Every year on the first Saturday of December, Troupe 6760 has the honor of hosting Districts Individual Evaluations for the entirety of Palm Beach County. This year, Lance Blank the District 10 chair and his troupe welcomed some new schools that have never been to Districts before.

It is Florida State Thespians’ job to come up with a theme for the whole year. Last year’s theme was A Thespian’s Life for Me in the dedication of The Pirates of the Caribbean. This year’s theme is a popular American sitcom television sitcom from the ’90s, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Along with a new theme, there are also a few changes that happen when it comes to monitoring Districts in order to make sure that everyone is in a safe environment. For example, the District Chair of District 10, Lance Blank, had to set in place security guards and metal detectors at the front of the school for the duration of the event, and have all the members and directors wear lanyards. As crazy as it sounds, it’s better to be safe than sorry! 

When it comes to talking about numbers, West Boca Drama Department had over 100 performances, with a total of 56 Superiors and 26 Excellents. Out of all the years of hosting Districts, this year had the most Critics Choices with only a total of eight! At closing ceremonies, many thespians in many troupes had to perform many of their performances in front of the judges. After all the performances have gone, the judges must decide between two troupes: District Rep and Runner-Up, on who should perform during the opening ceremonies for State in March in Tampa. For example, to end Districts 2019, the judges chose troupe 6671, who took home 4 Critics Choices; one of them is Tori Lobdell who won District Rep for this year’s Districts, for her solo. As for District Rep Runner Up, our troupe 6760 was honored for their one out of three large group musical, of Welcome to the Rock of the musical, Come From Away. Even though troupe 6760 has won back to back two years in a row, it’s amazing to know that we’re Runner Up! 

Moreover, Districts also offer students scholarships for many events; Samara Shaverick from troupe 6760 was granted a performance scholarship and $500 for her solo. I had the honor of interviewing the scholarship winner, Samara Shaverick. Samara is a senior and has been in the performing arts theater for the past four years, and with this being her final year, she enjoys musical theater and chorus. I had the privilege to ask her a few questions regarding the scholarship she won recently won and about her future plans for college:

Congratulations on winning the $500 performance scholarship. What did it take for you to be eligible for the scholarship?

Thank you! To be eligible for the scholarship, you must be a senior in high school competing at your local district Thespian Festival and plan on attending a college majoring in a field of theater.

What are your plans for college?

I plan to receive a bachelor’s in fine arts in musical theater.

What did you have to do to apply for the scholarship?

To apply for the scholarship, I had to perform a solo and answer some questions about what my plan for college, what my dream role is, and what my financial status is.

Are you planning on pursuing musical theater when you go to college?

Yes 1000%

Have you decided on what college you’re going to?

I have applied to numerous colleges since the major I am planning on studying requires students to be accepted to the school and the program they are studying under. I have currently been accepted to three schools but I hope to hear from many more. 

Congratulations again to troupe 6760 for receiving Runner-Up for representing District 10 for the third year in a row! Looking forward to seeing what the troupe accomplishes at State!