2019 SETC Convention: Full Schedule

Welcome to one of the nation’s largest theatre conventions! Use Sched to browse events, make your own schedule, and connect with fellow attendees. Dates, times and locations subject to change. Sched App Sponsored by Arts People

4:00pm EST

Producing a TYA Adaptation: From Page to Stage in Nine Months

This workshop chronicles Florida Repertory Theatre's recent TYA premiere of "Refugee" by Eric Coble — explaining a tricky process that includes choosing the text and creative team, working with the author and adapter, and setting up contracts to casting and marketing an original TYA adaptation.

Presenters

Kody Jones

Education Director, Florida Repertory Theatre

Kody C Jones is the current Education Director at Florida repertory Theatre and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from Western Illinois University and Secondary Education and Acting degrees from University of Michigan-Flint. He has acted and directed professionally all... Read More →

Wednesday February 27, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 300 B

Workshop, Admin/Management, Theatre for Youth

5:30pm EST

Asking the Right Questions: Eliminating Bias When Conducting Interviews

When conducting interviews, it's really hard to identify if someone is a good fit for a job. Many standard questions aren't actually helpful and introduce unintended bias. We'll learn the pitfalls of conducting interviews and how to construct questions that provide useful information.

Presenters

Ryan Kirk

Co-Founder, Propared

Ryan is the co-founder and CEO of Propared, an organization dedicated to improving management efficiency in Arts organizations. He is also a co-founder of Tinc Productions, a production management firm based in New York City. Over the last 18 years, Ryan has held management positions... Read More →

Wednesday February 27, 2019 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 300 A

Workshop, Admin/Management, Career Talk

9:00am EST

Beg, Borrow, Buy or Build: Costume Budgeting

Costuming large scale musical productions is no small task . . . or cost. Luckily, there are a variety of resources for acquiring the looks you need to bring your characters to life.

Presenters

Norcostco

Costume Rental Manager, Norcostco Atlanta Costume

Norcostco is a national theatrical supply company specializing in Costume Rental, Theatrical Lighting, and Makeup for Professional Makeup Artists. Norcostco has been proudly serving the performing arts community since 1884.

Thursday February 28, 2019 9:00am - 10:15am EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 300 B

Workshop, Design/Tech, Community Theatre, Admin/Management

9:00am EST

CANCELED: Fringe Marketing: Tools for Advertising You

This workshop has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this change in scheduling may cause.

Thursday February 28, 2019 9:00am - 10:15am EST

Workshop, Admin/Management, Small Theatre

9:00am EST

Creating Your Own Original Musical

Have an idea for a musical but don’t know where to begin? Dive into the mechanics of producing, finding your collaborative team and audiences, and funding your reality!

SCHEDULE CHANGE: Please note, this event was originally scheduled to take place from 12:00-12:50pm. It will now take place on 9:00-10:15am. We apologize for any inconvenience this change in scheduling may cause.

Presenters

Andreas Häberlin

Music Director, EAT Creations, LLC

Andreas Häberlin is an NYC based Swiss music director, arranger, and copyist. He holds an M.M. in film scoring from Berklee College of Music and two B.M.s from Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and Zurich University of the Arts. Music copyist on the newest albums of Michael... Read More →

Vincent Pelligrino

Vincent Pelligrino is a NYC based performer, musician, director, and teacher. Originally from Michigan; he holds a BA Theatre from Wisconsin Lutheran College, and an MFA- Acting from West Virginia University. Theatre acting credits include Broward Stage Door Theatre, Greenbrier Valley... Read More →

Elizabeth Turner

Producer, Composer, and Performer, EAT Creations, LLC

Elizabeth Turner is a producer, composer and performer based in New York City. A member of SAG/AFTRA, BMI, and The Dramatists Guild. Current Musical Director for the Queens Theatre, Brooklyn Arts Council, TADA! Youth Theatre. Recently seen on Carnival Cruiselines as a Guest Entertainer... Read More →

Thursday February 28, 2019 9:00am - 10:15am EST
Holiday Inn - Parlour 2 A/B

Workshop, Admin/Management, Community Theatre

12:00pm EST

CANCELED: Building Bridges and Audiences: Using Community Partnerships to Help You Grow

This workshop has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this change in scheduling may cause.

Thursday February 28, 2019 12:00pm - 12:50pm EST

Workshop, Admin/Management, Directing

12:00pm EST

Digital Design and Fabrication in the Scenic Shop

A scenic shop without a table saw? No measuring and cutting by hand? Could you build this way and still call yourself a craftsperson? Find out how one university has embraced both CAD design and CNC milling to create entire sets. Digital design and fabrication are here — a new way to create.

Presenters

Frank Marquette

Professor of Practice, Troy University

Frank Marquette is a designer and creative project manager with over 25 years experience delivering outcomes for the motion picture, television, museum, and amusement park industries. His clients included Walt Disney Imagineering, the producers of â€œThe Lord of the Rings, The F... Read More →

Thursday February 28, 2019 12:00pm - 12:50pm EST
Holiday Inn - Parlour 2 A/B

Workshop, Design/Tech, Admin/Management

12:00pm EST

Face Your Fundraising Fears: Tools and Tips for the Hesitant Fundraiser

This workshop aims to take away the fear of fundraising, covering the "how to" of prospect identification and research, donor cultivation, "the ask," and stewardship.

Presenters

Amanda Nelson, Virginia Tech, Associate Professor, Theatre, and Director, MFA Arts Leadership

Amanda directs the M.F.A. program area in Arts Leadership. Before coming to Virginia Tech, Amanda worked 11 years for the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in NYC, where she oversaw membership programs, government relations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation support. Prior... Read More →

Thursday February 28, 2019 12:00pm - 12:50pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 301 B

Workshop, Admin/Management

12:00pm EST

Inclusive Theatre: How to Make Your Production Entirely Sensory Friendly

It's easier than you think to craft an inclusive theatre experience for all audiences! Using our model production of "Little Women," you'll leave this session with a complete guide for creating a sensory friendly experience for adults and families.

Presenters

Johannah Maynard Edwards

Executive Artistic Director, National Women's Theatre Festival

Thursday February 28, 2019 12:00pm - 12:50pm EST
UT Conference Center - 413 A

Workshop, Admin/Management, Cultural Diversity

1:00pm EST

Intro to Production Budgeting for Managers

How much is it going to cost? Learn a step-by-step process for building an accurate production budget, discuss strategies for keeping a budget up-to-date, and identify best practices for how to track money once it's actually being spent.

Presenters

Melissa Johnston

Chief Operating Officer, Co-Founder, Propared

Melissa is a co-founder of Propared, a company dedicated to enhancing management and communication practices for Theatre Companies and Performing Arts Centers through its software platform. She has worked as a Production Manager, Operations Manager and co-founded Tinc Productions... Read More →

Ryan Kirk

Co-Founder, Propared

Thursday February 28, 2019 1:00pm - 2:15pm EST
UT Conference Center - 413 B

Workshop, Admin/Management, Design/Tech

1:00pm EST

Starting a Capital Campaign

Is your organization ready to take that next step? Starting a capital campaign to acquire or build your own performance space is a difficult endeavor. We'll discuss where an organization should be developmentally before beginning a capital campaign and the initial steps to take to start one.

Presenters

Robert Thomas

Executive Director, Lakeshore Players Theatre

Rob is a consummate and dedicated nonprofit arts leader, as well as an occasional performer and playwright, currently serving as Executive Director of Lakeshore Players Theatre in suburban Saint Paul, MN. Rob has been contracted for various administrative and management roles for... Read More →

Thursday February 28, 2019 1:00pm - 2:15pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 301 C

Workshop, Admin/Management, Professional Theatre

4:00pm EST

Fundraising Best Practices: It's All About Building Relationships

For theatre professionals, professors and students, this workshop explores approaches and methods for developing meaningful and impactful long-term relationships between donors and our organizations.

Presenters

Amanda Nelson, Virginia Tech, Associate Professor, Theatre, and Director, MFA Arts Leadership

Thursday February 28, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 301 B

Workshop, Admin/Management

5:30pm EST

One New Play a Season: A Forum on Guest Artist Programs

This session provides a model for guest artist programs that create new plays and leave a lasting footprint at the school and in the community, while providing students unique opportunities. Departments who have had guest artists and residency programs are encouraged to attend and contribute.

Presenters

Thomas DeTitta

Director/Playwright, World Communities

Tom DeTitta is the director and founder of World Communities, a center dedicated to writing and producing nonfiction theater: www.worldcommunities.org His eleven professionally produced plays have been seen by more than a 200,000 people. He has taken on subjects from the fall of the... Read More →

Thursday February 28, 2019 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
UT Conference Center - 413 A

Workshop, Pedagogy, Playwriting, Admin/Management, College/University Theatre

9:00am EST

Building Greener Theatre: Reuse + Repurpose + Recycle = Saving Money!

Theatre organizations can alleviate the ever-rising cost of live performance using non-traditional materials, repurposed items and community resources.

Presenters

Daniel Bennett

Thomas Fagerholm

Assistant Professor & Technical Director, Southern Illinois Univeristy Carbondale

Tom Fagerholm is an assistant professor in technical direction at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He teaches drafting, stage management, technical direction, structural design for the stage and a variety of other technical courses, including metal fabrication, sound design... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 9:00am - 10:15am EST
Holiday Inn - Parlour 4 A/B

Workshop, Admin/Management, Small Theatre, Design/Tech

9:00am EST

SETC Theatre Consulting Network: On the Road 2018

The road warriors of SETC’s new consulting program share completed and in-progress projects from this first year including. Work to: create a new theatre within a former church; revive a defunct 1,680 seat amphitheater; develop new plays based on local history. Learn how we might serve your organization.

Presenters

Michael Hardy

Theatre Resource Center: Consultant, Institute of Outdoor Theatre

When my Institute of Outdoor Theatre (IOT) merged with SETC in the summer of 2017, I started to work with SETC to build a comprehensive consulting program for theatres across North America. Initially based on our similar programs with the IOT, this is now available to indoor as well... Read More →

Betsey Horth

Executive Director, SETC

SETC Executive Director Betsey Horth received the 2012 Gold Medallion Award from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), Region IV. That same year she delivered the commencement speech to the Florida School of the Arts. Prior to joining SETC in 1999, Betsey... Read More →

Brandon Smith

David Wohl

SETC Vice-President of Finance, Winthrop University

David Wohl recently retired after serving as Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. He previously served as Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at WV State University. Wohl holds the Ph.D. degree in theatre from Kent State... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 9:00am - 10:15am EST
UT Conference Center - 413 C

Workshop, Admin/Management

10:30am EST

Access for the Blind: The Visual Made Verbal Through Audio Description

Audio description translates theatrical action and images to words. It provides access to theatre lovers who are blind or have low vision.

Presenters

Joel Snyder

President--Director, Audio Description Associates, LLC-Audio Description Project of the American Council of the Blind

Dr. Joel Snyder is known internationally as one of the world’s first “audio describers,” a pioneer in the field of Audio Description, a translation of visual images to vivid language. Since 1981, he has introduced audio description techniques in over 44 states and 62 countries... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 10:30am - 11:45am EST
Holiday Inn - Parlour 2 A/B

Workshop, Applied Theatre, Admin/Management

10:30am EST

Legal Issues for the Theatre

An overview and update on numerous topics: copyright, contracts, 1st Amendment, discrimination (including disability discrimination), personal injury, sexual harassment, and more. Plenty of Q&A. Relevant for all people in the performing arts: talent, tech, staff, boards, etc.

Presenters

Daniel Ellison

Professor/Attorney, Duke University & Daniel Ellison, Attorney at Law

Daniel Ellison is an arts-law attorney in private practice in Durham, NC. He has been working with theaters, playwrights, artists, non-profit arts organizations, and for-profit arts entrepreneurs for over twenty years. He teaches “Legal Issues for the Performing Arts,” in the... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 10:30am - 11:45am EST
Holiday Inn - Parlour 1

Workshop, Admin/Management, College/University Theatre

10:30am EST

Reinventing the Curriculum Wheel: Changing Times and Students

A round-table discussion of designing a theatre department's curriculum in an ever-changing and budget-crunched world.

Presenters

Robert Berls

Professor, UNC Asheville

Rob Berls is an associate professor of scenic design and technical direction and the University of North Carolina Asheville. He has many professional and academic credits including the Southern Appalachian Reparatory Theatre, Summer Circle Theatre, and North Carolina Stage Company... Read More →

Casey Watkins

Costume Design Lecturer, University of North Carolina at Asheville

A native of Wilmington, NC, Casey Watkins received her BA from NC State University and her MFA in Costume Design from Southern Illinois University. She has worked, designed and taught at various places such as North Carolina Theatre, Porthouse Theatre, Monomoy Theatre, McLeod Summer... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 10:30am - 11:45am EST
UT Conference Center - 413 C

Workshop, Pedagogy, College/University Theatre, Admin/Management

10:30am EST

You Want Me to Make What? Innovative Storytelling on a Tight Budget

Don’t let your imagination be limited by your resources. Come learn how to stretch a dollar and still have professional quality!

Presenters

Emma Denson

Co-Artistic Director, The Basket Cases Theatre Company

Emma Denson is the co-founder and co-artistic director of The Basket Cases Theatre Company, a family oriented theatre company based out of Starkville, MS. She has directed both within and without of her company and university settings, and studied directing for six weeks at Oxford... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 10:30am - 11:45am EST
Knoxville Convention Center - Ballroom C

Workshop, Admin/Management, Small Theatre, Theatre for Youth

12:00pm EST

CANCELED: Surprise the Judges: Finding the Perfect (and New) Competition Piece

This workshop has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this change in scheduling may cause.

Friday March 1, 2019 12:00pm - 12:50pm EST

Workshop, Acting, Directing, Admin/Management

12:00pm EST

Somebody Always Has Your Back: If Something Isn't Right, Find Help!

Conversations about how you can get help when a situation does not seem right to you — in any way — in any circumstance. How do you handle getting help? Who can you turn to? Know that no one has the right to exert power over you, and you are actually helping others by protecting yourself.

Presenters

Jane Childs

Director, Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas

Best known as half of the team of "Don and Jane" and continuing The Legacy of Don at SILV developing better ways to train students on cutting edge technology and to be the best they can be. In addition to being Don's partner in all life brought, Jane has done translation for Ladislav... Read More →

Sara Ice

Technical Theatre Program Coordinator, PCPA - Pacific Conservatory Theatre

Randy Lutz

Brian Martin

Friday March 1, 2019 12:00pm - 12:50pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - Ballroom B

Workshop, Acting, Career Talk, Design/Tech, Admin/Management

1:00pm EST

Health Awareness: Grant-Funded Theatre Devised to Educate Audiences

Creating compelling theatre can serve health and wellness missions. From the proposal to the production, take a close look at the process by which NSU's Department of Performing and Visual Arts created a commissioned play about breast health.

Presenters

Bill Adams

Coordinator of Performing Arts, Nova Southeastern University

Bill J. Adams is an Art Song specialist, opera and musical theatre performer, arts administrator, and associate professor. He is a Master Teacher of Acting and Singing with Archetypes as well as Estill Voice Training. Specializing in character work, Bill J. has performed operatic... Read More →

Mark Duncan

A private, co-educational, four-year, liberal arts college of 1100 students on a beautiful 60-acre campus in S. Carolina, Newberry College Theatre

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with concentration in Acting, Directing, and/or Technical theatre. At Newberry College, students work with professors to produce 2 - 3 productions per academic year. There are also many opportunities for student-directed and designed productions... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 1:00pm - 2:15pm EST
Holiday Inn - Parlour 4 A/B

Workshop, Admin/Management, Applied Theatre, College/University Theatre

1:00pm EST

Where Have All the TDs Gone? A Discussion of TDs in Today's Theatre

Join this panel-led discussion on the cause of the apparent shortage of technical directors, the plethora of revolving job openings, and what a graduating TD candidate should look like. Geared toward those in charge of managing/hiring TDs, current and future TDs, and designers who interact with TDs.

Presenters

Victoria Fisher

Sales Rep, Barbizon Lighting

Victoria Fisher is a freelance Lighting Designer and Scenic Artist. She works as a Sales Rep for Barbizon Lighting in Charlotte, NC and has recently designed for Central Piedmont Community College, Theatre Charlotte, Belhaven University, Georgia Perimeter College, Providence Day School... Read More →

Camden Simon

Technical Director, Oak Ridge Playhouse

Camden is currently in residence on staff with Oak Ridge Playhouse as Technical Director and Production Manager. Camden has 16 years professional experience in the field of Technical Direction and Lighting Design. The last 4 years he has been in residence in Tennessee with the Oak... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 1:00pm - 2:15pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 300 D

Workshop, Design/Tech, Admin/Management, Pedagogy

4:30pm EST

CANCELED: Coaching Dynamic Performances: Collaboration in Musical Theatre

This workshop has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this change in scheduling may cause.

Friday March 1, 2019 4:30pm - 5:45pm EST

Workshop, Directing, Musical Theatre, Admin/Management

4:30pm EST

Creative Approaches for College Theatre Season Selection and Marketing

Select and market a college season around themes, events, cross-departmental collaborations, and mission-based calls-to-action. For chairs, selection committee members and marketing team members.

Presenters

Chase Bringardner

Ashley Butler

Lecturer, Auburn University Department of Theatre

Ashley Butler is an actor, director, and theatre educator. As a Lecturer for the Auburn University Department of Theatre, her pedagogical focus is on introductory theatre courses such as Introduction to Theatre for Non-Majors, Acting I, Movement for the Actor, and Text Analysis. She... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 4:30pm - 5:45pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 301 A

Workshop, Admin/Management, College/University Theatre

4:30pm EST

What to Do When Your Character Becomes Too Real?

Everyone is welcome here! You will be exposed to different ways you can reduce stigma with mental health — both on and off stage.

Presenters

Emily Pritchard

Actor/Singer/Director

Emily (Pritchard) Swenskie is a first year MFA Performance and Pedagogy candidate and serves as a Teaching Assistant at Texas Tech University. She holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Marshall University.

Jeff Swenskie

Doctoral Candidate

Jeff Swenskie is a Psychological Trainee at Marshall University. He has experience with many mental health concerns throughout multiple populations. Stigma is a particular concern within mental health that Jeff would like to see a decrease in. His theatre interest developed and grew... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 4:30pm - 5:45pm EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 301 C

Workshop, Cultural Diversity, College/University Theatre, Pedagogy, Admin/Management

6:00pm EST

Those Things Are Still Going Bump in the Night!

An open opportunity to share stories and experiences (your theatre's, your own or someone else's!) centered around ghosts, legends or superstitions.

Presenters

Barbara Brock

Program Specialist, Dogwood Dell Festival of Arts

Barbara Brock currently serves as the Program Specialist for the Dogwood Dell Festival of Arts through the city of Richmond's department of Recreation and Parks. She also works as a docent at historic Berkeley Plantation. Previous incarnations include a storyteller at Colonial Williamsburg... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 6:00pm - 7:00pm EST
UT Conference Center - 417

Workshop, Admin/Management, Community Theatre, Women in Theatre

9:00am EST

Navigating Change in Arts Organizations and Universities

Organizations must evolve in order to survive. But change can be difficult, especially in large companies. We'll discuss strategies for identifying areas of improvement and how to begin the process. We'll also look at the impact that small changes can have on efficiency, culture and morale.

Presenters

Melissa Johnston

Chief Operating Officer, Co-Founder, Propared

Ryan Kirk

Co-Founder, Propared

Saturday March 2, 2019 9:00am - 10:15am EST
Knoxville Convention Center - 300 A

Workshop, Admin/Management

9:00am EST

Strange Bed Fellows: Theatrical Ideal vs. Industry Reality

Training theatre artists — is that what we really do? There is no denying the industry is changing. You can fight it or embrace it. This is an honest discussion of what theatre instructors and practitioners do to prepare themselves and their students for an ever-changing entertainment landscape.

SCHEDULE CHANGE: Please note, this event was originally scheduled to take place from 1:00-2:15pm. It will now take place from 9:00-10:15am. We apologize for any inconvenience this change in scheduling may cause.

Presenters

Talon Beeson

Austin Peay State University, Austin Peay State University

Talon is an Actor/Director that has been seen and heard on stages, screens and radios across the country. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre (Shenandoah U.) and an MFA in Acting (Depaul.) Currently he is an Asst. Prof. of Acting/Directing at Austin Peay State University. Talon has... Read More →

Darren Michael

Professor of Acting/Directing, Austin Peay State University

Darren is a Professor of Acting/Directing at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, and has been a professional actor/director/playwright for three decades. Former President of the Tennessee Theatre Association, Former Chair of the SETC Playwriting Division, Darren... Read More →

Saturday March 2, 2019 9:00am - 10:15am EST
Holiday Inn - Parlour 6

Workshop, Pedagogy, College/University Theatre, Admin/Management

12:00pm EST

Management and Leadership: A Public Display of Vulnerability

Let's be real: this sh*t is hard! With honesty and vulnerability, this panel will share how some of our failures and frustrations can be our greatest learning experiences.

Presenters

Sarah Chandler

Assistant Professor/Production and Facilities Manager, Auburn U; Chautauqua Theater Company

Sarah Chandler is an Assistant Professor of Theatre Management at Auburn University in Auburn, AL, as well as the Production and Facilities Manager for Chautauqua Theater Company in Chautauqua, NY. Chandler has worked professionally as a freelance manager for 15+ years with companies... Read More →

Taylor Dyleski

Director of Production, Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University

Elizabeth Haynes

Vanderbilt University

Saturday March 2, 2019 12:00pm - 12:50pm EST
Holiday Inn - Parlour 6

Workshop, Admin/Management, Women in Theatre

12:00pm EST

Mind the Gap: Gender Parity in Pay, Jobs and Career Length in the Southeast

Over the past six months, SETC Women in Theatre has been surveying SETC members to gather data on respondents' gender, pay scale, professional discipline, and career length. Join us to hear our findings, discuss the reality of gender parity in the region, and identify action steps for future change.

Presenters

Brittany Bodley

Rowen Haigh

Director of Education & Outreach, Women's Theatre Festival

Rowen Haigh is a freelance director, deviser, playwright, and educator. She serves as chair of SETC’s Women in Theatre Committee, as Director of Education & Outreach for the Women’s Theatre Festival (Raleigh, NC), and as a board member with the Kentucky Theatre Association. Areas... Read More →

Saturday March 2, 2019 12:00pm - 12:50pm EST
Holiday Inn - Medallion/Carriage

Workshop, Women in Theatre, Admin/Management, Cultural Diversity