Love theatre?
Love stickers?
Love theatre stickers?

Get your theatre stickers and other merchandise exclusively at the 2026 Hawai'i Thespians Festival! Registration for teachers for programs is open now. All students, chaperones, volunteers and teachers must complete this year's Consent and Acceptance Form. We are expecting record-breaking numbers this January, so be sure to get your forms and payment in early to get first dibs on your workshops.

We hope to see you all there!

Sincerely,

Lanaly
Hawai'i Thespians Chapter Director

Congratulations, Lainey Hicks!

First Place

‘Iolani School’s Lainey Hicks is the latest first-place recipient of the 2025 Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship. Ms. Hicks was most recently seen as Betty Hayne’s in White Christmas (DHT) and as a Bowery Beauty and Katherine understudy for Disney’s Newsies (IABK). Her other community theatre credits include, ensemble for Tootsie, Kiss Me Kate and Mamma Mia! For ‘Iolani, Ms. Hicks has played Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins, Rapunzel in Into the Woods, Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, JR., Lady Larkin in Once Upon a Matress. She is also an athlete on the water polo and bowling teams for ‘Iolani.

Congratulations, Lainey!

Congratulations, Alexia!

Second Place

Mid-Pacific Institute's Alexia Roberts was recognized as the second-place recipient of the Hawai'i Thespians scholarship. Alexia is a senior Pueo at Mid-Pacific and serves as the treasurer of Mid-Pacific’s Thespian Troupe #3492. She is an active member of the MPSA Theatre Certificate and IB programs. Her recent stage credits include Cady Heron in Mean Girls, Grandma Addams in The Addams Family, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and The Mute in The Fantasticks. Outside of theatre, she is a varsity swimmer and water polo player. Alexia will be a freshman at Duke University this fall and will study science and theatre.

Lanaly Cabalo

Hawai'i Thespians

Chapter Director

A welcome-back message from your chapter director:

Welcome back!

Hi, everyone!

I hope you're all well! As we begin this new year, I want to express my gratitude that I am in your company. I can't wait for us all to get together so we can swap stories, catch up and share what we're all working on (or hoping to work on) this year.

Just by what I'm seeing on our calendar so far, it seems like there is so much theatre for us to enjoy and even more so to look forward to. I want to remind you that I'm here for you if you need support, whether it be just a sounding board or help navigating our chapter portal in your EdTA account. The beginning of a new academic year can be overwhelming, so don't be shy. Feel free to reach out to me or anyone on the board.

I'm excited to announce that we are now connected across the islands from Kaua'i to the Big Island, and continue to grow. We should all be impressed with how many theatre programs we have. We are all very lucky to be in a state that values the performing arts so much!

I'll be sure to keep sending industry updates and invitations to theatre events as they come up. And don't forget, if you have something you want to promote, be sure to let me know.

Thanks so much for all you do! See you all at the theatre!

Sincerely,

Lanaly Cabalo

Hawai'i Thespians Chapter Director

Congratulations to Nathaniel Villagomez!

The Kapolei senior received his award from Hawai'i Thespians on his senior night, the same night the masses experiences his directorial work on Xanadu, Jr. He was also honored with being the inaugural director for Kapolei High School's new Director's Wall.

Congratulations to our

2024 scholarship recipients!

We are happy to announce the recipients of the four scholarships that were awarded at the 2024 Hawai'i Thespians Festival. On January 13, many of states finest middle and high school theatre programs came together to celebrate our annual thespians festival, hosted by the Hawai'i Thespians and the Hawai'i Conservatory of Performing Arts at Windward Community College. We are proud to say that because of the dedication our educators have for our students, we were able to award four scholarships this year. Here are our wonderfully talented recipients. Congratulations to all.

Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship

First Place
Alana Clayson, Punahou School

Alana Clayson is an award-winning senior and current president of the Punahou Thespian Troupe #1456. Since playing the role of Dragon in Shrek, Jr. in middle school, Clayson has gone on to play Charon in The Lightning Thief, Diana in Something Latin, Violet in August: Osage County, Vanessa in In the Heights and Susan in tick, tick… Boom! In the community, Clayson starred as Elsa in Frozen, Jr. (Mo‘olelo Studios) and was recently cast to play Zoe in Dear Evan Hansen (Manoa Valley Theatre). She is the recipient of the Punahou School Excellence Award in Technical Theatre (2022), the Punahou School Excellence Award in Acting (2022, 2023) She is in also the National Honor Society and a recipient of the John F. Fox Achievement Award for excellence in academics and the arts at Punahou (2022).

Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship

Second Place
Nathaniel Villagomez, Kapolei School
Nathaniel Villagomez is a senior at Kapolei High School and is the President of Kapolei’s Thespian Troupe #6906. He has been performing since his junior year of high school and has never stopped since. Past show credits include many at the Performing Arts Center of Kapolei and Central Theater Arts Academy. In the future, he plans to share his passion of musical theater to generations as a Theatre Teacher while also pursuing musical theatre.

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Glenn Cannon Memorial Scholarship

Ellis Honma, ‘Iolani School
Ellis Honma is a senior at ‘Iolani School and a member of the International Thespian Society Troupe #7205. Taking classes in the arts since the 6th grade, she has performed in multiple plays and musicals with ‘Iolani Dramatic Players throughout her high school years. She plans to pursue musical theater as a major in college.

Hawai‘i Conservatory of Performing Arts Scholarship

Zaden Jay Brub, Mililani High School

Zaden Jay Brub is a senior and member of Mililani High School's Central Theatre Arts Academy and International Thespian Troupe #3791. Up next for Brub and the Mililani Trojans is Hairspray.

Aloha and welcome to Hawai‘i Thespians, a Chapter of the Educational Theatre Association!

HAWAI'I THESPIANS NEWS!

Congratulations to our 2023 Hawai‘i Thespians Festival Scholarship Winners!

Alexis Bugarin
2023 Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to Alexis Bugarin! The Kapolei High School senior is this year's recipient of the Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship. This scholarship honors excellence in students who plan on pursuing theatre in college. Awarded by the Educational Theatre Association and the Hawai‘i Thespians at this year's annual state theatre festival, the judges praised Bugarin's professionalism and talent.

A member of International Thespian Society Troupe 6906, Bugarin has been part of the theater community since the age of 7 performing with various theater companies. Performing Arts Center Kapolei, Diamond Head Theatre, Castle Performing Arts Center, and Playbuilders of Hawai'i just to name a few. She also performed as a solo artist all over our island. Bugarin plans to continue to further her education in musical theatre.

At the festival, she performed Alexandra’s monologue from The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman and sang "Maybe This Time" by Fred Ebb and John Kander from the musical, Cabaret.

Congratulations to Alexis and best wishes for all her future endeavors!

Nathaniel Ryan-Kern
2023 Glenn Cannon Memorial &
Hawai'i Conservatory of Performing Arts

Congratulations to Nathaniel Ryan-Kern! Ryan-Kern is this year's recipient of the UH Mānoa Glenn Cannon Memorial Scholarship, presented by the annual state Hawai'i Thespians Festival. He is a senior at Punahou school and co-president of Punahou’s International Thespian Troupe 1456. He has performed with various performing arts companies across the island, finding his love for theatre through Waialae Performing Arts in middle school and performing with Punahou Theatre, Performing Arts Company of Kapolei and Diamond Head Theatre throughout high school.

This Ryan-Kern auditioned for this award using a classical comedic monologue from A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare performing the role of Bottom followed by a gritty and sorrowful piece from Defender of the Faith by Stuart Carolan.

Congratulations, Nathaniel!

Previous winners:

Hawai'i Thespians Festival 2022

Hawai'i Thespians: Naho Umitani (Pacific Buddhist Academy)

Glenn Cannon Memorial Scholarship: Meenakshi Kutty (St. Andrew's Schools)

Windward Community College: Elena Hollenbeak (St. Andrew's Schools)

Hawai'i Thespians Festival 2021

Hawai'i Thespians: Kailee Brandt (Punahou School)

Glenn Cannon Memorial Scholarship: Grace Rogers (Kalaheo High School)

Windward Community College: Meenakshi Kutty (St. Andrew's Schools)

Click here to view our Spring 2020 Newsletter!

Check out Hawai‘i Thespians Festival 2019-2020 Scholarship winner Angeliea Ordonez performing along with Thespians from across the country and around the world in the opening number for the Virtual International Thespian Festival!

Since 1929 the International Thespian Society (ITS), the student honorary division of the EdTA, has worked to promote theatre arts in education. The organization is named for Thespis, the Greek who, according to legend, stepped out from the chorus and became the first actor.

The ITS has provided middle and high school students and their theatre teachers with support, information, and experiences that make educational theatre an important part of education.

Membership

Troupes

Festival

Congratulations, Lainey Hicks!

Congratulations, Alexia!

Congratulations to Nathaniel Villagomez!

Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship

Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Glenn Cannon Memorial Scholarship

Hawai‘i Conservatory of Performing Arts Scholarship

Zaden Jay Brub, Mililani High School

Aloha and welcome to Hawai‘i Thespians, a Chapter of the Educational Theatre Association!

HAWAI'I THESPIANS NEWS!

Congratulations to our 2023 Hawai‘i Thespians Festival Scholarship Winners!

Alexis Bugarin 2023 Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship Winner

Nathaniel Ryan-Kern 2023 Glenn Cannon Memorial & Hawai'i Conservatory of Performing Arts

Alexis Bugarin
2023 Hawai‘i Thespians Scholarship Winner

Nathaniel Ryan-Kern
2023 Glenn Cannon Memorial &
Hawai'i Conservatory of Performing Arts