CAST Schools are excited to announce that the cast and crew of Three Years of Fear have been invited to perform the play at this year’s Texas Thespian State Festival in San Antonio, TX.

Sunday, November 13, 2022
Doors Open: 1 PM | Showtime: 1:15 PM
Lila Cockrell Theatre | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
200 E Market St, San Antonio, TX 78205

Three Years of Fear is an adaptation of Lorenzo Gomez’s book Tafollo Toro, chronicling his traumatic middle school years in the early 90’s in one of San Antonio’s most crime-riddled neighborhoods. It features stories and letters to the author’s younger self that offer new perspectives and ideas based on the wisdom of hindsight and strategies learned through therapy. The play advances conversations among students, families, and the community about mental health issues of fear, anxiety, and violence as the new school year begins.

For the past four years, CAST Schools has partnered with Gomez to perform an adaptation of his book for all incoming ninth graders. Over the summer, Gomez worked with CAST student writers and interns in workshops where they transformed the book into a play with storyboarding, casting, choreography, and design. A Three Years of Fear Curriculum Guide was also developed for teachers to deepen the student experience by connecting the story to work being done in the classroom. The entire play was first performed at the historic Charline McCombs Empire Theatre this past August to all freshmen across the CAST Schools Network in addition to a public showing.

The event is hosted by Texas Thespians, the largest chapter in the nation of the Educational Theatre Association which sponsors the International Thespian Society. As an educational honor society, they are dedicated to honoring excellence in theater by encouraging and improving the skills of theatre  students and their educators throughout the state of Texas.