OUR MISSION STATEMENT
It is the mission of the West Virginia Thespians to advocate for and celebrate excellence in theatre arts education at the school, community, and state levels. WV Thespians promotes passion for the arts and empowerment of all students through theatrical and leadership experiences that provide creative enrichment for students and teachers.
WV Thespians achieved Silver level for national Honor Chapter for 2023.
OUR GOVERNING BOARD
Chapter Director : Martha Louden
182 Maddex Farm Drive, Shepherdstown, WV 25443
Phone: (304) 886-8805; email: mblouden@yahoo.com
Area 1 : Rebecca Buck - Magnolia and Paden City HS
601 Maple Avenue, New Martinsville, WV 2655
Email: Rebecca.l.buck@k12.wv.us
COUNTIES: Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Tyler and Wetzel
Area 2: Erin Adams - Fairmont Sr. HS
1 Loop Park, Fairmont, WV 26554
Email: elzuchowski@k12.wv.us
SCHOOLS: Trinity Christian School, Morgantown High School, Fairmont Sr. High School, East Fairmont High School, North Marion High School
Area 3: Madison Rudolph - Martinsburg HS
701 South Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV 25401
Email: madison.rudolph@k12.wv.us
COUNTIES: Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral and Morgan
Area 4: Jason Young – Vintage Theatre Company
Email: VintageTheatreCo@gmail.com
SCHOOLS: Bridgeport High School, Robert C Byrd High School, Notre Dame High School, Lewis County High School, Buckhannon-Upshur High School
Area 5: Doug Parks – Parkersburg South HS
1511 Blizzard Drive, Parkersburg, WV 26101
Email: ldparks@k12.wv.us
COUNTIES: Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and
Wood
Area 6: Susan Dunfee - Huntington HS
One Highlander Way, Huntington, WV 25701
Email: susandunfee460@gmail.com
COUNTIES: Boone, Cabell, Clay, Kanawha, Mingo, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, Wayne and
Logan
Area 7: Jamie Jarvis - Webster County HS
1 Highlander Drive, Cowen, WV 26206
Email: james.jarvis@k12wv.us
COUNTIES: Fayette, Greenbrier, Summers, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe, Nicholas, PocahontasRaleigh, Webster and Wyoming
State Thespian Officer (STO) Advisor: Kelli Cooper - Hedgesville HS - Email: cooperkelli16@gmail.com
Secretary: Joshua Riese - Spring Mills HS - Email: joshua.riese@k12.wv.us
Treasurer: Megan Russell - Jefferson HS - Email: mgarland@k12.wv.us​
Member at Large: Jared St. Martin Brown - Email: jbrown@k12.wv.us​
Member at Large: Eric Zuchowski - Email: ezuchowski@gmail.com
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STUDENT THESPIAN OFFICERS 2025/2026
Mackenzie Kimball, Bridgeport High School
Paiton Thompson, Bridgeport High School
Katherine Blackwood, Bridgeport High School
Bethany Archer-Lewis, Bridgeport High School
Lucy Cooper, Bridgeport High School
Emma Cleghorn, Bridgeport High School
Alexandria Southern, Bridgeport High School
Michelle Zhao, Fairmont Sr. High School
Kianna Rogers, Hedgesville High School
Ophelia Gamble, Morgantown High School
Gulse Polat, Morgantown High School
Derek Roberts, Parkersburg High School
Lillian Farinash, Parkersburg High School
Payton Johnson, Parkersburg High School
Dorothy Clark, Parkersburg High School
Jenna Roberts, Ripley High School
Hailey Workman, Ripley High School
Amelia Bibb, Ripley High School
Brooklyn Morrison, Ripley High School
Natali Parsons, Ripley High School
Lucia Webb, Ripley High School
Carleigh Bruce, Robert C. Byrd High School
Noelle Hronesz, Spring Mills High School
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives
WV Thespians is resolutely committed to accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the life and culture of our organization. Through evaluation of our policies and practices, WV Thespians will work to bring awareness to marginalized voices, bodies, and stories. We will listen and learn about adversity, discrimination, and racism and adopt anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practices.
We believe that all people deserve access to theatre, and that theatre better reflects life when everyone is a part of the conversation. We promise to make our organization, conferences, and services available to all. We pledge to create an environment that welcomes as many people as possible, and to identify, address, and eliminate barriers.
The commitment and dedication of our board and membership motivate the opportunities that are available through WV Thespians. We value the interconnectedness of individuals who are devoted to theatre in WV schools and state to create a strong community of theatre practitioners.
The sharing of ideas, best practices, and opportunities is a critical component to our organization and the growth of theatre as an art form. We pledge clear, consistent, and efficient communication to support the needs of our membership and the progress of theatre in our schools.
We highly regard the life, stories, and theatre that lifts up people from a wide variety of lived experiences and we pledge to support the most vulnerable among us and provide opportunities for all people.
We promise to conduct business with humility and sincerity, to seek truth in all interactions, to put the needs of our teachers and students first, to show respect to those who choose to share their expertise and to operate with strong moral and ethical standards.
We are inspired by the passion of our membership for theatre as an art form. We believe in the power of stories, in shared ideals, and the ability of theatre to make change in the world. WV Thespians is committed to sharing this passion with others and inspiring the future of theatre in our schools.
