Be sure to take advantage of the lowest possible rates for the 2009 Annual Conference & Stage Expo by registering before December 4, 2008. View Professional Development Workshop opportunities, see information about more than 200 sessions, and enjoy lower hotel rates by clicking here and learning all that USITT will offer in Cincinnati, Ohio from March 18 to 21, 2009.

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USITT will again be offering an employment service at its 2009 Annual Conference. Carolyn Satter, Management Commissioner and a member of USITT’s Board of Directors, will be coordinating the program.

Forms will be available soon under Conference Opportunities at the USITT Conference website. The employment service provides those looking for new employees, interns, or graduate assistants, or people seeking such positions, a place for face-to-face interviews. Interviews will be conducted at specific times at the Hilton Cincinnati, USITT’s headquarters hotel, from March 18 to 21, 2009.

Those with specific questions may contact Ms. Satter at carolyn.satter@sandiegotheatre.org.

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Anyone interested in submitting a proposal for funding during the 2009 Fellowship granting cycle should make sure completed applications and supporting documentation are submitted before the January 12, 2009 deadline.

More information and applications are available here.

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A technical solutions poster session will be a feature of USITT's 49th Annual Conference. The session provides an outlet for new ideas, materials applications, and approaches that a person has contemplated but hasn't fleshed out enough to do a full session on (yet!) Here's an opportunity for any member to have a table and a board dedicated to a "new" idea. Display it, explain it, talk to folks about it, expand it, or determine what to do next with that fledgling idea.

This poster session will be a great opportunity to discuss new material applications, creative hardware uses, "green theatre" possibilities, whatever interesting or "cockamamie" idea members wish to share. Also, for those new assistant professor technical directors, here's a great opportunity to be recognized for effort towards tenure: presenting at a poster session is a time-honored academic endeavor. The session will have 20 spots, each with a table and a 4x8 homosote board. Reserve yours today. It will be a first come first served basis. Contact mdfain@ou.edu (Michael Fain) with a working title and a brief description.

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Behind the Scenes, the charitable initiative of the ESTA Foundation, congratulates the winners of the 2008 LDI Raffle. This year, three very special individuals drew the winning tickets. The grand prize ticket for a $10,000 dream vacation was drawn by Christian Choi, the very first Behind the Scenes grant recipient. Mr. Choi is ready to resume his successful career as a lighting designer and programmer. The grand prize was won by Ken Vannice, from Leviton Lighting Management Systems, who is well known in the industry for his tireless work on behalf of standards and certification.

The winning ticket for the second prize, a $2,500 Amazon Gift Card, was drawn by Rick Fisher, who took a short break from lighting Billy Elliott on Broadway to receive LDI's Theatre Lighting Designer of the Year Award. Mr. Fisher is one of the founders of Light Relief, the United Kingdom-based industry charity. Holmes Brown from PRG was the lucky winner.

Peter Finder of Rose Brand won third prize, a $1,000 Amazon Gift Card, which was drawn by Tim Hansen. Mr. Hansen received ESTA's highest honor, the Swan Award for his exceptional long-term commitment to the work of the association.

Behind the Scenes is an initiative of the ESTA Foundation created so industry members could support each other in times of crisis. For more information about Behind the Scenes, to donate, or to apply for a grant, visit www.estafoundation.org/bts.htm.

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