Theatre Communications Group to Hold Its 2014 National Conference Here
Theatre Communications Group (TCG) announced today that its 2014 national conference will be held June 19-21 in San Diego.
Theatre company artistic and managerial staff members, board members, individual theatre artists, and students from across the country are the prime audience for the gathering, which will be centered at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel, near Petco Park and the convention center.
“We were impressed by the San Diego theatre community’s enthusiasm and collaborative spirit,” said Teresa Eyring, executive director of TCG. “The natural beauty, abundant resources and thriving cultural ecology of San Diego make it an ideal location to host a transformative experience for our attendees.”
TCG’s national conference moves from location to location each year, but this will be the first time the group has met in San Diego, according to Dafina McMillan, director of communications and conferences. Among the local theatre companies participating in the successful bid to host the conference were Cygnet Theatre Company, Diversionary Theatre, Ion Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Lamb’s Players Theatre, MOXIE Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, The Old Globe, San Diego Junior Theatre and San Diego Repertory Theatre.
The conference will feature speakers and panels, as well as breakout sessions where participants can focus their attention on particular topics. For the upcoming 2013 conference in Dallas, these topics are: diversity and inclusion, audience engagement, financial adaptation and artistic innovation.
Ms. McMillan indicated that planning for the 2014 conference is just beginning, but there would likely be excursions to local theatre companies, as well as time to view performances, included as part of the conference. Most of the local theatre companies have not yet announced programming for the period when the conference will be in town, but one that has, North Coast Repertory Theatre, in Solana Beach, will be presenting a world premiere of Timothy Burns’ play, Faded Glory, which tells the story of a 19th century member of Congress who was both a scoundrel and a winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor. NCRT’s artistic director, David Ellenstein, will be staging this comedy.
Besides its national conference, TCG serves its 500-odd nonprofit theatre members by administering grants, publishing plays, books, and the magazine, American Theatre, and hosting a number of more specialized events. Seema Sueko, artistic director of Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company, is currently a recipient of a $75,000 grant from TCG that allows her to live for a time in Washington, DC, and be mentored by Molly Smith, artistic director of Arena Stage.