Thespian Festival
Michigan's largest annual theatre event is the Michigan Thespian Festival. Over the course of two days, students are able to see multiple shows, choose from over 50 different workshops (in various areas of performance and technical theatre), compete in a variety of individual events, audition for scholarships from colleges, and visit information booths and theatrical vendors.
WHEN
December 12th-December 14th 2025
WHERE
Lansing Center
333 E Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI 48933
COST
$350
Attend the Festival!
Registration for this years Thespian Festival is now closed.
Contact Ms. Erin Palmer (palmere@dexterschools.org), Charlotte Malo (charlotte.malo@dexterschools.org), or Olivia Fleishans (olivia.fleishans@dexterschools.org) with any questions and stay tuned for the opportunity to join us next year!
Opportunities at the Festival
College and Thespian Scholarship Competition
Any graduating senior who plans to major or minor in Theatre or Communication Arts is eligible to compete for the Thespian Scholarship.
There is an additional $40 fee to participate.
Resources:
Open Jar Institute Auditions
Open Jar Institute Auditions are not a thespy category. This is an optional opportunity within certain dance workshops. These workshops are run by a representative from Open Jar Institute, a Summer Broadway Intensive in New York City. During these workshops, the representative teaches a dance combination and asks thespians who wish to be considered for a scholarship to their summer intensive to sing. One $1000 scholarship to the Open Jar Institute Summer Broadway Intensive is given per year, and other thespians may be accepted into the intensive through the workshop.
Note: This is totally optional and you do not need to sing in order to attend these workshops.
Previous Participant Examples:
Thespys at the Michigan Thespian Festival
The Thespian Excellence Awards (or Thespys) are intended to be a non-competitive, educational offering for students. Students have the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from professional judges on their prepared theatrical material and technical designs. The goal for participating students is to find their strengths and weaknesses and to grow as theatre artists.
To participate in one of these optional Thespys, students need to be a member of the Dexter High School Thespian Troupe and be registered to go to festival by October 12th.
Please Note: A student who chooses to participate in Thespys can only do so in 2 categories. This includes participation in any group category with one exception - a student may be involved in the reading of the playwriting script to help out another fellow student.
Interested in participating? You can check out the official Thespys guidebook as well as rules and rubrics for each category on the Educational Theatre Association site here.
Previous Participant Examples:
Solo Musical Theatre
Duet Musical Theatre
Showcase/Group Musical Theatre
SHOWCASE PERFORMANCE - 2024
Solo Monologue
Group Acting
Duet Acting
BELLA H & CHARLOTTE M - 2024
Solo Musical Theatre Dance
Duet Musical Theatre Dance
Stage Management
Costume Construction
Tech Olympics
Tech Olympics are not a thespy category. It is an optional competition in which thespians can compete in different areas of theatre based on task completion. Winners receive a prize at closing ceremonies. The categories are light hanging, sound microphone setup, props scene shift, costume quick-change, and knot tying.
Previous Participant Examples:
Sound
Costumes Quick Change
Dexter Drama Club at the Thespian Festival
