AMBLER- “Act well your part; there all the honor lies.”

Once said by the great Alexander Pope, this motto of the International Thespian Society was recently accepted by the 28 new inductees of Thespian Troupe #5464.

Hosted at the picturesque Old York Road Country Club, Troupe Director Andrea Roney and the 2018-19 Officers and Cabinet(Off/Cab) hosted a night of celebrating the Troupe’s tremendous successes from the past year, recognizing new inductees, and swearing in the 2019-20 Off/Cab members.

The night began with Off/Cab giving a history of Thespians, explaining all the different activities Troupe #5464 partakes in(AIDS Walk, Middle School Workshops, BC/EFA), and explaining the points system.

All Inducted Thespians must acquire a minimum of 10 points, and once inducted, anyone can become an Honor Bar Thespian if they obtain 60 points, a Double Honor Bar Thespian if they get 120 points, and a Triple Honor Bar Thespian once they have 180 points. This year, 13 students were recognized as Triple, Double, or Honor Bar Thespians.

Members of Off/Cab then took time to highlight some exceptional members of the North Penn Theatre and Thespian community, recognizing Michelle Darde, Ticket Manager, and Ted Heller, Pit Director, as the 2019 Honorary Adult Thespians. Mary Forbes, Michael Klitsch, and Ryan Voron were also recognized as Most Valuable Sophomore, Junior, and Senior, for their exceptional contributions to Troupe #5464 and its’ successes.

The final student recognitions of the night were the Thespian and Vice President Thespian Scholar List, which is given to Inducted Thespians who have maintained a 3.0 or 3.5 GPA. Although a remarkable achievement for any student, it is exceptionally impressive for students who spend hundreds of hours in the auditorium and F41 over the course of the school year. 18 students were honored for their academic achievements from the 2018-19 school year.

Any theatre kids or Thespians reading this are already well aware, but they are a family. Even though the banquet is an official event to honor all the achievements of the Troupe, it truly is a celebration of the friendships and overwhelming love that is felt all throughout Troupe #5464 and the halls of F-pod. Spend five minutes surrounded by some theater kids and you will see; no matter who you are, where you come from, or how talented you are, you will belong in Troupe #5464.

“As a sophomore this was my first banquet and I have to say I loved it. Getting to dress up and reunite one last time with my cast mates, now fellow Thespians, was exciting. You could feel the love in the room the whole time. I am so thankful to be a part of Troupe #5464,” reflected new Inductee Alison Coles.

“My favorite part about our program is that no matter who comes in, no matter what grade they’re in, or how crazy they may be, every person is immediately welcomed with open arms. This is truly a huge family that all of us are forever apart of no matter how involved,” reflected Troupe President Sammi Stec.

In her farewell speech as Troupe President, Stec concluded ”I want to thank each and every one of you for making this program as amazing as it is. No matter what you do in the future, never forget the energy, joy, and the spark that I see in all of you. Take it with you wherever you go, and let the whole world see it. I love you all. Thank you for these wonderful years.”