SETC News - January/February 2020

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2020

Bimonthly Newsletter of Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.

CONTENTS

2020 SETC Convention

www.setc.org

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Feb. 26 - March 1

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Louisville, KY

SETC Convention Distinguished Career Award Page 1 Playwriting Page 2 Miscellaneous Page 3 Keynote Mary Page Nance Page 4

2020 SETC Distinguished Career Award Winner

High Schools Page 5

THE NORTH CAROLINA BLACK REPERTORY COMPANY

Teachers Institute Page 6

Professionals Page 7

Theatre Symposium Page 8

Producers of the National Black Theatre Festival

State Conventions

Jelly’s Last Jam, opening night production at the 2019 NBTF. Photo by Owens Daniels.

Pages 9 - 11

Central Office News Pages 12 - 13

2020-21 Officers Page 14

Service Connects Us

In 1979, the late Larry Leon Hamlin founded the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, the first professional black theatre company in North Carolina. In the years since then, the company has thrived, presenting not only its own acclaimed season but also a widely respected event, the National Black Theatre Festival, since 1989.

Page 15

Miscellaneous Page 16

NEWS SUBMISSIONS Deanna Thompson, Editor deanna@setc.org

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Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.

SETC celebrates that rich history with the presentation of its Distinguished Career Award to the organization at the 2020 SETC Convention. Artistic Director Jackie Alexander (right) will deliver a keynote at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. NBTF Executive Producer Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin (far right), who is Hamlin’s widow, will join Alexander for a Q&A session.

Read an interview with Jackie Alexander in a Web Extra here.

More info: www.setc.org/keynotes

2020 SETC CONVENTION: PLAYWRITING

Charles M. Getchell Award

Rachel Bykowski Explores the Roles of Mothers and Daughters

SYNOPSIS: 25 Light Years From Now In 1942, Josie and Fran’s love is tested when Fran reveals she is leaving to help the war effort with the WAAC (Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps.) Josie, unable to move past her family’s painful history with war, deserts Fran and they never speak again until Josie hears of Fran’s death in the war.

Twenty-five years later, Josie receives a letter from Fran’s grown daughter, Isabella, who found an old photo of her recently deceased mother and Josie together.

Josie sets off to meet Isabella, leaving her daughter, her life and the present behind to revisit the past one more time as she attempts to fix her broken heart from 25 years ago.

Rachel Bykowski, a playwright living in Chicago, was “surprised and re-energized” when she received the news that her play 25 Light Years From Now had won SETC’s 2020 Charles M. Getchell Award.

An accomplished writer who earned her BFA in playwriting from the Theatre School at DePaul University and her MFA from Ohio University, Bykowski says she writes to explore the many facets of the female identity. Her goal when she began 25 Light Years From Now was to create a play about mothers and daughters.

Rachel Bykowski

Could You Be SETC’s Next Getchell Award Winner?

Scripts are accepted from “Recently with my writing, I have been March 1 until June 1. drawn to the idea of legacy and how Details: www.setc.org/ women contribute to legacies in their getchell-new-play-contest families,” Bykowski said. “I’m especially drawn to matriarchies and mother/daughter relationships. I feel in the old canon of plays, we heard about fathers and sons shaping their heritage, and the women were often relegated to the kitchens or tucked neatly away in living room corners giving advice and side commentary. I wanted to write a play about women being in the forefront, out of the house, going on adventures and creating their own paths.”

Bykowski is looking forward to attending the SETC Convention in Louisville, KY, where 25 Light Years From Now will receive a reading on Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. (Check your convention program for the location.)

Bykowski is no stranger to SETC. She won the 2019 SETC/Stage Rights Ready to Publish Award last year for Rev. (See Page 3 for details on purchasing that script at the 2020 SETC Convention.)

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Read an interview with Bykowski in a Web Extra here.

More info: www.setc.org/getchell www.setc.org

January / February 2020

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SETC CONVENTION: MISCELLANEOUS

Finalists Named in Ready to Publish Award Competition This year, 212 playwrights submitted entries for the Ready to Publish Award sponsored by SETC and Stage Rights.

Ten finalists have been chosen, and one lucky winner will be announced Jan. 13, 2020, via social media and on the SETC website.

Free Headshots

at SETC Convention

Stage Rights, one of the leading independent theatrical publishers in the United States, teamed with SETC beginning in 2016 to offer this award, dedicated to developing, publishing and licensing new works by members of the SETC community. s

Finalists for the 2020 Ready to Publish Award Light Delay, by Jessica Andrewartha A Singular They, by Aliza Goldstein Boy with the Wooden Heart, by Ben McElroy Persephone, by Kristen Palmer The Death of Robin Hood, by J. S. Puller A Punchline, by Michael Schwartz Tumbleweed, by Marcus Scott Woke, by Avery Sharpe Art Is Useless When You Are Being Mauled by a Bear, by Alisa Tangredi The Veils, by Hope Villanueva

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SETC strives to set you up for success!

So, we are excited to announce that Hello Headshots will be at this year’s convention in Louisville. Hello Headshots provides modern, approachable headshots with instant delivery to your e-mail address. This service is available to all convention attendees – and it’s free! Working in the theatre business, we all need quality headshots for resumes, playbills and websites. Look for Hello Headshots in the Exhibit Hall in Commercial Exhibits.

The winner will receive a $400 royalty advance and the opportunity to have their play read at the 2020 SETC Convention, published in the Stage Rights catalog of plays and musicals, and prominently displayed in final published form in the Stage Rights booth at the 2021 SETC Convention. The winner also will receive 2020 convention registration.

Don’t Miss the Reading of the 2020 Winner

This year’s winning play will have a reading at the 2020 SETC Convention in Louisville, KY, on Friday, Feb. 28, at 4:30 p.m. (Check your convention program for the location.) s

Want to Buy a Copy of the 2019 Winning Script?

Rev, the winning play in the 2019 SETC/Stage Rights Ready to Publish Award contest, will be available for purchase at Stage Rights’ booth in the Exhibit Hall at this year’s SETC Convention. Rev was written by Rachel Bykowski, winner of SETC’s 2020 Charles M. Getchell Award. (Read more on Bykowski, Page 2.) Previous winning scripts are also available for purchase through Stage Rights.

More info: info: www.setc.org/ready-to-publish www.setc.org/upcoming More www.setc.org

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2020 SETC CONVENTION: KEYNOTE

MARY PAGE NANCE Thursday Keynote Speaker

Show Up as Your Authentic Self Mary Page Nance, an actress who grew up in Richmond, VA, and went on to perform on Broadway, will share her story and her advice for emerging artists at a Wednesday night pizza party for high school students and in a Thursday keynote at the 2020 SETC Convention in Louisville, KY.

KEYNOTE: 2:30 - 3:45 p.m.

Feb. 27, 2020 PIZZA PARTY/ MASTERCLASS for high school students: 5:15 - 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 26, 2020 HIGH SCHOOLS, PLEASE RSVP!

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Read more about Nance, including her early years in Richmond, how she moved to New York, and what she’s working on now in a Web Extra here.

Nance, who was in the original casts of Finding Neverland and Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 on Broadway and toured the country with the first national company of Bright Star, made her Broadway debut in Finding Neverland.

“I was very lucky to be a part of the project from its inception stage, following it from a New York workshop, to an out-of-town in Boston at A.R.T., all the way to Broadway,” she said. “I was in the ensemble, so I had many roles! My favorite was perhaps a role/name I created called ‘Miriam’ who was the costume mistress at The Duke of York Theater. I even had a comedic bit part with Kelsey Grammer that I cherished performing every night.”

Her brief advice for those who aspire to perform on Broadway:

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Surround yourself with people who are better than you. Let that inspire you to work your buns off, especially focusing on everything you are worst at.

Be everywhere. Show up to everything. Never stop taking class. Do everything that scares you; it will make you grow.

Put your OWN work out there. Do not wait for someone to give you permission to make work and/or show your work. Create your own opportunities.

Always have a great attitude and be game for anything (as long as it’s safe)! Be nice to EVERYONE. You never know what PA might cast you in a Broadway show one day.

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And the No. 1 most important thing is: Show up as your authentic self, always.

Don’t try to be anyone you are not. Trust me, it does not work out in the end.

Represent who you are in the room and on stage, and you will be amazed at the power it has.

More info: www.setc.org/keynotes

www.setc.org

January / February 2020

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2020 SETC CONVENTION: HIGH SCHOOLS

130-Plus Schools Recruit at SETC Convention AUDITIONING FOR UNDERGRAD SCHOOL? Take advantage of two Wednesday night workshops just for you!

Prepare Your SETC Undergrad Audition with the Accompanist Wednesday, Feb. 26 , 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Meet Undergraduate Auditions accompanist Jamey Strawn (shown above, working with an auditionee) and try out your audition on the stage where the Undergrad Auditions will be held. Jamey will help with your timing and give suggestions.

SETC continues to attract schools from across the nation to recruit students at the annual SETC Convention. Those planning to attend in 2020 include: Accademia dell’Arte American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Musical & Dramatic Academy Arcadia University Atlantic Acting School Auburn University Auburn University Montgomery Averett University Belhaven University Belmont University Birmingham-Southern College Campbellsville University Carnegie Mellon University Cedarville University Centenary University Centre College Circle in the Square Theatre School Clemson University Coker University College of Charleston Columbia College Chicago Davidson College Davis & Elkins College Dean College Dickinson College Dobbins Conservatory at Southeast Missouri State University East Tennessee State University Eastern Michigan University Emory and Henry College Flagler College Florida School of the Arts Florida Southern College Florida State University Francis Marion University Furman University Gainesville Theatre Alliance/ University of North Georgia

George Mason University Georgia Southern University Hofstra University Hollins University Huntington University Illinois Wesleyan University Indiana University Ira Brind School of Theater at the University of the Arts Jacksonville University KD Conservatory College of Film & Dramatic Arts Kent State University LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) Lee University Lees-McRae College Lipscomb University The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts Long Island University/ Post Campus Louisiana State University Louisiana Tech University Lynn University Marshall University Mary Baldwin University, American Shakespeare Center Michael Howard Studios Middle Tennessee State University Milligan College Mississippi State University Murray State University National Theater Institute at the O’Neill Center New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts New York Film Academy North Greenville University Nova Southeastern University The Ohio State University Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma State University Palm Beach Atlantic University Point Park University Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College Professional Actor Training Program at Chattanooga State Purdue University Radford University Randolph College Regent University Reinhardt University Samford University Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Sewanee: The University of the South Shorter University Slippery Rock University South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University Southern Arkansas University Southern Illinois University Carbondale Southern Union State Community College Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas Stella Adler Studio of Acting Studio School The Neighborhood Playhouse Touchstone Theatre/Moravian College Tulane University University of Alabama Birmingham University of Alabama in Huntsville The University of Alabama University of Central Florida University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music

University of Georgia University of Kentucky University of Louisville University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Memphis The University of Mississippi University of Mobile The University of Mount Union University of North Carolina Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Greensboro University of North Carolina School of the Arts University of South Carolina Aiken University of South Carolina Columbia University of South Carolina Upstate University of Southern California University of Southern Indiana The University of Southern Mississppi University of Tennessee, Knoxville Valdosta State University Villanova University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Tech University Wake Forest University Wayne State University West Virginia University West Virginia Wesleyan College Western Illinois University Western Kentucky University Wilkes University William Carey University Winthrop University The York Theatre Company

See updates to the list of schools and get more info here.

Nerves Be Gone!

Secrets to Audition Success Wednesday, Feb. 26, 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Auditioning for undergraduate school? Get last-minute audition tips from Performer Stuff’s Tiffany Wilkie in an evening that is dedicated to empowering YOU to own the audition room!

Have a Group Attending the Secondary School Festival?

Non-Members of SETC Need Tickets Anyone who is registered to attend the SETC Convention may attend performances of the SETC Secondary School Theatre Festival, which will be held at the Kentucky Center’s Bomhard Theater. However, friends and family of festival participants and the general public must purchase tickets. Ticketing information to be announced!

Ticketing for the Secondary School Theatre Festival is sponsored by:

More info: www.setc.org/convention www.setc.org

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2020 SETC CONVENTION: TEACHERS INSTITUTE

Explore Tectonic Theater Project’s Moment Work at 2020 Teachers Institute

15th Annual SETC Teachers Institute When: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wed., Feb. 26, 2020 Where: Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, KY, 2020 SETC Convention Who should attend: Middle and high school teachers who use or integrate theatre techniques into their classrooms; directors of theatre arts programs; teaching artists; and students studying to be theatre educators.

Cost: $85 (includes lunch); limited to 40 pre-registered participants CEUs: Click here for information on how to obtain CEUs for your participation.

Items to bring: Each participant is asked to bring a series of items, including props, light sources and costume pieces, that may be used during the training. Click here for more information.

Would you like to learn innovative techniques for devising a theatre production that has maximum impact and stimulates dialogue?

Join us at the 2020 Teachers Institute for Introduction to Moment Work for Educators, a daylong workshop presented by Tectonic Theater Project, an award-winning theatre company in New York City that is known for creating plays that have sparked national dialogue.

The Program: Moment Work Good storytelling employs much more than words. You’ll learn the techniques involved in Moment Work, Tectonic Theater Project’s collaborative method for devising theatre that uses every available element of stagecraft – sound, lights, space, text, costumes and more – to bring a story to life. In this experiential workshop designed for educators and teaching artists, participants will get an introduction to the basics of Moment Work and explore the non-text elements of the stage for their full narrative and performative potential.

The Presenter: Tectonic Theater Project Tectonic Theater Project is dedicated to developing innovative works that explore theatrical language and form and to fostering an artistic dialogue on the social, political and human issues that affect us all.

Led by founder and artistic director Moisés Kaufman, the company has created a series of plays that have sparked national dialogue and inspired artists and audiences worldwide, including Kaufman’s Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, The Laramie Project (written by Kaufman and members of Tectonic Theater Project company), Doug Wright’s Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife and Kaufman’s Tony Award-winning 33 Variations, starring Jane Fonda. In 2009, President Barack Obama invited the company to witness the signing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act at the White House, recognizing Tectonic’s contribution to the national dialogue around anti-LGBTQ hate crimes.

More info: www.setc.org/teachers-institute

www.setc.org

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PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT

Getting a Job through SETC: Charlie Meeks

EXHIBITORS: Participate in SETC’s Theatre Job Fair from Your Booth!

Are you a commercial exhibitor who would like to hire through SETC’s Theatre Job Fair? This year, for the first time, commercial exhibitors at the SETC Convention can participate in the Theatre Job Fair from their booths in the Exhibit Hall, giving them access to over 800 candidates seeking full-time and part-time work. To participate, you must pre-register

by Jan. 15.

For more details, click here and then click on ”Recruit from your Exhibit Booth!”

Actor Charlie Meeks, who has worked in theatre off and on for almost a decade, says SETC Auditions are “the main reason why I have been able to find professional contracts.”

How did you get your first role in theatre?

I started in 2010 with a production of Harvey at Northeast State Community College in Blountville, TN. My first professional contract came from Katy Brown at Barter Theatre with The Barter Players.

I worked there as a summer player, and it was one of the best and most influential experiences in my career.

How long have you been involved with SETC? I auditioned for SETC the first time in the spring of 2018. Before that, I had never auditioned for anyone I hadn’t previously met or knew about. I really think that first audition prepared me and gave me an idea of how things work for future auditions.

One of the biggest things I learned is discipline and self-motivation. At my first SETC, I only had a single monologue prepared. Just one. I didn’t plan on being called back.

I just wanted to experience it. Then, after a few callbacks, I realized I had a lot of work to do. So, now I have a few monologues always ready and at least a song to sing.

How did SETC assist you in advancing your career?

After the spring 2018 SETC Auditions, I accepted a contract with Tecumseh! outdoor drama in Ohio for the following summer. At the 2019 spring SETC, I auditioned and accepted a contract with Emerald Coast Theatre in Florida and one closely following that with a touring children’s theatre. SETC has given me the opportunity to be seen and audition for many theatres all at one time. It’s a scary, exciting and incredibly fun experience. Being able to audition with all of the other actors and actresses and being able to meet representatives from the attending theatres helped open up many doors, and it helped me focus in on where I want to work and what I want to do as a performer.

Outside of theatre, what’s the most extraordinary thing about you?

This past year, I helped build my grandparents’ dream home with a few other family members. I’m proud to say we finished the home and moved them in October 2019.

More info: www.setc.org/professional www.setc.org

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THEATRE SYMPOSIUM

Soyica Colbert to Keynote 2020 Theatre Symposium on ‘Theatre and Race’

SETC THEATRE SYMPOSIUM WHERE: Campus of Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA, Atlanta metro area

WHEN:

Weekend of April 3 - 5, 2020

SETC’s 29th annual SETC Theatre Symposium will meet over the weekend of April 3-5 at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA. Scholars from across the region, the country and the world will meet to exchange their responses to the theme of theatre and race. Soyica Colbert, the Idol Family Professor of Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences at Georgetown University, will join us as keynote speaker.

Colbert (above left) is a leading authority in the field of African American theatre and performance, and is the award-winning author of Black Movements: Performance and Cultural Politics (Rutgers, 2017) and The African American Theatrical Body: Reception, Performance and the Stage (Cambridge, 2011), and the co-editor of The Psychic Hold of Slavery (Rutgers, 2016). She is currently completing Becoming Free: An Intellectual Biography of Lorraine Hansberry and the co-edited collection Race and Performance After Repetition.

What is Theatre Symposium?

Theatre Symposium is an annual weekend conference focusing on a single scholarly topic. International attendees gather to present papers and explore the topic as a group, thus creating an intimate opportunity for the sharing of ideas, concepts and opinions. Papers that are presented may be considered for publication in SETC’s scholarly journal Theatre Symposium.

Submit Paper Proposals Soon

The deadline for proposals has been extended to Monday, Jan. 20, 2020.

Abstracts of no more than one page are solicited.

For more information about presenting a paper or attending the Theatre Symposium event, click the link below. If you have questions, contact Editor Andrew Gibb at andrew.gibb@ttu.edu.

More info: www.setc.org/theatre-symposium www.setc.org

January / February 2020

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STATE CONVENTION NEWS

Alabama Conference of Theatre

Florida Theatre Conference

Georgia Theatre Conference

Lonny Harrison

Steven H. Butler

Mary Norman

Event: ACTFest (Community Theatre Festival); State Trumbauer Theatre Festival (Secondary Theatre Festival).

Number attending: ACT Fest: 6 community theatres performed.

Trumbauer Theatre Festival: 2000+ people from over 99 schools attended.

Winners of Community Theatre Festival: The Gulf, South City Theatre, Pelham AL; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Spark Theater Company, Dothan AL. Winners of High School Theatre Festival: The Trench, Huntsville High School, Huntsville AL; The Dentist, James Clemens High School, Madison City, AL. Idea to share: Our Community Theatre Division has instituted a courtesy comp exchange system so that complimentary tickets can be shared with other members of the division. They arrange it through a Google form and put a limited number of seats aside.

Each theatre has its own set of guidelines and blackout dates. The hope is that, by seeing different theatre groups, companies can broaden their horizons while strengthening their bonds with other community theatres. The secondary division is looking to do the same thing, if possible!

Event: Annual conference.

Number attending: 2,400.

Winner of Community Theatre Festival: Just Outside the Door, Gainesville Community Playhouse, Gainesville FL. Winners of High School Theatre Festival: Radium Girls, Coral Reef High School, Miami, FL; Arkansaw Bear, Windermere High School, Windermere, FL. Idea to share: Idea 1: Our Inclusion Festival (designed to spotlight the talents of special needs arts communities) saw a record number of attendees this year. We are connecting with special needs communities who do theatre and inviting them to perform at our conference.

It is a way to bridge the gap between the community and our conference. Idea 2: Our conference presented the top two highest scorers in the SETC Screening Auditions with $200 scholarships toward their spring SETC registration.

Event: Annual conference: “A World of Wonder Awaits.”

Number attending: 1,528, including about 600 high school students, 200 middle school students and 232 screening auditionees.

Winner of Community Theatre Festival: The Lion in Winter, Dalton Little Theatre, Dalton, GA. Winners of High School Theatre Festival: Never the Sinner, Lakeside High School, Atlanta, GA; Trenches, Perry High School, Perry, GA. Idea to share: Since we used the Rylander Theatre (on Georgia’s historic register) for our awards ceremony, we hired a limo to drive attendees to the front, where they stepped onto a red carpet and had photo ops, paparazzi-style, as they entered the theatre.

State Representative

Executive Director

Executive Director

More info: www.setc.org/state-organizations www.setc.org

January / February 2020

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STATE CONVENTION NEWS

Kentucky Theatre Association

North Carolina Theatre Conference

South Carolina Theatre Association

Jeremy Kisling

Angie Hays

Kris Rau McIntyre

Event: Annual conference.

Number attending: 650.

Winners of Community Theatre Festival: Stranger, Danger, Promise, Pledge, Village Players, Ft. Thomas, KY; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Paramount Players, Ashland, KY. Winners of High School Theatre Festival: Failure: A Love Story, School of Creative & Performing Arts (SCAPA) at Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY; 2nd: James and the Giant Peach, Tates Creek High School, Lexington, KY. Ideas to share: Our Roots of the Bluegrass Playwriting Competition continues to grow, as we recognized both a fulllength play and a 10-minute piece. Unstoppable by Matt Rifenburg won the full-length competition, and the 10-minute play entry titled A Brave Man won that category. We awarded our first-ever Kathi E.B. Ellis Award for Theatre Education and Advocacy to Amy Attaway for her work with veterans and Shakespeare.

The Karen Willis Award for Social Justice Theatre went to Creative Collaborative from Berea for their work in supporting artists and their craft. We look forward to hosting you all in Louisville in February!

Events: NCTC produces 15+ events each year. Fall events include the NCTC High School Play Festival (eight regional twoday festivals, followed by the state festival), NCTC College Discovery Day, and the SETC Screening Auditions. Winter-spring events include the NCTC Theatre Admin Intensive and the NCTC Middle School Play Festival.

Number attending: We serve over 4,000 artists, administrators, students, educators and arts supporters each year.

Winner of Community Theatre Festival: None held.

Winners of High School Theatre Festival: Ernest and the Pale Moon, Sanderson High School, Raleigh, NC; Ernest and the Pale Moon, Watauga High School, Boone, NC. Idea to share: We have invested in the development of future theatrical designers and technicians through a scholarship program that is part of the NCTC High School Play Festival.

Partnering with Barbizon, we award 16 talent-based scholarships at our regional high school festivals, allowing students to attend NCTC College Discovery Day free of charge and present their work to more than 25 college theatre programs.

Event: Annual conference.

Number attending: 912 convention attendees; 26 high schools; 2 community theatres.

Winner of Community Theatre Festival: The 39 Steps, Market Theatre Company, Anderson, SC. Winners of High School Theatre Festival: Murder of Crows, J. F. Byrnes High School, Duncan, SC; Haiku, Sumter High School, Sumter, SC. Idea to share: Our state’s Unified Auditions and Tech Interviews in Greenville, SC, for professional and community theatres across the state have grown so much that we had to add a day for young actors! Our fourth annual event will be on Saturday, February 22 (ages 15 and up) and Sunday, February 23 (under 15). Tech interviews will happen throughout both days.

Additionally, our Theatre for Youth Division’s annual festival for elementary and middle school students has been a huge success.

State Representative

Executive Director

State Representative

More info: www.setc.org/state-organizations www.setc.org

January / February 2020

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STATE CONVENTION NEWS

Tennessee Theatre Association

Virginia Theatre Association

West Virginia Theatre Association

Rex Knowles

Chelsea Miller

Gregory Mach

Event: Annual conference.

Number attending: 475.

Winner of Community Theatre Festival: None held.

Winners of High School Theatre Festival: 1st: Scenes from Metamorphoses, Nolensville High School, Nolensville, TN; 2nd: The Old Man and the Old Moon, Stewarts Creek High School, Smyrna, TN. Idea to share: In previous years, we offered a conference luncheon.

The luncheon was costly, not only for those attending but also for the Conference. This year we decided to forego the luncheon and offer an evening reception instead. There was no charge for the reception. Heavy hors d’oeuvres were served.

The attendance was significantly better, as were the fellowship/ networking opportunities. We scheduled an improv workshop for high school students during the reception time so that high school teachers could attend, network and socialize while their students were supervised and having fun. It was a successful change!

Event: Annual conference.

Number attending: 2,400.

Winner of Community Theatre Festival: None held.

Winners of High School Theatre Festival: Silent Sky, Lafayette High School, Williamsburg, VA; The History of Tom Jones, Jefferson Forest High School, Forest, VA. Idea to share: Workshops used to be scheduled at any time we could fit programming into a space. We had issues with members coming in late or leaving early in order to make it to other workshops they wanted to attend. This year, we did a block schedule for our workshops, and we left 15 minutes of buffer time to travel between the blocks. Attendance rates in workshops were up. Overall, it really improved the flow of the conference!

Event: Annual conference.

Number attending: Over 300.

Winner of Community Theatre Festival: None held.

Winners of High School Theatre Festival: Weasel and Crow, Wyoming East High School, New Richmond, WV; Future, Here, Jefferson High School, Shenandoah Junction, WV.

State Representative

Executive Director

State Representative

Look for the Mississippi Theatre Association report in the March/April issue of SETC News.

More info: www.setc.org/state-organizations www.setc.org

January / February 2020

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CENTRAL OFFICE NEWS

Meet Elizabeth Theodora, Membership/Technology Manager

Elizabeth is responsible for: n Managing and overseeing the SETC database and any technological needs in the Central Office. n Serving as the contact person for members when they need help with their membership and/or convention registration. n Acting as volunteer coordinator for the SETC Convention.

A native of Southern California, Elizabeth Theodora joined SETC in September 2019 as membership/ technology manager. With theatre experience in both the U.K. and the United States, she brings a special understanding of members’ needs to her position at SETC. What drew you to this job and what do you enjoy about it?

What I enjoy most about my job is getting to see how passionate people, especially young people, are about theatre and continuing to help foster that passion. I was very blessed to have an amazing stage management mentor who encouraged me, helped connect me to professional opportunities, and essentially opened a world of possibilities beyond what I had thought of when I applied to drama school. She was my SETC when I didn’t know SETC existed. SETC is and can be that encouragement and support, that connection to opportunities, and a viewfinder to the possibilities in theatre and beyond.

Are you a “theatre person”? Have you acted or been involved in productions?

Yes, I received my BA in Stage Management at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, University of London. While living in the United Kingdom, I worked as a stage manager and as personal assistant to theatre director Katie Mitchell. I also have experience in assistant directing, company management and theatre promoting.

What did you do prior to joining SETC? Before joining SETC, I served as the communications and public relations assistant for a nonprofit organization that provided crisis assistance to the working poor and the homeless.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy listening to true crime podcasts, visiting coffee shops and taking a good road trip. I also try to travel to the U.K. as much as I can to visit family and friends.

More info: Email elizabeth@setc.org www.setc.org

January / February 2020

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CENTRAL OFFICE NEWS

Meet Chris Bailey, SETC’s Communications Specialist

Chris is responsible for: n Curating the website and social media channels to help our constituents stay informed about SETC events and important membership news. n Designing graphics and publications, such as SETC’s convention program, that help SETC members navigate our services and events.

The newest member of the Central Office staff, Chris Bailey, joined SETC in December 2019 as the communications specialist. A former theatre company manager and state organization managing director, he has a passion for keeping members informed about SETC events and services that can help them reach their goals.

What drew you to SETC and this job?

SETC is a tremendous force in the theatre industry.

The opportunity to help play a part on the SETC stage was a no-brainer. I am excited to uncover the stories and successes of our membership.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

Working with the dedicated SETC staff is extremely rewarding; everyone is passionate about building careers, enhancing theatrical networks, and enabling performing arts organizations to succeed and innovate. Making that a reality is an incredible pleasure.

Are you a “theatre person”? Have you acted or been involved in productions?

I am a “theatre person”! I have paid my dues on stage, as well as behind the scenes.

I am continually amazed by the intellectual and emotional influence a performance or production can have on me. Through theatre, I have been taught so much about the world, people and how to find meaning in life.

What did you do prior to joining SETC? I am a proud graduate of James Madison University’s School of Theatre and Dance.

I helped lead the Virginia Theatre Association, an SETC state organization, as their managing director and served on their board of directors. Following my time with VTA, I managed Endstation Theatre Company, a nonprofit professional theatre in Lynchburg, VA, that is an SETC member company.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I am new to Greensboro, but as I begin to settle in, I am excited to explore and learn more about the history of the area.

More info: Email chris@setc.org www.setc.org

January / February 2020

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NEW SETC OFFICERS

Cast Your Vote for New Officers at Feb. 29 SETC Business Meeting

Jeff Gibson

Please take a few minutes to review SETC’s proposed slate of officers for 2020-21. The officers and the Nominations Committee members pictured below will be presented for a vote by SETC’s membership at the annual SETC Business Meeting at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, immediately following the keynote address in the Kentucky International Convention Center Ballroom D/E in Louisville, KY.

PR ESID ENT

2020-21 Slate of Officers

For bios of the slate of officers and the Nominations Committee members, visit www.setc.org/ leadership/ slate-ofofficers

President Maegan McNerney Azar

VP, Services Lee Crouse

VP, Administration Jack Benjamin

VP, Finance Jonathan Michaelsen

Secretary Ginger Poole

Past President Jeff Gibson

VP, States* Kris Rau McIntyre

VP, Divisions* Tom Booth

2020-21 Nominations Committee * Nominees for VP of States and VP of Divisions are submitted by the Nominations Committee.

Nominees are confirmed by the States Council and Divisions Council at the convention and presented at the SETC Business Meeting.

Chair**

** Appointed by the President following the vote at the annual SETC Business Meeting.

Rebecca Beasley

Scott Hayes

Annette Grevious

Dennis Wemm

More info: www.setc.org/leadership www.setc.org

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MEMBERS HELPING EACH OTHER

My Elevator Speech: ‘Service’ Is What Connects Us at SETC As we head into convention season, I want to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to all who make SETC the remarkable organization that it is.

Susie Prueter EX E CUTIV E D IR EC T O R

I have met lots of people over the past year in my new job, many not familiar with SETC. So, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to practice my “elevator speech” about SETC. In the beginning, I would stumble through all the amazing opportunities we have to offer, taking way more than an elevator ride to communicate it all.

Over the months, as I witnessed so many professionals and academicians willing to step up and offer their expertise, time, money, resources and goodwill, the word “service” became part of that speech and the dots connected. SETC is a “service organization for the theatre industry.” We create opportunities through service to one another. And our focus is on helping one another succeed.

Thank you for the role you play in making SETC “a service organization for the theatre industry.”

We help emerging professionals overcome their “imposter syndrome” by sharing our personal stories and the oh-so-important encouragement that they “are” and “can.”

We all have benevolent mentors in our lives/careers, and we all have the opportunity to step into their shoes and pay it forward.

There are few other organizations like SETC, where virtually all the programming and opportunity is initiated by those who come together to participate. Together, we celebrate our important work in the theatre by sharing our education, experience and connections with others.

The SETC Convention is a very special, significant event. It would not be possible without those who lead, present, hire, exhibit, coordinate, participate, manage and contribute funds. SETC is so very grateful for your collaboration and generosity.

You influence and better the industry by giving back and making our business more inclusive and accessible. It is truly the most important, significant work to be done.

Simply, thank you. Thank you, all. Thank you for serving.

More info: www.setc.org/convention www.setc.org

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MISCELLANEOUS

Connecting You to Opportunities in Theatre Nationwide

Central Office SETC 1175 Revolution Mill Dr., Studio 14 Greensboro NC 27405 336-272-3645 info@setc.org

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& Best New Venues Renovated es Favorite Sit

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Jeff Gibson President Maegan McNerney Azar VP of Administration Lee Crouse VP of Services Jonathan Michaelsen VP of Finance Rebecca Beasley Secretary Jack Benjamin Elected Past President Kris Rau McIntyre VP of States Tom Booth VP of Divisions

Congratulations to Bradley Branham, SETC‘s program manager, who was recognized as one of 15 “Meeting Professionals to Watch in 2020” in the December 2019 issue of Convention South magazine. The editors note . nners Are..

And The Wi that this award shines “a spotlight on a select group of meeting planners who have been highly recommended for applying their organizational talents, creative ideas and hard work.” As program manager, Bradley plays a major role in planning the annual SETC Convention and the National Conference on Outdoor Theatre. Click the magazine cover to read his profile.

Bradley Branham ROS MEETING PCH TO WAT IN 2020!

ADDRESS

Executive Committee

SETC Program Manager Honored for Excellence as Meeting Planner

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BY: PUBLISHED MEDIA INC. ORTH KENILW 16868 CA 91615 PO BOX HOLLYWOOD, NORTH

Susie Prueter susie@setc.org Executive Director April J’C Marshall april@setc.org Professional Theatre Cadie Burks cadie@setc.org Educational Services Clay Thornton clay@setc.org Marketing/Advertising Chris Bailey chris@setc.org Communications/Website Bradley Branham bradley@setc.org Programming Elizabeth Theodora elizabeth@setc.org Membership/Technology Nicole Francis nicole@setc.org Accounts Receivable/Payable Pat Shumate pat@setc.org General Questions Amanda Nielsen info@setc.org General Questions

Send your news to deanna@setc.org www.setc.org

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