2012 TheatreFest Convention Director
Amazingly, it's the middle of September, and that means that preparations for TheatreFest 2012 are well underway. As you look ahead to January, 2012, please make certain that you reserve the dates of January 27-29 to be in HOUSTON (not Dallas) for TETA's annual celebration of educational theatre, performances, programming, auditions, and many more experiential opportunities.
As you read through this newly streamlined format of Texas Theatre Notes, you will find information alerting you to a great many CHANGES for TheatreFest 2012. Please read and review these carefully. Even if some of the information looks familiar, you will see some important improvements and updates for 2012, so we encourage you to read thoroughly. We don't want you to miss a single part of TheatreFest 2012.
And don't forget to click on the link below each article so that you can read the entire article. That being said, please click the link just below for details on registration and an overview of what's ahead at our upcoming TheatreFest....
Each year, no matter how hard we emphasize that no exceptions will be made to any of our policies, we receive at least one or two dozen requests from Members who are sure that the “NO EXEMPTION” policy should not apply to them.
It does!
For example:
- You got all your paperwork submitted on time but your school secretary forgot to put it in the mail. Sorry, but the higher fees will apply;
- Your business office forgot to give you a check so all you have to pay for fees onsite is a personal check. Sorry, there is an ATM in the hotel just waiting to give you the money you need;
- Weather was bad and you simply could not travel. You really feel you should get your money back. Sorry, but inclement weather is considered an “Act of God” and TETA will still owe the hotel and all its vendors every penny of our original contracts. We simply cannot refund any money, or TETA could never pay the bills which we are charged, which is exactly the same no matter if the weather is sunny, raining, or a full blown ice storm.
TheatreFest has gotten to be a BIG event. On the date we sign the hotel contracts- typically five years before the TheatreFest itself- we are committed to pay the hotel the full value of the contract, which is mid- six figures. With that kind of obligation necessary five years in advance to secure the space TETA needs for TheatreFest, our financial policies HAVE to be inflexible.
Remember, in a survey not yet five years old, we asked members what things were most important to them at TheatreFest. Here’s what you told us:
- You would prefer all 500-600 sleeping rooms to be in one hotel (and that you preferred a hotel above a convention center);
- You would prefer all meeting rooms to be in one hotel; and,
- You would prefer not to go outside or travel to get between the sleeping and meeting rooms.
Today, TETA’s programming requires 75,000+ square feet of meeting space, and there simply aren’t many hotels in Texas with that much space which can also meet the three criteria above and can (or will) accommodate our requirements at room rates less than $200 a room for up to four people per room.
So please understand that we simply are not able to grant you the exception or fee waiver you request. Try to focus instead on the million-dollar plus of scholarships we distribute during TheatreFest and the 200+ programming choices available to you. Plus so many other networking, education, and entertainment options. As Sondheim wrote:
Good times and bum times,
We've seen them all and, my dear,
We’re still here..
Top billing Monday,
Tuesday we’re touring in stock,
But we’re here.
We’ve run the gamut
From A to Z.
Three cheers and dammit,
C'est la vie.
We got through all of last year
And we’re here.
Lord knows, once we were there,
And we’re here!
Look who's here!
We’re still here!
Gene Dickey, 2012 TheatreFest Convention Director
Jennifer Nichols, 2012 TheatreFest Director of Operations
J. E. Masters, 2012 TheatreFest Host