Thousands of high school theatre students attend thespian confer - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Columbus will be home to thousands of high school students from across Georgia this weekend.

Nearly 5,500 of the top theatre students from Georgia are in Columbus for the annual Georgia Thespians Conference which features different vendors and colleges dealing with theatre. The event began Thursday and will last through the weekend.

The Georgia Thespians is an advocacy group for high school theatre students.

"It’s a really good opportunity for students from all over Georgia and all walks of life to come and really immerse themselves in theatre," says Time McGraw, interim chair of the Department of Theatre at Columbus State University and member of the Georgia Thespians board of directors.

The conference features several workshops, scholarship auditions, and performances at the RiverCenter and the Springer Opera House. The event is very beneficial for students who are already in or looking to get into theatre.

The conference is also economical to the city due to students staying at hotels and eating out around the town.

"We're really glad to have them here. They have a tremendous economic impact on Columbus. They're filling up the hotels, they're eating at the restaurants, I think they are serving thousands and thousands of meals here at the Columbus Trade Center," McGraw commented.

Some of the students in attendance come from smaller programs or might have fewer opportunities, so the Georgia Thespians Conference gives them the chance to work with students and theatre professionals from across the state.

The year marked the 10th year for the event in Columbus. 

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