{{Short description|American theatre fraternity (founded 1925)}} {{Primary sources|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox fraternity | name = Alpha Psi Omega | letters = {{lang|grc|ΑΨΩ}} | crest = AlphaPsiOmegaLogo.png | image_size = 220px | founded = {{Start date and age|1925|08|12}} | birthplace = Fairmont State University | affiliation = Independent | former_affiliation = National Association of Speech Arts Honor Fraternities | status = Active | type = Honor | emphasis = Theatre | scope = National (US) | member badge = 80px | mission = | vision = | motto = {{lang|grc|αιτειτε ψύχην ωφελιμον}}<br />"Seek a life useful" | colors = {{color box|#506886}} Moonlight Blue and {{color box|#ffcc88}} Bastard Amber | flower = Violet | jewel = | publication = ''The Playbill'' | philanthropy = | chapters = 551 active (997 total) | members = | free_label = | free = | address = Sally Story, University of Arkansas – Fort Smith<br />5210 Grand Ave | city = Fort Smith | state = Arkansas | ZIP code = 72904 | country = United States | homepage = {{URL|http://www.alphapsiomega.org}} }}

'''Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society''' ('''{{lang|grc|ΑΨΩ}}''') is an American recognition fraternity for participants in collegiate theatre.

==History==

=== Alpha Psi Omega === The ''Alpha Cast'' (Alpha Psi Omega's term for "chapter") was founded at Fairmont State University on {{dts|1925|08|12}}, by Professor Paul F. Opp.<ref name=History>[http://www.alphapsiomega.org/history Alpha Psi Omega History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029014846/http://www.alphapsiomega.org/history |date=2008-10-29 }}</ref><ref name=FairmontHistory>[http://www.fairmontstate.edu/about/buildings/history/apohh.html HARDWAY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING Historic Site]</ref><ref name="Baird's">{{Bairds20|pages=VII-11–15}}</ref>

Alpha Psi Omega was founded after Opp was denied charter petitions by both Theta Alpha Phi, the National Theatre Honors Fraternity, and the National Collegiate Players/Pi Epsilon Delta, which were unwilling to charter a chapter at Fairmont State College, then primarily known as a "teacher's college." The first student members of the society were Elinor B. Watson and Robert Sloan.<ref name=History/>

In 1938, the society was a member of the National Association of Speech Arts Honor Fraternities.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Chapters |url=https://www.alphapsiomega.org/chapter/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240724125257/https://www.alphapsiomega.org/chapter/ |archive-date=July 24, 2024 |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society |page=3 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1997, under pressure from anti-fraternity sentiments nationwide, the national officers decided to update the public titles of the organization. This changed the official name of the society from Alpha Psi Omega National Honorary Dramatic Fraternity to Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}

=== Delta Psi Omega === '''Delta Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society''' ('''{{lang|grc|ΔΨΩ}}'''), Alpha Psi Omega's sister society, was founded in 1929 as the official junior-college division of Alpha Psi Omega. Both societies are governed by the same national officers, yet have separate coat-of-arms and induction ceremonies. Delta Psi Omega chapters are located at two-year institutions.<ref name="History" /><ref name="FairmontHistory" />

=== Thespian Society === Opp and Alpha Psi Omega were also instrumental in helping to organize the '''Thespian Society''', now known as the International Thespian Society (I.T.S.) the theatre honor society for high school students (also founded in 1929). With an original grant of $500, the society was able to help organize I.T.S. and help publish the first issues of the I.T.S. magazine. The International Thespian Society has since been assimilated into the Educational Theatre Association, but the influences can be seen in the similarities of both organizations' colors and induction ceremonies.<ref name="History" /><ref name="FairmontHistory" />

== Symbols == As was common practice in naming honor societies during that time, at the founding, Alpha Psi Omega was called Alpha Psi Omega National Honorary Dramatic Fraternity and used theatre-related terminology to refer to the honor society's officers and workings. Examples include:

The fraternity is overseen by an executive council called the Grand Cast.<ref name="Baird's" /> * President/National President – ''Director / Grand Director'' * Vice-President/National Vice-President – ''Stage Manager / Grand Stage Manager'' * Secretary-Treasurer/ National Secretary-Treasurer – ''Business Manager / Grand Business Manager'' * Chapter – ''Cast'' * Inductees – ''Understudies'' * National Officers – ''Grand Cast'' * National Convention – ''Grand Rehearsal''

The motto of Alpha Psi Omega, written in ancient Greek upon their coat-of-arms, is {{Lang|grc|αιτειτε ψύχην ωφελιμον}} or "Seek a life useful".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-03 |title=Associated Student Organizations {{!}} Department of Theatre and Dance |url=https://theatreanddance.appstate.edu/students/associated-student-organizations |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Appalachian State University |language=en}}</ref> The colors of Alpha Psi Omega and Delta Psi Omega are moonlight blue and bastard amber, from the names of the shades of lighting gels commonly used in theatre lighting.<ref name="Baird's" /> Its flower is the violet.<ref name="Baird's" />

The fraternity's badge is monogram of the Greek letters '''{{lang|grc|ΑΨΩ}}'''.<ref name="Baird's" /> The Alpha Psi Omega coat of arms is designed to represent a Greek theater's stage.<ref name="Baird's" /> Its magazine is ''The Playbill''.<ref name="Baird's" />

==Chapters== {{Main|List of Alpha Psi Omega chapters}}Alpha Psi Omega/Delta Psi Omega has installed 1,048 chapters. The society calls its chapters "casts".<ref name="Baird's" /> Chapters of Alpha Psi Omega are named with Greek Letter names according to the order in which they were chartered. Chapters of Delta Psi Omega use a number system for designation.

==Membership== Membership is open to students (primarily undergraduate) who are active in collegiate/university theatre at four-year institutions (full colleges and universities). Most casts/chapters use a "point system" for determining membership eligibility, with a certain number of points earned for tasks in theatre. With some chapters, there is an induction/training process, while other chapters choose members solely on merit, where the theatre experience is considered the induction process. Honorary membership may be conferred on certain individuals (usually department faculty) after obtaining permission from the National Officers.<ref name="Baird's" /><ref name="faq">[http://www.alphapsiomega.org/faq Alpha Psi Omega FAQ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725002214/http://www.alphapsiomega.org/faq |date=2011-07-25 }}</ref>

==Notable members== * Maxwell Anderson, playwright and actor known for ''Both Your Houses,'' ''High Tor,'' ''The Bad Seed'' * Dan Blocker, actor known for ''Bonanza''<ref name="LeibyLeiby2015">{{cite book|author1=Bruce R. Leiby|author2=Linda F. Leiby|title=A Reference Guide to Television's Bonanza: Episodes, Personnel and Broadcast History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IzOSCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA221|year=2015|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-0075-8|pages=221–}}</ref> * Jeff Coopwood, actor known for ''Star Trek: First Contact, Beverly Hills, 90210, The Wild Thornberrys, Seinfeld, The Bold and the Beautiful''<ref>[http://jeffcoopwood.com/carousel.htm#Biography Jeff Coopwood Biography]</ref> * Dann Florek, actor known for ''Law & Order,'' ''LA Law'' * Lillian Gish, actress known for ''Follow Me Boys'' and a number of silent movies; Broadway revivals of ''Uncle Vanya'' * Ron Glass, actor known for ''Firefly'', ''Serenity'' * Robert Hegyes, actor known for ''Welcome Back Kotter'' * Don Knotts, actor and comedian known for ''The Incredible Mr. Limpet'', ''The Ghost and Mr. Chicken'', ''The Andy Griffith Show,'' ''Three's Company'' * Sondra Locke, actress known for ''Willard'', ''The Outlaw Josey Wales'', ''Every Which Way but Loose'', ''Sudden Impact'' * Burt Mustin, actor known for ''Miracle on 34th Street'', ''All in the Family,'' ''Petticoat Junction,'' ''Mame'', ''Leave it to Beaver'' * Olaf Odegaard, artist and playwright<ref>{{Cite news |title=The Carroll Echo |url=https://archives.carrollu.edu/digital/collection/News/id/881/rec/5 |access-date=2024-06-16 |publication-date=1960-05-27 |via=Carroll University Archives |volume=V |issue=15}}</ref> * Eugene O'Neill, playwright known for ''Long Day's Journey into Night,'' ''The Iceman Cometh,'' ''A Moon for the Misbegotten''<ref name="jstor.org">As noted in [https://jstor.org/stable/10.2307/community.25072795 Chatham University's ''The Arrow'' on 03/20/1952, p. 4], accessed 2 Aug. 2021.</ref> * Bill Pullman, actor known for ''Independence Day'', ''Newsies'', ''Spaceballs'' * Stelio Savante, actor known for ''Ugly Betty'', ''My Super Ex Girlfriend'', ''What If...'', ''Starship Troopers 3: Marauder'', ''Corrado'' * Jimmi Simpson, actor known for ''Rose Red'' * Dulcé Sloan, comedian and actor known for ''The Daily Show'', ''The Great North'' * Robert Taylor, actor known for ''Ivanhoe'' * Tennessee Williams, playwright known for ''The Glass Menagerie'' and ''A Streetcar Named Desire''.<ref name="jstor.org"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.alphapsiomega.org Alpha Psi Omega's Official Web site]

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Category:Student societies in the United States Category:Honor societies Category:Theatrical organizations based in the United States Category:Fraternities and sororities in the United States Category:Student organizations established in 1925 Category:1921 establishments in West Virginia