“…This is not a situation where only the students who can afford to go receive the honors and the rest stay home. In theatre, we need everyone, or we don’t have the show… but we need help to get there.” – Kalyn Krotz, director, Thespian Troup 605”

“The audience only sees what happens onstage, but what happens off the stage is equally as magical.” – Kalyn Krotz, director, Thespian Troup 605 on the recent performance of “Arabian Nights”

A total of 309 seats were occupied as audiences in Wheatland were treated to three performances of “Arabian Nights” by Gay Monteverde last weekend. From April 11 – 13, Wheatland High School-sponsored Thespian Troupe 605 gave stellar performances with top-notch lights, sound, set design and choreography. Everything you would expect from a troupe that was invited, for the first time, to represent Wyoming at the 2024 International Thespian Festival (ITF).

“‘Arabian nights’ was a beautiful show all the way around! I look at the pictures and think, ‘Did we really do that? It looks amazing!’” director Kalyn Krotz said. “I’m so grateful and humbled by the hard work and help of our students, their amazing parents and our talented crew. It takes a lot to put shows like that together.”

In addition to personal time put into the production, the cast and crew put in more than 75 hours into rehearsal, over 80 hours on set and costume construction time, 20 hours to focus and program lights and innumerable hours to plan and execute the designs.

“I also believe this was a show of growth. We had a very young cast overall and they had to expand their self-discipline, memorization skills, physical abilities, public speaking comfort levels, teamwork approaches…even our seniors were challenged to think outside their own perspectives, explore their empathy and work to understand what it was like for people in that culture and era of time,” Krotz said. “The audience only sees what happens onstage, but what happens off the stage is equally as magical.”

This kind of dedication, as well as the raw talent of the group, is part of why the local acting team was asked to perform at the ITF. The troupe’s successful performance of “Gracie and The Galanzapas” by John Glass, at state-level competition, was the first time the show had ever been performed (aside from the performance for local audiences a week earlier) – a world premiere. To realize that dream, Kalyn Krotz and crew are seeking help to fund their expenses, totaling $1,000 for the entry fee per student plus travel to the festival in Indianapolis, Indiana: a total of $13,800. The entry fee covers room and board for a week, plus workshops, presentations and networking with colleges and professionals from across the nation.

The Arabian Nights performance was able to raise a little over $2,500 from generous audience donations, in addition to the 50-50 raffles and bake sale during the shows. “So far, with our proceeds from the show, one very generous contribution from an anonymous donor, extra contributions from local businesses such as RMC and the Wandering Hermit, money students have earned volunteering for Platte County Economic Development and doing yard work for a local resident, we’ve raised almost $8,000 of our goal,” Krotz said Friday.

That leaves a little over five thousand dollars to go.

There are fundraising efforts underway: the troupe is reaching out to other local groups to request donations, and assistant director, Ton Winter, has applied for three grants: two have been denied, but “we are very hopeful for the third to come through.”

“The fear is that we won’t raise enough by the beginning of June to pay entry for all the students involved. They are an equal part of the success of the show, and we would like them to be able to attend this event and show the nation what they can do,” Krotz said. “This is not a situation where only the students who can afford to go receive the honors and the rest stay home. In theatre, we need everyone, or we don’t have the show. There are no small parts. This is the first time Wheatland has been selected for this honor and we want to represent our school, our community, and our state to the best of our ability, but we need help to get there,” Krotz stated.

The deadline has passed for another winning school to go in place of the Wheatland troupe, so if the funds are not raised, Wyoming will not be represented in the “chapter select” shows, though Rory Winter qualified for International Thespian Festival three times with a Shakespearean Monologue, a perfect score in Costume Construction, and was the only dancer in the state to qualify in any dance category with her Solo Dance. Damian Bohndorf was offered (and has accepted) a scholarship to LCCC after a professor saw the troupe’s Arena performance at the state festival. Additionally, the team took first in its 1A/2A Devised and Arena, as well as garnering second place with total overall points during the state festival in December.

Whether they must forfeit their position at the ITF due to lack of funds or not, Krotz knows the theater students in Wheatland are star performers.

“I could not be more proud of our students and how hard they work in our little ‘after school’ club,” Krotz concluded.

Anyone who wants to support the fundraising effort can send their donation to the Wheatland High School c/o Thespian Troupe #605, 1207 13^th Street, Wheatland, WY 82201; or contact director Krotz at 307-430-4427 for more information.