Tri-School Theatre

Tri-School Theatre was born out of a vision to create a theatre arts training program for students attending three Catholic, single-sex high schools in North Orange County: Servite High School, Cornelia Connelly School in Anaheim, and Rosary High School in Fullerton. Unique in that it combines three separate high schools, the program, which emphasizes the philosophy of process, discipline, and professionalism in a loving, nurturing, creative environment, grew from seven students to a remarkable 175 in less than thirteen years.

Rosary Alumna Amy Luskey-Barth who holds a BFA from the USC School of Theatre established the Tri-School Program in 1989. A charter was developed through the combined efforts of the administrations of each school in 1994, formally establishing the Tri-School Theatre Program into the curriculum of Servite, Connelly, and Rosary High Schools. Since its inception, the program has grown into a four-year Performing Arts Conservatory with an individualized mentorship program. The Conservatory operates out of the 989-seat, fully equipped Servite Theatre.

In addition to the Conservatory Training Program, Tri-School Theatre produces three main stage shows, three showcases, and various student-produced projects each year. The program has been honored five times with the Music and Art Commendation Award (MACY) for the Best High School Musical in Orange County: for its 1992 production of Brigadoon; in 1994 for Into the Woods; in 1996 for Fiddler on the Roof; and in 1997 for The Secret Garden. Tri-School also received the Theatro Del Arte Award for Artistic Excellence for the 1995 production of Carousel. In 1998, The MACY organization created the Non-Pareil award for the Tri-School Theatre production of Children of Eden and, in 2000, Tri-School received The Spirit of the Macy Award for The Pajama Game. The 2001 production of Carnival received the Showstopper Award, and in 2002, Godspell recieved the Childress Award. The 2006 production of West Side Story received the MACY Best Ensemble award. In 2007, Tri-School received the MACY Commedia Del Arte Award for Annie Get Your Gun.

Other highlights include the 1994 world premiere production of an original musical about life in high school called Yearbook by Darcy Rice, Glenn Mehrbach and Michael Michetti. The musical received two staged readings in the 1993/94 Conservatory and a fully produced production in the fall of 1994. Students were interviewed extensively for source material for the script and Conservatory members participated in question and answer sessions following the readings. Dramatic Publishing Company has published Yearbook and Tri-School Theatre is credited as the original producer and cast of the show.

In February of 1995, the Tri-School Theatre Thespians performed an excerpt of Yearbook at the California State Thespian Festival and won 1st place for their performance, garnering them an invitation to perform a 1/2 hour excerpt from the show at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1998, the restaged Yearbook was performed as the fall main stage production and Tri-School was invited to perform the show on the main stage of the International Thespian Festival. In 2003, Tri-School Theatre returned to the main stage with its premier song and dance group A Joyful Noise in "A Sentimental Journey."

In 2006, Tri-School Theatre was invited to perform in the largest theatre festival in the world - The International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Tri-School performed a special version of Yearbook, which was extremely well-received at the festival and was awarded a 5-star rating.

Tri-School Theatre maintains an active membership in the International Thespian Honor Society and attends the California State Festival each year. Over the years, Tri-School Theatre students have been awarded substantial scholarships from the California State Thespian Organization for college and summer theatre programs. In 1999 and 2007, Tri-School received the California State Thespian Honor Troupe Award and The Outstanding School Award in 1999 by the Educational Theatre Association.

Tri-School Theatre continues to operate as a thriving program, teaching students the importants of the arts and shaping lives every day. Find out how you can become involved in the program today by browsing this website, or take a stroll down memory lane by viewing the Production History below.

PRODUCTION HISTORY

Click to view shows by Servite Theatre,
before Tri-School Theatre's foundation in 1989.

1988 - Tri-School Theatre founded. Workshops held.
1989 Spring - Pippin

1989 Fall - An Evening of One Acts: All the World's a Stage, Some Enchanted Evening, The Long Christmas Dinner
1990 Spring - Hello, Dolly!

1990 Fall - David & Lisa
1991 Spring - West Side Story

1991 Fall - The Crucible
1992 Spring - Brigadoon

1992 Fall - The Miracle Worker
1993 Spring - 25th Anniversary Revue Encore

1993 Fall - The Skin of Our Teeth
1994 Spring - Into the Woods

1994 Fall - World premiere production of YEARBOOK
1994 Fall - Our Town
1995 Spring - Carousel

1995 Fall - A Midsummer Night's Dream
1996 Spring - Fiddler on the Roof

1996 Fall - The Merry Wives of Windsor
1996 Fall - The Fantasticks
1997 Spring - The Secret Garden

1997 Fall - Arsenic and Old Lace
1998 Spring - Children of Eden

1998 Fall - YEARBOOK
1999 Spring - Guys & Dolls

1999 Fall - The Diviners
2000 Spring - The Pajama Game

2000 Fall - Everyman Revisited
2001 Spring - Carnival

2001 Fall - Godspell
2002 Spring - Let Your Life Sing!

2002 Fall - The Matchmaker
2002 Winter - The Little Prince
2003 Spring - How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying; A Joyful Noise: A Sentimental Journey

2003 Fall - Much Ado about Nothing
2004 Winter - Faculty Follies; An Evening of One Acts
2004 Spring - The King & I

2004 Fall - Alice in Wonderland
2005 Winter - Blithe Spirit; A Joyful Noise: Seasons of Love
2005 Spring - The Wizard of Oz

2005 Fall - Fahrenheit 451; A Joyful Noise: Hooray for Hollywood
2006 Winter - Yearbook In Concert, Reprise! (An alumni concert)
2006 Spring - West Side Story
2006 Summer - Yearbook (Edinburgh, Scotland)

2006 Fall - Antigone; Student Productions
2007 Winter - The Diary of Anne Frank
2007 Spring - Annie Get Your Gun
2007 Summer - Don't Drink the Water travels to the International Thespian Festival

2007 Fall - Fools; Drama Competition Teams
2008 Winter - Forever Plaid; Tartuffe
2008 Spring - Beauty and the Beast
2008 Summer - The Mousetrap travels to the International Thespian Festival

2008 Fall - A Joyful Noise: Being Alive; Dead Man Walking
2008 Winter - The Taffetas; Working
2009 Spring - Thoroughly Modern Millie
2009 Summer - You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Edinburgh, Scotland)

2009 Fall - Romeo & Juliet
2009 Winter - G.I. Jukebox; A Murder is Announced
2010 Spring - Curtains