NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
Bimonthly Newsletter of Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc. www.setc.org
CONTENTS LiNK Page 1
2015 Convention Pages 2 - 7
Professionals Pages 8 - 9
Membership News Pages 10
Officer Columns Page 11 - 12
Executive Director Pages 13
Theatre & the Law Page 14
Theatre Bytes Page 15
Miscellaneous News Page 16
November 14-15, 2014 l Atlanta, GA Joint project of SETC and USITT; Platinum sponsor: Focal Press
Registration Open until Nov. 3
Who Should Come to LiNK? • Anyone who is considering Graduate School in Theatre
Who Will Be Recruiting at LiNK? • Faculty and representatives from over 45 colleges and universities • Programs in Acting, Directing, Stage Management, Arts Management, Scene Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Sound Design, Technical Direction, Stage Technology, Lighting Technology, Costume Technology
Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.
Meet one-on-one with more than 45 schools for just $40 – less than the cost of one college application!
More info: www.setc.org/link14
2015 SETC CONVENTION
2015 SETC Convention l March 4-8 l Chattanooga, TN
Why Is Chattanooga SETC’s Favorite Convention City? Connecting You to Opportunities in Theatre
Executive Committee President: Jack Benjamin VP of Administration: Steve Bayless VP of Services: Tiza Garland VP of Finance: H. Duke Guthrie Secretary: Adanma Onyedike Barton Past President: David Wohl VP of States: Mike Hudson VP of Divisions: Bill Murray
Executive Director Betsey Horth 1175 Revolution Mill Dr. Studio 14 Greensboro NC 27405 336-272-3645 betsey@setc.org
News Submissions Deanna Thompson, Editor deanna@setc.org
This city knows how to host our members! We have gotten consistently great feedback on conventions held in Chattanooga – in 2004, 2008 and 2012 – and we are back in 2015. Chattanooga offers: Easily accessible central location, within a day’s drive of more than half the U.S. population. Direct flights from Dallas, Atlanta, Tampa, Charlotte, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Detroit.
2015 SETC CONVENTION RESERVATIONS OPEN NOV. 10
Register at:
www.setc.org/convention
Free, electric shuttle connecting Convention Center to restaurants and hotels.
SURVEY SAYS:
Well-designed meeting and auditions space and top-notch facilities for theatre festivals.
recommended returning to Chattanooga again
87% of 2012 attendees
NEW! Get VIP Treatment at the SETC Convention! Would you like to fast-track Registration, sit closer to the keynote speaker and receive reserved banquet seating without being in a group? Then you may want to purchase our new Special Access Pass. Rachel Blake, SETC’s administrative assistant, presented the concept for the Special Access Pass to the Executive Committee in May. We are introducing it for 2015 in a limited quantity of 50, at a cost of $50. Sign up when you register at www.setc.org/register by Jan. 28, 2015.
What perks does the Special Access Pass offer? • • • •
No-wait badge pickup at Registration Unique badge distinction Reserved/early seating at keynotes 2015 SETC T-shirt
• •
Reserved seating for SETC meal functions (does not include cost) 2 free beverage tickets for one SETCsponsored event
More info: info: www.setc.org/register www.setc.org/upcoming More www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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2015 SETC CONVENTION
KRISTIN LINKLATER, FRIDAY KEYNOTE SPEAKER Learn from One of the World’s Leading Experts on Voice Kristin Linklater, the renowned voice teacher and founder of the Kristin Linklater Center, will share her expertise with SETC members in a Friday keynote address and in two master classes.
Kristin Linklater Master Voice and Speech Teacher Keynote Address: 2:30-3:45 p.m. Friday, March 6, 2015
Linklater is the author of two leading textbooks, Freeing the Natural Voice: Imagery and Art in the Practice of Voice and Text (1976; revised edition 2006) and Freeing Shakespeare’s Voice: The Actor’s Guide to Talking the Text (1992). A professor of theatre at Columbia University in New York from 1977 to 2013, Linklater recently returned to her native Scotland, where she teaches at her private voice center in the islands of Orkney. The reverberations of Linklater’s 50 years of teaching in the United States can be felt from coast to coast, from the world of theatre to the film industry, including work with well-known actors such as Donald Sutherland, Sigourney Weaver and Bill Murray. Linklater served as a master teacher of voice in the graduate program at New York University and a professor of theatre at Emerson College in Boston. She was the cofounder of Shakespeare & Company and the creator of The Company of Women, an all-female Shakespeare company, both in Massachusetts. In addition to her keynote address on Friday, Linklater also will present two master classes at the SETC Convention:
To read more about Kristin Linklater, visit www.linklatervoice.com
Freeing the Voice: Freeing the Actor Fee: $35, pre-registration required, 50 participants max Saturday, March 7, 2015, 10:30 a.m. Master class for all levels. Training is based on her work, Freeing the Natural Voice. Linklater also will work with individual participants on prepared Shakespeare speeches.
The Purpose of the Voice Fee: $50, pre-registration required, 50 participants max Friday, March 6, 2015, 4:30 p.m. Advanced master class for those with experience and training in voice. Based on topics raised by educators in attendance, Linklater will lead practical exercises based on her work, Freeing the Natural Voice. Sign up early to ensure a space in her master classes: www.setc.org/master-classes-convention
More info: www.setc.org/convention www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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2015 SETC CONVENTION
Thursday Keynote Speaker Paata Tsikurishvili Shares Techniques in Master Classes More Master Classes! Auditioning for PopRock Musicals Presenter: VP Boyle
Interactive Theatre Technologies for Projection and Audio Design Presenter: Patrick Pagano
Details: www.setc.org/master-classesconvention
Paata Tsikurishvili, Founding Artistic Director and CEO of Synetic Theatre in Washington, DC, has earned acclaim for producing award-winning Shakespeare plays where not a word is spoken aloud. He will share his techniques in two handson master classes:
Weaving the ‘Art of Silence’ into Training and Performance
Fee: $50, pre-registration required, 50 participants max Thursday, March 5, 2015, 4:30 p.m. Advanced master class. Participants will receive training in Synetic Technique, a highly specialized theory that focuses on developing a heightened sense of body awareness and corporeal expression through a series of interdisciplinary physical vocabularies.
Adding the ‘Art of Silence’ to My Skillset as an Actor
Fee: $35, pre-registration required, 50 participants max Friday, March 6, 2015, 10:30 a.m. Master class for all levels. This workshop is designed to personalize the Synetic Technique for the individual actor.
Arrive Early for
TWO SPECIAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2015
Digital Prompt Book Blocking using StageWrite and iAnnotate Teacher: Shawn Paul Evans Theatre Associate Professor, Washington and Lee University
HeartSaver CPR Teaching Organization: Peerless Emergency Response Training Sponsor: Propared, Inc.
Details and sign-up: www.setc.org/master-classes-convention More info: www.setc.org/convention www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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2015 SETC CONVENTION
Record Number of Workshops Proposed More than 330 program proposals were received for the 2015 SETC Convention in Chattanooga – the highest number ever. If you submitted a proposal, you should learn if it has been accepted by Nov. 5. Here are just a few workshops to expect: New Dog - Old Tricks: Combining Digital and Hand Rendering Techniques Presenter: Fred Duer (Temple University) A visually loaded presentation about combining traditional hand rendering techniques with digital technologies for maximum effect. Secrets of Precision Dancing from a Former Radio City Rockette Presenter: Karyn Tomczak (Western Carolina University) Learn the secrets of precision dancing from a former Radio City Rockette. Ferocious Play: Physical Comedy Arsenal of Awesome Presenter: Christopher Bealieu (Creatively Independent) Tune up your timing. Make the simple hilariously difficult. Reap the rewards for ferocious play and failing gloriously! Active class – challenging all levels. Theatre Lifehacks: Utilizing Your Theatre Degree in Unexpected Ways Presider: Karen Brewster (East Tennessee State University) Professionals discuss how career paths can go in unexpected directions and share advice for making the most of a theatre degree in a competitive world.
Enter SETC’s T-Shirt Design Contest Now! How would you like to have your design featured on the official 2015 SETC Convention T-shirt? This year’s contest theme is steampunk, as we roll our way back into Chattanooga. Submit your best steampunk-themed T-shirt design by Dec. 1, 2014. Visit www.setc.org/t-shirt-contest for full contest rules and details. The winning designer will receive free 2015 convention registration!
Droznin: An Intro to Russian Movement Presenter: Brittany Ayers (The National Theater Institute) Participants of all ages will be introduced to Russia’s foremost movement technique, founded by Andrei Droznin. Wear movement clothes!
Volunteer at the SETC Convention – and Attend Free! Each year, more than 100 people volunteer their time at the SETC Convention. It’s fun – and you can earn free convention registration! All you have to do is commit to volunteer for a minimum of 10 hours at assigned times during the 2015 SETC Convention in Chattanooga, TN, and your registration is free. Volunteers must be current SETC Volunteers Emily Diehl and Brian Haven assist at the 2014 SETC members at the time of the convention Convention in Mobile. (Students: $44; Individuals: $77). Positions are filled on a first-come, firstserved basis. To find out more about the opportunities and benefits of volunteering, visit www.setc.org/volunteer-opportunities-convention.
More info: www.setc.org/convention www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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2015 SETC CONVENTION
Bring YOUR Show to the Fringe Festival What Is It?
The SETC Fringe Festival provides a venue where SETC members and constituents can experiment and present theatrical works. Performances are held over two days (Friday and Saturday) during the annual SETC Convention. Shows include professional theatre performances, one-person shows, experimental theatre, theatre for youth productions and state festival runner-up performances.
How Do I Apply?
For application and instructions, visit: www. setc.org/fringefestival
When Do I Apply? Now! The application deadline is Nov. 15, 2014.
Clarinda Ross Presents Comic One-Woman Show at Fringe Festival Clarinda Ross, an accomplished actress and writer who has worked in regional theatre, television and films, will perform her play, Spit Like a Big Girl, as part of the Fringe Festival at the 2015 SETC Convention in Chattanooga. Ross is a native of Boone, NC, where her parents were professors at Appalachian State University. Inspired by the discovery of her father’s journals after his death, she developed the one-woman play Spit Like a Big Girl, a humorous and poignant look at what a Southern daughter learned from her parents. Compassion, etiquette, men and child-rearing are just a few of the subjects she examines through her Southern viewfinder. The play also expresses how well her father’s lessons have served her as the mother of a disabled child. This is Ross’s second one-woman play. Her first, From My Grandmother’s Grandmother Unto Me, was a hit at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, and went on to be featured in the Olympic Arts Festival in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994 and at the summer games in Atlanta in 1996. More on Clarinda Ross: www.clarindaross.com.
Do You Have a Play You Would Like to Write? After her Fringe Festival performance, Clarinda Ross will lead a hands-on playwriting workshop:
Playwriting, a Story to Tell Learn how to find your own unique voice as a playwright. Workshop will include hands-on development exercises for participants and an excerpt from Clarinda Ross’s play Spit Like a Big Girl.
Questions?
Contact SETC VP of Programming Tiza Garland at tiza@setc.org
More info: www.setc.org/fringefestival www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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2015 SETC CONVENTION
VIDEO AUDITION? Learn How to Make Yours Stand Out in New Workshop Series at SETC Convention Not sure what should be in a video audition? Wondering if you need special equipment to create a video audition with maximum impact? Need help just knowing where to start? Industry insiders will share professional advice, techniques and information in a series of workshops at the March 4-8 SETC Convention in Chattanooga. Look for more details on workshop times closer to convention. BASICS OF VIDEO AUDITIONING Presenter: Don Williams (Art of Acting Studio)
Learn the basic ins and outs of video auditions. This class will give you a better understanding of the different types of video auditions, the formatting and styles for each, and what casting directors are looking for in each style. Expand your knowledge of what video auditions are, how they are used and how that applies to you, and how to submit video auditions.
HOW TO MAKE A SMART AUDITION WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE Presenter: Matt Davenport (Matt Davenport Productions)
Learn how to create and record quality video auditions straight from your smartphone! These DIY tips will get you professional quality videos with little or no cost to you. Some filming tips discussed will include framing, timing, lighting and editing. Bring your smartphone to class for in-class demonstrations.
MUSICAL THEATRE VIDEO AUDITIONING Presenter: VP Boyle (Relativity School)
Get insider advice on how to make a great musical theatre audition video. Participants will learn why a musical theatre video audition should be treated differently, common mistakes people make in their video auditions, and tips on how to get the best quality out of your video.
TRENDS IN VIDEO AUDITIONS Presider: Mark Paladini, CSA - Casting Director (Regent University)
Theatres and other entertainment venues, as well as college and training programs, are increasingly utilizing video auditions during the casting and recruiting process. This panel will look at new trends in video auditioning, describe how to create a video audition, discuss available resources, and examine what the future may bring in terms of building new skills, production techniques and uses for video auditioning. More info: www.setc.org/convention www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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PROFESSIONAL COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
Hiring through SETC: Busch Gardens® Williamsburg ‘Busch Gardens Williamsburg has attended SETC for more than 20 years. We are always seeking the best candidates for our performance, technical and supervisory roles, and SETC continues to be an important part of our audition strategy.’ - Lance Mier, Entertainment Manager SETC recently caught up with Lance Mier, the entertainment manager of consumer events and administration for Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Below are excerpts from the interview. London Rocks, a new show that premiered at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2014, was developed with the help of an outside creative team, including an international video/ projection team, Tony Award-winning lighting designers and Broadway choreographers. The show ran from Memorial Day until Labor Day.
When was your theatre founded? And what makes it unique? Busch Gardens Williamsburg opened in 1975. We are celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2015. The Busch Gardens experience is unique because of the amount of entertainment produced each season. Seven theatres feature more than 20 shows, and the park itself transforms in look and character several times throughout the season. We offer an uncommon opportunity for stage managers, performers and technicians to work alongside our talented production teams in conjunction with Broadway and international designers, plus all the fun experienced while working at a theme park.
Tell us about the types of shows you produce. Busch Gardens Williamsburg produces Broadway-caliber live shows featuring singers, dancers and musicians, and award-winning events. We are constantly in “production mode.” Our core entertainment product opens in early spring and runs through August. In addition, we have a summer Food & Wine Festival and a summer fireworks event. The park completely transforms with new shows, theming and haunted houses for our Howl-O-Scream® event, which runs for seven weekends starting in mid-September. We complete another park transformation with Christmas Town™ which opens just before Thanksgiving and runs through New Year’s Eve.
Where do you find actors and crew? Are they all paid professionals? Available positions are posted on www.bgwjobs.com and www.talentsearchbgw.com. We hold several audition and interview sessions throughout the year in Williamsburg, New York City and other cities across the country depending on our casting needs for that season. We also attend theatre conferences, including the SETC Convention, and advertise open positions on many industry websites. All positions are paid professional, and we offer a variety of positions for different skill levels. More info: www.bgwjobs.com www.setc.org
November / December 2014
8
PROFESSIONAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Getting a Job through SETC: Jacob Waid INSPIRATION for Professionals Have you ever wished you could walk up to a company rep and ask: What makes you flip the page at an audition? How can I enhance my chances of getting a callback from you? We surveyed company reps who attended SETC’s spring auditions and interviews last year and asked those questions for you. Their inspirational and sometimes surprising answers? Read the story in the next issue of Southern Theatre magazine, which should reach your mailbox in December.
Classically trained in musical theatre and opera, Jacob Waid landed his first professional theatre job at The Prizery theatre through the 2014 SETC Spring Professional Auditions. How long have you been involved in theatre?
Long before I knew that I wanted to perform for a living, my mom took me to every musical she could. I started acting classes around age 8 at my local community theatre and began auditioning for shows a few years later. I realized I had this passion for being onstage.
What types of shows do you like to do best?
I earned my degree in vocal performance, with an emphasis in opera, from the University of Kentucky in May 2014. So I love opera, but I find that my passion is for musical theatre. I love shows that are able to really combine the two styles of opera and musical theatre, such as Les Miserables and Sweeney Todd.
Where are you currently appearing?
I just finished an incredible production of Les Miserables at The Prizery theatre in South Boston, VA, where I played Jean Valjean. Before that, I played Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray. I have just moved to Ohio, where I will be working with Blue Gate Musicals in Half-Stitched: The Musical for the next several months.
How long have you been involved with SETC?
My first interview/audition with SETC was last year in the state screenings in Kentucky, followed by the spring convention in Mobile, AL. I got callbacks with 33 companies. I did many interviews and was so lucky to receive almost as many offers. Among them were my recent roles at The Prizery and my job with Blue Gate. I also attended the SETC Fall Auditions in Atlanta a few weeks ago. As a result of that audition, I just signed to play Jean Valjean in Les Miserables with Prather Entertainment in Pennsylvania.
How has SETC assisted you as a theatre professional?
SETC Professional Auditions are a whirlwind experience like no other in the country. You are essentially combining thousands of auditions into 90 seconds, which is both unbelievable and so exhilarating. Through SETC, I am able to meet the staff, directors, producers and casting agents from companies everywhere imaginable – from professional playhouses in Kansas to Norwegian Cruise Lines. Not only is it an astonishing job opportunity, but it is also a brilliant place to meet and get to know most of the people that you are going to be working with for the rest of your life!
More info: www.setc.org/spring-professional www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Summary of Actions Taken by ExCom, Board of Directors ExCom Report by Jack Benjamin According to SETC rules, “The President shall include a report on the proceedings of the Executive Committee [ExCom] meetings to the general membership in the SETC Newsletter.” ExCom is composed of elected officers, a division representative and a state representative. The Board of Directors, composed of elected officers plus all division chairs and all state representatives, reviews ExCom actions and has authority to establish or revise rules. The actions detailed at right were taken at the SETC Fall Meetings.
See full minutes
on the SETC website at www.setc.org/ board-meetings
The Board of Directors and the Executive Committee met in Atlanta on September 5 and 6, 2014. Actions taken by the Executive Committee or the Board include: • Approved motion amending Rule 1.6, changing ExCom’s May meeting time. • Approved motion to amend Section II, Rule 8: Playwriting Committee. The Playwriting Committee is a standing committee which shall consist of a chair appointed annually by the President and such other members as the chair may decide. The duties of the Playwriting Committee shall include, but not be limited to, conducting the annual New Play Project, administer the Innovative Playwriting Instruction Award, developing programs for the annual convention, and carrying out such other projects as may benefit playwriting in the SETC region. This committee shall annually propose, as a part of its budget request, the amounts of all awards for which it is responsible. • Approved motion to delete Rule IV.18. • Approved motion to add Section IV, Rule 22: The Innovative Playwriting Instruction Award. The Innovative Playwriting Instruction Award is established to discover and develop worthy new plays and to encourage young playwrights. The contest shall annually recognize creative inclusion of playwriting instruction in high school curriculum by an innovative high school teacher. The place of employment or place of permanent residence of the award winner must be located within the SETC region. The committee will select one winner (if one of sufficient merit is found) of a monetary award. Administration of the Innovative Playwriting Instruction Award assigned to the Playwriting Committee.
THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING FOR RECENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SETC ENDOWMENT Jesse Bates Steve Bayless Steve Burch J. K. Curry Matt Davenport Shawn Paul Evans John E.R. Friedenberg Pat Gagliano
Tiza Garland Beth Harvey Amie Kisling Jeremy Kisling Don Loeffler Elaine Malone Georgia Martin Kristy Meanor
Clarence Merilles Bill Murray Neil David Seibel Dean Slusser John Spiegel David Thompson Gary Weatherly Dennis Wemm Donna White
SETC Endowment donations support scholarships in theatre. Individuals may donate when registering for the convention or by visiting the website below.
More info: www.setc.org/endowment www.setc.org
November / December 2014
10
FROM THE PRESIDENT
SETC Develops
Program
Jack Benjamin PR ESID ENT
‘It is my sincere hope that the new mentorship program for SETC will discover, nurture and develop the leaders for SETC’s future.’
In March, the membership will vote on a slate of officers to take the organization into the future. During my four terms as President, I have found an amazing number of individuals who are willing to step up and serve SETC. However, in recent years, it has become clear that many individuals need help to understand the job they are taking on. In the past, officers would traditionally work their way up through various responsibilities, learning the ins and outs of SETC. Now, with multiple terms possible, that institutional knowledge is sometimes lost. At the September board meeting in Atlanta, I floated the idea of creating a mentorship program to assist in identifying the leaders of the future. Following our discussion, I appointed a new task force, chaired by Jeremy Kisling, to develop a mentorship program for SETC. Their charge: “to develop information and a process to create a culture of mentorship, building our leadership by connecting leaders to leaders and ultimately building SETC’s value by connecting leaders to participants/participants to participants.” It is my sincere hope that the new mentorship program for SETC will discover, nurture and develop the leaders for SETC’s future. If we help each other, this organization will continue to grow and thrive! The time is now to look to our future.
Mentoring Task Force Seeks Your Involvement by Jeremy Kisling, Chair, SETC Mentoring Task Force The Mentoring Task Force wants to create opportunities to connect, nurture and grow every member of the organization according to their needs and ideas. We are looking to connect first-time attendees to more experienced conference attendees, undergraduate students to graduate students, graduate students to new faculty or professionals and so on. We want to discover methods to get everyone involved in committees and get committee members to serve in board and leadership positions.
We are SETC. You are SETC. How can you help mentor someone else? What type of mentorship are you looking for? The Task Force goal is to create a comprehensive program that creates a culture of mentorship. We would love your input as we discover more about ways we can “connect you to opportunities in theatre.” Do you have ideas? Email me at Jeremy Kisling Task Force Chair jkisling@lctonstage.org.
More info: Email jkisling@lctonstage.org www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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FROM THE TREASURER
SETC Remains Stable Amid Economic Uncertainty
H. Duke Guthrie T R EA SU R E R
This is my third report to SETC and happily the third to note the sound financial standing of the organization as it enters another fiscal year. It is also another year of reporting a murky view of the U.S. economy. While the economy continues a slow growth and unemployment continues to decline, many economists note that consumers remain skeptical about the economy’s future. Experts predict a correction in the stock market that is long overdue, but can’t pinpoint when or exactly how it will occur. That being said, through detailed budgeting and strict financial management, SETC ended 2014 on solid ground. The surplus of revenue over expenses, coupled with the planning and management that led to that surplus puts the organization in a very good place as fiscal year 2015 begins. The organization’s leadership – under Executive Director Betsey Horth and President Jack Benjamin, along with the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Finance Committee and Endowment Committee, as well as the Central Office staff – takes its fiduciary responsibilities to SETC with the utmost seriousness. This commitment has created a solid foundation for SETC’s continued financial health.
Audit Summary Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc. Schedule of Cash Receipts and Disbursements General Fund Year Ended June 30, 2014 INCOME Membership Dues 210,985 Committees and Projects 56,352 Festivals 5,325 Professional Auditions 169,948 Southern Theatre 58,241 Convention 524,885 Contributions 14,752 Other 4,709 Investment Income 22,447 TOTAL: 1,067,644 EXPENSES Awards 26,680 Membership 0 Committees and Projects 32,835 Festivals 35,784 Professional Auditions 135,783 Southern Theatre 76,729 SETC News 11,788 Convention 142,265 Central Office 557,373 Officers’ Expense 22,443 Management Fees 20,048 Credit Card Discount 24,670 Gain on Investment Sales (30,619) TOTAL: 1,055,779 REVENUE OVER EXPENSES: 11,865 Copies of the audit are available at the SETC Central Office by request.
More info: www.setc.org/leadership www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Return Engagement: Exhibit Hall Parks! Look for the Exhibit Hall to be the Center of the 2015 Convention
Betsey Horth EX E CUTIV E D IR EC T O R
The Exhibit Hall Parks that debuted last year (pictured at right and below) will be featured again at the 2015 SETC Convention in Chattanooga. Parks add to the festivity and give you a place to sit down, relax and even do a little putting on the green. Woody Weaver of Hollins Exposition Services, the company that sets up our Exhibit Hall, suggested this concept last year. It was a success – and it’s back! Check out the layout in the drawing below.
2015 Park Sponsors Barbizon Lighting Company: www.barbizon.com ETC, Electronic Theatre Controls: www.etcconnect.com InterAmerica Stage: www.iastage.com Philips Entertainment: www.strandlighting.com MainStage Theatrical Supply: www.mainstage.com
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Interested in Sponsoring a Park? Contact claire@setc.org
strooms
More info: www.setc.org/convention www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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THEATRE & THE LAW
What Impact Will Marriage Equality Have on Theatre?
Dan Ellison ATTO R N EY AT L AW
Read about the proposed copyright change, as proposed in H.R. 5617, Copyright and Marriage Equality Act: tinyurl.com/o97v5ug
Dan Ellison is a Durham, NC-based attorney with a concentration in artsrelated and nonprofit law. He can be reached at artandmuseumlaw@ aol.com. The contents of this column are intended for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstance.
The recent Supreme Court action has effectively made same-sex marriage legal in 30 states and will open the door to making it legal throughout all 50 states. Same-sex marriages are now recognized in Southern states for the first time. This change will have an impact in several areas of interest to people involved in theatre. Copyright Law
If you are in a same-sex marriage and an author of creative work, it behooves you to evaluate your copyright legacy. Upon the death of an author, certain copyrights vest in the surviving spouse. The current copyright act looks to the state in which the author was domiciled at the time of death to make the determination of whether a survivor was a spouse. At this time, there are still some states where it is not clear what the situation is with samesex marriage. Under a proposed copyright amendment (see box at left), if you are married, you are married no matter what state you live in when you die. Along with marriage comes the possibility of divorce. You need to be aware that your ex-spouse might own half your copyrighted works in a divorce. It’s not the same as being unmarried same-sex partners.
Donor Opportunities/Recognition Donor estate planning opportunities may change. Because the estate planning
considerations for married same-sex couples are different than for non-married couples, there may be differences in how the individuals in these marriages consider their planned giving. Additionally, over time, I would expect an increase in the percentages of same-sex couples having children. How will this affect their charitable giving to the arts? Theatres also may need to make some basic clerical changes, such as changes in donor lists and automated emails: “Mr. & Mrs.� may become an outdated form of address.
Employee Benefits
Same-sex marriages may also mean that employee benefits need to be reviewed with an eye toward adding a same-sex spouse and/or children to health plans and other employer-provided perks. In addition, withholding taxes may change.
A Starting Point, Not an End
Keep in mind that these rulings do not automatically end discrimination against those in same-sex marriages. However, they do provide a good starting point.
More info: tinyurl.com/o97v5ug www.setc.org
November / December 2014
14
THEATRE BYTES
Post on Instagram to Connect with Theatre Audiences, Companies
Ethan Pell SE TC M A R KET IN G AND M EM BER SHI P MANAGER
How are you utilizing social media to promote yourself as a company or as an artist? Theatre, a visual-based industry, is the perfect content to post on Instagram, a visual-based social media outlet. #paperrockscissors #rockofages #yousopunny
BY THE NUMBERS: 100 million
photos were uploaded to Instagram in its first eight months
Instagram is one of the fastest growing social media outlets. At its core, it’s simply taking a photo and applying a filter to enhance it.
Here’s how to make the most of your posts: • Go hashtag crazy. Users can click one hashtag and see other photos with the same hashtag. Don’t
13%
of all Internet users are on Instagram
Ethan Pell can be reached at ethan@setc.org.
take up post space with your hashtags. Instead put them in a separate comment on your photo.
• Network with your photos.
If you’re trying to get the attention of a company or an individual, post a photo in the vein of “fan art” that will grab their attention. Follow them, if you don’t already, before posting, and mention them in your post so they are sure to get it in their feed.
200 million
users were posting on Instagram as of March 26, 2014
Instagram sample: Guess what my favorite show is and what game I totally rule at.
• “Latergram” your photo on Instagram.
Take a photo, do some small edits, then post. You can feign the spontaneity of your photo while ensuring it sends exactly the message you want to send.
At the end of the day, you want to make an impression. Whether you are helping promote a company, getting your own brand out there, or simply making someone laugh with a photo that is a visual pun (a toy on a shelf = #shelfie), Instagram is a free, self-marketing machine that takes just a little effort to embrace.
Follow SETC on Instagram by searching “SETC” Use #SETC so we can see your content!
More info: www.instagram.com www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
Arlene Hutton: Contemporary Playwright to Know HAVE A QUESTION FOR SETC CENTRAL OFFICE? Find the right contact to answer your question Rachel Blake rachel@setc.org General Questions April J’C Marshall april@setc.org Professional Auditions Screening Auditions Job Contact Mark Snyder mark@setc.org Listings in Job Contact Bulletin Membership Accounts Receivable Claire Wisniewski claire@setc.org Undergrad School Auditions Graduate School Auditions Commercial Exhibits Education Expo Festivals Ethan Pell ethan@setc.org Marketing and Membership Social Media Advertising in Publications Communications/Website Quiana Clark-Roland quiana@setc.org Convention Planning Convention Logistics Workshop Proposals Betsey Horth betsey@setc.org Organization Leadership
We asked readers to recommend additions to our list of “10 Contemporary Playwrights You Should Know,” published in the Fall 2014 issue of Southern Theatre. Konnie Kittrell, production director at Stagedoor Manor (www.stagedoormanor.com) nominated Arlene Hutton (www.arlenehutton. com), whose best-known work is The Nibroc Trilogy, which includes Last Train to Nibroc Going Gr een (Drama League Best Play nomination), See Rock City (Spirit of America Award) and Gulf View Drive (LA Weekly, Ovation Award nominations). “Arlene Hutton belongs on your contemporary playwrights list!!!!” Kittrell writes in an email. “Not only does her (much successful) work offer a wide variety of unique locales and social arenas, she speaks to women with a powerfully relatable insight.” You can read the original story at www.setc.org/southern-theatre. Have a playwright to suggest for our list? Email deanna@setc.org. Volume
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Institute of Outdoor Theatre Creates Searchable List of Outdoor Theatres Around the World Looking to visit an outdoor theatre in Brussels? Or perhaps you want to catch an outdoor drama down under in Melbourne? In October 2014, the Institute of Outdoor Theatre began listing every outdoor theatre it can identify throughout the world on its website (www.outdoor-theatre. org). Previously, it included only members of the Institute. IOT expects the initial list of about 600 theatres to grow over time. “With this new direction, our website will become the only comprehensive portal to information about outdoor theatre,” says director Michael Hardy. “Our plans include leveraging this unique position to encourage and facilitate the public’s attendance to outdoor theatre, and this portal will enhance our ability to effectively pursue that aspect of our mission.”
In Memoriam: Stephen Hyers Stephen Hyers, 47, died Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014, in Greensboro, NC, after an 18-year battle with brain cancer. He was the managing director of the Greensboro City Arts Drama Center and taught playwriting at North Carolina A&T State University and Elon University. A former SETC state representative for North Carolina, he was chair of the 10-Minute Play Festival at the time of his death. More information: http://tinyurl.com/majxmop Send your news to deanna@setc.org
www.setc.org
November / December 2014
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