Members of Rising Stars prepare for the upcoming Indiana Thespian Regional Conference on Nov. 4 and the State Conference in the winter of next year.

Sophia Malerbi, Rising Stars co-president, said that each year about fifty students, including the entire Rising Stars troupe, about half of the repertory theater class, and the entire Indy fringe cast, participate in the conference.

“I know that [Rising Stars] has a lot of plans and I do know we are going to work towards that at each one of the meetings,” Rising Stars sponsor Maggie Cassidy said. “We’d like to help all the actors work towards a scene, or a monologue, or a solo musical, or duet musical, or something different because we would love to get as many people to go to our thespian conference with us.”

Cassidy said she hopes there will be an even better turnout this year due to the guidance the club will provide, especially to newer members.

“We want to be going over everyone’s scenes and be giving notes, and teaching people, especially people who have never done it before,” Malerbi said.

She said she hopes students participating will be better prepared going into the Conference.

“We want to teach people how to audition and how to be doing the things needed at the competition such as performing a monologue versus a group scene,” Malerbi said.

Will Swigart, Rising Stars co-president, shares another new idea presented by the club.

“I think after the actual Thespian Conference, there will be a showcase,” Swigart said. “So not only will the Rising Stars be performing for the judges, but afterwards they get to perform for families.”

Malerbi shared her thoughts on the showcase, and how it might boost participation.

“We’ve already had a great turnout this year, and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon,” Malerbi said. “We’ve had a pretty consistent group of people who seem committed to the club.”

She said she thinks the club will love their artists’ showcase idea.

“I think a lot of people will definitely want to go to state this year, especially a lot of underclassmen who’ve never done anything like this before,” Malerbi said. By Ivy Zhen