2024 Fall Conference

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
MIDLAND CENTRAL AUDITORIUM

This year’s conference is FREE, but please register in advance at this link.

Learn more about the workshops and their instructors here.

8:30 am – 9 am – Sign-in/Registration in the lobby. We will have coffee and refreshments and plenty of time for networking opportunities.

9 am – 10:30 am – Workshop Session 1

Grant Writing: Grants 101 (Laura Vosejpka, Executive Director of Creative 360)
Playwriting: Getting started with your next play! (Mary Lou Britton, Grosse Pointe Theatre)
Set Design: Design in Focus (Jamie Peterson, Players de Noc)

10:30 am – 11:45 am – Roundtable Session 1

Community Support: How to get your community involved with in-kind, donations, volunteers and patronage. Joining us for this panel: Jill Patchin (AACT), Laura Vosejpka
Growing Younger: This is a question many theatres have asked themselves, and it is time to get answers. Join this roundtable as they discuss what would attract a younger audience and younger talent. This panel, made up of 20-30-year-olds, will speak the truth about what would bring them to a theatre. This is sure to be an eye-opening, thought-provoking discussion you won’t want to miss.

11:45 am – 1:15 pm – LUNCH BREAK: Free lunch to registered attendees on site with brief informal presentations from our conference sponsors: Ludus and Associated Controls

12:30 pm – 1:15 pm – CTAM Meeting – Our Year in a Glance (formerly our annual meeting) – this will be part of the end of the lunch session

1:15 pm – 2:45 pm – Workshop Session 2

Directing: How to Build a Better Ensemble (Kirk Wahamaki, Muskegon Civic Theatre)
Board Development: Can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em (Gary Walker, CTAM)
Technology: Moving from Analog Audio & Incandescent Lighting to Digital Audio and LED Lighting: Considerations for community theatres as it relates to staffing, budget and infrastructure (Martin Golub / Associated Controls)
Set Design: Design in Focus (Jamie Peterson, Players de Noc)

2:45 pm – 4:00 pm – Roundtable Session 2

Marketing Techniques: best strategies for marketing your show in the digital age
Hits and Misses: What shows are putting butts in seats and which ones to avoid

4:00 pm – 4:15 pm – short break and last chance to network

4:15 pm – 5:45 pm – Workshop Session 3

Board Development: Can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em (Gary Walker, CTAM)
Technology: Moving from Analog Audio & Incandescent Lighting to Digital Audio and LED Lighting: Considerations for community theatres as it relates to staffing, budget and infrastructure (Martin Golub, Associated Control)
Directing: How to Build a Better Ensemble (Kirk Wahamaki, Muskegon Civic Theatre)
Playwriting: Continuation of getting started with your first play! (Mary Lou Britton: Grosse Pointe Theatre)

5:45 pm – Town Hall in the Auditorium: get to know more about CTAM and how we can help you and your organization.