A Main Stage Production at ITF 2025
Main Stage performances are one of the highlights of attending the International Thespian Festival (ITF). It’s an opportunity to bring unique productions and stories to one of the largest stages in high school theatre and celebrate the hard work and dedication of Thespians and educators from around the country. Joining the lineup this year is Thespian Troupe 69 from Dubuque Senior High School and their performance of The Revolutionists.
Set during the French Revolutionist’s Reign of Terror, Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, deposed queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle join forces in a raucous quest to spark change. The Revolutionists, written by Lauren Gunderson, is a fierce and funny exploration of art, activism, and the unbreakable bond of chosen sisters.
EdTA chatted with troupe director Aaron Dean to get a peek behind the curtain.
The Revolutionists has a strong focus on activism, sisterhood, and the large-scale impact a small group can have. How did that theme resonate with your troupe?
Having the opportunity to work on this show with an incredible group of actresses has been so meaningful to me. I love that they’ve fearlessly committed to this beautiful – and hilarious – show from one of the great playwrights of today. Although the play is set more than two hundred years ago, the powerful message is vital – especially at this moment in history.
Working on the show has been a wonderful reminder that even when the world feels dark, there’s hope. It’s a story that deserves to be told, and we’re so fortunate to be able to share it at the International Thespian Festival. Our cast and crew have certainly formed an even stronger bond through working on this production, and their joy, work, and love of the stage and each other is inspirational.
And personally, as a father of two daughters, the play and this production gives me much-needed hope for the bright future to come when ordinary people do extraordinary things.
Your school will now be a four-time resident on the ITF Main Stage. What has it meant for your program to be recognized on one of the biggest stages in high school theatre?
When I think of performing on the main stage, I think of so many great memories (including accidentally driving our box-truck down the wrong way of a main street in Lincoln, Nebraska and having to do a three-point turn in oncoming traffic).
In tech rehearsals for The Revolutionists, the cast members of our last production at ITF in 2014 (Time Stands Still) sent our cast and crew a care package with cookies and a beautiful break-a-leg message. It was so incredible to see that even all these years later, the students who had the chance to perform on the Main Stage hold that experience near and dear to them. And I know the opportunity to perform on the Main Stage is certainly a moment the cast and crew of The Revolutionists will carry with them forever. The students at ITF are without a doubt the very best audience you could have and we’re so excited to make a lifetime of new memories in Bloomington with this performance.
Was your vision of the show influenced by your decision to have it adjudicated for the ITF Main Stage?
Lauren Gunderson’s incredible play blends the historical setting of the Reign of Terror with very modern, contemporary references, moments, and humor. The goal in our design was to emphasize the play-within-a-play structure, as Olympe du Gouges creates the story in her mind. This allowed for a more flexible and minimalist approach that worked well for performing the show originally in our home theatre before taking the show on the road to the Iowa Thespian Festival.
We wanted to focus on the very theatrical nature of the play by creating a stage within a stage where most of the action takes place. Rather than creating a fully realized space that spelled out the whole world for the audience, we rely on Olympe’s words (and writing) to create the magic. And then, we added key designs elements to the show for certain scenes – including the infamous guillotine at the heart of the action.
Can you share one behind-the-scenes secret or fun fact about your rehearsal process, set design, or costumes that people wouldn’t otherwise know?
We rehearsed The Revolutionists at the same time as our fall musical, so the cast and crew had just three days on stage between the musical closing and our at-home performance before taking the show on the road. We were still painting the set just moments before the house opened on our preview performance, then, a few hours later we loaded everything into a box truck for the road trip to the Iowa Thespian Festival.
Thankfully, the actors had been working on the show for an extended period of time, as we first performed a portion of the show as part of the Iowa High School Speech Association Large Group Speech Festival in February 2024. The cast earned the Critic’s Choice Award for One-Act Play for that performance. So, although they had limited time on stage, the actors have been hard at work on this material for many months.
Looking back from auditions to now, how have your students grown not just as performers, but as individuals and young adults?
The best part of my job as a director is seeing a cast grow from the first read-through to closing night. This cast has been an unbelievable gift to work with. They’ve bonded as sisters through the rehearsal and performance process, and I’ve loved watching them grow as both actors and advocates. As talented as they all are, what’s more impressive is to see the empathy they have for their fellow students. I’ve certainly seen their confidence (onstage and off) flourish during our time working on the show, and their maturity, leadership, and compassion for others is so exciting to see.
Beyond the usual fundraising and organizational tips, what’s one piece of creative or artistic advice you’d give to groups hoping to reach the ITF Main Stage next year?
It takes a village. Surround yourself with those that are just as passionate as you are about the work. I’m thankfully supported by a sea of amazing humans, from students, to parents, to administrators, to volunteers, to family members. They make it all possible.
Don’t be afraid to take the smartest idea in the room – even if it’s not your own – and choose great material. The joy of working on Lauren Gunderson’s play is in the brilliance of the writing. Working on this show has allowed me as a director and the students onstage and backstage to grow exponentially. Tackling big challenges reaps huge rewards.
What do you hope the audience takes away from your show, and why is this important to you?
Hope. It is always darkest before dawn. But there is great hope in the new voices rising up that will help pave the way for us all. And art will help. It always does. And – it’s a comedy. It’s okay to laugh. It’s vital.
