District High School Theater Students Thrive at Texas Thespians State Festival 2021, 1 Educator Inducted Into Hall of Fame

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Based on state performances, 43 Aldine ISD thespians advanced to the national competition in June 2021.

Aldine ISD attended the Texas Thespians State Festival November 18-20, 2021, at the Gaylord Texan Resort Convention Center, in Grapevine, TX. Each year, the Texas Thespians organization hosts a statewide festival, one of the largest annual thespian festivals where students and their troupe directors celebrate theater everywhere. At this year’s festival, over 6,000 theatre students attended from across the state to compete in performance and technical divisions.

The festival gives students opportunities to perform and earn recognition. Activities include:

• Workshops
• Main Stage performances
• Play marathons
• College auditions
• Performance competitions
• Technical competitions
• Nationally acclaimed guest speakers
• Opportunities to advance to the International Thespian Society National Festival

The sessions and workshops help young thespians develop their acting and technical theater skills.

Aldine ISD has 43 students advancing to the national competition at the International Thespian Festival set for June 20-24, 2022, held in Bloomington, IN.

Aldine High School

Aldine HS Theater Group

Superior Ratings & National Qualifiers (9)

Duet Acting: Génesis Maradiaga and Ángel Sandoval
Duet Acting: Minnahtallah Embaby and Iván Rocha
Lighting Design: Mackency Mondragón
Monologue: Brigitte Barrientos*
Monologue: Getsemaní Velásquez-Flores*
Monologue: Jonathan López Lerma*
Monologue: Serenity Sosa*

Aldine Directors: Walter Lane & Maia Wiggins

Carver High School

Carver HS Theater Group

Superior Ratings & National Qualifiers (12)

Costume Design: Amani Turner
Group Acting: J’Kyil Poole, Ryan Randolph, and Andrew Salazar
Group Musical: Morgan Childs, Camron Lettries, Courtney Neal, and Delores Sells
Group Musical: Emma Montiel, Takera Swain, and Cheyenne Willis-Bumper

Monologue: Christopher Pace*

Excellent Ratings

Stage Management: Nevaeh Law
Theatre Marketing: Daisy Espinoza

Carver Directors: Roshunda Jones-Koumba and Jabari Collins

Davis High School

Davis HS Theater Group

Superior Ratings & National Qualifiers (3)

Duet Acting: Rehya Núñez
Monologue: Jennifer Samuel and Elijah Muñoz

Davis Directors: Terren Gamble and Roenia Thompson

Eisenhower HS

Superior Ratings & National Qualifiers (18)

Eisenhower HS Theater Group

Monologue: José Gil
Monologue: Ja’Nae Wilson
Monologue: Brycen Jones
Group Acting #1 (Grades 10-12): Wilfred Narváez, Samantha Doclan, Dylan Martínez, Daniela Garza, Shauna Proctor, and Carra Randle
Group Acting #2 (Grade 9): Calen Johnson, Devin Fox, Daniela Flores, Karla Rodríguez, Kiera Arthurton, Tara Gordon, Gabrielle Miller, and Haley Sustaita
Solo Musical: Victoria Cerda

Excellent Ratings

Theatre Marketing: Shayla Rich
Light Design: Journee Stanford
Costume Design: Jimiaya Wright
Set Design: Madalin Carrillo Rodríguez

Texas Tech Challenge Event

Tech Challenge Individual Award in Focus a Light (Best Time — 1 minute 28 seconds): Kenny Hoang
Tech Challenge Team: Kenny Hoang, Shayla Rich, Jason Palmer, Oluchi Chukuka, Journee Stanford, Dylan Martínez, and Francisco Segura

Eisenhower Directors: Crystal Rose, Kristin Wilson, and Cliff Alexander

Nimitz High School

Nimitz HS Theater Group

Superior Ratings & National Qualifiers (1)

Makeup & Hair Design: Keely Garrard

Excellent Ratings

Solo Musical Theatre: Elbert Sawyer
Solo Musical Theatre: Kennedy ‘Miles’ Harrison
Solo Musical Theatre: Jayla Trepagnier
Duet Acting: Itzeel Romero and Emily Márquez

Nimitz Directors: Clayton Younkin and Kimberly J. Ardison

Aldine ISD Mainstage Finalists*

Aldine High School

Monologue: Brigitte Barrientos
Monologue: Getsemaní Velásquez-Flores
Monologue: Jonathan López Lerma
Monologue: Serenity Sosa 

Carver High School

Monologue: Christopher Pace

Thespians Still Competing for Chance to Advance to Nationals

High school thespians who didn’t have the opportunity to attend the festival have an opportunity to submit their competition piece virtually in December for a chance to qualify for nationals. The district will share an update once the results are available.

Aldine ISD Theater Educator Honored

Walter Lane, Aldine HS Theater Director

Walter Lane, the theater instructor at Aldine High School, was inducted into the Texas Thespians Hall of Fame. Lane has been the theater director at Aldine HS since 1995. He is an Aldine ISD alumnus — a MacArthur High School Class of 1988 graduate. The MacArthur HS theatre director Freddie Buckner (now retired) was Lane’s teacher. Lane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from Prairie View A&M University. He studied under the legendary professors C. Lee Turner and Dr. Ted Shine.

Some of Aldine HS’ most notable performances under Lane’s guidance have been A Woman Called Truth by Sandra Asher, Bury the Dead by Irwin Shaw, Martin Said So by Wanda Schell, To Be Young, Gifted and Black by Robert Nemiroff, and ¿De Dónde? by Mary Gallagher. Lane, who was named the campus teacher of the year in 2007, stated that his most significant source of pride as an educator comes from the successes of his former students. Aldine ISD alumni Andra Fuller and Ifádansi Rashad have established careers as working actors, and Carver HS educator Jabari Collins has become a recognized theater director.

“I owe my family, my sisters, as well as my late mother, Ms. Autrey Lee Lane, for raising me. They gave me all of the wonderful opportunities to grow up, go to college and receive my education. The motto in my classroom is ‘Never give in! Never give up! Give it your all!'”

Lane is the second Aldine ISD theater director to receive the distinction in recent years. Carver HS theater director Roshunda Jones-Koumba earned the honor in 2020.

AISD Theater Directors Take on Active Leadership Roles at Convention

District teachers are also leaders of the convention. Jones-Koumba serves on the Chapter Board and is chair of Next Generation Works, and Collins serves as House Manager of the Mainstage shows. Aldine directors also serve as judges of some of the individual events.

Refugio Rodríguez is the Aldine ISD performing arts director.