Thespian Induction Points System (TIPS)
The International Thespian Society (ITS) is the honor society for secondary school theatre students. Membership is granted for the performance of meritorious work in theatre arts. High school Thespian induction eligibility requirements and procedures are detailed in the Thespian Troupe Handbook.
The Thespian Induction Point System (TIPS) is a tool designed to help you keep an accurate record of students’ accomplishments and progress toward earning induction into the International Thespian Society. Familiarize yourself with TIPS by watching the ten-minute tutorial video below.
How has COVID impacted the points system? Review this special section below.
The Thespian point system establishes guidelines for logging the quality and quantity of student work. Quality may include the caliber of the work and the educational value of the experience. Troupes may adopt changes to the point system to meet their unique circumstances. Changes are recorded in the troupe’s constitution. Troupe directors must notify students of all induction requirements and provide access to their point records. Only the troupe director may award points, but a troupe secretary or clerk is often responsible for maintaining point records. Point record sheets are available for download on the Thespian troupe director resource page.
Induction Points during COVID
Remember:
- You can consider verified hours achieved in projects outside your school, though we recommend half of a student’s induction points be earned at school.
- You can count points from school activities that occurred before your troupe was officially chartered.
- Students can track their own points, and experienced students can mentor younger ones regarding point collection.
- Half of all points earned as a Junior Thespian can transfer to high school.
- Consult this page and the troupe handbook for more detailed information.
Guidelines & Point Recommendations
- The minimum eligibility requirement for Thespian induction is one hundred hours of quality work in theatre arts and related disciplines.
- One Thespian point represents approximately ten hours of quality work. Use this formula to award points for duties that aren’t listed. Performing arts schools and others with mandatory participation may choose to change that to twenty hours or more to avoid point inflation and maintain the honorary nature of induction in that setting.
- Inductees must earn ten points, five of which should be for work done at the school where they will be inducted.
- Thespians moving to other affiliated schools are entitled to transfer their memberships. Transferring Thespians bring a minimum of ten points with them to the new school. See the Thespian Troupe Handbook for details.
- Induction points should be earned in at least two of the listed categories, for example, acting and production.
- Inducted Junior Thespians automatically begin their high school careers with half of the points needed for high school Thespian induction, normally five of the ten induction points required. If fewer than five (5) points were earned, those points can be transferrable towards Thespian induction.
- Students may earn up to five points toward induction through participation in middle school, community, children’s, or professional theatre; or in other performing arts activities. Once inducted, students may continue to earn points for theatre participation outside of school.
- Thespian membership will be made available on an equitable basis to all students who qualify. No student will be elected into the Society; and peers may not have a role in awarding points or deciding induction eligibility.
- The minimum eligibility requirement for Junior Thespian induction is fifty (50) hours of quality work in theatre arts and related disciplines.
- One Junior Thespian point represents approximately ten hours of quality work. Use this formula to award points for duties that aren’t listed.
- Inductees must earn five (5) points, three (3) of which should be for work done at the school where they will be inducted.
- Junior Thespians moving to other affiliated middle or junior high schools are entitled to transfer their memberships. Transferring Junior Thespians bring a minimum of five (5) Junior Thespian points with them to the new school. See the Thespian Troupe Handbook for details.
- Induction points should be earned in at least two of the listed categories, for example, acting and production.
- Inducted Junior Thespians automatically begin their high school careers with half of the points needed for high school Thespian induction (normally five of the ten induction points required). See the Thespian Troupe Handbook for details.
- Students may earn up to two (2) points toward induction through participation at any school; in community, children’s, or professional theatre; or in other activities in the performing arts. Once inducted, students may continue to earn points for theatre participation outside of school.
- Junior Thespian membership will be made available on an equitable basis to all students who qualify. No student will be elected into the Society; and peers may not have a role in awarding points or deciding induction eligibility.
The chart below provides a quick and easy way to calculate points. Numbers indicate the recommended maximum point awards for the duties listed. Troupe directors should use their discretion in awarding points—from zero to the maximum—according to the caliber of effort and work, and they may award up to two additional points for any task performed with exceptional merit.
The International Thespian Society recognizes that middle school theatre programs vary widely in scope and structure. The recommended Junior Thespian point awards listed below are provided for schools with curricular and/or extracurricular programs that offer a wide range of opportunities for their students. Often these include formally staged productions before a traditional audience. Some middle school theatre programs are less formal in nature and focus on class presentations, projects, and exercises rather than fully mounted productions. Troupes with this form of program may find it easier to award points on an hourly basis (one point per five hours of excellent work) rather than use the recommended point awards provided below.
Recognizing Thespian achievement after induction
Thespian Honor Rank Summary
Troupe directors can recognize exceptional Thespians after induction by awarding Thespian stars and honor ranks. Junior Thespians can be awarded stars.
The charts below outline the basic systems for Thespians and Junior Thespians. Detailed information is available in the Thespian Troupe Handbook.
Junior Thespian Rating Summary
