All-State Thespians

Indiana Thespians All-State Musical 2026: SUFFS

Indiana Thespians has been selected as one of 12 recipients nation-wide of the Educational Theatre Foundation and Music Theatre International's "The Young Are at the Gates" grant. This award gives our students the opportunity to be among the first high school groups to perform Shaina Taub's Suffs for free at our state conference!

The musical follows the historical Suffrage movement in the United States as women fought for the right to vote. It also made Taub a historic two-time Tony winner in 2024, the first woman to solely win Best Book and Score at the Tony Awards. Read more about this grant from Playbill, on MTI or the EdTA Foundation Website.

Performances are Friday, January 23 at 8pm and Sunday, January 25 at 12:30pm at Avon High School in Avon, Indiana.

Want to see the show? Tickets are included with state registration! Late registration closes January 5. If you are not registered for State and just planning to see the show, tickets will be available to the public in early 2026.

Coming to state? Check out the resources below for troupes and troupe directors!

"SUFFS" Content guide

"Suffs" Education resources

Suffrage in Indiana

This is the first All-State musical in Indiana Thespians history, featuring the talents of 32 students from 18 different troupes across the state, comprising both the cast and crew.

Become an All-State Thespian!

All-State Thespians is an exciting, revamped program, bringing together the best high school theatre artists throughout the state for a full production experience! By working with a production team of professional theatre artists and participating in a show they likely would not produce in their school communities, All-State Thespians not only honors the participating students, but also provides training and experience for every participating student.

Every inducted Thespian is invited to apply and audition/interview for the company via a virtual process. There is no fee to apply. Once the company is selected, the All-State production is created over five immersive rehearsal & tech weekends leading up to opening night. The All-State production is the featured MainStage show to open the state conference in January!

Additionally, we are excited to share that we intend to submit this production for MainStage Consideration at the International Thespian Festival at IU Bloomington in 2026!

Applications are NOW OPEN and close on August 18 at 11:59pm

The chosen title will be announced after auditions close.... but we strongly believe you won't want to miss out! Submit your application by the deadline and check back soon for more information!

Questions? Email [email protected] and a member of our production team will get back to you!

All-State Tech Application

All-state Performer Application

Teacher Recommendation Form

Student Eligibility Information

Student Thespians who are interested in applying for the All-State Thespian Program must meet ALL the following requirements:

An inducted thespian in a currently active Indiana Thespian Troupe
In good standing with your school, troupe, and troupe director
Be in grades 10-12
Available to attend all rehearsals and the performance for the All-State Show

We ask that directors confirm that each student applying from your school is available and in good standing as part of their application. Students participating are required to attend all events, meaning 100% of every rehearsal and performance to which they are called. Students unable to make that commitment should not apply to audition, and can be removed during the process for failure to follow through.

REHEARSAL DATES:
Below are the dates for scheduled rehearsal intensives. Rehearsals in bold are confirmed days, while those marked "Potential" are potential dates. Please confirm that you are able to attend the dates and times listed in bold as part of your application. We are awaiting the ITF MainStage submission information before confirming potential rehearsals, and we will not be rehearsing every single potential date listed below.

Saturday, September 20: 9am-8pm, Avon High School
Saturday, October 18: 9am-8pm, Location TBA
Sunday, December 7: 9am-6pm (Potential)
Saturday, December 13: 9am-8pm (Potential)
Sunday, December 14: 9am-6pm (Potential)
Saturday, December 20: 9am-8pm (Potential)
Saturday, January 3: 9am - 8pm, Location TBA
Monday, January 19: 10am-6pm, Avon High School (Tech Rehearsal)

PERFORMANCE DAY: Friday, January 23: 10am-Showtime, Avon High School
You will be asked to list your conflicts for the above dates as part of your application. Please look over your calendar prior to submitting for this program. If you have questions about time commitment or conflicts, reach out to [email protected]

COST TO PARTICIPATE:

There is no application or audition fee for interested students.
Students who are selected to participate will need to provide their own transportation to and from rehearsal/performance venues, including the state conference. We will provide resources to organize carpools from geographic locations for selected students.
All-State Cast will need to provide their own shoes, undergarments, hair styling tools, and stage makeup.
All-State Crew will need to provide their own tech blacks and shoes.
Students who are selected to be All-State Thespians will be charged a $100 fee, which covers at least one meal each rehearsal, production shirts, and other related event expenses.
All-State Thespians are required to register for state conference through their troupe, and pay all associated fees through through their troupe as determined by their troupe director. At this time, All-State Thespians do not receive a registration discount to the State Conference, but this has potential to change in the future.
We believe finances should never be a barrier to participation, and we encourage all qualified Thespians to apply regardless of financial circumstances. There is no cost to apply for the All-State Thespians program, and a student’s financial situation will not affect their chances of being selected. If the All-State Thespian fee or State Conference registration cost might prevent you from participating, please apply anyway. We are committed to working with all selected Thespians to ensure they can take part.

Student Application Requirements

PERFORMER REQUIREMENTS

Completed audition form, including basic information and a short statement of interest
Recent headshot or clear photo for identification purposes. Does not need to be professional. No selfies, please.
Brief theatre resume, no longer than one page, listing recent performances, roles, and training (if applicable).
Teacher recommendation confirming the student’s commitment, character, and readiness to participate.
Monologue Video: No more than 90 seconds of a memorized monologue from a published play. Recording should show your upper torso and face only.
Song Video: No more than 90 seconds of a memorized musical theatre song. Students may use live accompaniment or a backing track. No a cappella submissions, please. Recording should show your full body.
Dance Video: 30–60 seconds of choreography to a song of your choice. You can choose any dance style in which you excel. Recording should show your full body.

Guides for your audition recording:

All materials must be recorded as an audition. Clips from past performances are not allowed.
Audition materials do not need to be from the approved Thespy list. You may use any material from a published play or musical for your monologue and song audition videos.
Please do not slate in your video. It should start with your performance.
No editing in your video. It should be one recorded presentation without any cuts for camera angles, etc.
All videos should be recorded horizontally. No vertical videos, please.
The auditioning student should be the only person in the video.
Record in a well-lit, quiet space so we can see and hear you.
We are looking for well-rounded performers, not just technically skilled performers. All audition materials should reflect your skills in characterization and presentation. Choose material in which you excel, not what you think we want to see. (It's more important to show your strengths instead of how high you can sing or many pirouettes you can complete.)

TECHNICIAN REQUIREMENTS

Completed audition form, including basic information and a short statement of interest
Recent headshot or clear photo for identification purposes. Does not need to be professional. No selfies, please.
Brief theatre resume, no longer than one page, listing recent performances, roles, and training (if applicable).
Teacher recommendation confirming the student’s commitment, character, and readiness to participate.
Technical Portfolio: 5 work samples of of your technical theatre work while in high school. Work samples can include (but are not limited to) production photos, process photos, complete renderings, design sketches (costume, scenic, lighting, hair/wigs, or makeup), prompt books, paperwork, lighting plots, set builds, run sheets, or completed thespy rubrics with feedback from past submissions.

Guides for your portfolio:

Portfolios should reflect the student’s strongest work, with clarity for their contribution to each work sample.
Choose pieces that demonstrate creativity, craftsmanship, and technical understanding.
If you have multiple photos of one technical element, consider putting them all on a single PDF to submit as one work sample.
We are evaluating the technical skills at which you already excel. Do not feel like you need to show skills in every technical area.
If you are interested in one area of technical theatre primarily, tailor your portfolio to that area. If you are interested in multiple areas of tech theatre, include variety in your portfolio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I apply to be considered as both a performer and a technician?
A: Yes, you can apply for both. However, it is likely that you will only receive placement in either the All-State Cast or Crew.

Q: Does my Troupe have to be involved in Indiana Thespians for me to be considered?
A: Your troupe must be an official member of the International Thespian Society with current dues paid, and you must be an inducted thespian to apply. However, your troupe's involvement in the regional or state conferences does not impact your consideration to the All-State Thespians cast or crew. All inducted thespians in Indiana-based troupes will be considered equally.

Q: Can someone other than my Troupe Director write my Recommendation?
A: We suggest that your troupe director writes the recommendation. There are two exceptions to this:
1) If you have assistant troupe director who could speak on your behalf, that would be acceptable. For example, if you are applying for technical crew, and your assistant troupe director is the technical director, they might be a better recommender.
2) If you are involved in theatre at your high school, but your high school does not have a troupe, it is likely that you are a member of a community thespian troupe. In this case, it would be acceptable for your high school director/teacher to complete your recommendation instead of your thespian troupe director.
Please note, all recommendations completed by adults other than your thespian troupe director will still be confirmed through your thespian troupe director. If in doubt, the best choice is your thespian troupe director.

Q. What if I'm a freshman, but I'm the age of a sophomore? Can I apply?
A: No, you must wait until you are an enrolled sophomore according to the State of Indiana to apply for the All-State Thespians program.

Q: Is this now going to be an annual program?
A: We cannot say for sure until the completion of this year's All-State Thespians program. As of now, we anticipate All-State Thespians presenting a MainStage show at the state conference every other year.

Accessibility Statement:
Indiana Thespians is committed to making the All-State Thespians program accessible and welcoming to all qualified students. We strongly encourage applications from students of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, national origin, disability, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, home troupe or school, geographic location, or any other protected characteristic. If you have questions about accessibility, accommodations, or participation, please reach out to Chapter Director Caitlyn Steckbeck at [email protected].