MTA Hosts NCTC Celebrate Theatre Meeting
MTA has been asked to host the Metrolina meeting for NCTC's Celebrate Theatre Week event.
The purpose of the event is to increase awareness and visibility of theatre and build
appreciation for its role and value in each NC community. The project's goals are (1) to
gather theatre practitioners regionally, (2) to gather the names and addresses of those
practitioners, (3) to have theatre practitioners discuss how decisions are being made in
their area, and how to affect those decisions, (4) to get a snapshot of how decision
making is happening in communities across the state, and (5) to gather information on who
is making decisions in communities across the state. To achieve these goals we are asking
that you invite someone influential in your theatre to attend the meeting with you. This
person might be on your board or a major patron of your group. The questions for
discussion at the meeting include the following: (1) Who in your community makes decisions
and how are the decisions made? (2) How can we develop a relationship with decision-makers
to improve and enhance the environment for theatre? 3) What does it take to affect the
decisions that are made? (4) In your community, what are the most effective ways to
increase awareness for theatre?
Here's a big MTA "thank you" to CPCC Theatre for hosting the February meeting.
We would like to say a special thank you to Richard Maschall, Carol May, Joanna Treadwell
and Ann Wicker for serving on a media panel and giving their expertise.
MTA will meet on April 17 at 5:30 pm at Charlotte Rep. Members should RSVP by 5:00pm on
April 14 by calling 333-8587 ext.104. Our guest will be David zum Brunnen, new Executive
Director of NCTC. The show for this meeting will be Six Degrees of Separation. Only 25
tickets are available for this show. RSVP quickly.
MTA sponsored its' annual high school drama festival on March 7 & 8 at Spirit Square.
A grand time was had by all participants and spectators. Six schools were represented this
year: North Mecklenburg, Providence, Northwest, South Mecklenburg, Harding,and West
Charlotte. The festival adjudicators were Diana Giesler of Theatre Charlotte, and Bill
Fears of Children's Theatre. MTA would like to thank Joanna Smith and Debra Curl for all
their hard work in making this year's festival a hit. And special thanks to Jimmie's Deli
for their kind donation of food.
It's that time of year again. MTA will elect officers at the June meeting for next year. If you are interested in serving on the Nominating Committee or serving as an officer for next year, please let one of the current members of the executive committee know. MTA has had an interesting year of discussion about its purpose and future. You are the only one who can make MTA what it should be. Volunteer today!
Theatre Charlotte will hold a gala weekend Saturday, May 3 at 7:00pm to celebrate seventy years of continuous operation. If you haveparticipated in any show at Theatre Charlotte, contact Candace Sorensen for your chance to help with this wonderful event.
Plans are moving forward for the American Alliance of Theatre in Education conference
to be held August 6-10 in Charlotte . Planners expect approximately 500 educators to
attend the event. Program sessions will cover the latest trends in theatre for young
audiences, classroom arts programs, enrichment classes, workshops and much, much more.
Conference schedules have been mailed out. If you did not receive yours, contact Joan E.
Starr, conference chair and Director of Education at Children's Theatre of Charlotte at
704-376-8025.
NCTC is seeking nominees for 1997 Division awards. The awards will be presented at the '97 NCTC convention in Asheville next November. Nominees represent the five theatre divisions of NCTC ( Professional, College & University, Community, Theatre Arts Educators K-12 and Theatre for Youth). The awards are designed to recognize organizations for outstanding contributions to theatre in NC. To be eliglible the following criteria must be met: (1) Produce Theatre in North Carolina, (2) Have made an outstanding contribution in its field, (3) Be a member of NCTC. If you have any questions or want a nomination form, call NCTC at 919-832-9171.
Check out the Institue for Outdoor Drama's home page at www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/. It was awarded a Magellan 5 star rating.
ARTS North Carolina, NCTC and other cultural service organizations are sponsoring Arts Day on April 16 in Raleigh. Make plans to attend now. Seminars and workshops are planned to lead up to a reception for the legislative assembly in front of the Dept. of Cultural Resources building.
MTA is helping host the AATE conference. Please contact Joan E. Starr or Candace Sorenson if you or members of your theatre can help with making our guests stay in Metrolina a memorable one. Help is needed especially on Saturday August 10 for volunteers to serve as guides as the conference participants travel by bus to various venues about Charlotte to see the exciting theatre and performance spaces available in our area. Please volunteer now!
Send your season information in as soon as it's finalized. Remember send one copy to
Keith Martin for inclusion in the data base to help avoid production duplication and send
a second copy to Tom Hollis for the Callboard master calendar.
MTA has been chosen as one of 20 arts organizations to participate in the first round of Charlotte's Web 's exciting new project called Open Studio: The Arts Online. Charlotte's Web received a $35,000 grant from the Benton Foundation, which is coordinating the program for the NEA. The goal of the project is to put 20 artists and 20 arts agencies online with World Wide Web sites. This will be done through a coordinated mentoring approach, an "each one teach one" model. Videographer Sam Eneman has been hired to coordinate the project. Sam's not only a videographer,but he's also an excellent Charlotte's Web trainer and longtime volunteer. The first ten artists are Shelia Brooks (graphic arts/oils), Judith Cutler (graphic artist), Kathy Nelson (illustrator), Pat O'Boyle, Kathy Sharman (portrait artists), Aven Stephenson (actor), Jennifer Webb (muralist). The first ten organizations are the Blumental Performing Arts Center, the Charlotte Art League, MTA, Community School of the Arts, Charlotte Writers Club, Theatre Charlotte , Historic North Charlotte Arts District, the Charlotte Repertory Orchestra and the Mint Museum. Ray Mills, Key Players, represented MTA at the first meeting. Tom Hollis will serve as principal contact. Please contact Tom if your interested in participating.
The new MTA marketing committee has met twice at Dorothy Waterfill's office. Current members of the group are co-chairs Dorothy Waterfill and Tom Hollis, Rob Odum (Children's Theatre), Dan Shoemaker (Actor's Theatre), Carol May (PAC), Karen Johnston (Union County Players), George Brown (innovative Theatre), Michael Vance( Vance Theatrical), Margo Parrott (Theatre Charlotte),and Tom Vance (CPCC). The group held a brainstorming session on what type of marketing effort MTA should attempt for next fall. A variety of areas were explored. A proposal will be presented at the April meeting. If your theatre would like to have a member on the steering committee, contact either Tom or Dorothy. The only way this effort will be a success is if all MTA members participate. .
