This Monday marked the start of the week-long event that is the Illinois High School Theatre Festival.

According to senior Sam Tichenor, the All-State event is “a statewide festival of theater,” where colleges can also hold interviews and auditions for students. After hundreds of auditions and interviews, students are chosen to be a part of the production, this years’ being “Shrek: The Musical.”

“Schools all across Illinois come to this festival to celebrate being in drama and to watch the All-State show,” Tichenor said. “High schools also bring their fall production to be premiered.”

Usually, only four people from each school are selected to participate in the show. This year, EHS is bringing five students, Tichenor being one of them. He thinks this detail is “pretty significant” because it provides representation for Southern Illinois schools.

“I think EHS can be underestimated because we are much more southern compared to other schools like those from Chicago,” he said. “It proves we have a fantastic drama program, and we are continuing to grow.”

Junior Aurora Wilke, who was specifically chosen for her role in the tech crew, said the audition process consisted of her creating a portfolio and resume of all her work. Eventually, she did an in-person interview, where she presented her portfolio to the production team.

“It was scary but amazing at the same time,” Wilke said.

Although only five students were chosen to participate in the show, that doesn’t exclude other theater students from the festival. Junior Sophia Holobough happens to be one of the 36 people going to watch the show in support of the participating students.

“As a performer, it means a lot to have a supporting audience,” Holobough said. “I can only imagine that having students go to support other schools’ productions is incredibly rewarding for the people who put on the show.”

Wilke said it “means so much” knowing that her friends from school will be able to see the production her and the other students worked so hard on. She hopes this year’s show inspires the younger students.

“I want to show underclassmen that his program is something amazing,” she said. “I would love to see my friends in next year’s show.”

Tichenor said it was “wonderful” and “super important” to him that other drama students are attending the production.

“We are all in shows together so often, so we aren’t able to watch each other perform or see others’ hard work,” he said. “It’s great to be supported by our other drama kids.”