Floyd Central Theatre Arts receives statewide honors

Jan. 30—FLOYD COUNTY — A local high school theater program has received accolades at the state level.

The Floyd Central Theatre Arts Thespian Troupe recently traveled to the Indiana State Thespian Conference in South Bend, earning many awards, scholarships and honors. The conference took place from Jan. 20-22.

The troupe received Best of Show in six of the eight categories, and the program was named a Gold Honor Troupe for its work in the 2021-22 school year.

Many students received recognition for their work on an individual and group level, and Floyd Central Theatre Arts Director Brooklyn Chalfant received the Rising Star Educator Award.

The state conference is part of the Educational Theatre Association, which runs the International Thespian Festival.

"For them to get on stage and show the other students in the state what they're capable of — and then to be rewarded for that — is really, really rewarding to me as an educator," Chalfant said. "I'm incredibly proud of them and their hard work and their abilities."

Floyd Central student Jeff Wagner was named as Indiana Thespians Distinguished Senior, an honor selected by a national panel of judges.

Sydnee Metzinger, a Floyd Central junior, was named one of the 2023-24 Indiana State Thespian Officers, allowing her to travel the state as an advocate for student theater in the next school year.

She will take the place of Wagner, who is serving as a state thespian officer this school year.

Floyd Central's production of "Every Brilliant Thing" placed fifth in the state's one-act competition, and student Michael Bulleit was one of only two students to receive the Outstanding Leading Performer award for his performance in the play.

Floyd Central students won a combined $103,800 in scholarships at the state conference.

In addition, 14 presentations at the state festival were scored as superior, qualifying them for the International Thespian Festival in the summer.

Metzinger, a junior at Floyd Central, is excited to promote theater education and represent Southern Indiana as a state thespian officer. She became involved in the school's theater program during her freshman year.

"I feel like it really works on my leadership skills as an individual, and it also helps me advocate for myself and my peers, so that's really important," she said.

She also received Best of Show for her solo performance at the conference. She performed monologues from William Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost" and "The Niceties" by Eleanor Burgess.

Floyd Central Theatre Arts has been "like a home" for Metzinger.

"I can just home here and be vulnerable onstage and just give everything every performance," she said.

Wagner was nominated for the Distinguished Senior Award for his leadership in the school's theater program.

"It's been really important to uplift and create a community that I want to be in, and so winning this award was like, all the work...it paid off," he said.

He has been part of technical theater since freshman year, and he will soon perform onstage for the first time as an actor. As he attended Floyd Central through the pandemic, it emphasized the importance of the program for students.

"I think that's why I really got into advocating for theater education, because we were able to carry on theater even when other places were shut down, and that really helped," Wagner said. "That really helped a lot of us get through that hard time."

Chalfant began as the program's interim director in 2020 before receiving the permanent position in 2021. She feels honored to be a part of the program's success, but she said she is "just a small puzzle" as she builds on the legacy that has involved many people in the community over the years.

The educator was nominated by student Morgan Ray. She praised Chalfant for "making sure everybody felt like they were part of a team."

"Even while we were struggling through the pandemic, we were able to make performances and shows happen because of the way she had built a community together, and they felt comfortable enough with each other to create something together," Ray said.

She also noted Chalfant's role in getting the program involved in the Indiana State Thespian Conference after a hiatus.

Ray was part of an ensemble that won Best in Show in the Musical Theatre Group category at the state competition for their rendition of a number from the musical "Parade."

Chalfant said it was particularly meaningful to be nominated by a student for the Rising Star award.

"It's important for me to know that students appreciate the work that I do and that the work is meaningful to them and that they find value in the education that's been provided to them," Chalfant said.

"Every Brilliant Thing," the show that won fifth place at the state competition, was originally performed in September by Floyd Central, and it was directed and produced by students.

The show addresses topics of suicide awareness and prevention. Chalfant said she was thankful to share the show with a statewide audience.

"Even though it didn't receive the highest honors, we had so many students and teachers coming up to us and saying, 'thank you so much for sharing that message, it means so much to me,'" she said.

"And we talked as a class that regardless of awards or anything, if it impacted one person's life and it makes them want to keep going and to keep living and find reasons that are brilliant to live for — then it was absolutely worth it."

STUDENT HONORS

The following students received 'superior' scores at the Indiana State Thespian Conference.

* Dance Solo: Emma Hockensmith (Best in Show for solo dance category)

* Dance Group: Ruby Miller, Roxie Miller, Charlee Watson, Bekah Buckman, Elizabeth Dohoney, Haakan Packwood, Kylie Weaver, Sarah Reesor, Adrien King, Sydnee Metzinger, Zane Miller, Bailey Whitbeck, Morgan Froehle, Autumn Euker, Emma Hockensmith, and William Scott (Best in Show for duet/group dance category)

* Musical Theatre Solo: Ruby Miller

* Musical Theatre Duet: Adrien King and Roxie Miller (Best in Show for musical theatre duet category)

* Musical Theatre Duet: Brylee Deuser and Silvia Periago

* Musical Theatre Group: Cassie Nevitt, Haakan Packwood, Morgan Ray, and Sarah Reesor (Best in Show for musical theatre small group category)

* Acting Solo: Sydnee Metzinger (Best in Show for monologue solo)

* Acting Solo: Delaney Cook

* Acting Solo: Teagan Kennedy

* Costume Design: Kaylee Johnson (Best in Show for technical category, a perfect score for costume design)

* Costume Construction: Indi Puckett

* Marketing Design: Kaylee Johnson

* Lighting Design: Ari Craig

* Set Design: Maggie Smallwood

* Stage Management: Jeff Wagner

UPCOMING SEASON

Floyd Central Theatre Arts' final shows of the 2022-23 season include "Anything Goes" and "Into the Woods."

Visit to floydcentraltheatre.org to learn more and/or purchase tickets.

"ANYTHING GOES"

* March 10-11, March 17-18 at 7 p.m.

* March 12 & March 19 at 2 p.m.

"INTO THE WOODS"

* April 13-16