ABOUT OUR WORKSHOPS
Elevate your theatre journey to new heights at the Virginia Thespian Festival!
🌟 Immerse yourself in a realm of boundless possibilities, where workshops reign supreme and the magic of theatre comes alive.🌟
🎭 Ignite your passion with Theatre Performance workshops that unveil the art of captivating storytelling.
🎶 Find your rhythm in the world of Musical Theatre sessions, where every note resonates with your soul.
🎨 Unlock the secrets of Technical Theatre, crafting immersive worlds that transport audiences.
🎓 Embark on an enlightening experience with Theatre Education workshops, nurturing the leaders of tomorrow's stage.
📝 Dive into the craft of Dramaturgy and Playwriting, where imagination takes center stage.
Our festival is a haven of growth and transformation. For your students, it's a canvas of unique opportunities. For you, it's a platform of professional development unlike any other.
Step into a world where dynamic and exhilarating workshops are led by seasoned theatre professionals. From dancing and vocal mastery to auditions, improvisation, makeup, costuming, set design, lighting, stage combat and more, we cover it all. Theater games, team building, and immersive experiences await you.
Our 2024 Workshop Schedule can be found in our Eventsential App as an example of what types of workshops have been hosted in the past!
Elevate your craft, spark your imagination, and be part of the theatre magic. Get ready for the Virginia Thespian Festival – where workshops shape dreams into reality. 🌈🎬✨
🎶 Find your rhythm in the world of Musical Theatre sessions, where every note resonates with your soul.
🎨 Unlock the secrets of Technical Theatre, crafting immersive worlds that transport audiences.
🎓 Embark on an enlightening experience with Theatre Education workshops, nurturing the leaders of tomorrow's stage.
📝 Dive into the craft of Dramaturgy and Playwriting, where imagination takes center stage.
Our festival is a haven of growth and transformation. For your students, it's a canvas of unique opportunities. For you, it's a platform of professional development unlike any other.
Step into a world where dynamic and exhilarating workshops are led by seasoned theatre professionals. From dancing and vocal mastery to auditions, improvisation, makeup, costuming, set design, lighting, stage combat and more, we cover it all. Theater games, team building, and immersive experiences await you.
Our 2024 Workshop Schedule can be found in our Eventsential App as an example of what types of workshops have been hosted in the past!
Elevate your craft, spark your imagination, and be part of the theatre magic. Get ready for the Virginia Thespian Festival – where workshops shape dreams into reality. 🌈🎬✨
Look for updates in December 2024 with the schedule for 2025!
Interested in being a guest artist at the 2025 Virginia Thespian Festival?
Click the link below to visit our guest artist page to learn more!
Click the link below to visit our guest artist page to learn more!
Check back here frequently for updates regarding guest artists
which will be added as information becomes available!
which will be added as information becomes available!
2024 GUEST ARTISTS INCLUDED:
Lourds Lane - Composer
A Filipino-American, classically trained on piano and violin at age three, Lourds is the composer, writer, co- arranger/ orchestrator, and originates the role of the superhero misfit, "Rise" in the West End and Broadway-bound musical, SuperYou (www.superyoumusical.com). Her diverse and dynamic compositions were last showcased to sold out audiences at Carnegie Hall where Lourds shredded on the electric violin. The visionary and heart behind the SuperYou social good mission, Lourds Lane teaches global youth and adults to connect to their most empowered superhero selves through the educational arts and music-based 501c3 she founded, The SuperYou FUNdation. A Harvard honors grad, Lourds is a 2023 recipient of The NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre, an Actor’s Equity Association Paul Robeson Award Finalist for her dedication to the “betterment of humankind,” winner of the Ideagen Global Leadership Award, a two time Fred Ebb musical theater award finalist ), a Johnny Mercer Writer’s Colony at Goodspeed alumni, a celebrated speaker at TEDWomen, TEDYouth, the United Nations, and Forbes Women, inspiring global audiences with empowering music-infused talks, the creator of a female indie rock musician community in NYC, The Medusa Festival, and was the lead singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist of her own critically-acclaimed nationally touring rock band. @lourdslane, @superyoumusical
A Filipino-American, classically trained on piano and violin at age three, Lourds is the composer, writer, co- arranger/ orchestrator, and originates the role of the superhero misfit, "Rise" in the West End and Broadway-bound musical, SuperYou (www.superyoumusical.com). Her diverse and dynamic compositions were last showcased to sold out audiences at Carnegie Hall where Lourds shredded on the electric violin. The visionary and heart behind the SuperYou social good mission, Lourds Lane teaches global youth and adults to connect to their most empowered superhero selves through the educational arts and music-based 501c3 she founded, The SuperYou FUNdation. A Harvard honors grad, Lourds is a 2023 recipient of The NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre, an Actor’s Equity Association Paul Robeson Award Finalist for her dedication to the “betterment of humankind,” winner of the Ideagen Global Leadership Award, a two time Fred Ebb musical theater award finalist ), a Johnny Mercer Writer’s Colony at Goodspeed alumni, a celebrated speaker at TEDWomen, TEDYouth, the United Nations, and Forbes Women, inspiring global audiences with empowering music-infused talks, the creator of a female indie rock musician community in NYC, The Medusa Festival, and was the lead singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist of her own critically-acclaimed nationally touring rock band. @lourdslane, @superyoumusical
Wendy Bobbitt Cavett - Musical Director
Wendy is is a music director, supervisor, educator, arranger, conductor, and pianist. She was most recently Music Director for Broadway’s Come From Away. Her new musical in development, SuperYou (Music Supervision, Arrangements for SuperYou), tells the story of a woman who reconnects with her dreams when her superheroine creations come to life. Wendy is on the theatre faculty of Wagner College. Broadway and Off-Broadway: Come From Away, Hamilton, Mamma Mia!, The Scarlet Pimpernel, A Year with Frog and Toad, The Most Happy Fella, A Tale of Two Cities. National and International: The Who's Tommy, Mamma Mia!, A Chorus Line. Wendy has worked on several other regional productions including three at the Papermill Playhouse in NJ, been on staff with several other universities, and traveled internationally for work in the industry as well.
Wendy is is a music director, supervisor, educator, arranger, conductor, and pianist. She was most recently Music Director for Broadway’s Come From Away. Her new musical in development, SuperYou (Music Supervision, Arrangements for SuperYou), tells the story of a woman who reconnects with her dreams when her superheroine creations come to life. Wendy is on the theatre faculty of Wagner College. Broadway and Off-Broadway: Come From Away, Hamilton, Mamma Mia!, The Scarlet Pimpernel, A Year with Frog and Toad, The Most Happy Fella, A Tale of Two Cities. National and International: The Who's Tommy, Mamma Mia!, A Chorus Line. Wendy has worked on several other regional productions including three at the Papermill Playhouse in NJ, been on staff with several other universities, and traveled internationally for work in the industry as well.
D.W. Gregory - Playwright
D.W. Gregory is an award-winning writer whose plays frequently explore political issues through a personal lens and with a comedic twist. The New York Times called her “a playwright with a talent to enlighten and provoke” for her most produced work, RADIUM GIRLS, which has received more than 1,800 productions in the U.S. and abroad. Other plays include MEMOIRS OF A FORGOTTEN MAN, a National New Play Network rolling world premiere (Contemporary American Theater Festival, Shadowland Stages, and New Jersey Rep); MOLUMBY’S MILLION (Iron Age Theatre), nominated for a Barrymore Award by Philadelphia Theatre Alliance; THE GOOD DAUGHTER and OCTOBER 1962 (New Jersey Rep). A new musical comedy, THE YELLOW STOCKING PLAY, with composer Steven M. Alper and lyricist Sarah Knapp, recently won Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical in CreateTheater’s New Play Festival on Theatre Row. Current projects include a musical adaptation of RADIUM GIRLS with the same team and a new drama, THE OTHER AMERICAN, coming in 2024. More information at www.dwgregory.com.
D.W. Gregory is an award-winning writer whose plays frequently explore political issues through a personal lens and with a comedic twist. The New York Times called her “a playwright with a talent to enlighten and provoke” for her most produced work, RADIUM GIRLS, which has received more than 1,800 productions in the U.S. and abroad. Other plays include MEMOIRS OF A FORGOTTEN MAN, a National New Play Network rolling world premiere (Contemporary American Theater Festival, Shadowland Stages, and New Jersey Rep); MOLUMBY’S MILLION (Iron Age Theatre), nominated for a Barrymore Award by Philadelphia Theatre Alliance; THE GOOD DAUGHTER and OCTOBER 1962 (New Jersey Rep). A new musical comedy, THE YELLOW STOCKING PLAY, with composer Steven M. Alper and lyricist Sarah Knapp, recently won Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical in CreateTheater’s New Play Festival on Theatre Row. Current projects include a musical adaptation of RADIUM GIRLS with the same team and a new drama, THE OTHER AMERICAN, coming in 2024. More information at www.dwgregory.com.
Garrett Jones- Accompanist
Local accompanist, music director (including for SSMT), Shenandoah grad, professional musician, etc. Garrett will be accompanying certain workshops throughout the weekend, college as well as all-state experience auditions, etc.You can find him in the Winchester area music directing or accompanying for schools and colleges.
Local accompanist, music director (including for SSMT), Shenandoah grad, professional musician, etc. Garrett will be accompanying certain workshops throughout the weekend, college as well as all-state experience auditions, etc.You can find him in the Winchester area music directing or accompanying for schools and colleges.
Jason Goldstein- Speaker, CEO of Booktix
Jason Goldstein is a producer, entrepreneur, and consultant on theatrical marketing and a leader in bringing producing concepts to educators. Jason’s passion for education, technology and the arts is evident through his company BookTix, which he started to help theater programs increase ticket sales. He has lectured on musical theater history, theater appreciation, leadership and entrepreneurship and is dedicated to weaving creativity with technology and business. He is the recipient of the 2014 NJ Governor's Award for Distinguished Service to Theatre Education and the Florida Association for Theatre Educations 2020 Outstanding Theatre Arts Advocate Award. He serves on the Educational Theatre Foundation Advisory Board.
Jason Goldstein is a producer, entrepreneur, and consultant on theatrical marketing and a leader in bringing producing concepts to educators. Jason’s passion for education, technology and the arts is evident through his company BookTix, which he started to help theater programs increase ticket sales. He has lectured on musical theater history, theater appreciation, leadership and entrepreneurship and is dedicated to weaving creativity with technology and business. He is the recipient of the 2014 NJ Governor's Award for Distinguished Service to Theatre Education and the Florida Association for Theatre Educations 2020 Outstanding Theatre Arts Advocate Award. He serves on the Educational Theatre Foundation Advisory Board.
Matt Allar- Professor
A native of Pennsylvania, Matthew Allar is a scenographer based in Williamsburg, Virginia. An Associate Professor of Theatrical Design, Matthew is the resident Scenic Designer for The College of William & Mary. Recent work includes production design for the New York premier of East 14th and Joseph Haydn's Le Pescatrici for the Zempleni Music Festival, Tokaji, Hungary. Additional scenic design work includes productions of Shakespeare's R and J (Michael Sexton, dir.), All My Sons (Victor Pappas, dir.), Arcadia, Hair (Elizabethtown College) A Lie of The Mind, Marat / Sade, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cabaret (Cornell College), Top Girls (Albright College), You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Three Sisters, Songs For A New World (Eastern Univ.) and The Pillow of Kantan (Muhlenberg College) as well as the New York premiers of several works including Samuel IV, Playing House, and the Peccadillo Theatre Company's revival of All God's Chillun Got Wings. As a lighting designer, credits include the recent NYC productions of Baby With The Bathwater, Dancing at Lughnasa, You Never Can Tell and Studio 42's annual The Starving Artist's Ball. Additional credits include design work, both here and abroad, for several television networks including MTV, VH1, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nickelodeon, and Noggin. A former Associate Director of Design for the New York Television Festival, and co-founder of both M.A.D. Inc., and Cabana Creations LLC, Matthew's education includes Muhlenberg College, The University of London, and New York University. Matthew has taught at Cornell College, Elizabethtown College, and Nazareth College and is a Member United Scenic Artists #829
A native of Pennsylvania, Matthew Allar is a scenographer based in Williamsburg, Virginia. An Associate Professor of Theatrical Design, Matthew is the resident Scenic Designer for The College of William & Mary. Recent work includes production design for the New York premier of East 14th and Joseph Haydn's Le Pescatrici for the Zempleni Music Festival, Tokaji, Hungary. Additional scenic design work includes productions of Shakespeare's R and J (Michael Sexton, dir.), All My Sons (Victor Pappas, dir.), Arcadia, Hair (Elizabethtown College) A Lie of The Mind, Marat / Sade, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cabaret (Cornell College), Top Girls (Albright College), You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Three Sisters, Songs For A New World (Eastern Univ.) and The Pillow of Kantan (Muhlenberg College) as well as the New York premiers of several works including Samuel IV, Playing House, and the Peccadillo Theatre Company's revival of All God's Chillun Got Wings. As a lighting designer, credits include the recent NYC productions of Baby With The Bathwater, Dancing at Lughnasa, You Never Can Tell and Studio 42's annual The Starving Artist's Ball. Additional credits include design work, both here and abroad, for several television networks including MTV, VH1, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nickelodeon, and Noggin. A former Associate Director of Design for the New York Television Festival, and co-founder of both M.A.D. Inc., and Cabana Creations LLC, Matthew's education includes Muhlenberg College, The University of London, and New York University. Matthew has taught at Cornell College, Elizabethtown College, and Nazareth College and is a Member United Scenic Artists #829
Matt Bassett
Matt Bassett has served as Theater Department Chair of Metropolitan School of the Arts since 2013, creating the school’s acting curriculum and teaching classes including Fundamentals of Acting, Script Analysis, Scene Study, Shakespeare Monologues and Scenes, Classical Styles, as well as coaching and advising MSA students and alum in professional and college auditions. Bassett also serves as Artistic Director of The Hub Theatre, an award-winning professional theatre company in Northern Virginia. Bassett’s DC-area directing work with and outside The Hub has garnered multiple Helen Hayes Award nominations for direction and outstanding production, including area and world premieres for The Hub (including 2017’s area premiere of The Happiest Place on Earth, followed by its Denver, CO premiere in Spring 2019 at The Aurora Fox Arts Center), Arts on the Horizon (multiple world premieres and HHA nominations for Outstanding Production for Young Audiences), Imagination Stage, The Logan Festival of Solo Performance, and Flying V Theatre, as well as educational direction for a number of universities and companies. Locally, Bassett has performed at The Hub, Ford’s Theatre, Washington Stage Guild, Bay Theatre, Bassett’s work as a playwright/creator has been seen at Columbus Children’s Theatre, Flying V Theatre and Arts on the Horizon (including work created with Tia Shearer). In addition to MSA, Bassett has also taught on the faculties of Montgomery College, the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and Imagination Stage. Training: MFA in Acting from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Matt lives in Takoma Park, MD, with his family.
Matt Bassett has served as Theater Department Chair of Metropolitan School of the Arts since 2013, creating the school’s acting curriculum and teaching classes including Fundamentals of Acting, Script Analysis, Scene Study, Shakespeare Monologues and Scenes, Classical Styles, as well as coaching and advising MSA students and alum in professional and college auditions. Bassett also serves as Artistic Director of The Hub Theatre, an award-winning professional theatre company in Northern Virginia. Bassett’s DC-area directing work with and outside The Hub has garnered multiple Helen Hayes Award nominations for direction and outstanding production, including area and world premieres for The Hub (including 2017’s area premiere of The Happiest Place on Earth, followed by its Denver, CO premiere in Spring 2019 at The Aurora Fox Arts Center), Arts on the Horizon (multiple world premieres and HHA nominations for Outstanding Production for Young Audiences), Imagination Stage, The Logan Festival of Solo Performance, and Flying V Theatre, as well as educational direction for a number of universities and companies. Locally, Bassett has performed at The Hub, Ford’s Theatre, Washington Stage Guild, Bay Theatre, Bassett’s work as a playwright/creator has been seen at Columbus Children’s Theatre, Flying V Theatre and Arts on the Horizon (including work created with Tia Shearer). In addition to MSA, Bassett has also taught on the faculties of Montgomery College, the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and Imagination Stage. Training: MFA in Acting from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Matt lives in Takoma Park, MD, with his family.
