FAQs

Franklin Central Junior Thespians is a theatre program for the Franklin Township students in grades 4-8. We are like a Drama Club, but even greater!! Every year we put on various different productions such as plays, musicals, dinner theatre, and summer camps, go on college visits, and more!

Our Troupe is a part of the International Thespian Society, you can find more information about the society below. 

The Junior Thespian Society is an official honor society that exists at a higher level than the general theater/drama club. After completing a sufficient amount of quality theater work for Franklin Central Junior Thespians, students are eligible to be inducted into our Junior Thespian Society Troupe! The International Thespian Society is an honor society for theatre arts students around the country.

To be eligible for lifetime Junior Thespian membership, students in grades six through eight must attend a school with an active Junior Thespian troupe and complete a sufficient quantity and quality of work in theatre arts. A one-time induction fee of $30 is required. Junior Thespians may earn additional honors for work done after induction. Most Junior Thespian benefits last through the end of grade eight. Graduated students become Junior Thespian alumni and begin their high school careers with half the points needed for Thespian induction. Membership includes attendance at induction ceremonies, voting rights within the troupe, the potential to become an officer within the troupe, as well as certificates, badges, and pins to track and display the honors the students receive through their passion and hard work.

Students must earn 10 points to be eligible for induction. One point is earned for five hours of quality work, or for specific tasks, or most theatre-related activities.

Every year is different, but on average we have 4-5 productions a year.

In the fall semester, we usually have a Fall showcase which is made of 2-3 one-act plays. One of those plays is our competition piece that we take to the yearly Junior Thespian State Conference for adjudication and the chance to be named the top Junior Thespian Troupe for the year.

In the spring semester, we put on a musical or musical revue.

Throughout the year will have a couple of different fundraiser productions (Dinner Theatre, Talent Show, Lip Sync Battle) that take place when we can find the space and time. 

Junior Thespian productions are open to all FT students in grades 4-8.

Only students in grades 6-8 can be officially Inducted Junior Thespians. 

For each production there is a participation cost of $50 for plays and $75 for musicals.

This fee includes your script, show t-shirt, and helps offset the cost of make-up and costumes.

For Junior Thespians there is an one-time Induction fee of $35 and then yearly dues of $25.

You can participate in Theatre and some other school extracurricular activities, but you must split time between the activities. 

It depends on the sport/club, the daily/weekly time commitment required by the sport/club, and transportation needs. 

We have had members participate in the following sports/clubs and theatre:

• Academic Bowl

• Academic Team

• Cheer

• Cross Country

• Club Linus

• Golf

• Jazz Band

• Student Council

• Swimming/Diving

• Tennis

• Track

Before every production there will be a call out meeting, where you will learn how to audition for each production. During the call out meeting you will also learn any materials like required songs or dances.

For plays you have to perform a monologue (sometimes of your choosing and sometimes given) in front of the director and other auditioners.

For musicals you will have to perform a small section of a song (chosen by the director) and a short dance combination taught by the choreographer.

For a play, there is usually no singing or dancing involved. When we perform a musical, singing and dancing is a requirement for anyone wishing to be in the cast. 

In the past I have had students who prefer to not sing or dance, apply to be crew members during the musical instead.

Crew is all of the people who work behind the scenes to make a production run smoothly.

Crew includes all of the following departments:

• Backstage Crew

  • Members move set pieces on and off stage as needed during production performances and help ensure props are in organized locations.

  • Stage Managers are the captains helping manage all of the backstage activity.

• Light Crew

  • Members help design the lighting scheme used for a specific production and run the light cues during a performance.

• Sound Crew

  • Members help design the soundscape used for a specific production, find sound effects, and run the sound cues during a performance.

• Set Crew

  • Members help design, create, and decorate the different set pieces needed for a production/performance.

• Props Crew

  • Members help design, create, and decorate the different props needed for a production/performance.

• Hair/Makeup Crew

  • Members help design hair styles/makeup for a production and help apply makeup to actors for a performance.

• Costume Crew

  • Members help develop a cohesive costume design aesthetic for a production.

Throughout the years, students have participated as both cast and crew members for a single production, it just depends on the cast/crew roles you audition/apply for. 

You can also only be cast for some productions and only be crew for others. 

Rehearsals be will be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays from 3:15 to 6 at Franklin Central Junior High.

Rehearsal times will vary depending on the production and how close to a production performance we are.

For example at the beginning of a production period, rehearsals will be from 3:30-6:00, but as the performances get closer rehearsals will get longer, with the longest rehearsals being during the week of the performances.

Since rehearsals are at Franklin Central Junior High, there will be a Shuttle bus for all Edgewood and Kitley students participating in Theatre.