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USITT Planning a Star-Studded 50th Celebration

USITT50

USITT is already planning a stellar line-up of special speakers and session presenters for its 50th Annual Conference in 2010. USITT, the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, connects performing arts design and technology communities to ensure a vibrant dialogue among practitioners, educators, and students.

Sally Struthers will kick off the organization’s four day lineup of focused sessions and special exhibitions at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 31 with her Keynote presentation at the Kansas City Convention Center. Ms. Struthers, a two-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner for her work in the groundbreaking series, All in the Family, has continuing roles on the CBS comedy Still Standing and on Gilmore Girls. She has appeared on Broadway and toured with the Tommy Tune production of Grease. Ms. Struthers has worked tirelessly on behalf of hungry and uneducated children worldwide and has won numerous awards for those efforts.

Also on tap will be Dr. Joel E. Rubin, a founder of the Institute and its second President, who will deliver the Fellows Address on Wednesday evening. Dr. Rubin was one of the driving forces behind the creation of OISTAT, the International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians in 1967 and was the producer of the United States Exhibits at the Prague Quadrennial in 1987 and 1991. His distinguished career has stretched across more than six decades. USITT’s current President Carl Lefko announced the lineup.

On Thursday morning, the Institute will honor Oscar Brockett who will receive the 2010 USITT Golden Pen award, along with co-authors Margaret Mitchell and Linda Hardberger for their seminal work, Making the Scene: A History of Stage Design and Technology in Europe and the United States. The book, which is being published by The Tobin Fund for Theatre Arts and distributed by the University of Texas Press, will be launched at the Conference where a special book signing event will honor the authors. The opening session on Thursday will focus on the history of design and technology, with a multimedia slide show featuring images from the book.

Jennifer Tipton, who in 2008 was honored with a MacArthur Foundation “genius award” (the latest in string of honors for this amazing designer) will speak on Friday morning to start the Conference day. Ms. Tipton was honored as a stage lighting designer who is “pushing the visible boundaries of her art form with painterly lighting that evokes mood and sculpts movement in dance, drama, and opera.” She is receiving $500,000 over five years, with “no strings attached.” Her use of white light in theatre and dance has been especially noted, as well as the range of her artistry for both small and large productions, and her influence as a teacher. She has been an adjunct professor of lighting design at the Yale University School of Drama since 1994.

As USITT celebrates its 50th anniversary, it is also looking to the future. François Leroux Vice President Segment for Products and Services Entertainment Creative Development, Character Strategy, and Walt Disney World Entertainment will speak on Friday, to give his perspective on what lies ahead for the entertainment industry.

The new Conference format, designed to highlight USITT’s 50 year history and bright future, includes opening Stage Expo on Wednesday instead of the traditional Thursday opening, and time for major sessions at the start of each day.

The 50th Annual Conference will highlight USITT’s vision, to be a prominent leader of theatre and entertainment design, management, and technology through our conferences, exhibitions, awards, publications, and research. USITT is dedicated to the professional development of those who are an integral part of the performing arts and entertainment industry.

Registration is scheduled to open in October, 2009 for the 50th Annual Conference with events centered at the Kansas City Convention & Entertainment Facilities in Kansas City, Missouri.

The full story as well as other USITT national news can be found at http://www.usitt.org/sightlines/v49/n08/stories/50thCelebration.html