Theater News

The gift will establish the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab for students and teachers

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts announced today that it will establish the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab, creating a new dedicated educational space in the building, thanks to a $2.5 million donation from theatre legend Harvey Fierstein. Fierstein has also named the Library for the Performing Arts as a beneficiary of the Harvey Fierstein Trust, securing his legacy as a major supporter of the library’s ongoing efforts in documenting, collecting, and preserving the performing arts, and inspiring the next generation of artists.Read More »Harvey Fierstein Donates $2.5 Million to New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

SETC is pleased to announce that effective July 1st, Elizabeth Theodora (she/her) will be SETC’s new Professional Services Manager. Theodora has been with SETC since the Fall of 2019 as its Membership & Technology Manager. She managed possibly the best, most efficient, no-wait convention registration in Louisville 2020. Since, she has been instrumental in navigating the transition of our database and application system to Neon and OpenWater, completing the transition in record time and overhauling SETC’s registration system for 2021 which was a resounding success per post-Convention surveys. In addition, she paved the way for virtual auditions and callbacks so SETC could continue our services during the worst months of the pandemic. Most importantly, Theodora served on SETC’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Task Force, bringing her insightful personal experience and enduring commitment to creating many of SETC’s EDIA initiatives. She will play a pivotal role in making our auditions and job fair more inclusive and accessible.Read More »Elizabeth Theodora is SETC’s New Professional Services Manager

From scenic washes to specials, lighting designer Cory Pattak uses power luminaire’s feature set to stunning effect on Beauty and the Beast

Set against a magnificent red rock canyon backdrop in the Utah desert, Tuacahn Amphitheater in the state’s southwest corner is one of the most picturesque settings you’ll find anywhere for outdoor theatre. Lighting designer Cory Pattak has lit a production of Beauty and the Beast amid the spectacular surroundings and used the venue’s new IP65-rated Proteus Maximus™ moving heads as workhorse front light fixtures. Here’s a preview video from Tuachan for this recent production of Beauty and the Beast showing off the scenic, lighting, and projection designs:

Read More »Proteus Maximus™ Versatility Shines Through at Utah’s Tuacahn Amphitheater

Continuing its support for emerging designers, Vectorworks, Inc. announces the winners for the fifth Vectorworks Design Scholarship. With over 1,800 submissions, scholarships were awarded to 28 students for 21 projects in the architecture, entertainment, landscape, and interior design industries. Winners included both individual and group submissions. Stage Directions sends its congratulations to all of the winners.Read More »Entertainment Winners in the Fifth Vectorworks Design Scholarship

Lifeline Theatre welcomes Amelia Ablan to her new staff position as Production Manager, beginning June 2021. Reporting directly to Artistic Director Ilesa Duncan and Managing Director Allison Cain, Ablan will be responsible for overseeing the production processes for the company, collaborating closely with directors and the Artistic Director to fulfill the production needs for Lifeline’s future live and digital programming. Ablan succeeds Jennifer McClendon, who served as Production Manager since 2016, now heading to Providence, RI to Trinity Repertory Company as their new Producing Director.Read More »Amelia Ablan Joins Lifeline Theatre as Production Manager

Berkeley Rep has named Sunshine Deffner as its new Associate Managing Director. Deffner previously worked as the Senior Director of Operations and Education for The California Symphony in Walnut Creek, where she served as an organizational leader for concert operations, artistic administration, program development, strategic partnerships, education programming, and general operations. At Berkeley Rep, Deffner will oversee new program initiatives that support the Rep’s commitment to relevance and diversity. She will also work closely with the Theatre’s Managing Director Susie Medak on the advancement of key priorities across the organization.Read More »Berkeley Rep Announces Sunshine Deffner as New Associate Managing Director

The USITT and ESTA Terminology Working Group is gathering suggestions about problematic racist, sexist, genderist, and other exclusionary language in our industry as well as suggestions to replace those terms. The group’s endeavor is to identify any terminology that is linguistically rooted in, or suggestive of oppression or exclusion, and supplant it with more inclusive and accurate language.Read More »Terminology Working Group Looking for Suggestions

Counting Together, a growing coalition of theater artists, arts professionals, and organizations engaged in separate, long-term studies of race, gender, and disability in our field, announces the launch of a new online resource (CountingTogether.org) designed to provide free and easy access to industrywide data and statistics in these areas. By telling the stories of its findings, Counting Together’s stated goal is to identify and forge pathways to greater equity and inclusion. Currently made up of fifteen separate projects, Counting Together includes both individuals and groups engaged in countering systems of exclusion in the theater.Read More »Counting Together Provides Critical Data on Equity in American Theater

The American Theatre Wing produces The Network, which provides emerging and developing theatre professionals advanced education, networking opportunities, and tools for career advancement within a supportive creative community.

Coming up next on The Network is a Free panel discussion with Stage Managers, Stage Management | Charting Your Course. Learn from the masters of logistics, communication, time management, and problem-solving during this panel discussion. The panelists of Stage Managers, who will share career advice and more, includes Cody Renard Richard, Cherie B. Tay, Rachel Sterner, and Kamra A. Jacobs. This discussion will be moderated by David Mendizábal. This will be held on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EDT.Read More »ATW’s The Network | Stage Management, Charting Your Course Panel Discussion, June 16

Michael Ritchie has announced that he will retire as Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group on December 31, 2021. Having taken over the position from Founding Artistic Director Gordon Davidson in January 2005, for more than 16 years, Ritchie has led one of the country’s largest nonprofit regional theatres, producing and presenting 266 productions—which included 49 world premieres, four Pulitzer Prize finalists and led to 59 Tony Award nominations—while programming the Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum in downtown Los Angeles at The Music Center and the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.Read More »Michael Ritchie to Retire as Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group on December 31, 2021