Nazareth Academy’s cast and crew of “Godspell” have been named state champions, meaning that the fall production of the show has been selected to perform at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival at the University of Illinois-Urbana from Jan. 11 through 13.

The Illinois High School Theatre Festival is the largest and oldest non-competitive high school theatre festival in the world.

“We are so honored to be part of this festival,” said Kimberly White, the play’s director and head of Nazareth’s drama department.

“Godspell” marks the seventh time Nazareth has been selected to participate in the Illinois High School Theatre Festival. The students last performed in 2008 with “Wait Until Dark.”

The three-day festival takes place every year in early January and switches locations between the University of Illinois and Illinois State University.

More than 4,000 students, teachers, university representatives, exhibitors and volunteers come together to put on more than 25 different high school productions and more than 150 workshops.

Other highlights include college and university auditions for high school seniors, professional development for teachers and the All-State Production, featuring student cast and crew members from across the state.

“Not only will our students have the chance to mount two performances of ‘Godspell’ in front of their peers, but they will then be able to take advantage of a terrific variety of craft-oriented workshops,” White said.

In the meantime, both actors and the skeletal stage crew traveling to Urbana have to rehearse not just the show, but also the unloading of the entire set and tech for the musical production.

“We have just two hours to unload, assemble and light the entire show (which travels in a 24-foot truck) before our first Saturday performance,” White said. “So right now we’re assigning specific jobs and timing it to the minute.”