The Permian Press sat down with four Midland High School students who qualified for the International Thespian Festival to discuss their path to nationals and what comes next.

What to watch: Four Midland High theater students, Reagan Sockwell, Harper Wells, Jaylyn Stewart, and Maya Mangal, have qualified for the International Thespian Festival (ITF) this June in Indiana after competing at the Texas Thespians Festival in Grapevine. The group stood out among more than 11,000 competitors at the state event, earning one of the festival’s highest honors and advancing to the national stage.

Why it matters: In a region where academics and athletics often dominate attention, these students highlight the strength of Midland’s arts programs. Theater builds confidence, discipline, and teamwork, and qualifying for nationals places these students among the top performers in the state. Only about 1,000 students advance to the international level out of roughly 19,000 statewide participants.

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The journey to nationals

The path began at Texas Thespians, the state festival where students compete in Individual Events (IEs), including solo and duet performances, scenes, dances, monologues, and technical categories such as set and costume design, playwriting, and stage management. Midland High sent 18 students, with four advancing in the international category, which requires a score of at least 52.5 out of 60.

Reagan performed the solo musical “Stupid With Love” from Mean Girls. Jaylyn performed “When He Sees Me” from Waitress. Harper and Maya presented pieces from The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (adapted by Dwayne Hartford) and The Cover of Life (by R.T. Robinson), while Maya presented selections from Eurydice (by Sarah Ruhl) and Check Please (by Jonathan Rand).

Auditions were intense with early 8 a.m. call times, live performances for three judges, and unexpected challenges, including a mid-song music cut for Jaylyn. She kept going “like a champ,” as Reagan put it. Jaylyn also recalled some nerves when another performer chose the same song. “I just kept thinking, ‘what if she does it better than me?’” she said. She ultimately performed strongly and earned a qualifying score.

During the festival, students also attend workshops on accents, voice acting, breathing techniques, character development, and more.

A strong theater program

Midland High Theater produces three to four shows each year: a fall production, a winter senior-directed show (recently Little Women), the UIL one-act play in spring, and a spring showcase or cabaret. The department won state in the one-act competition in 2023 with The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and is aiming to reclaim that title this year.

Students take on leadership roles as well. Reagan serves as vice president, Maya as secretary, and Harper as facilities manager. All four students regularly perform onstage or contribute behind the scenes. They work closely with director Ms. Tooker, who stepped into the head role this year.

“She’s been amazing,” Reagan said. “She’s taught us so much about acting and technical theater, and she’s our number one supporter.”

The road to Indiana

Nationals is a week-long event packed with competition performances, workshops, and networking. Students will have the advantage of having college representatives in attendance, putting in a good word for their future. For Midland High, it’s a first—previous qualifiers couldn’t attend due to cost. This year’s estimated expense is about $6,000 per student, totaling roughly $24,000 for the four.

The theater booster club (run by parents) is leading fundraising efforts, including pizza vouchers, blanket sales, and sponsorships from local businesses. Legacy Flow Control has been an avid donor over the past two years, and Midland Meat Company has been a consistent supporter. “It’s really great that local companies care about the arts,” Reagan said. “We feel like representation of the arts is getting lost a little bit, but it’s so important in our community.”

What they’re saying: The students are grateful and excited about the opportunity to represent their school in such a prestigious event. Maya, who acknowledged that she’s shifted toward tech roles like stage management, was surprised by her qualification. “I didn’t take it seriously at first,” she said. “I saw my name, and I honestly didn’t believe it at first. It was kind of nice to know I’m still good at what I used to do.”

“Out of 11,000 kids competing at Grapevine, the four of us made it,” Harper added.

What’s next: The theater booster club and students are fundraising now through sales and sponsorships if your business or family would like to help, reach out to Christi Sockwell at 432-212-4564.