Montini Catholic senior Bryanna Bell was quite thrilled earlier this year to be able to attend the Illinois High School Theatre Festival (IHSTF) held from January 9th through the 11th at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Bryanna, an aspiring stage manager, was honored to be able to take advantage of a her opportunity to attend. IHSTF, produced by the Illinois Theatre Association, is a non-competitive theater festival for high school students in Illinois. It's the oldest and largest non-competitive festival of its kind in the world with the goals of enriching students' education by helping them realize theatre as a creative outlet while exposing them to different types of theatre. The festival is also credited for bringing students together from diverse communities to help them recognize and share their common interest in theatre. "I had the opportunity to see several shows, attend workshops, and meet people," said Bryanna, who, during her junior year, was chosen as Montini's Bronco Artist of the Month for her work in stage management. "One of the most important aspects of (IHSTF) for me, is the fact that many college theatre programs attend and allow students to audition/interview for them. I was able to interview for many schools' theatre programs, which is a requirement for most college stage management majors. It was a really fun and unique experience to be around so much theatre and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fine arts." During her senior year, Bryanna has expanded her job skills by serving as the Student Technical Director for Montini's Theatre Department. "I am more in charge of pre-production things, such as props, set building, and preparation of crew members. But, stage management is still my first love. My favorite part of being in both positions is the fact that I get to connect to so many amazing people. Our program has grown exponentially since I first started, meaning that I have gotten the opportunity to meet many talented, smart and kind kids." Bryanna's responsibilities, which are both fun and challenging, can come with a bit of stress. "You’re in charge of the show and responsible for a bunch of people! Things go wrong all the time, and tech week (the days leading up to the show) is always the hardest and slowest week of the year. Because of all the work we put in, everyone kinda feels that stress, however, the product (the show) is so satisfying to see. People always ask me why I choose stage management, it being one of the more stressful and “less rewarding” jobs and my answer is always the same; I love being a part of the process, and seeing everyone and everything come together." "Bryanna has a true passion for theatre, and it is clear that she has quickly become a leader in the performing arts here at Montini," said Montini Theatre Director, Ms. Jackie Martin who has worked with Bryanna now for three years, a relationship that commenced when Bryanna was chosen in 2022-23 school year to be the stage manager for both the fall musical, Newsies, and the spring play, "Clue." "Her responsibilities included attending every rehearsal, leading the crew in painting and construction, and overseeing everything that happens backstage during the performances." According to play sources, Bryanna runs a tight ship and leads by example. "Her leadership abilities will surely take her far in high school theatre and beyond." "I would say that "Clue" was definitely my favorite show at Montini," says Bryanna, looking back on her Montinin theatre career. "There was something about that show, maybe it was the cast, maybe it was the work we put into it, I’m not sure but we all had so much fun and it is regarded as one of the many peaks of our program." Bryanna is looking forward to the fall when she plans to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "I will be majoring in Theatre with a concentration of Stage Management and minoring in Business. I have wanted to go to UIUC for a very long time, they have a very good and competitive program that I feel will prepare me to become a professional stage manager. I feel that it’s very important that if someone really enjoys some form of art and/or theatre, then they should make it a part of their education. There is such a stigma around doing fine arts as a job and I feel that we should end it. There are so many artists who have well-paying jobs that they love and are passionate about." Ms. Martin, who nominated Bryanna for Student of the Month last year, has great respect for Bryanna and the work she has done to ensure successful theatrical productions at Montini. "I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work with Bryanna, this our last play together will be a bittersweet moment, but I know she will be back to cheer on future Montini productions and to let us know how she's doing!" Bryanna's advice for anyone looking to get into high school theatre, "Just do it! Theatre has been a medium for me to express myself and explore who I really am. Forget everything you think you know about theatre and have an open mind. So many people in our program joined on a whim and have now been there for many years because they love it. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but everyone is welcome to join and see how they like it. In regards to stage management, if you’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and you feel you are up to the challenge, you should definitely apply to be stage manager! It’s such a fulfilling job and it has definitely helped me become more connected to our school’s community."

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