USITT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
& STAGE EXPO
The USITT Annual Conference & Stage
Expo is a focal point for performing arts and entertainment
professionals. The Conference offers over 175 sessions featuring
design, technology, costume, sound, architecture, management,
engineering, and production. Held in a different North American
city each year, the conference attracts over 3,800 attendees
from all over the world who share their knowledge and expertise
with one another.
Stage Expo showcases businesses, products, services, and
educational opportunities in the performing arts and entertainment
industry. With over
150 exhibitors, Stage Expo provides conference attendees with
the opportunity to see the newest and best products and services
on the market today. Stage
Expo is also the setting for special technical and design
exhibitions, as well as craft demonstrations.
USITT members can submit proposals for future sessions and/or
Professional Development Workshops to be held at the Annual
Conference & Stage Expo. For more information, see the page about proposals.
Highlights
- Professional Development Workshops - half-day, one-day,
and two-day sessions focused on a specific topic, usually
held on the days just before the opening of the Annual Conference & Stage
Expo;
- Tours of local performance facilities;
- Keynote Address;
- Opening Night Party;
- Fellows Address & Reception;
- New Products Showcase;
- Awards Banquet.
Special Conference Events, Exhibitions, & Programs
- The Art Auction provides
an opportunity to bid on works of theatrical art created
by prominent design and performing arts professionals. It
is held every three years. All proceeds benefit the USITT
Edward F. Kook Endowment Fund which finances Grants & Fellowships. Next
Art Auction: 2009
- Cover the Walls is mounted at Stage Expo
in alternate years with Design Expo, and is a non-juried
open invitational exhibit featuring designs by USITT members.
It provides the opportunity for members to display their
work with fellow artists and creates a forum for the exchange
of ideas about approaches to design. Next Cover the
Walls: 2009
- Design Expo alternates
with Cover the Walls at Stage Expo. The exhibition displays
selected costume, scenery, and lighting designs by students,
educators, and working professionals. A team of professional
designers and directors adjudicates the entries and selected
designs are featured in the summer issue of TD&T. Next
Design Expo: Houston 2008
- USITT Conference Employment Service facilitates
connections between employers and applicants by providing job listings,
posting of resumes, and scheduled interviews. Employers are able to
interview qualified candidates in one location and job applicants
are able to review job postings and schedule interviews. Held annually
- Annual Portfolio Reviews are
sponsored by the USITT Commissions and provide members with
the opportunity to meet individually with professionals
in their fields to discuss their portfolios, resumes, and
careers. There are separate sessions for scenery, lighting,
costume design, costume technology, props, and technical
production. Held annually
- At each conference, the Stage Management Mentor
Project gives students and young professionals
who are interested in stage management the opportunity
to participate in a real life training exercise coordinating
major conference events. Participants work with professional
stage management mentors to guide the varied and often
complex conference events. Mentors are drawn from the
ranks of established professionals who work in live performance
venues. Held annually
- Approximately 100 student members work
fifteen hours in various conference capacities in exchange
for a full-conference registration through the Student
Volunteer Program. Work schedules are arranged
in advance so students know when they will be free to attend
sessions and visit Stage Expo. Applications are accepted
first come, first served for this enormously popular program.
USITT Student members receive advance opportunity to apply. Held
annually
- Tech Olympics offers students the opportunity
to display their skills of stagecraft, lighting and costume,
competing individually and in teams. Examples
of past events are Light Focus, Quick Change, Prop Shift,
and Thimble and Crosby. The first, second,
and third place individual winners of each event receive
award certificates. The winning team takes possession of
the traveling trophy. Held
annually
- Tech Expo is mounted at Stage Expo in
alternate years and highlights selected technical developments
and solutions created by practicing theatre technicians
in all technical areas. Displayed at Stage
Expo, the exhibits are judged by a distinguished panel
of theatrical technicians and prizes are awarded to the
most inventive exhibits. All projects are published in the Tech
Expo Catalog, available for purchase at the conference,
online at www.usitt.org, or through the USITT office. Next
Tech Expo: 2009
- Young Designers Forum
offers talented students the opportunity to review and discuss
their work with established designers and directors. Participation
is by juried selection and limited to no more than 15 students. Held
annually
