Detroit Rep attends annual arts management symposium
DETROIT – The Detroit Repertory Theatre was one of 17 theatres nationwide invited to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to participate March 14 – 16 in the Vilar Institute's "Arts Management Symposium," with full expenses paid by the Vilar Institute & SBC Communications.
The Institute is designed for culturally specific arts organizations to meet the need for more arts management expertise, and provide resources and networking opportunities that can positively impact not only individual organizations but the entire arts field.
Last year's symposium, held at Yale University, brought the Detroit Repertory Theatre together with professionals from theatres around the country, including the New Federal Theatre of New York, the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, and Teatro Vision from California.
This year's symposium had a four-tier capacity building process: a series of on-line consulting sessions with an on-site visit; strategic planning services; symposium coordinated by the Kennedy Center; and staff consultants to work directly with the Detroit Repertory Theatre.
The DRT is a non-profit, professional company, operating under an Actors Equity contract, producing full professional productions and offering outreach services, new playwrights programs, actors' workshops, arts in education programs and group fund raisers. For more information on the Detroit Repertory Theatre, call (313) 868-1347.
Kalamazoo Civic Theatre to host national event in 2005
KALAMAZOO – The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre has been selected to host the 2005 national theater festival sponsored by the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT). Over 500 community theater delegates from all over the country are expected to attend the AACT/Fest which will begin June 12, 2005 and run through June 19.
AACT is the national voice of community theater, representing the interests of more than 7,000 theaters across the United States and its territories, as well as theater companies with the armed forces overseas. AACT exists to foster and encourage the development of, and commitment to, the highest standards by community theaters, including standards of excellence for production, management, governance, community relations and service.
The festival, in which representatives from AACT's 10 regions perform before a panel of adjudicators and general audiences, results in awards of excellence. It also leads to invitations for participants to perform at theater festivals in other parts of the world.
After submitting a written proposal, The Civic was one of three theaters invited to give a formal presentation before the AACT board of directors in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to Duwain Hunt, executive director of the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, one of the reasons Kalamazoo was chosen for the festival site was the close proximity of the Civic Auditorium and the Radisson Plaza Hotel, which will serve as the festival headquarters. Another reason was Kalamazoo's easy access by car, plane or train.
In addition to bringing award-winning theater to Kalamazoo, the AACT/Fest will also bring approximately 900 hotel room nights and $435,000 in revenue to local businesses.
The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre has a long history with AACT/Fest, having presented its productions of "Forever Plaid," "Dancing at Lughnana" and "Fools" at previous competitions.
