2016 Conference

The 2016 Annual Meeting

December 2 - 4, 2016 New York City

Welcome to the 2016 Annual Meeting!

NTC members from all over the country came together in New York City for the 2016 Annual Meeting; an engaging and thought-provoking weekend that took members from the historic and intimate halls of The Players; to the diverse and thriving theater scene of Downtown Brooklyn, with events at BAM, the Kumble Center for the Arts, and Theater for a New Audience; and then on to the Richard Rodgers Theater, home to the Broadway hit Hamilton.

Highlights included a Q & A with NTC Person of the Year George Takei; a discussion with Nevin Steinberg, sound designer for the smash hits Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen; a reading from You For Me For You by Stavis Award winning playwright Mia Chung; a tour of Theater for a New Audience’s new and innovative Brooklyn space hosted by TFANA Founder and Artistic Director Jeffrey Horowitz; the induction of ten new members and so much more!

View the full 2016 Conference program HERE.

Friday, December 2

Session 1: New Members, The Players Club

The day started at The Players, with a continental breakfast, a warm welcome from NTC President Risa Brainin and the introduction of NTC's newest members:

Justin Ellington, Mindi Dickstein, Elynmarie Kazle

Christine Toy Johnson, Priscilla Lindsay, Tom Bryant

Session 2: Brooklyn Academy of Music

NTC members tour BAM

NTC Members tour BAM

Donna Walker-Kuhne and Jerry Genochio

Brooklyn is the 4th largest city in the United States, with a multicultural population and easy access to New York City, it is home to a growing diverse and vibrant arts scene.

The afternoon sessions began with a tour of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), a landmark multi-arts organization that has anchored the Brooklyn arts scene for 150 years.

World-renowned for programs in theater, dance, music, opera and film, BAM showcases the work of national and international artists; including emerging voices and innovative modern masters.

Members had the opportunity to tour BAM's Fisher, Harvey and Peter Jay Sharp theaters. At each venue a BAM staff member lead a discussion about the history, design and technical capacities of each space.

Panelists: Susan Feldman, Fatima Kafele, Jim Niesen and E. Wayne MacDonald.

E. Wayne MacDonald

Susan Feldman and Fatima Kafele

Session 3: Brooklyn, NY: Vanguard of new theatre scene

Members made their way to Long Island University's Kumble Center for the Arts for an panel moderated by Fatima Kafele, Public Information Officer for The Brooklyn Museum, and featuring leaders from three theaters representing the financial, physical and artistic diversity of the Brooklyn theater scene:

Susan Feldman, Artistic Director St. Ann’s Warehouse
E. Wayne MacDonald, Artistic Director Caribbean Cultural Theater
Jim Niesen, Artistic Director, Irondale Ensemble Project

Topics ranged from the artistic (vision, mission, philosophy) to the practical (space, community engagement, finances) and revealed both the opportunities and challenges all three panelists faced regardless of budgetary means, access to space, business models and relationship to a specific community.

Rodney Hurley, Manager of Kumble Theater, with Risa Brainin, Susan Feldman, Jim Niesen, Donna Walker-Kuhne, E. Wayne MacDonald and Fatima Kafele.

Session 4: Theatre for a New Audience

The Polonsky Shakespeare Center, home to Theatre for a New Audience, opened its doors in October 2013. The Center houses a 299-seat Elizabethan courtyard Mainstage, the first theatre built in New York City for Shakespeare and classic drama since the Vivian Beaumont at Lincoln Center in the 1960s. This ambitious new theater space came to life thanks, in great part, to the leadership, vision and tenacity of Founding Artistic Director Jeffrey Horowitz, who offered NTC members an extraordinary opportunity to go behind the scenes and gain a fuller understanding of architecture and design of this exceptional and thoughtfully constructed space.

TFANA Founder and Artistic Director Jeffery Horowitz.

Jeffrey Horowitz in conversations with NTC Members at Theatre for a New Audience in Downtown Brooklyn.

After an extensive full tour of the facilities, members gathered in the house with Mr. Horowitz, for further discussion and a Q &A session that covered everything from the various shades of black used in the house area, to TFANA's lengthy, convoluted, ultimately successful journey from itinerant, downtown Manhattan theater company, to an anchoring member of Brooklyn's growing arts scene.

Saturday, December 3

Session 5: Laurie McCants and Jon White-Spunner
Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, 2016 Outstanding Theatre Award Recipient

A discussion with Laurie McCants and Jon White-Spunner from the Outstanding Theatre Award winning Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble moderated by Benny Sato Ambush

NTC's Benny Sato Ambush moderated this lively discussion with Laurie McCants and Jon White-Spunner of Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, recipients of the 2016 Outstanding Theatre Award. Since its inception in 1978, BTE has demonstrated an active dedication to community, the use of theater to address social issues, a commitment to collective artistic direction, and the work of an ensemble of artists.

Highlights of this discussion included BTE's origin story (How did a group of students from Northwestern University end up founding a theater ensemble in rural Pennsylvania?), and a discussion about BTE's business model and how they have been able to grow while maintaining their commitment to ensemble, both in terms of artistic practice and establishing financial priorities. They also discussed BTE's play selection program (which includes community representatives), their Noh Training Program and the company's tour through sub-Saharan Africa.

Session 6: reading and conversation of You For Me For You by Mia Chung
Mia Chung, 2016 Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwright

Members were treated to an excerpt from You For Me For You by Stavis Award recipient Mia Chung, directed by Claudia Weill.

The play follows the journey of two sisters, Minhee and Junhee, as they attempt to flee the Best Nation in the World, North Korea, but at the border the two sisters are torn apart. Each must race across time and space to be together again—navigating the perilous Land of the Free and the treacherous terrain of personal belief.

The reading was followed by a short discussion with Mia Chung, director Claudia Weill and the cast, moderated by NTC's Liz Engelman. Ms. Chung discussed her journey with this charming, haunting, heart-wrenching play; how it has changed over time, with different productions and with the benefit of an international perspective when she was at the Royal Court in London.

Jennifer Lim and K.K. Moggie in an excerpt from "You For Me For You"

Stavis Award recipient Mia Chung in a discussion moderated by NTC Member Liz Engelman, with actor Sean Tecson (right)

Cast of the Stavis Award reading with director Claudia Weill, playwright Mia Chung and moderator Liz Engelman.

Session 7: Awards Luncheon

The annual luncheon is always one of the highlights of the annual meeting, offering members an opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues, socialize with new members and celebrate the recipients of NTC's annual awards. This year, the luncheon also offered the opportunity to remember, with great fondness, those who are no longer with us. This year we recognized the passing of former NTC member James Houghton and 1971 Person of the Year Zelda Fichandler. A very moving and heartfelt toast was offered by Linda Burson for long-time NTC Member and 1986 Person of the Year, Martha Coigney.

National Theatre Conference presented the following awards:

Mia Chung, Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwright Award
Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, Outstanding Theatre Award
Rebecca Remaly, Emerging Professional Award
George Takei, Person of the Year
Elena Wang, Paul Green Award

George Takei and husband Brad, NTC Luncheon and The Players

Session 8: Q & A with George Takei

NTC member Sharon Ott moderated a lively, moving and wide ranging discussion with Person of the Year George Takei.

George Takei with Sharon Ott at The Players

Candid, direct, humorous, generous and inspiring, George Takei's discussion and Q&A, moderated by NTC member Sharon Ott, served as a wonderful celebration of an artist who has utilized the opportunity of his position to raise awareness, bring about social change and lift up those around him.

Watch Sharon Ott's discussion with George Takei in it's entirety HERE.

Sunday, December 4

Session 9: In the House with Hamilton Sound Designer Nevin Steinberg

On Sunday morning, the members of NTC gathered in the house of the Richard Rodgers Theatre, home to the smash Broadway hit Hamilton for a discussion with sound designer Nevin Steinberg, but got an extra treat when they were greeted by Hamilton Company Manager Brig Burney who provided an impressive history of the theater itself, which opened it doors on December 25, 1925 and has played home to some of Broadways most memorable musicals, included the original productions of Guys and Dolls and Damn Yankees.

This was followed by a fascinating discussion with Nevin Steinberg, moderated by NTC's own Jerry Genochio. In addition to revealing some of the amazing ways in which sound design is utilized in Hamilton to support the play and more deeply engage the audience, Steinberg shared his own unique journey and insights into a field that - thanks to evolving new technologies - is expanding and shifting quickly.

NTC members in discussion with Nevin Steinberg at the Richard Rodgers Theatre

Sound designer Nevin Steinberg speaks to NTC members against the backdrop of the Hamilton set. Moderator Jerry Genochio (right)

Session 10: Meeting of the Membership

NTC members meet to conduct organizational business at Manhattan Theatre Club Creative Center

NTC's meeting of the membership gave members an opportunity to catch up on the organization's many initiatives and projects with reports from Committees including the Women Playwrights Initiative and Pipelines for New Work.

Members offered gratitude to Board President Risa Brainin, past President Cindy Phaneuf, and Board of Trustee members Sharon Ott and Benny Sato Ambush, all of whom were cycling out of their positions.

Welcomed with unanimous votes were new Board President Michael Hood (formerly Vice President), new Vice President David Fuller (formerly Treasurer), and new Treasurer Jerry Genochio, as well as three new members of the Board of Trustees: Fran Dorn, Liz Engelman and Susan Mickey.

Outgoing President Risa Brainin and outgoing Treasurer, and incoming Vice President, David Fuller

Session 11: Idea Cafe - Cultural Mapping

On Sunday morning the membership participated in a Cultural Mapping exercise led by board member Deborah Brevoort.

The exercise was originally developed at the Perseverance Theatre in Juneau, Alaska, where Deborah served as Producing Director. Cultural Mapping was designed to facilitate cross-cultural communication, but has since been adapted for many purposes.

NTC members formed groups around a series of questions, and were asked to find what they had in common. The exercise was conducted as part of NTC’s Idea Café, to build community and explore issues pertaining to identity.