NBS Fall Regional Conference
Schedule of Activities
Anoka Ramsey Community College ARCC Performing Arts Center
Friday, September 5:
• 6pm - Registration and setup for "Cover the Walls and Tech Solutions Expo" Student, faculty, staff, and theatre professionals- SHOW US YOUR DESIGN WORK! Open invitation to exhibit work and share with fellow artists! Top student presentations will be awarded a complimentary registration to the USITT National Conference in March.
• 7pm -Dinner and Socializing join us for dinner- included in the registration fee.
• 8pm - Northern Boundary Opening Session and Membership Meeting.
- Keynote Address and Section Meeting.
• 9:45pm - Social Event Bowling at Classic Bowl in Coon Rapids, MN (just down the road from ARCC)
Saturday, September 6:
• 8am - Registration with donuts & coffee/juice.
• 9am to 11am Morning Session Choose one of the following sessions:
Makeup/hair – Zombies, Blood and Destruction and Period Hair Design
Presented by Tessie Bundick – Makeup Artist and teacher at U of M, Augsburg, Park Square.
Description: An exploration and demonstration of techniques for creating various wounds, zombie FX, AND period hair designs. Volunteers needed for modeling!
Dimming LED, Beyond the Stage and Into Your Auditorium Presented by Jerry Kraft, JTH.
Description: We all know stage lighting is unique to our industry. Until recently many did not give the traditional lighting in our theaters much thought. House, lobby and running lights have been taken for granted as most light sources for these fixtures have been incandescent. Now there is a push to convert these units to LED sources, but there is a reoccurring question in the lighting industry about controlling LED lighting. This course will address the wide variety of available control options for LED lighting and what is appropriate for theaters and other spaces.
Costume – Vintage dresses- What decade was this worn?Presented by MaryBeth Gagner – Costume Designer and faculty at Hamline University.
Description: Just how DO you best assign decades to your stock of 20th Century vintage dresses? Learn how labels, zippers, and seam finishes can help you sort through them. We will look at slides of vintage garments as well as actual dresses. I encourage you to bring a dress for “Show and Tell”, that you know the story and can share with the rest of class!
Scenic - Using SketchUp for Scenic Design – demo/presentation.
Presented by Peter Lerohl, Todd Edwards, and Robert Jenson – Scenic Designers from around the region.
Description: Demonstration using the popular 3D drawing and rendering software SketchUp for scenic design. This session offers a basic introduction of how you can use SketchUp in your design and visualization process and even in the shop. Advanced techniques will also be demonstrated using examples presented by several scenic designers.
Rigging - A History of Counterweight Rigging; The Early Years
Presented by Rick Boychuk - long time rigging expert and theatre safety consultant, Rick currently works with Thern Stage Equipment.
Description: The purpose of visiting history is to guide us into the future. Our industry is anticipating a future of rigging dominated by automation. Will that be so? The new technologies that confront will require that we make many important decisions. This session will place the present and the future in context with the past.
• 11:00-12:30 LUNCH (included in registration)
Lunch, Networking, social hour – also View and vote on “Cover the Walls” and “Tech Solutions”
• 12:30-2:30 Afternoon Sessions Choose one of the following sessions:
Costume – Thrift Store Transformation!
Presented by Barb Portinga - a freelance costume designer for numerous theatres and colleges in the Twin Cities.
Description: This hands-on session will focus on techniques/methods of transforming common thrift store finds into stage-worthy costumes. Participants are asked to bring two or three items from your own closet and/or the thrift store and let’s see what we can create!
Scenic - All the World's a PAINTED Stage: Marble Surfaces
Presented by Wendy Waszut-Barrett and Ann Gumpper – both MN Scenic Artists with extensive experience in scenic design and scenic painting.
Description: Painting demonstration of marbled surfaces techniques for both scenic and residential applications using both scenic and household paints. This will be a hands-on session for anyone who wants to participate – dress accordingly.
Sound – Mic/board Setup and Live Mixing Demo
Presented by Jeff Geisler, owner of EMI Audio and freelance sound designer in the Twin Cities
Description: Live demonstration of sound mixing for theatre. Tips and tricks for Mic setup, EQing, balancing, etc. with actors speaking and singing onstage. This session will help you get the best results when setting up sound equipment and mixing your next show!
Working with Unusual and Salvaged Materials
Presented by Chris Lutters founder of Puppet Farm Arts - Description: This session will look at working with repurposed/recycled objects and non-traditional materials with examples of Chris' work. He has been making masks, puppets, costumes, sets, floats and various theatrical accouterments out of waste materials for more than ten years and has taught the process of transforming trash into imaginative art to communities throughout the upper Midwest and beyond.
• 2:30-3:00pm BREAK – Final Chance to view and vote on “Cover the Walls” and “Tech Solutions”
• 3:00-4:30pm - All Conference Closing Session
A Career Retrospective – some very qualified folks sharing their wealth of experience
Presented by Lawrence J. Hill, Donald E. Larew, C. Lance Brockman, and Jean “Gino” Montgomery. Description: A panel discussion involving some of our regions most experienced designers, educators, technicians and artists. They will share stories and examples from their various careers/perspectives focusing on lessons learned, challenges faced, solutions discovered, epiphanies, triumphs, disasters and even some regional history! Q & A time included. All are encouraged to attend!
• 4:30 pm - Wrap-up Meeting
- Student Scholarship winners for March 2015 National Conference Registration announced
- Short meeting and send off!
For additional info, contact Peter Lerohl
peter.lerohl@anokaramsey.edu
