On June 20, 2016, representatives of the Tompkins Theatre Company Troupe 7963 boarded a plane in destination to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to attend the International Thespian Festival or ITF. While at ITF students interacted with the hundreds of other troupes and schools from around the country, while competing in competitions and attending workshops. Helping to represent OTHS were troupe members seniors Abby Stegeman and Kaitlyn Miller who competed in the duet acting competition and even advanced onto the finals with their scene from Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay Abaire.

“The competition was really eye opening to the world of acting and its competitiveness,” Miller said.

Senior Cameron Durnford was on the technical crew, being on the fly crew, and light crew for the state show Big Fish by John August. The show was one of the eight mainstage shows at the International Thespian Festival.

“Big Fish wasn’t easy, but working on such a big production crew was really interesting,” Durnford said.

Tompkins troupe 7963 has plans to attend ITF again in 2017 to make even more memories for the books.