Twice a year, aspiring Thespians don silly hats and do whatever ridiculous things their theatrical predecessors demand in the hopes of becoming International Thespian Society members.
The eligibility requirements to be an ITS member are to log 100 hours of work through shows or Drama/Technical Theatre classes gained from at least two different “aspects” of theater. By “aspects,” students are to experience different viewpoints of the show. One potential aspect is to act in a show, and another aspect can be gained by backstage technical work. If a hopeful inductee is not an actor, they can collect hours from hair/makeup/costumes or what “techies” refer to as “hard tech,” which are lights, sound, props, set construction, etc.
Alicia Reid, junior and inductee, has been eager for inductions since her freshman year. When asked if it had taken all of the shows since her freshman year to gain the necessary hundred hours, Reid said, “Well, no, I probably had them all last year, but I didn’t have a second aspect. So I was on house crew for Blithe Spirit (the Fall 2010 show) and that gave me eligibility.”
ITS members are infamous for one tradition: Their complete power over inductees for an entire school day. Upon arrival to school, students who have been notified of their eligibility report to current ITS members and receive their hats. These hats are made to look ridiculous, out of things like pasta strainers, balloons, pipe cleaners, and plastic buckets. Any person wearing “the hat” on induction day is subject to “friendly harassment” from ITS members.
Members can order inductees to do practically anything (within reasonable, school-appropriate limits). “Most of my friends are in ITS already, and they have promised that I will be tortured,” Reid said with a smile. “They guaranteed that I would 
have to sing… but I’m looking forward to it. Maybe I’m just weird, but it [the hat tradition] looks like fun!”
“Inductions are nice because the people at the school recognize you… between shows you can’t really tell who is a techie and who isn’t,” said Hayden Dean, junior. Dean, like Reid, is also looking forward to wearing the traditional hats. “It’s a real reason to do ridiculous things without being reprimanded by a teacher. Like quacking in class if someone calls our name.”
The inductions, which were rescheduled due to weather, will take place on Monday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the LRHS Food Court.
Virginia Reed is a superb writer and an even better friend. She enjoys unhealthy foods and writing sarcastic articles. Virginia is the Online Editor for the 2011-12 school year and was a Managing Editor for the 2010-11 year but has not forgotten her humble beginnings as a staff writer when she was a wee sophomore. Her goals for the future are to get an A in newspaper and to apply to college in a timely fashion.