For students who spend hours rehearsing lines and building sets after school, recognition hasn’t always followed their hard work. However, with the launch of the high school’s new chapter of the International Thespian Society (ITS), that changes.
Established in 1929, the ITS is the only theater honor society in the United States, dedicated to helping theater educators cultivate transformative experiences for all students.
The society uses a point-based system to induct students who meet the working criteria. Students must earn ten points to be considered for membership; each point is equivalent to ten hours of work on a major production.
As a part of his plans to improve upon the performing arts foundations at the high school, Mr. Skylar Grossman, the drama teacher and director, wanted to formally acknowledge the quality work of the hundreds of students who take part in the school-wide performances. Inspired by other Massachusetts school districts, which saw benefits from the ITS, Grossman introduced a new chapter of the ITS at the high school this fall.
“Given the fact that so many students in the theater program already put in a ton of work as it is, they should be recognized for that,” said Grossman.
With the addition of the ITS, the high school now has three independent honor societies — the National Honor Society, the World Language National Honor Society, and the ITS. Students now have the opportunity to be recognized for their efforts in acting and theater production, honors that will be visible at graduation
“[Students will get] certain regalia that [they] can wear… Everyone that gets in will get a cord at graduation, which is great,” said Grossman.
Visual honors at graduation are especially unique at the high school — the ITS is one of the only organizations that gives out cords that members wear around their necks at the graduation ceremony.
Grossman hopes that the ITS will create new opportunities and boost engagement for experienced, new, and returning actors alongside theatrical technicians. He’d like all aspects of theater to be honored, and ITS membership offers an incentive for students to become more involved in productions at the high school.
Thea Fischmann ’26, president of the Wellesley High School Dramatic Arts Company (WHSDAC), voiced her support for the addition of the ITS to the high school’s academic recognitions.
“When Mr. Grossman brought up the idea of implementing this, I was so excited… It’s something that is really validating for a lot of theater people,” said Fischmann.
For many, this new chapter of the ITS is more than an award — it is a validation of countless hours dedicated to pursuing a passion for and perfecting the craft of acting. WHSDAC Secretary Oscar Allan ’27 expressed his support for the ITS and its purpose at the high school.
“You get points for performances, but most people’s points are going to come from rehearsals. They’re going to come from the things that people don’t see,” he said. “To me, [the ITS] is an acknowledgement of all the hard work that might be unseen.”
