Mount Carmel Academy was chosen as one of six schools from across the nation to perform in a high-energy set of musical numbers as part of the opening show at the 2019 International Thespian Festival (ITF), the nation’s leading high school theatre festival, at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln on June 24. MCA’s Thespian Troupe will present “Don’t Stop Believin” from Rock of Ages (Samuel French). The six chosen schools plus thespians from all over Nebraska will also perform in a special finale of an exclusive song by composer Andrew Lippa.

ITF, produced by the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), celebrates student achievement in the performing arts. The 56th event, which this year takes place June 24-29, brings together more than 4,500 high school drama students and their teachers for a weeklong immersion in workshops; interaction with colleges, industry leaders, and Broadway professionals; and opportunities to be inspired by the best high school theatre in the nation.