TheatreFest: Stronger than EVER

Dr. Jerry Ivins, 2015 Co-Convention Director

My friends, a lot has happened since I was last the Convention Director in Houston back in 2009.  I could list many things that are different in society and technology from 2009 to 2014, but those types of list always make me feel old! 

Some things, however, have not changed!  I am not referring to the fact that I am still driving my 1995 Ford F150!  I am referring to the wonderful Theatre educators that give of themselves to make TheatreFest happen!!

This year, we are taking a lesson from our friends in Austin, Betsy Cornwell and Kris Andrews, by having Co-Convention Directors.  Missey Head, from Dallas, is running all programming, and I am running all operations for the Convention.  Missey has assembled quite a team to locate and bring to TheatreFest a great lineup of talented Master Educators.  It is a return to a focus on education, and she is doing a masterful job.  TheatreFest is truly moving Together Toward Tomorrow!!

Under the leadership of Marion Castleberry, the TETA President, Rachel Mattox, the TETA Treasurer, and the TETA Board of Directors, the operations side of the Convention is moving forward at a steady pace. 

We have a stellar group of Theatre professionals working behind the scenes for TheatreFest 2015:

·         Darve Smith, Co-Registrar

·         K’Lynn Childress, Co-Registrar

·         Jay Thomas, Assistant Convention Director of Operations

·         Brian Hamlin, Exhibits Co-Chair

·         Ryan Heitzman, Exhibits Co-Chair

·         David Kersh, Co-Technical Director

·         Travis Johnson, Co-Technical Director

·         Matthew Perry, Co-Technical Director

·         Jessica McCarroll, Hotel Liaison

·         Bobbi-Jo Davis, Hospitality Director

·         Richard Turner, Transportation Director

·         John Landon, DesignFest Co-Chair

·         Paul Davis, DesignFest Co-Chair

·         Jerry Ayers, PlayFest Chair

What event can you attend where you can participate in over 200 work­shops, watch many top-notch performances and special guests, view the results of PlayFest (a playwriting competition), observe Texas designers’ work in DesignFest, participate in College Auditions, and visit over 80 the­atre exhibitors from businesses and college/universities from all over the country? But most of all, a place to visit friends and colleagues from theatres all over the State! Visiting, sharing and networking is what pro­fessional theatre is all about.

As a participant of TheatreFest 2015, please remember the following:

• Register online for TETA membership - https://tetatx.wildapricot.org/join-us
• Register online NOW for the Convention, be­fore the deadline - https://tetatx.wildapricot.org/event-1756539
• If you are an Institutional Member, renew before the deadline - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WYd62LReDDcxhL6umMjfS7DNn_obp7Z6lTKKm0N__XY/viewform
• Reserve your hotel room NOW before all the rooms are gone - https://aws.passkey.com/event/11101025/owner/3109/home
• If you are a college, university or a business, reserve your exhibit booth  - https://tetatx.wildapricot.org/event-1760183
• Register NOW to participate in Design­Fest and PlayFest - www.tetatx.com
• Log onto www.tetatx.com for forms and more information

As always, if there is anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Jerry

Jerry.Ivins@sjcd.edu