Special Guests for TheatreFest 2018

Our special guests for Texas Educational Theatre Association 2018 TheatreFest are as excited about sharing their expertise as you might be to attend the conference and meet and greet old friends and gain new ones while learning new perspectives in creating theatre. Don’t forget to register now. 

Our headliners this year will be JARROD EMICK and RUTH BUZZI.

JARROD EMICK and RUTH BUZZI

Jarrod won a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor and a Theatre World Award for his portrayal of Joe Hardy in DAMN YANKEES. Our second headliner is the amazing and delightful RUTH BUZZI, actress, comedian and singer who won a Golden Globe Award and received five Emmy nominations for her performances in “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In”.

Our transatlantic guest will be DR. JASON PRICE, actor/director/dramaturg, who is an associate professor at the University of Sussex. He will speak on space and ensemble in two different sessions.

Special guests from the east coast, include New York publicist RICHARD KORNBERG, activist/director and winner of the Grace Kelly Foundation award STEVIE WALKER-WEBB. BRET SHUFORD, Broadway performer will conduct a master class on musical theatre.

Our west coast guests include PATRICK Y. MALONE, Los Angeles actor/acting coach who will conduct a master class on contemporary and classic audition pieces. TY MAYBERRY will discuss his work as actor and director for HAMLET at the Alley and in Los Angeles theatres. PAIGE PENGRA CLARKE, drama therapist will discuss the rising importance of drama therapist in your professional counseling career. All three of these guests are transplanted Texans who attended Texas high schools and Texas colleges and universities. Way to go Texas educators.

Other Texans sharing their expertise include BRAD MAULE, who performed for 22 seasons on “General Hospital”. SHERRY JO WARD will perform her one woman show entitled STIFF, an award-winning play and performance of her personal journey with stiff person syndrome.

The always popular DEMOND WILSON will return to Texas once again to encourage and affirm directors across the state. Isn’t he the nicest guy from Mississippi.

Other special guests include Sara Becker, Jim Johnson, Rachel Bush and Kevin Rigdon from the University of Houston. Monica Ball, Brian Quiljada, Shannon Roberts and Chris Caddell will be special guests for Higher Education, Play Fest, Design Fest and Filmfest respectively.

I have had the fortune to attend TETA since 1977 so this will be my 41st consecutive conference. TETA TheatreFest has yet to grow old to me. The conference has always been a delightful fest…. Come join the festivities for the body, mind and soul.

Happiest of Holidays!