KATHY POWDRELL
Theatre Director
* 2008: Selected by the Texas Educational Theatre Association's Board of Directors to be honored as a Founders Award recipient for her many years of service and devotion to educational theatre in Texas and to TETA. This is the highest honor that TETA bestows.
* 2007: University Interscholastic League recipient for the 2007 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award for impressive interscholastic accomplishments and service.
* 2006: Kathy Powdrell was accepted into and won a fellowship to attend the Globe Education's Teaching Shakespeare Through Performance course at Shakespeare's Globe the summer 2006 in London. Only 22 teachers from the United States are accepted.
Mrs. Powdrell has over 30 years experience as a director, teacher, and actress. Mrs. Powdrell graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Science from the College of Education and Theatre from the University of Houston. Mrs. Powdrell has directed numerous UIL One Act Plays, full length plays, musicals, improvisation shows and community theatre productions. Mrs. Powdrell has advanced as director of Friendswood's One Act Play to the UIL STATE Meet eight times winning two State Championships (2004 Rosendcrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and 1996 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby) in Conference AAAA. Powdrell and FHS have placed second twice and third once at the state meet, making Powdrell and Friendswood, according to a recent study done by Baylor University, the "winningest" program in conference AAAA.
Theatre student, Isaac Bourgeois, under the direction of Mrs. Powdrell placed in the top ten in the nation at the National Shakespeare Competition at Lincoln Center Theatre in New York City.
Mrs. Powdrell serves on the Advocacy Committee for the Texas Educational Theatre Association. She is an active member TETA, Alpha Pi Omega, The International Thespian Society, Educational Theatre Association, National Organization for Teaching Tolerance, Texas Education Agency Textbook Advisory 2004, Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education and Texas State Teacher's Association. In 2000, Mrs. Powdrell received the Lillian B. Rhoades Texas Excellence Award as an outstanding High School Teacher in the state of Texas sponsored by the Texas Exes Association at the University of Texas. Mrs. Powdrell has taught for The University of Texas, where she taught acting for non-majors each summer for six years. While at UT, Mrs. Powdrell directed six productions for the Summer Theatre Workshop and the Texas Young Playwrights. Mrs. Powdrell is a mentor teacher for Texas Educational Theatre Association and has taught numerous workshops for TETA, UIL SUPERCONFERENCES, the Capital Conference and the Short Term Summer Theatre Workshops at the University of Texas for High School Teachers. For the past 10 years, Mrs. Powdrell and FHS have sponsored and performed improv for the TETA State Convention. Mrs. Powdrell and colleague Dr. Lucien Douglas revised the Summer Theatre Workshop at UT and initiated the Summer Theatre Workshop Conservatory offering pre- professional training for high school student across the U.S. In 2000, Powdrell and FHS were nominated and chosen to represent the U.S. at the 2001 Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mrs. Powdrell lives in Friendswood where she and her husband, Earle have raised their four children, Jason, Kristen, Powdy and Lindsey, who also graduated from FHS, She enjoys working with her daughter in law, Mrs. Huff who teaches Math at FHS. Powdrell is looking forward to teaching her granddaughters, Kaylee and Sydney sooner than you think!
AMY THORNTON
Amy R. Thornton received a B.A. in Theatre from McMurry University and an M.F.A. in Acting/Directing from Texas Tech University. She has taught at Texas Tech, Louisiana State, and Littlefield High School. This is her sixth year at Friendswood High School. Amy has acted in over 40 plays and musicals. Directing experience includes Alice in Wonderland, The Good Doctor, The Great Cross-Country Race, Antigone, and The Green Bird. Amy is a member/past member of TETA, TETAAO, SWTA, NETA, TCTA, and the International Thespian Society. Amy is married and has a two year-old named Nelson.
