The Second Annual Conference, scheduled for October 29 to 31 at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, will feature a broad variety of workshops and exhibitors with special sessions on Historic Scenic Art. These sessions will be presented by Lance Brockman, professor of theatre at the University of Minnesota, and Bruce Brockman, professor of theatre at Oklahoma State University.

The Brothers Brockman will conduct a two-part exploration of historical scene painting as it was used in popular entertainment, fraternal ritual, and early forms of virtual reality. The morning session will include historical overviews, discussion of techniques and materials used by early scenic artists, hundreds of examples of drop painting used in vaudeville variety and fraternal ritual, and a discussion of early forms of virtual reality which includes moving and stationary cycloramas and dioramas.

During the afternoon, session participants will be led through hands-on drawing and value work that help scenic artists see form and value, and prepare them for work in color.

Plan to attend this exciting and valuable weekend! For more information please contact Dan Stratman at dstratman1@unl.edu or Melanie Rudy at mrudy2@unl.edu.

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The Chesapeake Regional Section has moved it has annual Expo from January to September. The day-long event will be held Saturday, September 11 at the Modin Fine Arts Center at the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. Already on the schedule are workshops in theatre technology, new product demonstrations, and vendor displays. As always, a major benefit of USITT events is the opportunity to network with old and new friends.  

Chesapeake is sill working on the details of an architectural symposium to be held Friday, September 10.  

For ongoing updates visit www.usittchesapeake.org or contact Bill Price, bp@barbizon.com or call 410-939-7623.

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Looking for an exciting new regional section website? Check out www.southeast.usitt.org the new electronic home of the Southeast section. The site features brighter graphics and updated information on section activities. Webmaster is Mike Murphy who modestly wants to make sure that viewers appreciate the work of Tim Clinton of the University of Calgary.

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Congratulations to James Hill of the University of Toledo on his recent election as chair of the Ohio Valley Regional Section. Mr. Hill will serve a two-year term. Other recently elected Ohio Valley board members are Keigh Nagy, Vice Chair for Programming; John Seaman, Treasurer; and Matthew Benjamin, Gina Neuerer, and Kristine Kearney, Directors at Large.

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USITT New England Regional Section has been working hard with Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) to create a competition for theater designers, craftsmen, and technicians. Last year was the first year the KCACTF Tech Olympics was held, and it was a great success. First prize was a $50 check, and three prize packages were donated by Barbizon.

While at KCACTF in January 2005, plan to participate in the Tech Olympics on Saturday afternoon. Register on site at the beginning of the event. There is no fee other than student admission to KCACTF.

In addition, the New England chapter is creating a new award for designers and craftsmen. The purpose of the Technology Innovation & Craftsmanship Award is to provide recognition to college students who have solved technical difficulties with quality craftsmanship and innovative ideas. This award covers areas of rigging, scenery, costumes, wigs, make-up, props, scenic painting, electrics, lighting, and sound.

Applicants must have been a student at a college or university in the New England region as defined by the American College Theater Festival when the submitted entry was created. This entry must be from either a college/university production or class from the prior year to ACTF New England in January. The student must register to attend ACTF in January, which will serve as the entry fee.

Prizes will include a membership to USITT and a gift certificate for a USITT publication of choice. For applications and information, contact Chase Rozelle at rozellec@easternct.edu. Or, refer to the USITT New England website at pages.emerson.edu/organizations/usitt_ne or the KCACTF Region I website at www.kcactf1.org/

Anyone wishing to join the New England Regional Section list serve, contact Mike Katz at mkatz@mit.edu for instructions.

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Everything from Elizabethan Corset 101 to Design on a Dime Five-minute Design Charrette will be part of the Northern Boundary's Fall Workshop September 17 and 18 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. For details about times, locations, program descriptions, housing, or other questions contact Program Chair Kathy Stewart at kstewart101@juno.com or call 612-729-2440.

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