There's a new Section in USITT!

The Intermountain Desert Regional Section (Utah and Nevada) was approved at the Board of Directors meeting in November. Jessica Sizemore, Chair of the Section, and the other officers are starting to make plans for their first membership meeting and symposium this summer.

Utah and Nevada have been without a Regional Section for many years and, while there has been some interest in starting a section there before, potential members were not 't able to gather enough numbers in a reasonable geographic area to work. This time, it was Scott Sizemore of Barbizon who looked at the USITT web site and noticed there was no regional section in the Utah area. He had hoped to get more involved with local theatre companies and figured that a regional section would be the best way to do it.

After brainstorming with his wife Jessica (aka "Boof"), Joe Payne, and Amanda French (Ms. Sizemore's colleagues at Pioneer Theatre), the group reached out to other theatre professionals in the area, pulling in interested USITT members in Las Vegas, at Brigham Young University, and at the Utah Shakespearian Festival. The group grew to the required number of founding members. With some help and advice from other regional section members, like Chesapeake Section Chair and Barbizon colleague Bill Price, they created by-laws and submitted their request to the board for a charter.

Intermountain Desert is "looking forward to creating a fellowship of technical theatre professionals in our area," says Mr. Sizemore. Anyone in the area who would like to get involved is encouraged to contact either of the Sizemores and or visit the section's web page, linked through www.usitt.org at www.intermountain.usitt.org. Those who wish to become active with the new Regional Section are urged to contact Ms. Sizemore at boofie@bigfoot.com or prittyprittyprincess@gmail.com.

Holly Monsos
VP-Members, Sections & Chapters

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The Ohio Valley Regional Section and the University of Toledo hosted Jean-Guy Lecat on February 17 and 18 in Toledo, Ohio. The event was free to USITT-Ohio Valley members.

Technical director and space designer for Peter Brook over the course of 25 years, Mr. Lecat was in charge of the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord (Peter Brook's theatre) as well as Peter Brook's tours. He was charged particularly with research and the transformation or creation of more than 200 spaces throughout the world.

Ohio Valley supports Region III, ACTFKC Awards

The board of Ohio Valley Regional Section agreed to join with the Midwest Section to award design winners an increased stipend at the ACATFKC Region III festival held in Normal, Illinois in early January. Ohio Valley added $50 to the original $100 prize for each design winner. The Region III Design Winners were:

• Barbizon Set Design, Janine L. Woods, University of Michigan, Romeo & Juliet
• Barbizon Costume Design, Noppadol Inchan, Illinois State University, Marat/Sade
• Barbizon Lighting Design, Anthony Galaska, Purdue University, Marisol
• Alcone National Festival Fellow, Mehron Make-up Design Nominee, Kristina Makowski, University of Evansville, A Little Night Music
• KCACTF Sound Design Award, Jason Knox, Purdue University, Marisol

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The Desert State Regional Section held its Annual Meeting and Conference on January 14 at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Approximately 50 individuals attended the event.

The day started with the section's annual membership meeting followed by the keynote address by Joe Aldridge, USITT Vice-President for Conferences. Mr. Aldridge, left, spoke about the procedure of producing the USITT Annual Conference & Stage Expo. He also spoke about how Desert State section members could become involved since Phoenix will be the site of the conference in 2007.

After the keynote, there was a full day of 13 workshops held during three sessions. Workshop areas of interest included costumes, scenery, lighting, management, audio, health and safety, and careers. A sampling of the workshops included Discharge Dyeing, by Gail Wolfenden-Steib; Arc, Flash and Blast, by Jerry Gorrell; Motion Control, by Nate Cross; Lighting Storyboards, by Michael McNamara; and Wireless Microphones, by Dave Temby.

At the end of the day, University of Arizona's John Dahlstrand led an informative tour of the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, where he is the senior technical director.

The Desert State Section would like to thank Mr. Aldridge, the presenters, Strand (sponsor of the continental breakfast), and the University of Arizona for hosting the conference.

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SUNY-Oswego hosted the Upstate New York Regional Section's job fair and technical workshops on February 4.

In what may become an annual winter event for the region, SUNY-Oswego, in cooperation with Upstate New York theatres and vendors, hosted a second job fair and day of technical workshops. Oswego Technical Director Johan Godwaldt and Glimmerglass Opera Technical Director Abby Rodd began plans for this day-long event last March. BMI Supply, JR Clancy, Rosco, and Oswego faculty offered workshops in lighting, rigging, costuming, and painting as well as resume writing. In addition to providing an employment forum for students, Holly Monsos, USITT VP-Membership, Sections & Chapters explained the process of forming and maintaining a student chapter of USITT.

Workshops were a big draw February 4 at Upstate New York's daylong event, which also included a job fair.

Photo/P. Gibson Ralph

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The Chesapeake Regional Section sponsored its Winter 2006 Mini-EXPO January 28 at Fisher Theatrical in Hanover, Maryland.

The day-long workshop introduced participants to the new integration of VectorWorks Spotlight and ESP Vision. Kevin Linzey, Spotlight project manager for Vectorworks, and Greg Jesse, from ESP Vision, conducted the demonstrations. Equipment and material support for the workshop was donated by Event Tech, Afterglow Lighting, Barbizon Lighting, BSL Productions, Fisher Theatrical, and Digital Media Designs.

The Section is making plans for another Mini-EXPO this spring in advance of its annual EXPO, which will be hosted by Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey in September. For more information, see Section members us at the USITT Annual Conference & Stage Expo in Louisville, or check the Section's web site.

Kevin Linzey (at PC) demonstrates VectorWorks' Spotlight 12.

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