Kentucky Theatre Association

July 19, 2008, 1:05 PM (from Louisville, KY)

The newest KTA Newsletter is fresh off the presses--be sure to check it out. Simply click on the "Newsletter" icon above, and then click on the "August 2008" link.

Beyond that, KTA is working diligently to bring the national SETC conference to Kentucky for 2010. Louisville and Lexington are on the short list, and SETC will be coming to the two cities for site visits in early August.

Congratulations to all of the theatres in the state. This summer's slate of performances was one of the best I've seen.

April 15, 2008, 11:05 PM (from Louisville, KY)

Just posted the back issue of the April Newsletter to the site. If you did not receive it via email, make sure to click the newsletter link above and check out the April issue. There are a number of exciting bits of news from the world of Kentucky theatre. Also, if you are not on the list, send me an email and I will gladly add you to the list!

The KTA strategic planning session is coming up this weekend. In this 9-hr retreat, we will be planning our service for theatre in Kentucky for the next 3 years! If you have input about what you would like to see, please send email or call me sometime this week.

Also, there is a new audition notice in the "Auditions" section of the "Calendar." Make sure to check it out...

March 31, 5:32 PM (from Louisville, KY)

March has come to a close, and things are clicking for theatre in Kentucky. March was "Theatre in Our Schools" month, and KTA looks to highlight that with its partner, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education.

KTA is also in its 3-year strategic planning phase. Working with esteemed consultant Liz Fentress, KTA plans to build a strategic plan that will serve the theatre organizations, artists, students, educators, and public. It really is an exciting time for theatre in Kentucky.

Make sure to check out the show listings for April. There are a number of outstanding shows in the state this month. Today alone I added over 30 performances to the calendar!

Be on the lookout for the next KTA newsletter--coming to an email inbox near you in mid-April!

March 12, 8:06 PM (from Louisville, KY)

Board Member Karen Willis announced that the "Inside Players," a group of inmates at the Green River Correctional Facility, have become members of KTA. Karen is to be commended for her outstanding work with this group.

Also, I had a strategic planning meeting with esteemed Kentucky artist Liz Fentress this evening, and in the process I found that there are three wonderful Kentucky playwrights with work ready for production. More details to come in the next few days! I hope some of our member theatres will be interested in producing the works.

March 10, 5:05 PM (from Louisville, KY)

More great news for KTA and theatre in Kentucky: Actors Theatre of Louisville has re-joined the organization.

Also, special thanks are in order to the Muhammad Ali Center, Equus Run Viniards, Anchorage Press, and Teresa Tope (who presented KTA with a wonderful landscape photo) for their generous gifts to KTA. KTA presented these gifts to SETC at the annual conference last week. Once again Kentucky generosity was seen at its finest!

March 8, 2008, 4:45 PM (from Chattanooga, TN)

The SETC Convention in Chattanooga is winding down, and it has been an exciting time for theatre--especially for Kentucky. World-renowned theatre artist (and current Centre College professor) Daniel Stein dazzled educators as a featured presenter at the SETC K-12 institute. Georgetown College professor George McGee--also known to most Kentuckians as the man who performs as Henry Clay--and Nancy Gall-Clayton--Kentucky playwright--both joined up with KTA. SCAPA performed Lovers in the High School Festival. Merely Players performed Open 24 Hours in the Community Theatre Festival. Murray State University performed Pinstripe Suite II in the fringe festival. If you took a long breath you missed something exciting.

In total, Kentucky had an astounding presence at the conference. Here are some of the folks who presented this year:

Scott Secore and Max Amitin (EKU) presented "SETC: For the Students, by the Students."
Jeremy Kisling (Lexington Children's Theatre) presided over the Theatre for Youth Festival.
Mia Self (formerly of Alice Lloyd College) presented "Actor Warm-ups"
Tracey Moore (WKU) presented "Acting the Song: Performance Skills for the Musical Theatre Artist."
Tim Davis (Bluegrass Community and Technical College) presented "Teaching an Old Script New Tricks" and "Outdoor Drama Survival Skills."
Megan Burnett (Alice Lloyd College) and Kathi E.B. Ellis (Kentucky Theatre Association) presented "What Does It Mean to Be a Women's Theatre Company in the 21st Century?"
Brent Menchinger, Maura Cravey, Lissa Graham-Schneider (Murray St) presented "Getting a Job Through SETC for the Actor."
Brent Menchinger (Murray St) and Thomas Tutino (WKU) presented "Sketching, Model Making and Rendering for Design: Demonstrations of Techniques and Skills."
Rinda Frye, Patti Heying, and Mary Holt (University of Louisville) presented "Spice Up Your Dialects" and "The Writer's Voice."
Tracey Moore (WKU) presented "Directors and Vocal Coaches: The Collaboration, The Challenges, The Pitfalls, and the Payoffs."
Kathi E.B. Ellis (Kentucky Arts Education) presented "Dramaturgy: What in the Word is It?"
Michael Hatton (NKU) presented "Theatre and Online Learning."
Annette Grevious (formerly of U of L) presented "A Theatre of Diversity."
Denise Vulhop Watkins (Morehead) presented "Help! I want to Design, but I Can't Draw!"
Jonathan Awori (Murray) presented "Trifecta! Creating Dynamic Monologue Performances."
Richard St. Peter (Actor's Guild of Lexington) presided over Graduate Scholarship Interviews.
James Tompkins (U of L) presented "Neutral Mask Performance."
Karen Willis (KTA) presented "Theatre Behind Bars."
Nancy Gall-Clayton (Kentucky Playwright) presented the "Playwrights' Efficiency Workshop."

And these were just a few! One thing is for sure: theatre is alive and well in Kentucky.