosen by the Alabama Thespian Chapter Board.
Qualifications:
- Must be, or have served as, a Troupe Director or individual adult member of the EdTA.
- Must have at least 15 years of educational experience.
- Must have served the Thespians of Alabama (beyond the local troupe level).
- Must not have received this award in previous years.
Application Process:
- Complete and Submit the application form below prior to the end of festival registration.
- Collect for submission a maximum of two recommendations for this nominee from colleagues, parents, students, and/or community leaders.
- Each letter of recommendation should be no longer than one page in length. You may use existing letters or excerpts.
- The nominator may NOT be the author of these letters of recommendation.
- Submit the letters (you may scan in copies of letters) of recommendation electronically to althespianfestival@gmail.com
Further Information:
Award recipients will be honored during the state festival. Nominators are asked to be present at the festival to assist in honoring the recipient.
All new inductees are requested to provide a picture and a page or less of biographical material to be posted on the Alabama Thespian website.
Deadline for nomination is January 22.
Troupe Director of the Year
Nominated by students!
Do you think you have the best troupe director around? Is your troupe director great at what he/she does? Do they hang around after rehearsal to offer extra coaching? Does he/she demand excellence from everyone in your program? Do they go out of their way to make sure your troupe rises to the top?
If so, we want to hear about it! Alabama Thespians hopes to recognize an individual who has dedicated himself or herself to the cause of theatre education and the promotion of the fine arts in his or her community. Any member of EdTA is eligible to be nominated for this award. All applications will be reviewed by an awards committee.
Application:
Any student wishing to nominate their Troupe Director or Technical Director for consideration will be required to:
• Fill out the included application
Deadline for nomination is January 22.
Troupe Director of the Year Award
Administrator of the Year
Each year, ALEdTA takes nominations from Alabama Thespians and Troupe Directors for the Administrator of the Year Award. If you have an administrator who is exceedingly supportive, loves your program, is there for you and your kids (or you and your troupe director), we want to know about it! Do they come to all your shows? Are they in your shows? Do they help build your sets? What is it about them that makes them better than other administrators?
Alabama Thespians present this award to outstanding school administrators who have demonstrated exemplary support for educational theatre. Administrators from all schools or school districts affiliated with Alabama Thespians are eligible for the Administrator’s Award. Troupe directors may submit nominations for individuals or administrative teams serving at the department, building, or district level by filling out an application that is then reviewed by the Awards Committee chair. Previous award recipients may not apply.
We will notify, via email, those troupe directors whose nominations committee selects as recipient(s). The administrator and or a representative of the administrator’s school will be requested to attend the award presentation at the Alabama Thespian Festival.
Deadline for nomination is January 22.
Administrator of the year award form
Jenny Sheree Alford Scholarship
ALEdTA awards this scholarship annually to a deserving thespian who has been nominated by one of his/her peers or by a troupe director.
About Jenny Sheree Alford
Jenny Sheree Alford was a graduate of Russellville High School and a member of troupe 4104. She was the essence of everything that a real Thespian represents. Sheree, as she was known and loved by all who were close to her, didn’t have the nicest car in the parking lot, nor the most expensive or stylish clothes. She was rich with her spirit and talents as a Thespian and a performer. Upon graduation from high school, she continued to give unselfishly to Alabama Thespians from working the registration desk to helping as festival assistant. She continued to give her heart and soul to high school theatre and Alabama Thespians. Though the road to success had not been easy, Sheree was in the last semester of her senior year of college pursuing a degree to become a high school theatre educator. She productively spent a day teaching workshops at a local high school in North Alabama for a group of Thespians. Traveling home that day, Sheree’s life was to be taken all too soon in a traffic fatality. To honor this talented, courageous, and generous Thespian Alumnus, the Alabama chapter of the Educational Theatre Association is awarding a state festival scholarship to a deserving student.
How to Nominate
In order to nominate a student, one must be a fellow troupe member or troupe director. The scholarship covers registration. Anyone wishing to nominate a fellow Thespian should include an essay detailing why the student should be honored. Be sure to include involvement in theatre, dedication, disposition, and need. All nominations must be submitted by the close of registration.
Deadline for nomination is January 22.
Jenny Sheree Alford Scholarship nomination form
Send a Troupe to Festival Grant
The Send a Troupe to the Alabama Thespian Festival Grant was created with donations from many generous supporters of the Educational Theatre Association. Every Spring, more than 700 students travel from all over the state to attend the Festival, a weekend of creative exploration hosted by the Alabama Educational Theatre Association. Festival connects delegates to main stage performances, colleges and scholarships, and a wealth of workshops for learning and growth.
Up to two current Thespian troupes will receive a one-time grant to cover the basic Alabamal Thespian Festival registration fees for a teacher, inducted Thespians or Thespians planning to create a troupe. The application can be submitted by a Thespian troupe director.
The competition and review process for the Send a Troupe grant is rigorous and the judging committee may choose not to award this grant if there are no deserving applicants.
Grant eligibility criteria
- All troupes applying cannot have attended the Alabama Thespian Festival in the past.
- All troupes applying must be able to demonstrate financial barriers to attending the Alabama Thespian Festival.
- Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
- Applications must be filled out by a Thespian Troupe Director or School Administrator.
Deadline for application is January 22.