Because of stormy weather, yesterday’s Bridgeport High School Thespian Troupe Car and Dog Wash Fundraiser was postponed to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9. The action will take place just outside of BHS.  

 

“We’ve done this now for three years in a row,” said Jared St. Martin Brown, director and club sponsor of Thespian Troupe 7549. “We usually raise between $500 and $600.”

 

Most of the funds are raised by washing vehicles, but there are always a handful of pooches that show up.

 

“We usually get five or six dogs and the people who bring them are very generous as far as donations go,” Brown said. “We have our dog shampoo waiting and ready.”

 

The club suggests a $5 donation for each vehicle or dog, but most patrons exceed that amount. Martin and his troupe members appreciate it because the money enables them to make the most of their thespian experience throughout the 2015-2016 school year.

 

“We do a lot of things that are theater-related,” Brown said. “We take students to plays and we are talking about doing some coffee house nights at the Clarksburg Mission – providing some drama and arts to some of their functions. We’re also preparing to perform a drama at Colleen Driscoll’s new book release at Bridgeport Public Library.”

 

The local author is releasing a new edition of her "Piper the Elf" series. The BHS Thespian Troupe will be performing a scene from that book, Brown said. It all takes place Sat., Oct. 24.

 

The Thespian Troupe also has plans to compete at the regional and state thespian festivals. Last year, the troupe earned top state honors and advanced to the International Thespian Festival in Nebraska.

 

“This is why we raise money. We plan to do everything we did last year, plus some new things,” Brown said.

 

Getting the members out into the community accomplishes two things, he said.

 

“People in the community are happy to see the students doing performing arts. It also shows people that arts education is important at school,” Brown said. “It makes them happy and encourages them to support us.”

 

This year, about 30 students are taking part in Thespian Troupe meetings which are held during lunch each Friday at BHS.

 

“That’s the biggest group we’ve ever had,” Brown said.

 

He credits that heightened interest to a great group of student leaders who are doing a great job getting younger students involved.

 

“Also, students who participate in our plays have seen how much fun they have and it makes them want to join us,” Brown said.

 

Those weekly meetings start out with the Thespian Pledge, followed by plenty of planning and organizing. Thespian activity encompasses all areas of theater education including, of course, on-stage acting, but a whole lot more.

 

“We have students heading up different jobs for school plays. A lot of our Thespians are people who work behind the scenes. They have really been instrumental in what goes on backstage and on the planning side,” Brown said. “We assign jobs to each student and have department heads for things like costumes, lighting and sound equipment inventories and basically just a lot of different theater work. I think a lot of people think that teachers or directors do all of that alone, but actually it is the effort of a large group.”

 

Brown said it is always interesting and rewarding to see students discover their niche.

 

Brown is assisted by his wife Albani St. Martin Brown, as well as parents of students who provide transportation and volunteer for activities.

 

In addition to the upcoming BHS production of “The Addams Family,” the Thespian Troupe will be active in other school plays.

 

“We’ll have a show in March and then we’re going to do a competitive one-act play in February and are trying to work on some short student-written and produced plays.” 

 

Editor's Note: Pictured top and on the cover is the 2014-2015 award-winning BHS Thespian Troupe.