FALL CONFERENCE 2009

Saturday, October 3

Seton Hill University

Greensburg, PA

Click here for a preregistration form and save $5.00!

Schedule of Events—October 3, 2009

9:00 -9:25 am --Registration --Lobby of Performing Arts Center

9:30-9:40 am – Welcome and Announcements—Ryan Theatre

9:45-11:00 am  Session #1

Scene Painting and Rosco Products
Presenter: Jenny Knott, Rosco            Room:  Scene Shop
A hands-on session which will begin with a presentation on the advantages of Rosco Paint products--their economic advantages and how to use them to your advantage in any type program. Then we will tackle the coating products and their variety of uses and how to choose between them with a hands-on project for one of the coating products. This is a double session.  It will meet until 12:30 pm.

Evoking Emotion in Costume Renderings
Presenter: Mary McClung (West Virginia University)                        Room:  Project Room
A non-digital approach to creating the appropriate mood with your costume renderings and how to vary and differentiate the look of your rendering style or technique.

Ultra Simple Motor Control
Presenter:  Eric Rouse (Penn State)               Room:  Performance Studio
By using AC inverters, learn how to control low horsepower motors that are great for small scenic elements and props.  There will be a few hands-on opportunities.

So You’re Beginning A Career As A Stage Manager: Things You Need to Know
Presenter:  Annmarie Duggan (University of Pittsburgh)       Room:  Classroom
This is a portfolio/job session aimed at stage managers.   Topics discussed will be how to get the job, now you have the job what you need to do, 1099’s, taxes, pay for Equity versus Non-Equity, travel, and what the theatre should be doing for them, and how to handle a freelance career.  Annmarie was a New York-based freelance Lighting Designer and Production Manager for 12 years.

Presenting Non-Visual Designs in Portfolio Format
Presenters:  Chuck Hatcher (CCM), Joe Pino (Carnegie-Mellon), Curtis Craig (Penn State)                                                                          Room:  Rehearsal Studio
A roundtable discussion on how best to present a portfolio as a sound designer.   Come with your ideas, portfolios and questions!  Let’s start a dialogue on how the only non-visual area in theatre can present their work in a meaningful way that the visual artists of theatre will understand. 

Basic Console Programming on the ETC Ion
Presenters:  Nick Gonsman, Jenn Christenson, Adam Leong   Room: Ryan Theatre
Attendees will receive basic training on ETC's popular Ion control console. Topics covered will include: console setup, patching, recording cues and general operation. Training will be led by ETC Field Project Coordinator, Nick Gonsman. Nick will be assisted by Jenn Christenson and Adam Leong of Integrated Theater Systems. This is a double session.  Participants have the opportunity to continue the training until 12:30 pm.

Portfolio Reviews and Responses—Sign Up in the Lobby
Bring your portfolio and get responses from a variety of professionals—academics/grad school faculty members, production managers, technical directors, and peers.  Get tips on how to improve your portfolio for the job (grad school, professional theatre, summer stock, USA exam). 
Sign up in the lobby for slot—15 minutes to present with a 10-minute response. Depending on the number of participants, these reviews may be separated by discipline and/or objective (is this a portfolio to get into graduate school? To get a job?  For the USA 829 exam? What is the difference?)  Reviewers include Dick Block (Carnegie Mellon), Brian Ruggaber (University of Cincinnati—CCM) and several more.  This will continue all day long.

11:15 am – 12:30 pm   Session #2
Scene Painting and Rosco Products Continues          Room:  Scene Shop

Basic Puppetry Design and Construction
Presenter:  Mary McClung (West Virginia University)           Room:  Project Room
A discussion of basic construction techniques and materials of hand and rod puppets, live hand, and shadow puppetry.   There will be several samples.

How Do I Get a Job?  What Else Do I Need to Know?
Presenter:  Annmarie Duggan (University of Pittsburgh)       Room:  Classroom
This is a portfolio/job session aimed at lighting designers.   Topics discussed will be how to get the job, now you have the job what you need to do, 1099’s, taxes, unions, and how to handle a freelance career.  Undoubtedly, could be useful for any freelance designer or technician. Annmarie was a New York-based freelance Lighting Designer and Production Manager for 12 years.

Basic Console Programming on the ETC Ion—Continues.
Presenters:  Nick Gonsman, Jenn Christenson, Adam Leong   Room: Ryan Theatre
A continuation of the first session.  

What Producers/Production Managers Want to Hear and See
Presenter:  Adam Zonder                                Room:  Performance Studio?
Learn how to prepare your portfolio and handle yourself in the interview presented by Adam Zonder, Production Manager at the Hangar Theatre.  

Tour of the Palace Theatre                             Meet in Lobby, depart at 11:10 am
A local roadhouse theatre which has undergone many renovations and improvements to their theatre over the past 15 years in small steps.  The theatre has remained functional throughout the process.

12:30-1:45 pm     LUNCH (on your own)

1:45-3:30 pm  Keynote Address and Membership Meeting          Room:  Ryan Theatre
 or in Rehearsal Studio if AV is needed.
The Keynote Speaker will be Dick Block, Chair of the Drama Department at Carnegie Mellon University.  He has been on faculty at CMU the last seven of which as Associate Head of the School (including a stint as Interim Head), following a freelance career based in New York City.  Dick has been active locally with projects designed at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Public Theatre. Additional regional credits include work at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Mass.; Center Stage in Baltimore and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Recent designs include Lend Me a Tenor and The Tempest at The Human Race in Ohio and Amadeus and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Dick is co-author of Scene Design and Stage Lighting (10^th edition). Dick is also active with USITT and both regionally. He has participated with KC/ACTF since he began teaching, having served as Design Chair of Region II, Festival and Design Respondent in a number of regions and as the first National Design Chair. He is the recipient of the Kennedy Center Medallion for Distinguished Service. Dick received his MFA from Northwestern University and is a member of USAA.

*The fall membership meeting will take nominations to the board of directors for the section, details about upcoming events and announce the awards in the Peggy Ezekiel Exhibit.

3:45 – 5:00 pm   Session #3

ETC Ion Console - Advanced Topics
Presenters:  Nick Gonsman, Jenn Cchristenson, Adam Leong      Room:  Ryan Theatre
Attendees will direct the discussion to cover topics of interest. Topics may include: automated lighting control, effects, tracking, multi-user, and networking.

Portfolio Organization and Layout for Costumers
Presenter:  Rebecca White (Otterbein College)                                Room:  Project Room
How to organize and display your work for ease of viewing, attention getting, and keeping!  Learn simple organization, layout methods, formats, and materials to show off your work to your advantage. Information can work for both digital and paper portfolios. Session will focus on costume design and technology portfolios but may be of interest to all visual designers/technicians.  Intended audience will be undergraduate and graduate students preparing portfolios for school advancement, summer work, and entry-level positions.           

Fostering a Sense of Community
Presenter:  Jeff Gress ( Capital University )                            Room:   Classroom
So you have just moved to a new city , how do you successfully insert yourself into an established theatre community?  Jeff will share ideas and tactics for networking and building relationships.             

Tour of Seton Hill University’s New Performance Arts Center
Presenters:  Todd Berling, David Nash                                   Room:  Rehearsal Studio
Tour the new performing arts center followed by a round-table discussion of the process with the consultants and contractor. More information on the facility can be found at: http://www.setonhill.edu/academics/theatre/facilities.cfm

5:00 – 6:30 pm  Ezekiel Exhibit on View
                Board of Directors Meeting in Project Room

7:00 pm:  Tech Olympics

High School and College students are encouraged to participate in an evening of Tech Olympics.  Sign Up in Lobby during Registration.

8:00 pm – River City Brass Band presents Oktoberfest at the Palace Theatre.

If you are staying in town,  check out this show at the Palace Theatre. The River City Brass Band takes you from your seats and transports you to Germany and Austria to celebrate Oktoberfest, the world-famous festival of food, fun, drink, and of course music. You will hear old-world favorites from Handel and Brahams to Johann Strauss, Franz Lehar, and even Kurt Weill. Will the band be in lederhosen? You just have to attend to find out.More information on the Palace Theatre website: http://www.thepalacetheatre.org/schedule.html

Conference Presenter Bios:

Dick Block
Carnegie Mellon University
rblock@andrew.cmu.edu

Dick has been on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon for twenty years, the last seven of which as Associate Head of the School (including a stint as Interim Head), following a freelance career based in New York City.  Dick has been active locally with projects designed at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Public Theatre. Additional regional credits include work at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Mass, Center Stage in Baltimore and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Recent designs include Lend Me a Tenor and The Tempest at The Human Race in Ohio and Amadeus and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Dick is co-author of Scene Design and Stage Lighting (10 th edition). Dick is also active with USITT and both regionally. He has participated with KC/ACTF since he began teaching, having served as Design Chair of Region II, Festival and Design Respondent in a number of regions and as the first National Design Chair. He is the recipient of the Kennedy Center Medallion for Distinguished Service. Dick received his MFA from Northwestern University and is a member of USAA.

Curtis Craig, Sound Designer
Penn State University
CurtisCraig@psu.edu

B.S. in Music and Theatre from Clarion University.  Formerly, held the position of Sound Designer for the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.  Regional credits include four years as Resident Sound Designer at Dallas Theater Center, Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, Arkansas Repertory Theater, Watertower Theater and Seaside Music Theater.  He received the Leon Rabin Award for Outstanding Sound Design for The Collected Works of Billy the Kid. His recordings with the Grammy award nominated contemporary music ensemble, Voices of Change, include Harold Blumenfeld's song cycle Mythologies. His recording work also accompanies the Garland Press book Walt Whitman and Musical Modernism.  He is a member of Audio Engineering Society (AES), United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT), and National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).

Annmarie Duggan, Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh
duggan@pitt.edu

MFA from University of Arizona 1994.  Annmarie was a New York based freelance Lighting Designer and Production Manager for 12 years .  She has worked Off Broadway: Jolson & Co. (Century Center) Syria America (Greenwich Street Theatre), Clue The Musical (Players Theatre). and in Regional Theatre: American Girl Place Theatre, Chicago, LA, and New York, Orlando Repertory Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, Foothills Theatre, Wachusett Theatre, Seaside Music Theatre, Cumberland County Playhouse, Utah Musical Theatre, Lycian Centre, Florida Rep., Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Skylight Opera. Stoneham Theatre Co., Chattanooga Rep. Theatre, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare, St. Michael's Playhouse.  Other credits include Production Manager for American Girl Place, New York, NY and Los Angeles were she was the theatre consultant in the build out and equipping of two new theatre space. Member of USA 829 and USITT.

Nick Gonsman, Field Project Coordinator
Electronic Theatre Controls

Nick Gonsman is a Field Project Coordinator for ETC in New York City. At ETC, he does system layout and specification as well as training and education, and specializes in control theory and networking. Previous to ETC, Nick attended the Pennsylvania State University where he studied lighting design and technology. He was a founding member of USITT@PSU, and was President of the organization for two years. Nick is an active supporter of USITT and ESTA-Behind the Scenes. As a freelancer, Nick still designs and programs in and around New York.

Jeff Gress, Assistant Professor Technical Director/Designer
Capital University

Jeff has a B.A. in Theatre from Miami University and an M.F.A. in Theatrical Design, University of Cincinnati/College-Conservatory of Music.  In addition, he is an experienced Theatre Consultant, having worked on several houses of worship, sports facility, and theatrical construction projects.  Gress has worked as Designer and Theater Building Consultant for the following companies:  ArtSpace Design, Dayton Public Schools, Heath High School, Waverly High School, Van Wert High School, Pastime Theatre and Convention Center, Rabbit Run Community Art Association.  He also served as a Designer for the following theatrical organizations:  The Letterman, The Actor’s Summer Theatre, Central Ohio Youth Ballet, Weathervane Playhouse, Contemporary American Theatre Company, the Phoenix Theatre Circle.   

Chuck Hatcher, Associate Professor of Sound Design
University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music

Chuck holds an MFA from University of Montana and a BA from The Evergreen Stage College.  He was the resident sound designer and senior lecturer at Cornell University, 1988-2000, where he designed the sound design for over 50 productions as well as sound engineering for 20 visiting dance companies.  He has been the Sound designer for Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, NY, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Vienna's English Theatre, Summerfest in Urbana, Illinois; Syracuse Stage in Syracuse, NY; Williamstown Theatre Festival, Hangar Theatre and Tacoma Actors Guild.

Jenny Knott, Paint Products Manager
Rosco Laboratories

Jennifer Knott joined Rosco Laboratories in 2003 as its Paint Products Manager. Knott is responsible for the development of new products and the maintenance of such popular product ranges as Off Broadway, Supersaturated Roscopaint and Deep Colors scenic paints. Rosco’s finishing products, such as Foamcoat and Flexcoat, widely used for finishing scenic pieces, are also Knott’s responsibility.  Knott has been an active scenic artist since she earned her MFA in Scene Design and Technology at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Most recently, she was Charge Scenic Artist at Vee Corporation in Minneapolis. She had earlier served as a scenic artist in such venues as Arena Stage and Scaena Studios in Washington D.C., the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, Missouri Rep in Kansas City, and the McCarter Theatre in New Jersey. Knott is also a member of USA 829.

Adam Koe Leong, Project Manager
Integrated Theater Systems

(BFA, ’88, Carnegie Mellon Drama Production Department)  Mr. Leong’s diverse career in entertainment production spans more than twenty-six years in theater, film, video, industrials, political presentations and numerous other live events.  He has been the production manager and technical director for Presidential presentations, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Cabaret, Byham, Harris and O’Reilly Theaters, the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, and Gargaro Productions (now Pittsburgh Musical Theater), having also designed the lighting for their national tours as well as twenty-eight other PMT shows including the critically acclaimed Miss Saigon in 2006.  Some of Mr. Leong’s diverse lighting credits include the atrium artwork in the Hillman Cancer Center, Democratic and Republican campaign functions including the Italian Street Festival and the US Airways Suite for the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, numerous industrial shows/events, the concert sequences of the feature film Bob Roberts, the Mary Miller Dance Company, Bruce VanDyke’s country music video It’s All in the Touch, the Pittsburgh Steelers Fashion Show, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s premiere of Balanchine’s Jewel,s and The Phoenix Project for the Southwest Ballet.

Mary McClung, Costume Designer
West Virginia University

Mary is the Associate Professor of Costume Design and Director of Costuming at WVU.  She holds a BFA from Alfred University and a MFA from West Virginia University.  She has designed costumes, puppets, and sets for clients such as Disney, Children’s Television Workshop, Universal Studios, Dallas Children’s Theatre, and The Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Design credits include: The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Life of Insects, The Beggar’s Opera, Henry IV part I and II, Great God Brown, The Seagull, Three Sisters, Sesamo Barrio (Sesame Street, Spain), The Long Christmas Ride Home, The Big Friendly Giant, and Tartuffe. McClung has also taught Theatre Design at The University of Dallas, (Dallas, Texas) and Whitman College, (Walla Walla, Washington) where she also worked as a guest designer.  She was awarded The 2002 Dallas Critic’s Award for Costume Design of The Beggar’s Opera.

Joe Pino, Sound Designer
Carnegie Mellon University

Joe Pino has been designing sound professionally since 1982.  He also
teaches at Carnegie Mellon University.

Eric Rouse, Technical Director
The Pennsylvania State University
ejr127@psu.ed

MFA from Penn State in 1997.  Eric was the Technical Director at University of South Carolina in Columbia for three years.  He worked for Flying by Foy in Las Vegas from 1997-1999, and freelances for them.   Credits include The Backstreet Boys World Tour, Walt Disney World’s Tarzan show in Orlando,  and various TV awards shows.  Worked at Cirque du Soleil’s “O” from 1999-2002 as an Automation Technician and Supervisor in the Rigging Department, where he maintained all of the rigging elements in the theatre, helped design new elements and insured the safety of artists and technicians working overhead and under water.  Member of USITT and IATSE.

Brian J. Ruggaber, Assistant Professor of Scenic Design
University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music

Brian holds a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MFA University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  Brian has designed over 80 drama, musical, opera, and dance productions in a wide variety of professional and academic venues across the U.S. including, but not limited to: The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Bristol Riverside Theatre, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, New World Theatre, New Century Theatre, and Sleeveless Theatre Co.  In addition, he has been a guest designer at The University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Ohio Northern University, and The University of St. Francis.  Prior to joining the faculty of CCM, Ruggaber was an Associate Professor of Scenic Design at UNC Charlotte.  Eighteen of his scenic designs have been nominated for awards and The Metrolina Theatre Association in N.C. recognized his design for Crimes of the Heart at UNC Charlotte for Outstanding Set Design by an academic institution.  He is an active member of USITT, and a member of the USA 829.

Rebecca White, Costume Designer
Otterbein College

Rebecca White is the Faculty Costume Designer at Otterbein College.  With a BS from UW-Lacrosse and an MFA in Costume Design and Technology from the University of Minnesota, Rebecca's work has been seen at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul, The Minnesota Centennial Showboat, The Milwaukee Rep., The Santa Fe Opera, Theatre l'Homme Dieu, and the Penumbra Theatre Company.

Adam Zonder, Production Manager
Hangar Theatre, Ithaca, NY
 
Adam just left his position as Associate Professor and Interim Chair for the Theatre Department at SUNY-Albany; to work for the Hangar Theatre fulltime as it undergoes a renovation to turn it into a year round facility.  Adam has been the Technical Director for over 100 productions with various companies including Connecticut Repertory Theatre, J. Howard Wood Playhouse, Music Theatre North, University at Albany, and River Rep. Adam has been the Production Manager for Playwrights Horizons Theatre School, J. Howard Wood Playhouse, Project Manager for Quinlan Scenic Studios and draftsman for Adirondack Scenic Studios.  MFA: University of Connecticut, BA: Bucknell University

T o d d   W.  B e r l i n g
Harvey Marshall Berling Associates

Todd Berling is a Principal Consultant at Harvey Marshall Berling Associates, a Theater, Acoustics and AV Consulting firm with offices in New York City and Ft. Wright , Kentucky .  With over (20) years of experience in theater design, Todd has worked on theater projects acoss the United States, as well as in China, Thailand, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.  Todd is honored to have served as the Theater Consultant for the new Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center. Todd has a BA from Eastern Kentucky University (1986) and a MFA from the Yale School of Drama (1989).  In addition to his consulting work, Todd is proud to have served as an Adjunct Lecturer at the Yale Drama School since 2002, where he teaches masters level classes in Theater Rigging Engineering and Stage Lighting Systems design.  Todd also serves as the Production Manager for the performing arts department at Notre Dame Academy; an all-girls catholic high school in Park Hills, Kentucky.