By JOHN R. STANARD
A local high school junior who has been running sound and light panels for church and school productions since he was 9 years old has been selected for a prestigious thespian festival at the University of Nebraska in June.
Thomas White, son of William "Buddy" and Cindy White of Poplar Bluff, will spend June 17-24 at Lincoln, Neb., as a technical crew participant in the International Thespian Festival. Thomas, 17, was one of 28 students from 13 states and Canada chosen for the crew and cast from among more than 120 applicants.
Thomas and his fellow festival members will prepare and present this year's opening festival performance of "We Tell the Story: A Celebration of the Works of Ahrens & Flaherty." The show features the work of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, lyricist and composer, respectively, who are known for "Once on This Island," "Ragtime," "Anastasia," "Seussical," and more.
Being selected for this show affords high school actors, singers, dancers and technicians the opportunity to perform and work alongside prominent musical theatre writers, Broadway actors and professional musicians to create a special cabaret-style show on the festival main stage. Students and artists arrive before the International Thespian Festival begins and rehearse and produce the show in only 48 hours.
Two other Missouri students, from high schools in Wentzville and O'Fallon, were selected for the festival.
"I'll get to work with a professional sound designer who does all the sound for the Disney amusement parks," Thomas said, in discussing the opportunities awaiting him at the festival.
Ms. Julie Theobald, executive director of the sponsoring Educational Theatre Association, said,"The EdTA is committed to continually raising the bar for thespians and connecting them with talented professionals. This year those professionals include producer Eric Cornell, whose Broadway credits include "Big Fish," "Sister Act," "Next to Normal," and "Wicked." He is the executive producer of "Anastasia," written by Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.
Beginning as a youngster of only 6 or 7, Thomas became interested in the digital audio console and lighting console at the First United Methodist Church, where his family attends. Since the age of 9 he has run sound and lighting for Sunday worship as well as the many special musical programs presented by the church's Chancel Choir.
Those programs included the regular cantatas and other sacred music performed by the choir, as well as the many "Summer A La Mode," "Christmas at the Rodgers" and "Coming Home for Christmas" productions.
Since his seventh-grade year, Thomas has been involved behind the scenes in productions at Poplar Bluff Senior and Junior High Schools. A regular percussionist in the Poplar Bluff SHO-ME Marching Band, Thomas also has run the sound board for the band's productions for the past five years. As a freshman, he received the Poplar Bluff Senior High School Drama Club's MVP Techie award and recently was presented with the "Outstanding (SHO-ME) Band Service" award for 2017.
All in all, Thomas has been involved in more than 25 productions and is skilled in dealing with a myriad of technical equipment from mixers to microphones to monitors to speakers to video cameras to all the software required to drive the various pieces of technology.
In addition to his technical activities involving music and drama, Thomas also has worked on the Senior High School "Help Desk" assisting other students with computer problems and challenges.