SETC News - May/June 2022

MAY / JUNE 2022

Bimonthly Newsletter of Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.

CONTENTS SETC Events Pages 1 – 3

Spring – Fall Meetings Page 4

Professionals Page 5

Convention News Page 6

Community Theatre Page 7

High School Awards Page 8

Design Awards Pages 9 – 12

Theatre Symposium Page 13

Officer Columns Pages 14 – 15

Executive Director Page 16

Miscellaneous News Page 17

Join Us for the VIRTUAL Fall Professional Auditions COMPANIES: FIND YOUR CAST! u Registration Opens: June 20 u Registration Closes: No closing date u Cost: $75: includes one representative; additional representatives are $25 each.

Organizational membership ($80) also is required.

AUDITIONEES: FIND A JOB! u Auditionee Registration Opens: June 27 u Auditionee Registration Closes: Aug. 11 u Auditions Adjudicated*: Aug. 12 – 24 u Approved Videos to Companies: Aug. 29 u Cost: $40 * Adjudication details: All video auditions will be reviewed by members of the SETC Professional Division and deemed (or not) of suitable talent to be passed on to the professional companies who trust SETC to provide them with the best, streamlined talent offering. Those that are approved will be shared with the registered professional companies. No refunds will be issued for video auditions not passed on to the professional companies.

NEWS SUBMISSIONS Deanna Thompson, Editor deanna@setc.org

Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.

www.setc.org

More info: www.setc.org/auditions

SETC EVENTS

SETC/USITT LiNK l VIRTUAL EVENT l Nov. 30 – Dec. 2

Make Plans to Attend the 9th Annual LiNK Graduate School Interviews, Auditions and Networking SETC and USITT will partner again for the ninth annual LiNK Graduate School Interviews and Auditions. Schools and prospective students will come together for auditions, interviews and networking November 30 – Dec. 2, 2022. In an effort to maintain accessibility and eliminate travel costs, the event remains virtual in 2022.

NCOT Registration Opens in July Mark your calendar, and plan to join us for the 59th National Conference on Outdoor Theatre (NCOT) in October 2022.

Each fall, theatre leaders from all backgrounds convene for a multi-day networking event where conference attendees trade insights and explore new concepts in design/technology, management and artistic approach.

Registration Opens: July 7, 2022 More information: Click here.

Offering low-cost registration, LiNK brings together numerous schools in one convenient location. In 2021, 54 graduate programs from across the United States were at LiNK recruiting for all areas of theatre study. Registration for graduate programs and for students will open in September 2022.

For more information about LiNK, visit www.setc.org/link.

WHY DO

SCHOOLS

attend the Virtual LiNK? “Great to be able to meet at our convenience in between classes and meetings. Not having to travel made it possible to interact with these students.”

- Michelle Souza, Kent State University

“Quiet interview environment; ability to look at portfolios in advance; ability to send basic institution information to candidates in advance, allowing time to talk about them in the interview.”

- Karen Kangas-Preston, Michigan State University

WHY DO

STUDENTS

attend the Virtual LiNK? “Biggest positive was getting to meet with a lot different schools without having to travel or set multiple appointments.”

- Julia M.

“I loved being able to do the event from home. It was much more affordable than an in-person/travel event would be.”

- Gavin S.

“It was set up in a very user-friendly manner, as Zoom has become a norm of communicating these days.”

- J. Oakley

“Being from the Midwest, the virtual aspect helped us to be able to see students from all over. Additionally, it allowed ALL of my colleagues to become involved in the process.”

“It was great to be able to connect with people from all over the country, and communicating with everyone through this platform also helped me better shape my thoughts on what I was looking for in a graduate program.”

- Kelly Vogel, University of Kansas

- Jean T.

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

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SETC EVENTS

Join Us in Lexington for the 2023 SETC Convention For a third year, SETC is excited to hold our annual convention in a newly remodeled convention center. SETC’s 74th convention will return to the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington, KY, on March 1 – 5, 2023. Join us in the Bluegrass region as we come together to celebrate and lift up theatre voices in the Southeast and across the country.

Lexington’s Central Bank Center recently has finished a multi-million-dollar renovation and now features: n n n n n n n n n

200,000 sq. ft. of flexible convention and event space 55,000 sq. ft. of club and flexible space 100,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, with four halls 29,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, with fourteen rooms 24,300 sq. ft. of ballroom space across three rooms State-of-the-art technical amenities On-site parking for more than 2,000 Connectors to two major hotels Location just 10 minutes from the airport, with direct flights

Lexington itself has excellent Southern cuisine within walking distance of the convention center. In your spare time, you can explore the old warehouses of Bourbon Country and dive into the rich history of Lexington at local attractions.

For more information: visitlex.com/meetings/convention-center

Present a Workshop at SETC’s 2023 Convention Do you have new concepts and approaches to theatre that you’re interested in sharing? Each year, we seek innovative programming that provides practical development for emerging and seasoned professionals alike. For a full listing of our interest areas and our guidelines, visit convention.setc.org/programs/workshop-proposals.

7-14-2022

9-1-2022

11-1-2022

12-15-2022

3-1-2023

OPENING: Noon ET, Workshop Proposal Submissions

DEADLINE: 11:59 p.m. ET, Workshop Proposal Submissions

NOTIFY BY THIS DATE: Workshop Proposals Accepted/Declined

DEADLINE: 11:59 p.m. ET, Convention Registration for All Presenters

CONVENTION: 2023 SETC Convention Begins

More info: www.setc.org www.setc.org

May / June 2022

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SETC SPRING AND FALL MEETINGS

Join Us for ExCom, Board and Committee Meetings HYBRID EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING SETC’s Executive Committee (ExCom) will meet June 5 – 8, 2022, in Greensboro, NC. A virtual option is available, and all members may attend.

Contact Bradley Branham at bradley@setc.org for meeting access.

ExCom Report

by Maegan McNerney Azar SETC President

Actions taken by the SETC Executive Committee (ExCom) and Board of Directors during meetings on March 9, 2022, in Memphis, TN, included the following: 4 Approved the August 2021 Board Meeting Minutes.

4 Approved the January 2022 ExCom Meeting Minutes.

4 Approved the fiscal year 2021 audit.

4 Revised the fiscal year 2022 budget to include staff bonuses and donation from John Spiegel.

4 Approved the fiscal year 2023 budget.

4 President Maegan McNerney Azar expressed gratitude to outgoing Board and ExCom members: Jeff Gibson, Elected Past President; Jonathan Michaelsen, VP of Finance; Rex Knowles, TN State Rep; Kathy Newman, MS State Rep; Mike Hudson, VA State Rep; Kevin Kern, CU Division Chair; Elaine Malone, Secondary Division Chair; and Laura Byland, TFY Division Chair.

Check back for full minutes at: www.setc.org/minutes-archives

VIRTUAL AUGUST EXCOM, BOARD, COMMITTEE MEETINGS This year’s Fall Board Meetings will be held in a virtual format in August 2022. All members may attend and should contact Bradley Branham at bradley@setc.org for meeting access. Board and committee members are expected to attend meetings.

Deadline is May 31 for SETC Leadership Nominations All members of SETC – student members, as well as adults – are invited to submit nominations for 2023 – 2024 SETC leadership positions. All areas and committees in SETC encourage the inclusion of different perspectives to develop the SETC community into one that more fully reflects a commitment to values of equity, diversity, access and inclusion.

Descriptions of responsibilities and an electronic version of the nomination form for elected positions can be found here. (See link at top to form and scroll down to read about responsibilities of leaders.) Watch our “Intro to Governance and Structure” video to learn more about SETC’s leadership.

Please complete this Google Form Nomination or submit your nominations to Nominations Chair Shannon Robert at srobertwcc@yahoo.com.

Submission deadline is May 31, 2022.

Thanks to SETC’s Contributors We send our thanks to the following individuals for contributions made to SETC from Feb. 23, 2022, through March 31, 2022: Steffan Ardis Brandon Baggin MaKenna Berka J. Theresa Bush* Calian Byard Gary Cadwallader Camille Coloratura Awards Maine State Music Theatre Michael Daddario Pat Gagliano Dustin Hageland Caitlin Hairr

Caesar’s Ford Theatre, Inc. Victoria Harden Jake Heath Rebecca Huguet Seth Jones Harold Katkov Benjamin Lannak Lauren Leppke Francesca Martinez Chad McDonald* Yonder Window Theatre Company Marcus McIntyre

Evan Oslund Pike Road Theatre Company Alexandra Reagan Neno Russell Dory Scott Mia Self* Dean Slusser Khalil Smith Logan Taylor Sarah Tuverson Daniel White Ayden Whitney

* Denotes monthly contributor To make a donation to SETC, click here.

More info: info: www.setc.org/board-meetings www.setc.org/upcoming More www.setc.org

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THEATRE JOB FAIR SPOTLIGHT

JOBS FOUND VIA SETC’S 2022 THEATRE JOB FAIR LIZZIE BOWMAN, SENIOR Wardrobe Assistant, The Gateway Performing Arts Center of Suffolk County (NY) GAVIN BUURMA, SENIOR Head of Company Management, The Gateway Performing Arts Center of Suffolk County (NY) ALLISON GONZALES, SENIOR Production Coordinator, Long Lake Camp for the Arts (NY) TAYLOR RICHARDSON, SENIOR Wig & Makeup Intern, Des Moines Metro Opera (IA) HANNAH SCHOEN, SENIOR Costume Technician, Cedar Point (OH) BRI CLARK, JUNIOR Scenic Charge, Porthouse Theatre (OH) ISAAC HULBERT, JUNIOR Wardrobe Staff, Porthouse Theatre (OH) BEN POLLIZI, JUNIOR Assistant Technical Director & Lighting Technician, Hoover Auditorium; Lakeside Chautauqua (OH) ZACH ABRAHAM, SOPHOMORE Unit Leader, Long Lake Camp for the Arts (NY) CHANTRESS DEWITT, SOPHOMORE Box Office Staff, Porthouse Theatre (OH) JACKSON HELMHOLTZ, FRESHMAN Box Office Apprentice, Spoleto Festival USA (SC)

Getting a Job Through SETC: Heidelberg University Students ‘We brought 11 students from Heidelberg to attend the SETC Theatre Job Fair, and 100% of them got job or internship offers.’ - Stephen Svoboda, Director of Theatre, Heidelberg University Heidelberg University, located in Tiffin, OH, attends the SETC Convention annually to recruit at the Undergraduate Auditions and to allow students to participate in the Professional Auditions and Theatre Job Fair. The 2022 student group (right) was the school’s largest, “and our best showing of placement and job offers,” said Steve Svoboda, director of theatre. “Many of our students received offers from multiple companies.”

Those attending the SETC Convention included (left to right) front row: faculty member David Cotter, student Ben Pollizi, recruitment asistant Natalie Joritz, and students Jackson Helmholtz, Allison Gonzales, Lizzie Bowman and Taylor Richardson; back row: students Isaac Hulbert, Zachary Abraham, Bri Clark, Gavin Buurma, Chantress Dewitt and Hannah Schoen.

Here are some thoughts that participants shared about their SETC experience in a story on the university’s website:

Bri Clark (she/her) said she decided to attend in order to get more experience and was not expecting all of the job offers she received. “I was affirmed in the fact that the hours I have spent working as a scenic painter and scenic charge were worth it,” she said.

“I ended up with 11 job/internship offers for this upcoming summer from the event.”

“SETC helped me learn how to talk to companies and how to do successful interviews,” Chantress Dewitt (she/her) said. She received professional feedback and was able to refine her resume through her interactions at the conference. By the end of the trip, Chantress had received multiple job offers.

Ben Pollizi’s (he/him) favorite part of the conference was “the chance to be fully immersed in a place where I could discover and learn and grow as an artist surrounded by my peers and other like-minded people in the industry.” Through the conference, he made great connections and “got the chance to do my first professional audition for acting (and had some callbacks)!”

“I loved talking with all of the different theatre companies in a more relaxed interview environment,” Lizzie Bowman (she/her) said. “I had a particularly great talk with a company that went so long I got another interview call in the middle, so I came back later to finish up with them. [They] asked me to apply when I was out of school, and it was a great experience.”

More info: www.heidelberg.edu www.setc.org

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2022 SETC CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

Remembering Memphis: Awards, Quotes and People

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On the pages that follow, we share award winners, comments from attendees about the event, and more from the 2022 SETC Convention, held March 9 –13 in Memphis, TN.

ATTENDING FOR THE FIRST TIME • Wonderful opportunity! Being able to connect with so many other theatre people was such a treat!

• I loved it! Every session I went to was well presented and had lots of good information. It was a great way for me to see many colleges at once!

Acclaimed actor and singer Norm Lewis (right) accepts SETC’s 2022 Distinguished Career Award from Patrick Gagliano at the annual SETC Awards Banquet.

• The audition was super nerve-wracking, not in the way that it was run, but in the sense that I had never done something like that before. I definitely learned a lot and brought back many good lessons.

• It was awesome! Ended up getting my summer dream job!

• It was very educational! I learned a lot that I wanted to bring back to my university.

• It was wonderful getting to meet new people and fellow actors who are on a similar path as me.

• Great experience! SETC will definitely see me again!

Tiza Garland, a longtime SETC leader, receives the Suzanne M. Davis Memorial Award from past President Jack Benjamin.

Left: John Mabey won the 2022 Charles M. Getchell Award for the play A Complicated Hope.

Right: David Dvorscak, theatre teacher at Carolina Day School in Asheville, NC, and Jenny Goodfellow, director of theatre at Charlotte Country Day School, are the 2022 winners of the Innovative Playwriting Instruction Award.

Could You be the Next Winner of One of These Awards?

Click here to learn more about the Charles M. Getchell Award, given annually for a new play. Deadline for application: June 1.

Click here to learn more about the Innovative Playwriting Instruction Award, given annually to a high school teacher for innovative use of playwriting in the classroom. Deadline for nominations: June 1.

Left: Terrence Pride, founder of Definitive Arts Education, which creates artsintegrated lessons for classroom teachers to examine and show the power of art in learning, is the 2022 winner of SETC’s Sara Spencer Child Drama Award.

Right: Kelleybrooke Brown is the 2022 winner of SETC’s Tom Behm Award, which provides professional development funds to people working or studying in the field of Theatre for Youth.

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

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2022 SETC CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

WINNING AN AWARD I am still utterly speechless from Memphis. ... I never thought that I would get as much satisfaction from this show even through the difficult parts. I never thought I’d win anything performing the show. I never thought I’d get to meet the people that I have gotten to. I never thought that the connections I’ve made throughout this process would fill me with so much joy.

All of these things, that I never thought I would do, have turned into the most precious and brilliant things in my life right now.

- Marcie Antoinette Hall, on Facebook

The Oustanding Achievement in Acting winners were Marcie Antoinette Hall (left) for a performance in Every Brilliant Thing, presented by Market Theatre (Anderson, SC); and Rodney L. Johnson, for a performance in Sea Wall, presented by Live Arts Theatre (Buford, GA).

Live Arts Theatre (Buford, GA) won Outstanding Show for Sea Wall, as well as an Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award for Rodney L. Johnson. Above, left to right, Rebecca Parker, co-artistic director; Johnson; Andre Eaton, co-artistic director; Dawn Davridge, producer; and Jeffrey Liu, stage technician.

Convention photos by Noah Taylor unless otherwise noted.

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Winners of Community Theatre Festival

COMING BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC PAUSE • I love SETC and am glad it was in person. The COVID preparedness was excellent, as well.

• A great conference. My educational booth was busy constantly with interested students. I did not sit down during the conference. I was amazed at the number of potential graduate students for fall 2022. I met with 45 of them. I think many graduate students have put their lives on hold for the better part of two years of the pandemic.

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

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2022 SETC CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

Winners of Secondary School Theatre Festival sponsored by University of Mississippi

Best Performer winners were Jay Ponder (left), for a performance in Marvin’s Room, presented by Lakeside High School (Atlanta, GA); and Shelby Jones, for a performance in Dark Road, presented by Corner High School (Dora, AL).

The winner of the Secondary School Theatre Festival was Perry High School (Perry, GA), for its production of The Tale of the Winged Monkeys. Director Joe Sendek is shown at left and with cast and crew members above.

The runner-up in the Secondary School Theatre Festival was Jefferson County Academy (Irondale, AL), for its production of Ernest and the Pale Moon. Directors Jennifer Guffin (left) and Carl Dean are shown at left and with cast and crew members above.

Keynote Emerging Artist of Promise (KEAP) Award The 2022 KEAP Award recipients are (left to right) Olivia Szymanski, Sadie Libby, Cynthia Tinschmidt Leal and Logan Oakley. (Photo by Cordnie Ellese)

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

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2022 SETC CONVENTION: DESIGN COMPETITION

Ready to Design Award

Technical Direction Awards

sponsored by Productions Unlimited, Inc.

Winner: Katherine Brand, Texas State University, will be working at Lexington Children’s Theatre.

Stage Management Games sponsored by EmptySpace Technology, Stage Managers’ Association and Broadway Stage Management Symposium 1st Place, Stage Management Games: Dakota Allen, Indiana State University Other winners are: 2nd: Kaitlyn Harrington, Harding University; 3rd: Gabrielle Scott, Georgia Southern University.

1st Place, Technical Direction: Ben Schultz, Fun Home, University of South Dakota Other winners are: 2nd: Samuel Marchetto, Gianni Schicchi, University of Alabama; 3rd: Valeriya Nedviga, Closer Than Ever, Indiana University Bloomington.

Properties Design and Construction Awards

sponsored by Matthew Leckenbusch 1st Place, Properties Design and Construction: Nick Bartleson, “German Mantle Clock,” Ohio University (submitted headshot) Other winners are: 2nd: Dani Roth, These Women of Troy, University of South Dakota; 3rd: Valeriya Nedviga, Sueno, Indiana University Bloomington; Honorable Mention: Whitney Lehn Meltz, Little Shop of Horrors, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

More info: www.setc.org/design-competition www.setc.org

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2022 SETC CONVENTION: DESIGN COMPETITION

Costume Design Awards sponsored by Norcostco, Inc.

1st Place, Undergraduate Costume Design (Tie): Taylor Aragon (left), Miss You Like Hell, Virginia Commonwealth University; and Christopher Goode (right), Arcadia, Virginia Commonwealth University Other winners are: 2nd: Erik Mayes, Cloud 9, Virginia Commonwealth University; 3rd: Sharaia Hughes, Butterflies Are Free, Virginia Commonwealth University; Honorable Mention: KT Farmer, Intimate Apparel, Virginia Commonwealth University.

1st Place, Graduate Costume Design: Rossina Lozoya, El Nogalar, Texas State University Other winners are: 2nd: Sydney Martin, Men on Boats, Florida State University; 3rd: Katherine Brand, Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts 1 & 2, Texas State University; Honorable Mention: Max Hromek, Don Quixote, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Costume Technology Awards sponsored by Emily Schafer

1st Place, Costume Technology: Lilliana Valentin, James and the Giant Peach – “Grasshopper,” Virginia Commonwealth University Other winners are: 2nd: Addison Michael, James and the Giant Peach – “Earthworm,” Virginia Commonwealth University; 3rd: Max Hromek, “1830s Evening Gown,” University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

More info: www.setc.org/design-competition www.setc.org

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2022 SETC CONVENTION: DESIGN COMPETITION

Scenic Design Awards

sponsored by Broadway Media

Sound Design Awards

sponsored by Shure, Inc. and Theatrical Sound Designers & Composers Association

1st Place, Undergraduate Scenic Design: Alyssa Sutherland, Men on Boats, Virginia Commonwealth University Other winners are: 2nd: Jacob Nolan, Significant Other, Ball State University; 3rd: Corin Davis, Rashoman, Mississipppi State University; HM: Janelle Woods, Recent Tragic Events, Radford University; Honorable Mention: Steven Kendall, Mad Forest, University of Oklahoma.

1st Place, Graduate Scenic Design: Whitney Lehn Meltz, bobrauschenbergamerica, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Other winners are: 2nd: AnnDee Alvidrez, El Nogalar; Texas State University; 3rd: DJ Pike, Stinney: An American Execution, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Honorable Mention: Rachel Burke, Sueno; Indiana University Bloomington.

Costume Crafts Awards sponsored by Norcostco, Inc.

1st Place, Sound Design: Christopher Sauerbrey, Ten Million Dollar Melody, Clemson University Other winners are: 2nd: Zay Jarrett, Seeing Sound: A Musical Journey of Water, Western Carolina University; 3rd: Allison Bucher, Hedda Gabler, University of Southern Mississippi.

1st Place, Costume Crafts: DJ Pike, She Kills Monsters, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Other winners are: 2nd: Sebastian Van Horn, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

More info: www.setc.org/design-competition www.setc.org

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2022 SETC CONVENTION: DESIGN COMPETITION

Lighting Design Awards

sponsored by Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.

Projection Design Awards

sponsored by Broadway Media

1st Place, Undergraduate Lighting Design: Sammy Webster, The Busie Body, Middle Tennessee State University Other winners are: 2nd: Hannah Mullins, Georgia Mae James Unplugs America, Radford University; 3rd: Gavin Strawnato, Stop/Kiss, Middle Tennessee State University; Honorable Mention: Shaly Farmer, When She Had Wings, Radford University.

Makeup Design Awards

1st Place, Graduate Lighting Design: Kaylin Gess, Blood at the Root, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Other winners are: 2nd: Mackenzie Mulligan, Hair, Texas State University; 3rd: Corey Goulden-Naitove, The Well of Horniness, Indiana University Bloomington; Honorable Mention: Lee Anne Meeks, The Threepenny Opera, Indiana University Bloomington; Honorable Mention: Haley Brown, Rent, University of Georgia.

1st Place, Projection Design: Tate Thompson, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Other winners are: 2nd: DJ Pike, The Magic Flute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

sponsored by Norcostco, Inc.

1st Place, Makeup Design: Laiah Westlyn, Ugly Lies the Bone, Valdosta State University Other winners are: 2nd: Olga Goupalova, Once in a Lifetime, University of Southern Mississippi.

More info: www.setc.org/design-competition www.setc.org

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THEATRE SYMPOSIUM

Artists, Scholars and Practitioners Discuss Theatre and the Popular at SETC’s Theatre Symposium Event

Look for selected papers from this year’s event in the journal Theatre Symposium 31, scheduled for publication in fall 2023.

All adult members of SETC receive a copy of the journal as a benefit of membership.

This year marked the 31st annual gathering of Theatre Symposium, a three-day scholarly exchange centered on a single subject.

Academics representing a variety of disciplines, hailing from Florida to Washington state, met April 1 – 3, 2022, on the beautiful grounds of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA, to share their work on the topic of “Theatre and the Popular.” This year marked a return to an in-person gathering after a virtual gathering in 2021.

Dr. Janet Davis of the University of Texas at Austin delivered an opening keynote address entitled “Popular Performance and Everyday Life: Interdisciplinary Transnational Dispatches from the Street, Beach and Sea” in which she detailed taxonomies of the word popular via an engaging and enlightening journey through her own personal narratives of life in and outside of the academy. She regaled us with tales of the circus, the animal welfare movement, and even the cultural phenomenon of the film Jaws.

Papers delivered over the course of the weekend addressed the popular through examples drawn from theatre and film history, social media, and Netflix content, to name but a few.

Some of this year’s presentations will appear in essay form in Theatre Symposium, the annual publication that accompanies the conference. Those attending next year’s SETC Convention in Lexington will also be able to hear a sampling of this year’s papers in the annual “Highlights of Theatre Symposium” panel.

Kaylie Horowitz of the State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo presents their paper, “Inter-Affected Microdrama: An Examination of TikTok’s Unique Dramatic Cultures.”

The editor of Theatre Symposium would like to thank David Thompson, past SETC President and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Agnes Scott College, as well as Associate Editor Sunny StalterPace, SETC Executive Director Susie Prueter and the Central Office staff for their assistance.

All are invited to attend next year’s Theatre Symposium event, which will again occur in early April and will be headed up by incoming editor Dr. Keith Byron Kirk of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). More information soon!

- Chase Bringardner, Editor, Theatre Symposium 31

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

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FROM THE VP OF SERVICES

Explore New Areas and Ideas at SETC 2023 We did it! We came back in person. We were in the room together, collaborating and sharing our work and common goals.

Neno Russell VI C E PR ESID ENT OF SERV IC E S ( he/ hi m )

SETC 2023 Lexington, KY March 1 – 5

We should all give a huge shout-out to Executive Director Susie Prueter and the entire Central Office staff. A full year of long hours and constant planning, then replanning, organizing and reinventing, was required to bring us together in Memphis, and Susie and team did a beautiful job of making it happen.

Stepping outside the box At my first SETC Convention as VP of Services, I made a huge personal leap and committed to engaging at convention in a different way. I stepped outside the narrow confines of my area of theatre – Design and Technology – and attended a wide variety of workshops and interest meetings and discovered a whole new world of interesting thought, discussions and practices.

I heard a friend say, “I don’t come to SETC to learn about the areas of theatre I already know about. I come to learn about the things I don’t know.” I encourage everyone to experience convention by seeking out what interests you from areas outside your primary path or field of study.

Giving a voice to students and emerging artists One very interesting event I attended was the interest meeting for Student and Emerging Artists, one of our new interest groups and one that I think should have an influential impact on our organization. One suggestion that came from that meeting was to establish a Student Advisory Committee that could directly interface with SETC leadership about convention programming and experience. I hope that this will be a step toward engaging students in a more thoughtful way, along with giving them a clear voice and forum for concerns and suggestions to strengthen our commitment to bringing diversity and equity to our programming.

If you are interested in this idea, please reach out to me at neno@setc.org and plan to engage with the Student and Emerging Artists interest meeting at the SETC Convention in Lexington in 2023. And, speaking of Lexington, I look forward to seeing you all there next March!

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

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Plant the Seeds of Community In the SETC Leadership Initiative, we’re having a book club around Adrienne Maree Brown’s Emergent Strategy. It was recommended to us at last year’s Board Professional Development Session by Michael J. Bobbitt, and I could not be more thrilled that the participants were interested in diving in together.

Maegan McNerney Azar PR ESID ENT ( she/ he r )

Excellent Summer Reading Click here to order a copy of Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown. Click here to read her blog.

Click here to order a copy of The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop: How to Decolonize the Creative Classroom

by Felicia Rose Chavez and read her accompanying website.

“What does this book have to do with SETC?” you might wonder. Many ideas are incredibly adaptable for theatre practitioners, but here are a few that have reached me on a second read.

Community, not competition I had a student recently go to their first professional callback last week. He said to me, “I walked in and thought everyone knew each other, but later found out that wasn’t true!” It’s one of the beautiful things about real professionals in our industry: You know they are pros because they uplift everyone in a callback room. Sure, at the root of the session, it is a competition. But true professionals realize that by uplifting the community around us, we are actually planting all the seeds for future work, future collaboration, future friendship, and future family. We “grow through fusion, not competition.”

(Brown 10) Theatre professionals act as a mycelium “Mycelium ... connects roots to one another … Mycelium is the largest organism on earth. Interconnectedness. Remediation. Detoxification.” (Brown 45) There is this idea taught to students in some programs that “theatre is cutthroat,” but I posit (and I think many folks I like to work with do, as well) that what draws people to theatre is not the competition, but rather the community.

So, why does the idea that ‘theatre is cutthroat’ continue to perpetuate?

Because theatre educators perpetuate it. Because our society perpetuates it. Because we have been taught to perpetuate it. And it’s absurd. “We learn to bond through gossip, venting, and destroying, rather than cultivating solutions together.” (Brown 49) Who hasn’t been a part of a company like this and vowed never to work for them again (or with most of the people who worked there, except for the small few you “trauma-bonded” with)? We have the power to stop this ridiculous approach to theatre. It is absolutely within reach.

Avoiding the ‘hidden curriculum’ Another book that I keep close by as an educator is Felicia Rose Chavez’s The AntiRacist Writing Workshop (I have to imagine she and Brown are friends, or would at least have amazing conversations – oh, to be a fly on the wall). Chavez talks a lot about the “hidden curriculum” in creative classrooms, and I think this can apply to all creative spaces. Sitting down to think through what is really important, what is so vital to the fabric of your company/organization/institution and writing it down will make the work stronger and more transparent. And it will invite people to your space in a way that you couldn’t have imagined before.

A small action can have incredible benefits. Create the mycelium that you so desire.

More info: see links above at left

www.setc.org

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Better Than Expected … Thanks to You

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

When SETC began its Fiscal Year 2021 on July 1, 2020, it was still very early in the pandemic and the uncertainties were countless.

By October, we knew an in-person convention in 2021 would be impossible and that an all-new financial reality lay ahead.

In the sidebar to the right, SETC is pleased to report its FY2021 audit numbers. This positive report is the result of many people’s diligence, prowess, invention and darn hard work. SETC is so grateful to Jonathan Michaelsen (VP of Finance), Maegan Azar (President), the Finance Committee, and the Executive Committee for its steady tracking, thoughtful evaluation, and discerning stewardship and decision-making. In addition, a loud round of applause goes to our board, committees, SETC Central Office staff and contributors. It took a lot of pivot and change to provide uninterrupted service AND find savings!

Despite our positive FY2021 report for what looked to be a very dark year, this current fiscal year will most likely report differently. Convention revenues are down (due to pandemic attendance), expenses are up (due to a back-inperson convention), and we won’t have a PPP loan to lean on. We are still crunching the numbers, but fortunately we have corporate reserves that can be tapped, if absolutely necessary, to cover a shortfall without interrupting the operations of the Central Office or SETC’s services. We will be safe, but still making our way through the postpandemic woods.

Again, thank you to ALL for making this positive report possible!

Audit Summary Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc. Schedule of Revenues and Expenses – Cash Basis Year Ended June 30, 2021 INCOME Membership Dues Institute of Outdoor Theatre Committees and Projects Festivals Professional Auditions Southern Theatre Convention Interest/Dividends Sales Tax Refund

Miscellaneous Income PPP Loan TOTAL: EXPENSES Program Services: Awards Committees and Projects Festivals Professional Auditions Southern Theatre SETC News Institute of Outdoor Theatre Convention Supporting Services: Central Office Officers’ Expense Management Fees Credit Card Discount Bad Debts TOTAL: REVENUE OVER EXPENSES:

151,830 52,432 45,569 20 138,945 110,050 341,335 36,039 8,685 20,603 111,411* 1,016,919

5,874 19,127 2,069 58,210 100,327 11,474 32,306 40,094 660,474 1,477 7,025 27,499 0 965,956 50,963

* Please note PPP Loan Copies of the audit are available at the SETC Central Office by request.

More info: www.setc.org www.setc.org

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MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

Susie Prueter (she/her) susie@setc.org Executive Director Lee Crouse (he/him) lee@setc.org Educational Services/Sponsorships Clay Thornton (he/him) clay@setc.org Marketing/Advertising Bradley Branham (he/him) bradley@setc.org Programming 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 Shameca Freeman (she/her) shameca@setc.org Development Veronica Neblett (she/her) veronica@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 Annette Grevious (she/her) VP of Finance Adanma Onyedike Barton (she/her) VP of Equity & Inclusion Ginger Poole (she/her) Secretary Tiza Garland (she/her) Elected Past President Jeremy Kisling (he/him) VP of States Lynn Nelson (she/her) VP of Divisions

Read the full story about the collaboration on SETC’s blog here.

Southern Theatre Magazine Wins Award SETC’s Southern Theatre magazine won a Special Judge’s Award in April 2022 in the annual awards contest sponsored by PICA (Printing Industry of the Carolinas), a printing industry organization with members across Virginia and the Carolinas.

Southern Theatre received the award for its Winter 2021 issue (right).

Volume LXII Number 1 • Winter 2021 • $8.00

“The annual PICA Awards are a recognition of partnerships between creative, quality design work and production,” said Clint Jackson, SETC’s account executive at the company that prints Southern Theatre, Salem One, which entered our magazine in the contest. “I really appreciate the opportunity to be part of such a great publication. I am so happy that you are being recognized for your hard work and efforts!”

YES, AND …

Moving Racial Equity from the Page to the Stage

DOLLARS AND SENSE Professors and Others Share Advice on Financing Your Theatre Degree

VIRTUAL LESSONS How Online Teaching Is Transforming Theatre Education

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SETC 5710 W. Gate City Blvd.

Suite K, Box 186 Greensboro NC 27407 336-265-6148 info@setc.org

Ocala Civic Theatre (OCT) has formed an innovative partnership Want to see the show and exhibit? with its next-door neighbor Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is in Ocala, FL: the Appleton live on stage May 12 – June 5, Museum. For its production of 2022, at Ocala Civic Theatre.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Appleton Museum’s exhibit, OCT used decorative pieces Finding Beauty, will be on display from the museum’s French May 12, 2022 – Jan. 15, 2023.

Rococo collection as inspiration for costume designs. In concert with the May 12 opening of the show, the museum opened a Finding Beauty exhibit – displaying the items that provided inspiration, along with renderings and costume pieces from OCT’s production.

02 1 I C N Tra & P oll SI e in ro ge DE fe D ing s , U : ir ec Prosio niv to g na ers ry ra l it m y

Central Office

A ‘Beauty’ of a Collaboration in Florida

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Connecting You to Opportunities in Theatre Nationwide

Content for Southern Theatre is planned by the magazine’s Editorial Board, in conjunction with editor Deanna Thompson, and overseen by SETC’s Publications Committee. Interested in knowing more? Send questions about, or story ideas for, the magazine to deanna@setc.org. Contact Clay Thornton at clay@setc.org to learn about advertising opportunities.

In Memoriam Tony Walton (right), a three-time Tony Award-winning production designer, passed away March 2, 2022, at 87. He and frequent collaborator Richard Pilbrow were keynote speakers and shared SETC’s Distinguished Career Award at the 2012 SETC Convention. Read the Southern Theatre story about Walton and Pilbrow here.

Send your news to deanna@setc.org

www.setc.org

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