Middle school thespians receive perfect score at State competition

Press release from Junior Thespian Troupe 88521

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Junior Thespian Troupe 88521, comprising students from Howard Bishop and Lincoln Middle Schools, received a perfect score in the opening showcase at the 2025 Florida State Junior Thespian Competition and earned seven Superior ratings out of the eight pieces they performed.

The Troupe is directed by Jackie Collins, who teaches theater and chorus at both schools. Troupe 88521 represented District 1 in the 2025 Florida State Junior Thespian festival opening ceremony for the third year in a row after being chosen as Best In Show during the District Competition in December. The opening showcase is judged, and the Troupe received a perfect score! Over 5,000 junior thespians attended the festival, and the theater was packed with about 2,700 people. 

The troupe performed eight pieces at the State competition, with the following results:

• Solo Musical: Sophia Neighbors – “Calm” from “Ordinary Day”s – Superior rating, Top Honors (perfect score and highest in room; a room typically has 50-60 pieces)
• Solo Musical: Aleah Henderson – “Diva’s Lament” from “Spamalot” – Superior rating (2 perfect scores)
• Large Group Musical: “Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere” from “Come From Away” – Superior rating (2 perfect scores)
• Large Group Musical: “Biggest Blame Fool” from “Seussical”- Superior Rating (1 perfect score)
• Small Group Musical: “Put you in your Place” from “Lightning Thief” – Superior rating (1 perfect score)
• Small Group Musical: “Coffee in a Cardboard Cup” from “And the Worls Goes Round” – Superior rating (1 perfect score)
• Small Group Musical: “Campfire Song” from “Lightning Thief” – Superior rating 
• Pantomime: “Journey around the World” – Excellent rating (1 superior, 1 excellent)

At the district competition in December, the troupe took 32 pieces and earned 5 Excellent ratings, 27 Superior ratings, 8 Top Honors, 6 Judges Choice, and Best in Show/District representative. The district has about 35 troupes from Ocala to Jacksonville. 

Troupe Members at the State competition included: Samantha Tisher, Aleah Henderson, Meredith Bagby, Mia Walker, Reese Johnson, Wilder Schwich-Helm, Elijah West, Carys Maltby, Yeats Minson, Sam Murad, Lexi Murad, Lula Ney, Ruby Brown, Emma Jones, Caiti Jones, Sophia Neighbors, Kate Bishop, Jackie Kramer, Priya Sabat, Tavya Joshi, Anni Maxwell, Celeste Perez-Thomas, Jane Han, Everly Jeng, Alexandra Malaty, Sophie Howard, Sophia Williams, Julius Deutsch, Jaliyiah McNish, Kyra Flagg, Amaris Fuentes, Sanvi Gawande, Lauren McLenden, Lulu Keselowsky, Dalitso Maynard-Pemba, Ruby Seda, Dexter Bullock, and Olivia Grill

Watch their showcase performance here.