MARCH / APRIL 2022
Bimonthly Newsletter of Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.
CONTENTS
www.setc.org
2022 SETC Convention l March 9 – 13 l Memphis, TN
SETC CONVENTION Food & Transportation Page 2
Theatre Festivals Page 3
Distinguished Career Award: Norm Lewis Page 4
Friday Keynote Page 5
Here’s the Info You Need to Hit the Ground Running at SETC 2022!
Lighting Keynote Page 6
Miscellaneous Pages 7 - 8
Interest Areas Pages 9 - 13
Leadership Initiative Page 14
SETC Grants Page 15
Emerging Artist Award Page 16
Columns Pages 17 - 18
Miscellaneous News Pages 19 - 20
NEWS SUBMISSIONS Deanna Thompson, Editor deanna@setc.org
Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.
HOW CAN I GET A PROGRAM BEFORE I ARRIVE? Both the PDF convention program and our SETC Convention App are available at convention.setc.org/app. Make your own itinerary and stay up to date on notifications throughout the convention using the app!
WHERE CAN I GET SETC’S MOBILE APP? In addition to the link above, you can find the SETC Convention App in the Google Play Store (Android devices) or in the Apple App Store (iOS devices). The app is powered by Guidebook and sponsored by Arts People, a Neon One Company.
WHERE IS THE REGISTRATION DESK IN MEMPHIS? Head to the Level 1 Main Street Lobby of the Renasant Convention Center (RCC) to find Convention Registration. You can pick up your convention packet there and get answers to your questions at the nearby Info Hub. Get an early start when heading to the RCC for the first time, as it will likely take SETC a little longer to get everyone safely checked in and on the go due to COVID safety protocols. Want to attend? Register on-site in Memphis!
2022 SETC CONVENTION: FOOD & TRANSPORTATION
DETAILS / FOOD / TRANSPORTATION
Renasant Convention Center Drop-offs: 255 N. Main St. Memphis, TN 38103 Parking Garage: 266 N. Front St. Memphis, TN 38103
WHERE ARE CONVENTION EVENTS BEING HELD? Workshops and most events are being held in the newly renovated Renasant Convention Center (RCC) (above) and its two connected venues: the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts and the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel. The Community Theatre Festival is being held at the University of Memphis. (See Page 3 for details.)
WHERE CAN I GET FOOD/DRINK IN THE CONVENTION CENTER? You can grab quick food and beverages at concession stands in several locations in the RCC: the Main Street Lobby, the Lower Level Pre-Function Area, the Level 2 PreFunction Area, and the Exhibit Hall. Please note: Outside food and beverages are not allowed in the RCC.
WHAT ARE THE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS? If you would like to explore Memphis’ famous Beale Street, its local dining options and more, you’ll find a variety of options for transportation, including: Memphis Trolley: Hop on board a vintage trolley car to explore historic downtown Memphis. Base trolley fare is $1, with a day pass available for $2. There are three lines: the Main Street Rail Line, the Riverfront Line and the Madison Line, which run at different intervals to different locations. Hours vary. The trolleys make stops near (and will take you past) notable destinations such as Beale Street, the National Civil Rights Museum, South Main Arts District, the Mississippi River, and numerous downtown Memphis hotels (hello, Peabody Ducks) and restaurants. More info here. Groove On-Demand: This app offers fast, easy, affordable rides Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Cost is just $1.25, plus 75 cents per additional rider. Download the Groove On-Demand app in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store to access the service. More info here. More info: convention.setc.org www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: FESTIVALS
FESTIVAL BASICS:
Community Theatre Festival Adjudicators
What You Need to Know Community Theatre Festival The Community Theatre Festival will be held Friday, March 11, at the University of Memphis Mainstage Theatre, 3745 Central Ave., Memphis. Secondary School Festival The Secondary School Theatre Festival will be held Thursday, March 10, and Friday, March 11, at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, which adjoins the Renasant Convention Center, located at 255 N. Main St., Memphis. Free for all registered convention attendees. See Page 4 to purchase tickets for others who wish to attend and to view more festival information. Theatre for Youth Festival The Theatre for Youth Festival will be held Thursday, March 10, in the Renasant Convention Center Ballroom A. Fringe and Ten-Minute Renasant Convention Center Ballroom A is also the location for the Fringe Festival, which will be held Thursday, March 10, and Friday, March 11, and performances in the Ten-Minute Play Festival, sponsored by Hollins Playwright’s Lab, which will be on Thursday, March 10.
Marci Duncan
Alan Litsey
University of West Florida
Birmingham-Southern College
Secondary School Theatre Festival Adjudicators
Debbie Corbin
Brooke Phillips
Keith Salter
EdTA Past President
Millard West High School
Retired Theatre Teacher
Theatre for Youth Festival Respondents
Ten-Minute Play Festival Respondent
Jason Gerhard
Rhonda Wilson
Wendy-Marie Martin
Playhouse on the Square
Star Center Theatre
Hollins University
More info: setc.org/festivals-convention www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: DISTINGUISHED CAREER
Norm Lewis: 2022 Distinguished Career Award Recipient and Saturday Keynote
Peter Hurley
SETC is pleased to present its 2022 Distinguished Career Award to Norm Lewis (he/him), who has earned multiple Tony, Emmy and SAG award nominations for his work as an actor and singer on Broadway, on TV and in film.
KEYNOTE: 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, March 12
AWARD PRESENTATION: 8 p.m. CT Saturday, March 12 SETC Awards Gala
He recently starred in Spike Lee’s critically acclaimed film Da 5 Bloods and in the groundbreaking FX series Pose. Additionally, Mr. Lewis can be seen starring in ABC’s newest series, Women of The Movement, and off-screen, his voice can be heard in the latest season of Apple TV’s animated series Central Park. He was also seen as Caiaphas in the award-winning NBC television special Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! alongside John Legend, Sara Bareilles and Alice Cooper. SETC welcomed Lewis as a keynote speaker at the 2013 SETC Convention. A year later, he made history as The Phantom of the Opera’s first African American Phantom on Broadway. He returned to Broadway in fall 2021, starring in Chicken and Biscuits at the Circle in the Square Theatre. He previously appeared in the Broadway revival of Once on This Island and as Sweeney Todd in the off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Barrow Street Theatre, receiving the AUDELCO Award for his performance. He received Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle award nominations for his performance as Porgy in the Broadway production of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Lewis has been seen on PBS in the Live From Lincoln Center productions of Showboat with Vanessa Williams, Norm Lewis: Who Am I?, New Year’s Eve: A Gershwin Celebration with Diane Reeves, as well as American Voices with Renée Fleming and the PBS specials First You Dream – The Music of Kander & Ebb and Ella Wishes You a Swingin’ Christmas. His albums The Norm Lewis Christmas Album and This is The Life can be found on Amazon.com as well as at cdbaby.com. He is a proud founding member of Black Theatre United, an organization which stands together to help protect Black people, Black talent and Black lives of all shapes and orientations in theatre and communities across the country.
More info: convention.setc.org/keynotes www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: KEYNOTE
FRIDAY KEYNOTE: Sally Cade Holmes Sally Cade Holmes (she/her), a two-time Tony Award-winning producer, will deliver the Friday keynote at the 2022 SETC Convention. Holmes is a thought leader committed to making challenging and innovative entertainment with broad appeal. She believes that brave, accessible, social justiceminded storytelling will make the world a better place.
KEYNOTE: 6 p.m. Friday, March 11
Her Broadway producing credits include two shows for which she received Tony Awards: Hadestown and The Inheritance. She also won a GLAAD Media Award for The Inheritance. Other credits include Terrence McNally’s Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Tony nomination), and Anastasia. Her OffBroadway credits include Little Shop of Horrors (Drama Desk, Drama League & Outer Critics Circle Awards) and Puffs. Past credits include Nubia (featuring the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race), Boy Gets Violent (Ars Nova’s AntFest), Summer Valley Fair (New York Musical Theatre Festival), Ryan J. Haddad’s Hi, Are You Single (2015 Hot! Festival and 2016 Under The Radar) and Here’s Hoover (directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers). Holmes spent the early part of her producing career as associate producer at Tom Kirdahy Productions (White Rabbit Red Rabbit, The Jungle, It’s Only A Play) where she was mentored by Tom Kirdahy and the late Terrence McNally. Prior to that, she served as producing associate at Williamstown Theatre Festival, where she worked on Broadway and off-Broadway productions of The Bridges of Madison County, Fool for Love, Living on Love, The Old Man and The Old Moon, and The Visit.
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She holds a master’s degree in Arts Administration with an advanced certificate in Arts Enterprise from Boston University. She received her BS in Theatre Studies with a minor in Religious Studies from the University of Evansville. Currently, she is a guest teaching artist at Furman University, where she teaches an Advanced Seminar in Creative Leadership. She is developing several new theatrical works.
Where to Find Info at the SETC Convention
Visit the Information Hub near Registration in the Renasant Convention Center Level 1 Main Street Lobby for general convention information, schedule changes, directions and Lost and Found. Go to the nearby Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau Table to learn more about restaurants, places of interest and activities in our host city.
More info: convention.setc.org/keynotes www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: MISCELLANEOUS
Don’t Miss the Design Keynote 7:30 - 9:50 p.m. CT Thursday, March 10 SETC’s 2022 distinguished designers will present a shared keynote on Thursday night during the SETC Convention in Memphis. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear advice from scenic designer Narelle Sissons, costume designer Oana Botez and lighting designer María-Cristina Fusté.
María-Cristina Fusté Is Lighting Design Keynote at 2022 SETC Convention María-Cristina Fusté (she/her) will deliver the lighting design keynote and serve as adjudicator for the Lighting Design Competition at the 2022 SETC Convention in Memphis. She is the recipient of a Princess Grace Award in 2018 and Atlanta’s Suzi Bass Award in 2016 and 2017 for Outstanding Lighting Design on a Musical. Fusté’s career in lighting design includes credits in New York, her native Puerto Rico and major cities in the U.S., Bolivia, Colombia, México and the Dominican Republic. She is also the founder and executive artistic director of Boundless Theatre Company. She served as associate lighting designer for Jagged Little Pill on Broadway in 2021. Her regional theatre credits include: American Mariachi (Dallas Theatre Center/ Goodman Theatre), Airness (Geva Theatre Center, NY) Children of Eden (Aurora Theatre, GA), Sweat (People’s Light Theater, PA), Anna in the Tropics (Colorado Springs Performing Arts Center), In The Heights (Westport Country Playhouse, CT). Fur, Mud, and The Conduct of Life (Boundless Theatre Company, NYC), ABIGAIL/1702 and The Heath (MRT, MA). Fusté earned a BA in theatre from the University of Puerto Rico and an MFA in lighting design from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
2022 Ready to Publish Award Winner Announced Small Jokes About Monsters by Steven Strafford has been chosen as the winner of the 2022 SETC/Stage Rights Ready to Publish Award. Strafford will attend the 2022 SETC Convention, where a panel reading of the play will be held at 4 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11. The SETC/Stage Rights Ready to Publish Award is a joint program of SETC and theatrical publisher Stage Rights that is dedicated to developing, publishing and licensing new works. In addition to the panel reading of the play, Strafford received: • Publication of the play in the Stage Rights catalog of plays and musicals • Prominent display of the final published play by Stage Rights at the 2023 SETC Convention • $400 to support travel expenses to attend the SETC Convention • SETC Convention registration and one-year membership For information on submitting a play to the 2023 contest, click here.
More info: convention.setc.org www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: MISCELLANEOUS
PROFESSORS, PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS: Southern Theatre Magazine Seeks Writers, Editorial Board Members Would you like to be a member of the Editorial Board of Southern Theatre, SETC’s award-winning magazine? CLEARING A PATH Tony Award Winner Corey Mitchell on His Career, Educating Black Students
OPENING DOORS Professional Theatres Partner with HBCUs
GETTING A JOB IN 2022 Advice from Professional Company Reps
PANDEMIC PRODUCTIONS
To learn more, make plans to attend the session, “Become a Writer or an Editorial Board Member for Southern Theatre Magazine,” at 8 a.m. CT, Friday, March 11. This session will be held in person but also will be accessible virtually. Details on how to participate virtually will be available at convention.setc.org/programs/ virtual-options once the convention has begun.
2 & 2 C IN Tr oll S ain e ID g D in e, E ir g U : ec P n to ro iv ry gr er am sit y
Embracing Media and Collaboration
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Several slots will open later this year as members’ terms on the Editorial Board expire. If you have an interest in serving on the board or writing for the magazine, this is a great time to get involved. We are especially seeking to add additional diverse voices to the Editorial Board.
Volume LXIII Number 1 • Winter 2022 • $8.00
SECONDARY SCHOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL NOTES Who Needs a Ticket? Anyone attending the Secondary School Theatre Festival who is not a registered convention attendee must purchase a ticket to attend. Tickets are available only online. Click here to see the schedule and purchase tickets, or use the QR code below. Ticketing sponsored by Arts People, a Neon One Company.
Get a T-Shirt, Explore Schools at Secondary School Festival The 2022 Secondary School Theatre Festival not only provides an opportunity to watch excellent performances, but also is a chance for high school students to walk away with free T-shirts and additional information about undergraduate schools that are recruiting at the SETC Convention. Schools will toss T-shirts into the crowd 10 minutes before each block of performances at the festival. Here is a sampling of the schools that are participating: American Academy of Dramatic Arts Middle Tennessee State University University of Mississippi University of Kentucky
More info: convention.setc.org www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: MISCELLANEOUS
Are You Bringing Your Children to the Convention? SETC’s Women in Theatre Committee (WiT) has partnered with the Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL) to create a Family Room at the SETC Convention. It includes: • a space to breastfeed/pump. • a play space (supervision required). • a Pack N Play (supervision required). • a changing pad. Located in RCC LL Show Manager Office, it is open 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 9 - 11; and 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, March 12. A responsible adult must be with children at all times.
Attend the Farm Theater’s SETC Podcast! Join us for The Farm Theater’s podcast series, Bullpen Sessions, which will be producing live at the SETC Convention. You are invited to watch as host Padraic Lillis leads conversations with Narelle Sissons, Sally Cade Holmes, Adanma O. Barton and Jim LeBrecht. “Bullpen Sessions” feature interviews with working theatre professionals geared toward providing information to early-career artists and those who train/support them.
LOCATION: Renasant Convention Center Sheraton Boardroom Second Floor Mezzanine Level Seating is limited, so arrive early!
THE PODCAST: To listen to the interviews later, look for Bullpen Sessions wherever you get your podcasts.
SCHEDULE: THURSDAY, 2 p.m. CT Narelle Sissons (In Person) Distinguished Scenic Designer FRIDAY, NOON CT Sally Cade Holmes (In Person) Friday Keynote Tony Award-Winning Producer FRIDAY, 2 p.m. CT Adanma O. Barton (Via Zoom) SETC VP of Equity and Inclusion SATURDAY, NOON CT Jim LeBrecht (Via Zoom) Thursday Keynote Sound Designer, Filmmaker & Disability Rights Activist Also check the Bullpen Sessions schedule on Thursday, March 10, for a pre-recorded interview with Rowen Haigh, chair, SETC’s Women in Theatre Interest Group
More info: convention.setc.org www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: INTEREST AREAS
What’s Happening in Your Interest Area? Interest area meetings can be attended in person or virtually. Check your convention program or app for details on these and other events.
ACTING
APPLIED THEATRE
Kody Jones, Chair
Tenika Dye Burgess, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: This is the year of Shakespeare workshops, from analyzing text to new ways of physicalizing stylistic language and everything in between! WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Other exciting workshop options this year include “Voice Over Character Creation,” “Out There Alone, Devising Solo Performance” and an applied Meisner workshop. OUR MEETING: Our Acting Interest Group meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10, in the Sheraton Azalea Room. Please stop by inperson or virtually. We would love to see you!
DON’T MISS THIS: “Celebrating Community on the World’s Smallest Stage.” WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Offerings include “Drama Therapy as a Career Option,” “Teaching Artistry 101: Onstage in the Classroom,” and “Performing Architecture: STEAM Collaboration, Engineering and the US Army.” OUR MEETING: Applied theatre typically occurs in community, educational, therapeutic or service settings, often with marginalized groups. Join us for our interest group meeting at 10:30 a.m. CT, Thursday, March 10.
ARTS ADMINISTRATION
BLACK THEATRE
Paul B. Crook, Chair
Brian Martin (left), Yolanda Williams, Co-Chairs
DON’T MISS THIS: Tony Award-winning producer Sally Cade Holmes is our Friday keynote speaker! Ms. Holmes has won two Tonys: as producer for Hadestown and The Inheritance. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: “Theatre and Local Government,” Noon CT, Thursday, March 10; “Building Sustainable Memberships,” 3:30 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10; “Maximize Legacy Giving,” Noon CT, Friday, March 12. “Defining your Digital Brand,” 9 a.m. CT, Saturday, March 12; “Advocacy Messaging,” Noon CT, Saturday, March 12. OUR MEETING: Don’t miss the Arts Administration Interest Group meeting at 2 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10.
DON’T MISS THIS: “For Colored Girls Who Love Heightened Text.” Can characteristics of the Ancient Greeks and Shakespeare apply to Black playwrights? Redefining our ideas about what qualifies as heightened text is especially important as we look at redefining the classics. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: “From Africa to Broadway: Dancing the Connection.” This high-energy workshop introduces African and Black vernacular dances that are permeating Broadway productions. OUR MEETING: All who identify as part of the Black Diaspora are welcome to attend the Black Theatre interest group meeting at 9 a.m. CT, Friday, March 11.
More info: convention.setc.org/app www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: INTEREST AREAS
What’s Happening in Your Interest Area? Interest area meetings can be attended in person or virtually. Check your convention program or app for details on these and other events.
BIPOC/GLOBAL MAJORITY
COLLEGE/ UNIVERSITY
Robert Shryock, Co-Chair
Kevin P. Kern, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: We invite BIPOCidentified SETC members and convention attendees to join us for the second annual meeting of the BIPOC/Global Majority Theatre Persons Interest Group. The structure and purpose of this interest group will be impacted by the attendees of this meeting and the ideas, questions and concerns that arise. We hope to create a supportive space that cultivates listening and sharing about BIPOC needs, wants and experiences – both in the professional/academic sectors and within SETC itself. OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at 5 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11.
DON’T MISS THIS: Professor Jessica Morgan, Professor Cara Rawlings and Dr. Ayisha Mackie-Stephenson will present “Bringing Consent and Boundaries Into the Classroom.” This important workshop, led by three intimacy coordinators, will focus on the practice of discussing consent and boundaries in the classroom. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Be on the lookout for “PostCOVID Pedagogy: Changing How We Teach” as well as “Sleep, Study, Laundry: Sustainable Production Practices in Education.” OUR MEETING: Join us at 7 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11, for our interest group meeting, sponsored by Concord Theatricals and Barbizon Lighting.
DESIGN/TECH Emily Strickland Schafer (left), Matt Leckenbusch, Co-Chairs
DIRECTING
DON’T MISS THIS: Be sure to catch the Distinguished Designers’ Keynote at 7:30 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10, with a Q&A to follow. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Check out the Design South presentation in your area of focus and the guest designers’ adjudications of entries in the Design Competition. Please see the conventon program or app for dates and times. OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest area group meeting at 10:30 a.m. CT, Saturday, March 12. We will discuss the current and upcoming conference.
DON’T MISS THIS: “Directing with a Collaborator’s Heart!” Learn how to create a safe space and best practices for welcoming all perspectives. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Learn strategies for staging with “Downstage Right, Roger That! Staging with Toy Soldiers” and creating a vision with “Theory as Production Style.” OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at 10:30 a.m. CT, Friday, March 11. From novice to expert, all directors are welcome!
Molly Claassen, Chair
More info: convention.setc.org/app www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: INTEREST AREAS
What’s Happening in Your Interest Area? Interest area meetings can be attended in person or virtually. Check your convention program or app for details on these and other events.
DISABILITY & INCLUSION
FAITH AND THEATRE
HIST/THEORY/ CRIT/LIT
Johannah Maynard Edwards, Chair
Scott Hayes, Chair
Sarah McCarroll, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: “The Theatre Artist’s Identity.” This panel, with professional artists of faith, answers questions about work pitfalls and strategies for remaining true to yourself. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: “Magic in the Mundane,” which will discuss how social media impacts the stories we tell and how we tell them, is intended to provide inspiration and motivation for creating original theatre. “Artifacts of Oberammergau” will allow participants to learn about and handle artifacts related to the 387-year-old production. OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at noon CT, Friday, March 11.
DON’T MISS THIS: Join scholars from around the region and country at the “Highlights of Theatre Symposium” session at 10:30 a.m. CT, Friday, March 11. This presentation of research focuses on the most recent Symposium topic: Theatre and Politics. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Join us for the Young Scholars paper presentations at 9 a.m. CT, Saturday, March 12, and see what the best of undergraduate and graduate research has to offer. OUR MEETING: Our interest group meeting is at 2 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11. All are welcome to join the conversation about topics you would like to see explored at upcoming conventions.
DON’T MISS THIS: “Confronting the ISMS: Bias in Theatre/Theatre Education” at 5 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11. Come consider the biases we hold, how they manifest in our work, and how to make improvements. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: “Audio Description for Theatre,” online only. Audio description is a fantastic way to make any theatre experience more universally accessible! OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at 3:30 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10.
LGBTQ+ Devario Simmons (left), Ella Mock, Co-Chairs
DON’T MISS THIS: LGBTQ+ in Theatre Interest Group Meeting! WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Check out “Yes, and – No: Improv and Consent,” “Making Socially Conscious Theatre: A Conversation” (presented virtually only), “Language in the Costume Fitting: Preventing Body Shaming,” and “Costume Shop Practices for Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion.” OUR MEETING: Join us for the LGBTQ+ interest group meeting at 10:30 a.m. CT, Saturday, March 12.
More info: convention.setc.org/app www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: INTEREST AREAS
What’s Happening in Your Interest Area? Interest area meetings can be attended in person or virtually. Check your convention program or app for details on these and other events.
MOVEMENT & PHYSICAL THEATRE
MUSICAL THEATRE & DANCE
Jason Paul Tate, Chair
Susan McCormack Pike, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: ”Beginner Body Positive Burlesque.” Seek to break down barriers between your brain and body by embracing the body we live in and understanding how to see ourselves as sensual and creative creatures. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: “Juggling 101,” “Motion Capture Performance,” “Space: The Final Frontier,” “Dramaturging Artistic Approaches to Adaptation Through Movement,” “Movement Playground: Teachers Teaching Teachers (and Everyone Else!)” OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at 9 a.m. CT, Saturday, March 12.
DON’T MISS THIS: The Musical Theatre Committee petitioned to have dance workshops included in our interest area committee. We are now the Musical Theatre & Dance Committee. Check out new workshops, including “Folk Dancing,” “Fabulous Fosse” and “From Africa to Broadway.” WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Enjoy a wide variety of workshops, including “Rock ‘n Role: Acting the Pop-Rock Song” and “Musical Theatre Coaching Sessions.” OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at 5 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11.
PLAYWRITING Lauren Brooke Ellis, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: The Getchell New Play reading of A Complicated Hope by John Mabey at 7 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11. It is an extraordinary and deeply moving look at grief and the power of new works. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: The TenMinute Play Festival and the two meetings of the Playwright’s Corner are great opportunities for community and sharing your work! OUR MEETING: Join us for the Playwriting interest group meeting at 1:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, March 12.
SMALL THEATRE PROGRAM Starr Garrett, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: “High Wire Fire Juggling: Small Program Script Selection” at 2 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Check out “How To Grow Your Theatre Department Post-COVID” at 7 p.m. CT, Wednesday, March 9. OUR MEETING: Join us for the Small Theatre Program interest group meeting at 1:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, March 12.
More info: convention.setc.org/app www.setc.org
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2022 SETC CONVENTION: INTEREST AREAS
What’s Happening in Your Interest Area? Interest area meetings can be attended in person or virtually. Check your convention program or app for details on these and other events.
STAGE MANAGEMENT Karen Baker, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: We are excited for the return of the Stage Management Games at 7 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10. Participants will test their skills in five events and a finalist round. Sign-up sheet will be available a half hour before the start. Spectators are invited to cheer on their favorite stage manager. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Check out “How to Stop a Show” with Matt Stern, founder of the Broadway Stage Management Symposium, and “Implementing CHANGE Into Practice as an Entertainment Professional” with Elynmarie Kazle, chair of the Stage Managers’ Association, and Jo Chaloub. OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at 10:30 a.m. CT, Saturday, March 12. www.setc.org
STUDENT & EMERGING ARTISTS
VOICE/SPEECH
Mia Self (left), Kyla Kazuschyk, Co-Facilitators
Ryan Long, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: If you are a student or emerging artist with questions and/or ideas about the convention or about your career, please join us for the Student and Emerging Artists Convention Blastoff! from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. CT, Wednesday, March 9. WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: All are welcome to join us for a casual, informal, dropin and say hi MIXER! at 8:30 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10! OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at 2 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11. Bring feedback, complaints and ideas. All are welcome!
DON’T MISS THIS: Connect with industry professionals at “Who Is VASTA & How Can We Help?” Accent workshops, a perennial favorite, are also back with some new offerings – Kenyan English and Scottish! WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: “Use Your Voice to Create Characters” on Thursday, March 10, “Shake Up the Bard with Sound and Movement” on Friday, March 11, and “Expand Your Vocal Resonance” on Saturday, March 12! OUR MEETING: Let your voice be heard at our interest group meeting at 2 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 10.
WOMEN IN THEATRE Rowen Haigh, Chair
DON’T MISS THIS: The Women in Theatre Committee and PAAL, the Parent Artist Advocacy League, are proud to offer the 2022 Family Room to support families with kids at convention! WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE: Come connect with the Women in Theatre community at our mixer from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11. Allies welcome. OUR MEETING: Join us for our interest group meeting at 3:30 p.m. CT, Friday, March 11.
More info: convention.setc.org/app March / April 2022
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LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE
Introducing the SETC Leadership Initiative 2.0 Building off of a program that started in 2004, this new SETC Leadership Initiative is kicking off with goals to repair relationships and expand our organization. We understand the importance of having diverse voices to inform our vibrant future, and we acknowledge that we have made missteps in the past by assuming that people would know how to get involved in our organization’s leadership. We are committed to improvement, and this program is designed to include more diverse bodies and voices in our governance. The goals of this program are to provide opportunities to future or current leaders in the theatre industry who have an interest in developing their own leadership skills while gaining a broader perspective of SETC’s structure and processes, and to encourage broader participation in leadership from historically marginalized constituents. Below are the seven participants in the 2022 Leadership Initiative:
Interested in future cohorts? Email SETC President Maegan Azar or Nominations Chair Shannon Robert.
Keyanna “Key” Alexander
DeAndra Kaye Busby
Dr. Madia Cooper-Ashirifi
Associate Artistic Director, Women’s Theatre Festival
Director of Programming, Oxford Performing Arts Center, Oxford, AL
Chair and Professor of Dance, Brenau University Gainesville, GA
PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE: Jordan Clodfelter Technical Director, Kenan Theatre Company, UNC Chapel Hill
Javon Johnson
Elizabeth Watkins
Chalethia Williams
Javon Johnson Productions; Founding Director of Bear Fruit Conservatory; Founding Ensemble Member of Congo Square Theatre
Theatre Arts Teacher, W.G. Sanders Middle School, Columbia, SC
Coordinator, Theatre Program, Miles College, Fairfield, AL
More info: www.setc.org www.setc.org
March / April 2022
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SETC GRANTS
SETC Grants Benefit Professional Companies, Artists SETC offers: 1) Convention Grants to help non-member professional theatres attend a convention; 2) Staffing Development Matching Grants to provide SETC member non-academic professional theatres with money to assist in hiring staff to support existing programs or develop new ones; and 3) Betsey Horth Arts Administration Grants to help theatre artists or groups further develop leadership/management skills. Meet the 2022 winners below. ,CONVENTION CITY, GRANT: Upstream Theater, St. Louis, MO “This time of re-emergence at SETC is a great chance to build new connections. We are certain there’s much for us to learn, and hope, too, that we might be of service to the organization. In turn, we would like to share our experience championing new – and especially international – plays, as well as any insights gleaned from our long history of inclusive casting.” CONVENTION GRANT: Actor’s Express, Atlanta, GA “The convention can offer us strategies that will help us to mature as an organization, where our performance both on and offstage is collaborative, creative and inclusive. We would like both our artists and our staff to learn, grow and be confident in their work. At SETC, we hope to collaborate with and learn from other professionals who are implementing anti-racism into their strategic planning and the tactics they are using to be successful.” STAFFING DEVELOPMENT GRANT: The Prizery, South Boston, VA “This grant supports The Prizery in hiring two intern assistant stage managers and one assistant scenic and props design intern to help the shows and assist the production stage manager. The Prizery hopes to expand and improve our SummerStock Theatre Festival by bringing in and training the next generation of theatre professionals. This funding would assist us in hiring and developing a total of three interns for The Prizery’s SummerStock Theatre Festival.” STAFFING DEVELOPMENT GRANT: Playhouse on the Square, Memphis, TN “Playhouse on the Square is a professional regional theatre company producing 14 - 18 shows on 3 stages and 13 educational and outreach programs each year. Our Associate Company (formerly called Intern) Program consists of 18 paid positions, 9 for actors and 9 for production and administration. This grant helps to fund one of our admin/front of house Associate Company positions.” BETSEY HORTH ARTS ADMINISTRATION GRANT: Joe Sendek, Perry, GA “This grant will open the doors for myself as a puppet designer/builder, for my students, and for my theatre community. The instruction from the Stan Winston School of Character Arts and Adam Kreutinger will provide me with a greater depth of knowledge as a puppet designer and builder. My goal is always to express my creativity, share my knowledge, and, most importantly, inspire a new group to explore something they have never tried before.” More info: click here www.setc.org
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NEW EMERGING ARTIST AWARD
The Namesake The awards are named in honor of Mabel P. Robinson, a Broadway/ television/film veteran, educator and former artistic director of NC Black Rep. Upon hearing about the creation of the awards, Ms. Robinson shared, “I’m truly humbled and honored to have my name attached to an award that will allow new emerging artists to be exposed to people, organizations and events that will direct them to the right and positive opportunities. These opportunities will enhance and help them to strengthen the art form in which they are interested. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
How to Apply To level the playing field, there will be no application fees. Auditions/application materials will be submitted virtually, and travel/housing/ per diems will be provided. Applications are being accepted now through March 31, 2022. Applicants must be 18 or older and do not need to be currently enrolled in an educational institution. Learn more and apply here. www.setc.org
Applications Are Now Being Accepted: The Mabel P. Robinson Emerging Artist Awards SETC’s most recent award offering is through a partnership with NC Black Rep and the Black Theatre Network (BTN). The Mabel P. Robinson Emerging Artists Awards will present six scholarships to acting, directing, and design students (two in each discipline) to attend the 2022 National Black Theatre Festival (NTBF), the 2023 SETC Convention and the 2023 Black Theatre Network Conference. These events introduce students to industry veterans, provide professional experience and present audition opportunities for graduate schools and summer stock theatres. SETC’s yearly conference provides students opportunities to audition for undergraduate and graduate academic programs across the country, along with summer stock theatre opportunities. SETC Executive Director Susie Prueter feels this program is an important step for the organization, commenting, “SETC is privileged to partner with the North Carolina Black Repertory Company and the Black Theatre Network to offer training, networking, resources and employment opportunities for emerging Black theatre artists. It is sadly evident that Black theatre artists are under-represented in the industry at large, both on and off stage. It is imperative that we center these emerging Black professionals and their potential … taking action for better representation, tearing down barriers to participation, creating clear employment entry, and offering supportive mentorship beyond. In addition to opportunities at NC Black Rep and BTN, SETC will be persuasive in encouraging and financially supporting its professional company constituents to hire these emerging Black artists through its Ready to Direct and Ready to Design programs, Professional Auditions, and Staffing Development Matching Grants. We’re grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for approving a grant in the amount of $10,000 to support this project. SETC looks forward to encouraging and following the careers of the first Mabel P. Robinson Emerging Artist Award winners.” BTN, a longtime NC Black Rep collaborator, allows students to be introduced to the best and brightest of the Black Theatre Academic Community. Reflecting on the new initiative, BTN President K. Zaheerah Sultan noted, “We are thrilled to partner with NBTF and SETC by providing access to the best and the brightest scholars in theatre. The significance of this nextlevel career development training birthed on ‘Black Theatre Holy Ground’ is historical.” NC Black Rep Artistic Director Jackie Alexander believes events like these play a crucial role in a student’s career by introducing them to industry veterans and the academic/professional theatre community, allowing them to showcase their work, and providing future learning/ work opportunities. However, he realizes that economics dictate which students are allowed to experience such events, commenting, “I’ve spoken with countless instructors who bemoan the fact that many talented kids can’t capitalize on these opportunities because it’s simply too expensive; this program is our first step in attempting to rectify that dynamic.” More info: click here March / April 2022
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PERSPECTIVES
An Equitable and Just Climate Movement in Theatre: The Mission and Principles of the Broadway Green Alliance
Dillon Yruegas (he, él)
Dillon Yruegas is the asistant director of the Broadway Green Alliance.
“Perspectives” is an SETC News column where guest contributors are invited to share their diverse voices.
The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) is an industry-wide initiative that educates, motivates and inspires the entire theatre community and its patrons to implement environmentally friendlier practices on Broadway and beyond. Our principles include that it is impossible to be 100% green, you can only be greener. The climate crisis is the result of millions of decisions, and it demands action – big and small – from each of us and change results from the cumulative effect of our actions. In order to lessen the damage caused by climate change and restore our climate to historically safe levels of atmospheric CO2, we work to promote climate positive action. We must build an equitable and just climate movement and address the disproportionate effect of environmental degradation on poor and BIPOC communities. There is no climate justice without racial justice. Indigenous people globally nurture intimate relationships with the land, fostering biological diversity through ancestral knowledge on sustainable ways of life. Our communities continue to be on the front line in this fight for climate justice, from the Water Defenders dismantling oil pipelines to Land Defenders fighting for Indigenous Sovereignty, while also being the most vulnerable to the adverse effects of the climate crisis. The rights and sovereignty of Indigenous people need to be respected and highlighted in this discourse. As a person of Coahuiltecan heritage, I look back to my ancestors in seeking their knowledge on caring for the land, to the present so that we may communally integrate that knowledge into actionable steps, especially through our artistry and livelihoods, and to secure the future of the generations to come. Again, change results from the cumulative effect of our actions, and our leaders must be those whose knowledge has cared for Earth since time immemorial.
Links for more information: To connect with Indigenous communities who are leading these efforts within Turtle Island, look into the US Department of Arts and Culture, NDN Collective, and IllumiNatives. Find more resources on Climate Justice and sustainable theatre at broadwaygreen.com.
More info: see links above www.setc.org
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Gratitude, Positivity, and Hope
Maegan McNerney Azar S E TC PR ESID ENT ( she/ he r )
When discussing the upcoming convention with the Executive Committee in January, I asked everyone to name a few goals that we had for the coming months. This incredible team was quick to talk about gratitude, positivity, and hopefulness even as we were weary of the Omicron variant potentially changing plans once again. The return to an in-person convention looms large as we are searching for renewal as a nation. In 2020, when I became President of SETC, I could not have foreseen what was ahead of us as an organization. I couldn’t have anticipated the amount of change that we would all face – both in our personal lives and in our work lives, and how blurred those lines would become. I’ve used my SETC News columns over the last two years to track those changes in myself as a leader and in our work together. And those eager clues from ExCom have given me a great deal to think about in the last few months as we make our way to this time together. I am incredibly grateful to the volunteers who provide vision, dreams, and dedication to our organization. When you add up all the committees, chairs, councils, and board members, there are nearly 200 positions in our governance structure at SETC. And those positions are all filled with members who believe in our mission and want to see theatre continue to progress as an art form in our region while impacting national reaches. When you add to that mix a Central Office staff of some of the best arts administrators in the country, I’m staggered by the gratitude I feel for all the work everyone puts into this organization. I feel positive that we are making strides toward welcoming new members, reaching out to traditionally marginalized constituencies, and continually interrogating our practices to break down barriers toward acceptance. SETC is continually using conversation, reflection, and action to positively impact our membership and understand how our organization can improve. I see that consideration firsthand in our leadership as decisions are being made and new initiatives are being launched toward a more inclusive organization that recognizes the work is never done. And I am incredibly hopeful for the new year. A new slate of officers with bold vision will be installed this month. A new format to the convention that blends accessibility and time-honored tradition will launch. And a new path forward honoring the loss and grief that we all share, alongside a celebration of stories that unite and renew, will carry us forward through this next year. Hope is what carries us through, and I’ve got enough to share with you.
More info: www.setc.org/leadership www.setc.org
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MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
SETC THEATRE SYMPOSIUM WHERE: Agnes Scott College WHEN: Weekend of April 1 – 3, 2022
Registration Now Open for 2022 Theatre Symposium Register now to attend SETC’s 31st annual Theatre Symposium event the weekend of April 1 at Agnes Scott College in the greater Atlanta area. The topic is “Theatre and the Popular,” with participants addressing the relationship between theatre and the popular from multiple points of view. Keynote speakers are Dr. Meredith Conti, an associate professor of theatre at the University at Buffalo, SUNY (UB), and Dr. Janet Davis, Distinguished Teaching Professor of American studies and history at the University of Texas at Austin. Online registration closes March 28. On-site registration will be available the weekend of the event. Click here to register or get more information.
Thanks to SETC’s Contributors We send our thanks to the following individuals for contributions made to SETC from Dec. 22, 2021, through Feb. 22, 2022: Heather Baumbach Carrie Bellew Lee Blair J. Theresa Bush* Gabriela Castillo Holly Carroll Edward Cheetham Ellen Cornette Christopher Davenport Mike East Chip Egan
Daniel Ellison Christian Elser Gene Flaharty Sajal Javid Jeffrey Knaggs Jennifer Matthews Chad McDonald* Adam Miller D.S. Moon Deborah Neiheisel-DeZarn John O’Shields
Boomie Pedersen Jenni Propst Will Ragland Thomas Rodman Mia Self* Maggie Shivers Dean Slusser Katherine Taylor Dennis Wemm Roger White
* Denotes Monthly Contributor
ExCom Report by Maegan McNerney Azar SETC President
Actions taken by the SETC Executive Committee in January 2022 include: • Revised I.B-Rule 6 to detach the Fall Board Meetings from Fall Professional Auditions. • Approved the recommendation that Professional Screening Auditions will continue virtually for 2022. Full minutes are available at www.setc.org/minutes-archives
More info: www.setc.org www.setc.org
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MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
Connecting You to Opportunities in Theatre Nationwide
Central Office SETC 5710 W. Gate City Blvd. Suite K, Box 186 Greensboro NC 27407 336-265-6148 info@setc.org Susie Prueter (she/her) susie@setc.org Executive Director
2022 SETC Hall of Fame Inductees Announced Three individuals will be honored as members of the SETC Hall of Fame at the 2022 SETC Convention. Established by SETC in 2015, the Hall of Fame recognizes persons, living or deceased, who have made major contributions to the organization. These may be administrative, artistic and/or financial contributions that have had a significant impact on SETC’s success over a sustained period. The honorees, listed below, will be inducted at the annual Business Meeting at 3:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, March 12.
Lee Crouse (he/him) lee@setc.org Educational Services/Sponsorships
Quiana Clark-Roland is the executive director of the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT). Prior to joining AACT, Clark-Roland served as the executive assistant and program manager for SETC from 2009 to 2017.
Clay Thornton (he/him) clay@setc.org Marketing/Advertising Bradley Branham (he/him) bradley@setc.org Programming
Ward Haarbauer is the retired founder of the University of Alabama in Birmingham theatre department. Haarbauer attended his first (of 50 consecutive SETC Conventions) in 1962, going on after that to serve in a number of SETC roles, including President in 1980-1981.
Elizabeth Theodora (she/her) elizabeth@setc.org Professional Services Lea Gilbert (she/her) louise@setc.org Membership Services Noah Taylor (he/him) noah@setc.org Graphics and Digital Media
Constance R. Smith is the director of technical theatre at the Center for Performing Arts at Chipola College in Florida. Smith has been an assistant at the SETC Theatre Job Fair since 2002, working alongside Central Office staff to streamline and improve the process.
Shameca Freeman (she/her) shameca@setc.org Development Nicole Francis (she/her) nicole@setc.org Accounts Receivable/Payable Debi Belanger (she/her) debi@setc.org Data Assistant
Executive Committee Maegan McNerney Azar (she/her) President Kris Rau McIntyre (she/her) VP of Administration Neno Russell (he/him) VP of Services Jonathan Michaelsen (he/him) VP of Finance Adanma Onyedike Barton (she/her) VP of Equity & Inclusion Ginger Poole (she/her) Secretary Jeff Gibson (he/him) Elected Past President Jeremy Kisling (he/him) VP of States Lynn Nelson (she/her) VP of Divisions
STATE CONVENTION NEWS
Mississippi Theatre Association Stacy Howell Executive Director
Event: Annual festival. Number attending: Over 600. Winners of Community Theatre Festival: Community Theatre Festival not held. Tupelo Community Theatre showcased a production, Seafarer.
Winners of High School Theatre Festival: The Old Man and the Old Moon, Oak Grove High School, Oak Grove, MS; Runner-up: Icarus, Northwest Rankin High School, Flowood, MS. More info: We held a youth social that revolved around board games, improv games and trivia, and we held a costume contest. We moved our 10-minute festival from the main festival to a regional festival format.
Send your news to deanna@setc.org www.setc.org
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