SCHEDULE OF EVENTS & REGISTRATION

 PLEASE NOTE: All times listed are Eastern Standard Time |
​

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4

OPEN HOUSE

ZOOM REVIEW

FRIDAY​
​12:30pm - 1:00pm EST
Open House
  • Grab a cup of coffee and join for some casual conversation 
  • A breakout room will be provided for those needing instructions, or even just a refresh, of ZOOM features and functions
SESSION

1

FRIDAY​
1:00pm - 2:15pm EST
Welcome & New Member Rants
  • President’s Welcome
  • New Member Rants
  • Q&A with New Members ​
15-MINUTE BREAK
SESSION

2

FRIDAY
​​2:30pm - 3:30pm EST
Stavis Award & Reading
  • Stavis Chair Jean Bruce Scott presents the award to Erika Dickerson-Despenza
  • A Reading from Erika Dickerson-Despenza's Stavis winning play "cullud wattah" directed by Candis C. Jones
  • A Conversation between Erika Dickerson-Despenza and Candis C. Jones
READ a synopsis of "Cullud wattah"
It’s been 936 days since Flint has had clean water. Marion, a third generation General Motors employee, is consumed by layoffs at the engine plant. When her sister, Ainee, seeks justice & restitution for lead poisoning, her plan reveals the toxic entanglements between the city & its most powerful industry, forcing their family to confront the past-present-future cost of survival. As lead seeps into their home & their bodies, corrosive memories & secrets rise among them. Will this family ever be able to filter out the truth?
More information about Erika Dickerson-Despenza HERE
More information about Candis C. Jones HERE
15-MINUTE BREAK
SESSION

3

FRIDAY​
3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
Social Justice: Racism, Anti-Racism and America’s Theatre
  • Utilizing Erika Dickerson-Despenza's "cullud wattah" as a jumping off point, this interactive session focuses on Social Justice: Racism, Anti-Racism and America’s Theatre
More information about the Flint, Michigan water crisis ​HERE
15-MINUTE BREAK
SOCIAL EVENT
​FRIDAY
5:00pm - 6:00pm EST
President's Reception: Let's Just Talk!
  • BYO Cocktail, Mocktail, Coffee, or Cannabis (some states, anyway) for fun conversations in ZOOM break out rooms.
  • Suggested rooms (list not final): False Idol Hidden Tikki Bar (San Diego), Cheers (Boston), Manifesto Speakeasy (Kansas City), Vogue Bistro (Surprise , AZ), Chumley's (NYC), Ganja Gourmet (Denver)
END OF DAY

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5​ 

SESSION

4

SATURDAY​
​1:00pm-2:15pm EST
Outstanding Theatre Award: Cleveland Public Theatre
  • OTA Chair David Feldshuh presents the Outstanding Theatre Award to Raymond Bobgan, Executive Artistic Director of  Cleveland Public Theatre
  • CPT nominator Laurie McCants moderates a conversation and Q & A with Raymond Bobgan
  • Presentation of the Emerging Professional Award to Reginald L. Douglas
Learn more about OTA recipient Cleveland Public Theatre
Learn more about Emerging Professional Award recipient Reginald L. Douglas
15-MINUTE BREAK
SESSION

5

SATURDAY
​​2:30pm-4:00pm EST
Person of the Year: Taylor Mac
  • President David Fuller presents the Person of the Year Award to Taylor Mac
  • Presentation of the Paul Green Award to Graham KG Garlington
  • President David Fuller moderates a conversation, followed by a Q & A, with Taylor Mac
More information about 2020 Person of the Year Taylor Mac
30-MINUTE BREAK
SESSION

6

SATURDAY
​​​4:30pm-6:00pm EST
A Space to Talk
This networking session offers the opportunity to connect with friends, and ask for or offer advice. This session is divided into three parts, the Pitch Room, the Mentor Room and the Room Where it Happens
  • 4:30pm EST: THE PITCH ROOM - A place to make, or listen to, pitches for collaboration, employment, co-production and all manner of theatrical adventure. Those interested in giving a pitch will be assigned a 2-minute slot. All participants asked to commit to being present for the full half-hour session.  Conversations will be able to continue in breakout rooms in THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS.
  • 5:00pm EST: THE MENTOR ROOM - Senior NTC members (solicited in advance) will answer questions, offer advice and share their wisdom. Conversations will be able to continue in breakout rooms in THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS.
  • 5:30pm EST: THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS - Recognizing the need for more relaxed open-ended social conversation, we encourage members to use this time to continue connecting with each other. NTC’s ZOOM platform will be open and available for those who want to connect using ZOOM breakout rooms. Members are also encouraged to connect with each other using their own favorite platform for communication whether it be through ZOOM, FaceTime, SnapChat, WhatsApp, your cell phone or a good ol’ land line.
END OF DAY

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

SESSION

7

SUNDAY​
12:00pm-12:30pm EST
Business Meeting: How We Stand
  • Treasurer's Report
  • Committee Reports​
  • Vote on New Trustees and Officers
  • President’s Report 
SESSION

8

SUNDAY​
12:30pm-2:00pm EST
ENGINES OF CHANGE: Coping, Creating and Succeeding in a New American Theatre
This session will be a proactive, optimistic and aspirational discussion of Leadership, Programming, Hiring, Producing and Play Development that will fuel, as the NY Times wrote, “The Birth of a New American Theatre.”
  • What are we doing, and what can we do, as the paradigm has shifted politically, socially and culturally to a future framed by COVID-19 and the coalitions built out of protests against violence towards BIPOC humanity?
  • How can we aim for a future that doesn't simply give out bigger slices of the pie, but actually creates a whole new, joyful pastry?
30-MINUTE BREAK
Time to Connect
SUNDAY
​2:30pm-3:00pm EST
THANK YOU'S & GOODBYES
  • An opportunity for members to gather, re-connect, give thanks and bid each other adieu, until we meet again.
END OF CONFERENCE
next conference
January 16 to 18 2026
in New York City