2024 Fall Conference
About the Workshops
GRANTS 101 with Laura Vosejpka
You do NOT have to be an award-winning writer to get grant money! It is all about finding the right opportunity and then following the directions perfectly. In this session, we will discuss:
- How to find the best grant opportunities for your project, program, or organization.
- How to have the right materials ready so that it doesn’t take you so long to write the grant.
- How to follow the instructions to a T.
- What the reviewers are looking for – ie. Maximize your chances of getting funding.
While you can get plenty out of this workshop using the materials provided, you will get even more if you bring information about your organization or program with you so that you can work the exercises with YOUR information.
With Laura Vosejpka, Executive Director of Creative 360 (which saw a 185% increase in annual grant funding from 2019 to 2022).
Laura Vosejpka has been the Executive Director at Creative 360 since July of 2020. She loves writing grants (yes, really) and has been a successful grant writer and reviewer throughout her career in higher education, both as a faculty member and as an upper-level administrator, and in the arts. Laura’s most recent prior role was as the CEO of Helena College – University of Montana. With the exception of her short stay in Montana, Laura has been a resident of Midland for over 30 years.
Board Development – Can’t live with them, can’t live without them, with Gary Walker
A review of non-profit board function, membership and common issues from the perspective of a frequent board member. Bring your questions and issues to discuss.
Gary Walker has served as board president of the American Association for Community Theatre, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities, Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids as well as in other positions including treasurer and secretary. He has also performed and/or crewed in a number of community theatre productions. Gary has retired from his career in technical management positions, most recently with Lacks Enterprises in Grand Rapids. Gary holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of Louisville and an MBA from GVSU and currently resides in Grand Rapids.
Getting Started with your Next Play! with Mary Lou Britton
As you stare at the blank sheet of paper, how do you get started with the story idea for your play? I don’t know how other playwrights do it, but I have my own processes that I’d like to share with you to help you get started writing!
Come up with several characters (the protagonist and the antagonist, at least) and decide who wants what! It’s that simple!
1. After some definitions and discussion about the arc of the play, we will distribute hypothetical situations to the attendees and we’ll spend an amount of time individually outlining the play. No dialogue.
2. We’ll workshop our ideas, sharing what people have written and offering suggestions for improvement.
3. Based on that exercise, we’ll ask the writers to make up their own situations and again outline the action of the play. Another round of writing and workshopping follows. No written dialogue.
**PLEASE BRING YOUR LAPTOP TO WRITE OR WRITE FAST ON NOTE PAPER!
Mary Lou Britton‘s love affair with community theatre began nearly 60 years ago when she found herself painting shadows on Aunt Eller’s front porch for Michigan’s Grosse Pointe Theatre’s [GPT] production of Oklahoma! Since then, she has held just about every position in front of and behind the curtain, including several terms as President. Active in the Community Theatre Association of Michigan for 50 years, she has served as President and more recently as Editor of the association’s newsletter. An accredited adjudicator in Michigan, she also has chaired a state AACTFest and a Region 3 Festival. She has been a first-level reader for the AACT NewPlayFest, and is Executive Producer of GPT’s Take Ten Festival for ten-minute plays, now in its 11th season. She also helps lead a workshop that encourages GPT members to explore playwriting as an extension of their theatrical experience.
Directors Workshop: How to build a better ensemble with Kirk Wahamaki
- Discussion about “tools” to get more from actors with their participation in the rehearsal process.
- How to get the most out of the rehearsal process from auditions to performance.
- Finding what works for you as a director
- And much more
Kirk M. Wahamaki recently retired as the Artistic Director for Muskegon Civic Theatre after 18 years and has been working in the theatre for over forty years. Kirk has worked with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, The Dogwood Center, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, Lincoln Trail College, Community Theater of Terre Haute, and Indiana State University, His most recent directorial credits include: Ragtime, Return to the Forbidden Planet, Old Heart, and Always…Patsy Cline A Theatre generalist, Kirk has also worked extensively in scenic, lighting, and sound design. Kirk is currently in production directing the film Old Heart. Kirk and his wife, Sheila, also retired from teaching theatre at Muskegon Community College, live in Muskegon.
Design in Focus with Jamie Peterson
Join AACT & CTAM award winning scenic designer Jamie Peterson as you explore the principals of elevating your design techniques to the next level. We will discuss the elements and process of interpreting the script while deciding the relationship the design will have between the audience and the production. We will survey the differences between Literal, Abstract, and Stylized techniques, along with dissecting the role of the designer within the production itself. We will take a look at the various tools used in the process of design and the role that scenic modeling plays in understanding concept and space. You will also have an opportunity to share some best practices in regards to communication, preparation, and execution. This workshop is not a lecture, so come prepared to learn, but also share. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions, but also examples of their own designs or concept art to contribute.
Jamie Peterson resides in Escanaba, Michigan with his wife and three children. For over thirty years Jamie has been an extremely active member of his home theatre troupe, Players de Noc Inc. Throughout his time with Players, Jamie has served multiple terms on the board of directors, including serving as the president for the organization. Jamie is a state, regional and national award-winning actor, designer and director. He is a state certified and nationally accredited theatre adjudicator. Jamie has been involved with CTAM & AACT for over a dozen years, and has served on the CTAM executive board for the entirety of his six-year term. He currently serves on the AACT board as the Region 3 representative, where he works with theaters in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. In addition to theater, Jamie serves as a high school robotics coach for the Escanaba Robomos, and is on the executive board of the Spotlights organization, which is a non-profit group devoted to raising needed funds to support the Escanaba Schools Performing Arts Departments. Over the years Jamie has also served on various non-profit organization boards, helped facilitate an ongoing community leadership program known as Delta Force, and is a twenty-year veteran of the Ford River Volunteer Fire Department. Jamie recently returned to college at the age of 46 to earn his Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, as well as currently pursuing his BFA in Theatre Design and Technology. In 2023 Jamie started his own Consulting & Design business appropriately called Upper Hand Theatre Solutions.
Moving from Analog Audio & Incandescent Lighting to Digital Audio and LED Lighting with Marty Golub
Are you ready to take your theatre productions to the next level? Meet Marty at the CTAM Fall Conference, your go-to guy for all things theatrical! In this workshop we will discuss technology considerations for community theatres as it relates to your organization’s staffing, budget and infrastructure.
Marty Golub – When he’s not with his clients he’s hanging out at Twin City Players in St. Joseph, MI. Marty has an MA in Theater Leadership and stays busy after work doing Scenic & Lighting Design for regional theaters. He & his wife Wendy met during a production of The Pajama Game and have three thespians and 2 grand-thespians. When you need to have the latest and greatest equipment to make your shows shine bright don’t settle for an impersonal online experience, come see Marty at CTAM and let’s make magic happen together.
