Workshops at the 2020 Annual Conference

There will be a variety of workshops presented at the 2020 Annual Conference for various interests.

You can learn a bit about the workshops and their presenters below.

Friday, March 13

9:00 am – 10:20 am

 

10:30 am – 11:50 am

 

2:00 pm – 3:20 pm

 

3:30 pm – 4:50 pm

Admin – Annex Greenroom

Grant Writing

 

Making Friends With Your Budget

 

Making Friends With Your Budget

 

TCA Grants

Tech – VK Theatre

Big Sets for Small Spaces

 

Computer Assisted Design

 

Painting Faux Wood Floors

 

Food from Fabric 1

Youth – Annex Studio

KidPower Leadership

 

Together We Can

 

Theatre After High School

 

Monologues

Saturday, March 14

9:00 am – 10:20 am

 

10:30 am – 11:50 am

 

2:30 pm – 3:50 pm

 

4:00 pm – 5:20 pm

Admin – Annex Greenroom

TCA Grants

 

Ticketing Made Easy

 

Ticketing Made Easy

 

Grant Writing

Tech – VK Theatre

Computer Assisted Design

 

Big Sets for Small Spaces

 

Propage – Fake Food, Weaponry, and Set Dressing

 

Food from Fabric 2

Acting/Directing – Annex Studio

Lighten Up!

 

Monologues

 

Panel – AACTFest Play Selection

 

Lighten Up!

An Inexpensive Method for Painting Faux Wood Floors

Workshop Description:

The right floor treatment is vital to the “look” of a finished scenic design, and one of the best is the warmth and feel of hardwood.  This workshop will show you the steps in creating a convincing faux hardwood floor using paint and an inexpensive sponge mop. Hands-on activities are planned.

About the Presenter:

Judd Vermillion recently retired to the beautiful Hill Country following a career in professional and academic scenic design including work at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, Texas Christian University, The University of Dallas, The University of Louisiana at Monroe, and The University of Texas/Permian Basin, Fort Worth’s Casa Mañana Theater, Jubilee Theatre, and Amphibian Stage Productions.  At Playhouse 2000, Judd has created stunning designs for Carousel, The Foreigner, A Funny Thing…Forum, Witness For the Prosecution, And Then There Were None, and Our Town.

Big Sets for Small Spaces

Workshop Description: 

How to design elegant and appropriate scenery for small theatres and blackboxes

About the Presenter: 
Currently the Director of Theatre for Schreiner University, Jeff has run both the Point and Playhouse theatres in the Hill Country. A scenic designer by training, he also acts, directs, teaches, and administrates when needed. With an MFA in theatre from Temple University, he has worked in Philadelphia, Austin, San Marcos, and throughout Central Texas. He lives in Kerrville with wife, Heather, two daughters, two dogs, and a dozen or so rabbits.
Computer Assisted Design Using Sketchup

Workshop Description:

Computers can make Scenic Design easier AND more precise, making everyone’s jobs easier – from giving the director a sense of the design without models, to giving the carpenter concise dimensions, to giving the lighting designer clear sight lines and proportions.  This workshop will lay out the basics of using one such software package, Sketchup, which is available in both “FREE” and professional versions. Bring your laptop with Sketchup installed, or come with a pencil and paper – either will be valuable.

About the Presenter:

Judd Vermillion recently retired to the beautiful Hill Country following a career in professional and academic scenic design including work at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, Texas Christian University, The University of Dallas, The University of Louisiana at Monroe, and The University of Texas/Permian Basin, Fort Worth’s Casa Mañana Theater, Jubilee Theatre, and Amphibian Stage Productions.  At Playhouse 2000, Judd has created stunning designs for Carousel, The Foreigner, A Funny Thing…Forum, Witness For the Prosecution, And Then There Were None, and Our Town.

Creating Food From Fabric and Other Applications

About the Workshop:

In this hands-on workshop we will create enticing “edibles” from a variety of fabric trims, foams, craft picks, and sawdust …Yummy!
About the Presenter:
Tracy Alexander is the Production Manager for Midland Community Theatre. She is an ambassador for the American Association of Community Theatres, a 2003 graduate of Leadership Midland and a Summer Mummer. Tracy has a BA in Theatre Arts from California State University, Sacramento. Past experience includes: Props Designs for TheatreWorks (CA), the Sacramento Theatre Company (CA), and Garbeau’s Dinner Theatre (CA); Production Secretary at the Mason Gross School of the Arts (NJ); and Makeup Artist at Music Circus (CA). She has been involved in community theatre for 20+ years – as a staff member, director, actor, and designer.
Grant Programs from the Texas Commission on the Arts (and More!)

About the Workshop:

Grants offered by TCA are just one part of a spectrum of local, regional, and national government grant programs that your organization can apply for. In this session you will learn more about all of TCA’s grant programs as well as grant offerings from TCA’s regional and national partners. Whether your theater company is new to TCA’s programs or you have been receiving TCA grants for years, this session will spark funding ideas for your organization. Dr. Mudd will provide ample time for questions and brainstorming following the presentation.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Derek Mudd is a Program Administrator at the Texas Commission on the Arts where he serves as the specialist for theater, dance and arts education. Derek produces and hosts TCA’s popular Professional Development Webinar Series, presenting Texas-based Arts leaders who share effective practices for arts administration in an online format. Before joining  TCA, Derek worked as an actor, director, and teaching artist in Kentucky, Texas, and Louisiana. Derek holds an MFA in Theatre and a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Louisiana State University.
Grant Writing

Workshop Description:

How do you even start to write a grant? Where do you go to find grant opportunities? What’s the difference between public, private, and government grants? How can my grant application be competitive? This workshop will answer those questions and then we will fill out a grant in real time.
About the Presenter:
Jesús Pantel is the Cultural Funding Supervisor for the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division, where he manages the $12 million Cultural Arts Funding Program. Jesús is familiar with both sides of arts funding, having worked as Grant Writer for Pittsburgh’s multidisciplinary Squonk Opera. He has reviewed funding applications for the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, Bromelkamp Company, the States of Texas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Nebraska, and the Cities of Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Jesús received a double major in History and Theatre Arts from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He earned his Master of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Click here to access workshop materials
KidPower Leadership

Workshop Description: 

Join Kids Who Care’s founder Deborah Jung as she conducts an energizing hands-on experience with her fine-tuned leadership system called KidPower Leadership.  Used for 26 years within Kids Who Care’s corporate structure, and with Kids in Kids Who Care’s Entrepreneur Institute, Deborah will reveal not only why it is called KidPower, but participants will take home first-hand experience of its transformative power.  KidPower tools when used by theatre companies, boards, and corporate teams, can change an exceedingly diverse group into a powerful ensemble team. 
About the Presenter:
Kids Who Care was founded by Deborah in 1989 following fourteen years as a full time professional actress, teacher, and director.  Since that time Mrs. Jung has produced and directed tours of Kids Who Care’s Original musicals previewing Off Broadway at the People’s Improv Theatre and the Lamb’s, appearing at the Kennedy Center, Bass Hall, The Meyerson, Disneyland, and in venues in New York, Los Angeles, Italy, Germany, Albania, Washington D.C., Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Orlando, Nashville, across Texas, and at “30,000 feet in the air on the American Airlines Wish Flight”.  


Mrs. Jung designed Kid Power Leadership in 1993.  This leadership model, originally designed for summer student leaders, has become an essential element for all leadership at Kids Who Care with annual training for the Board of Directors, professional full time staff, and professional contracted artists.  As a consultant, Mrs. Jung produces Kid Power Leadership workshops for corporations, schools, and other non-profits, staffs, and boards. Past workshops include Texas Christian University, Tarrant Area Council of Churches, Trinity Valley School, San Angelo Broadway Kids, and JTaylor Associates. 

Lighten Up

Workshop Description:

Are you stressed over rehearsals? Are you biting your nails down to the quick because opening night is approaching and your lines aren’t there? Are you finding that your perfect cast has lots of cracks in it? Are you behind in set construction and light hang? Then lighten up! Play some wonderful theatre games and drop your worries (at least for the next hour) and connect with fellow company members in a constructive and hilarious way!

About the Presenter:

Cran Dodds received a BA in Theatre from the Univ of North Texas and has managed the Denton Community Theatre, was Artistic Director of the Warehouse Theatre, a company member of Casa Mañana in Fort Worth, and Director of Bravvo Productions. Cranston is Past President of TNT and currently serves as a Board Member. He has also served as a Theatre Review Panelist with the Texas Commission of the Arts. Cran has served as Engagement Director for AACT, traveling the country assisting theatres in all areas of need. Currently Cran teaches advanced acting for the Corsicana Hight School Theatre Department, where he is Chair. Cran is also an adjudicator for AACT and the TNT Youth Conference. Cran is married to playwright/teacher Frances Seidnesticker and proud father of one son and two daughters.

Making Friends With Your Budget

About the Workshop:

This interactive workshop is designed for Executive Directors, Development staff and Board members who are interested in securing grant funding for their organization.  Kathryn will focus on two fundamentals; “How to Prepare Budgets” in all the ways that grants ask for them without losing your mind and “Telling your Story”.

About the Presenter:

Kathryn Albright received her B.S. in Communication Disorders and her M.A. in Audiology from the University of Texas at Austin. She practiced Audiology for over 15 years during which time she published numerous professional papers and conducted professional development workshops as an advocate for newborn hearing screening implementation all over the nation.
In 2000, she joined the Staff of Kids Who Care as part-time Development Director where she was responsible for grant writing and fundraising. Through her tenure she has served as Marketing Director, International Relations Coordinator and as the Business Operations Director responsible for the day-to-day administrative operations of the organization. She has returned full circle to Development Director where she, in conjunction with the Executive Director and the Financial Development Team, continues to secure funding to allow Kids Who Care to fulfill its mission. She is also The International Relations Director responsible for the summer International Exchange program. She is a KidPower Leadership Trainer and the KidPower Leadership Board sponsor. Kathryn also contributes poems and prose to the original Kids Who Care production scripts.
Monologues

Workshop Description:

Description to come.

 

About The Presenter:

Lyle Tate has been active in community theatre since 1999 when he began working with Starkville Community Theatre in Starkville, MS. There he acted in, directed, and stage managed over 70 productions, many of which traveled to the Mississippi Theatre Association Festival, on to the Region IV Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), and once – with Catfish Moon – on to AACTFest in 2009, where he and his crew were awarded Outstanding Backstage Achievement. Lyle served as chair of the SETC community theatre festival from 2010 to 2019 and is now an active member with Baytown Little Theatre in Baytown, TX, having moved to Houston in 2013.

Panel - AACTFest Play Selection

Workshop Description:

Panel discussion on how to select the best play for your company in advance of the 2020/2021 AACTFest cycle.

 

Panel will be co-hosted by Lisa Holcomb.

About the Presenter:

Jeffrey Brown is the Executive Director for Playhouse 2000, Inc. and The Cailloux Theater, a position he’s held since October of 2011.  He brings more than 20 years of experience in theater and arts administration to the job, the bulk of it as Producing Director for the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, a multi-stage performance and production company in Tennessee. Prior to that, Jeffrey served in executive and development positions for groups such as Voices of Change, a classical chamber music ensemble, and The Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico dance company, both located in Dallas. 

 

With Playhouse 2000, Jeffrey’s production of Tennessee Williams’ little know one-act The Pretty Trap progressed through multiple levels of the American Association of Community Theater’s AACT Fest, earning awards for Acting, Directing, Scenic Design, Costume Design and Lighting along the way to performing at the 2019 National Festival in Gettysburg, PA.

Theatre After High School

Workshop Description:

What happens after you graduate from Youth Conference or OAP? Do you have to live  in New York? You can still have a theatrical life. The theater will always need you and you hopefully will always need theater.  Find out some new roles to keep the magic alive wherever you live.

About the Presenter:

Presenter to be announced.

Ticketing Made Easy

Workshop Description:

Join TicketstotheCity co-founder, Greg Ricks for a dynamic workshop (and giveaway!) on all the new and upcoming features for this versatile ticketing service that pays TNT Members to use it!

About the Presenter:

Greg Ricks has had a long career supporting theatre. First as the publisher of playbills for 20 years for organizations ranging from Casa Mañana, Theatre Arlington, to Circle Theatre. In 2005, he partnered with Sean Foushee to create TicketToTheCity.com, the free-to-the-seller online ticketing service that specializes in live theatre. Greg is also an actor, having appeared in Walker: Texas Ranger, a made-for-TV movie with Chuck Norris. He even did a short stint as a stage actor in The Boys Next Door.

Together We Can 10x10

Workshop Description:

Director Deborah Jung will begin with a dynamic presentation of “why” & “how” Kids Who Care has produced original musicals every summer for the last 31 years with Kids from around the world: Australia to Israel, Italy to China, Albania to Mexico to Indonesia.

 

Next Mrs. Jung and Kids Who Care’s Musical Director and Composer Pam Adair will lead conference attendees (administrators, student leaders, directors, designers, accounts and board members) in a powerful ensemble vocal session; teaching the finale of “Together We Can”, staging all participants into the current finale with the Kids Who Care Cast, and finishing with an invitation for all participants to join Kids Who Care on stage that night in the evening performance of “District XI:  Believe in Me”. No artistic experience or performance skill necessary to jump in and have a life changing experience.

About the Presenter:

Pam Adair is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University with a B. A. in Vocal Performance. She has been a choir teacher in Fort Worth ISD for 13 years where her choir students have received Division I Superior Sweepstakes in Concert and Sight-Reading Contests and Division I Superior ratings in Solo Ensemble Contests. Her choir students have auditioned for and have been selected for Region Middle School Honors Choirs. She has had students audition for and make the Southwest Association of Choral Director Choirs. Pam has served as Region Choir Vocal Chair Assistant and Region Choir Vocal Chair for Region VII. She was awarded Campus Teacher of the year at Daggett Middle School and has served as Fine Arts Chair to her campus Professional Learning Community. Pam is a member of Southwest ACDA and Texas Music Educator Association and has attended annual conventions where she receives continuing education. Pam teaches Vocal classes at Kids Who Care, is Resident Company Vocal Director and is the Music Director for July International Camps. Pam has toured with the Resident Company as Vocal Director to Austin, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Italy, Germany and Albania. Pam has been writing and creating music with Kids Who Care for over 20 years and has become the Education Director at Kids Who Care where her artistry began. Her dreams of creating started as a young child, sitting outside in her favorite tree where she made up songs. She took piano lessons as a child and continued piano when she returned to college. Her friends, children and family have been her inspiration for writing.