A Student Thespian Officer (or STO for short) is a position not just within the theatre company, but also a role across the entire state of Michigan. STOs are members of a 13 person student board comprised of upperclassmen members across the state dedicated to running the events of the Michigan Thespians. These include leadership camp and the Thespian Festival.
In order to become an STO, one must:
Be A current sophomore or junior
Attend at least one leadership camp OR thespian festival
Be an inducted member of the International Thespian Society
Talk with your director for permission to apply (Only one applicant is permitted to apply per theatre company. A letter of intent may be required)
Apply to be an STO between January 1st and March 1st (Your application will include short response questions and a virtual interview with the STOs, given you are selected to move forward with the selection process)
As an STO, you will be required to:
Attend and help run Leadership Camp, and arrive one day early (held in Northern Michigan University in July)
Attended monthly virtual planning meetings for thespian festival
Attend at least one in-person state board meeting with your director
Work with your fellow STOs to create and preform an opening number (with dancing and singing) to be preformed at the Michigan Thespian Festival in front of 1,000+ thespians
Attend and help run the Michigan Thespian Festival
Have and maintain an exuberant personality (think Sam)
The application is not about you wanting to represent your troupe, its about you wanting to lead in the overall organization
The interview is all about hearing how you lead and how you work through issues (it's also very fun and not very long at all)
The most important trait of an STO is being able to listen to what other have to say, and work with it. Every STO is an STO for a reason, listen to their valuable perspectives
Go to fellow STO's shows and build relationships with them and their troupe; this is such a unique opportunity, don't waste it
Sam Baghdadchi doing STO work at festival
STOs help organize and teach workshops at Leadership Camp!