# Alpha Psi Omega

Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society (ΑΨΩ) is an American recognition fraternity for participants in collegiate theatre.

## History

The Alpha Cast (Alpha Psi Omega's term for "chapter") was founded at Fairmont State University on August 12, 1925, by Professor Paul F. Opp.
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.
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.

### Delta Psi Omega

Delta Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society (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 is founded at two-year institutions (junior colleges/community colleges).
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.
Members are most commonly referred to as "APOs". However, due to some confusion with members of the national service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, some campuses refer to their members as "Alpha Psis" or "AYOs". Members of Delta Psi Omega are commonly known as "DPOs".
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."

## Symbolism and traditions

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:
* 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 open motto of Alpha Psi Omega, written in ancient Greek upon their coat-of-arms, is αιτειτε ψύχην ωφελιμον or "seek a life useful". 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. Its flower is the violet.
The fraternity's badge is monogram of the Greek letters ΑΨΩ. The Alpha Psi Omega coat of arms is designed to represent a Greek theater's stage. Its magazine is The Playbill.

## National officers

The fraternity is oversee by an executive council called the Grand Cast.

## Chapters

Alpha Psi Omega/Delta Psi Omega has installed 1,048 chapters. The society calls its chapters "casts". 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.

## Notable members

* Maxwell Anderson (Both Your Houses, High Tor, The Bad Seed)
* Dan Blocker (Bonanza)
* Jeff Coopwood (Star Trek: First Contact, Beverly Hills, 90210, The Wild Thornberrys, Seinfeld, The Bold and the Beautiful)
* Dann Florek (Law & Order, LA Law)
* Lillian Gish (Follow Me Boys and a number of silent movies; Broadway revivals of Uncle Vanya)
* Ron Glass (Firefly, Serenity)
* Robert Hegyes (Welcome Back Kotter)
* Don Knotts (The Incredible Mr. Limpet, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, Pleasantville, The Andy Griffith Show, Three's Company)
* Sondra Locke (Willard, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Every Which Way but Loose, Sudden Impact)
* Burt Mustin (Miracle on 34th Street, All in the Family, Petticoat Junction, Mame, Leave it to Beaver)
* Olaf Odegaard, American artist and playwright
* Eugene O'Neill (Playwright, Long Day's Journey into Night, The Iceman Cometh, A Moon for the Misbegotten)
* Bill Pullman (Independence Day, Newsies, Spaceballs)
* Stelio Savante (Ugly Betty, My Super Ex Girlfriend, What If..., Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, Corrado)
* Jimmi Simpson (Loser, Rose Red)
* Dulcé Sloan (The Daily Show, The Great North)
* Robert Taylor (Ivanhoe)
* Tennessee Williams, American playwright, author of The Glass Menagerie, and A Streetcar Named Desire.