The Ohio Valley regional section of the conference will be held Nov. 10 in Steele Hall.
Several hundred students and professionals in theater design and technology are expected to participate in the United States Institute for Theatre Technology Ohio Valley Section’s fall conference on Nov. 10 in Steele Hall.
Hosted by Cal U’s Department of Music and Theatre, the USITT regional conference, which will run from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., will draw individuals who work in technical roles, including lighting, sound, costume design, stage management, set design and make-up.
Deborra Peelor, an instructor in the Department of Music and Theatre, professional lighting designer and union stagehand, is the Cal U liaison for the conference.
USITT promotes dialogue, research and learning among practitioners of theater design and technology. It includes members at all levels of their careers and has embraced the new technologies being used in entertainment.
“This is really entertainment technology, because so much of what this encompasses includes film, videos, trade shows, museum exhibits, sporting and corporate events,” Peelor said. “For many years, this was called stagecraft ,which was exactly that, a craft where the tactile things like painting and building were the emphasis.
“But if you go to any show, most of it is computer-controlled automation, projection, lighting. There are so many aspects and events that fall under this umbrella, and this conference connects them.”
Cal U’s bachelor’s degree in theater includes a concentration in design and entertainment technology.
“The concentration here is a platform for our students to be exposed to the skills and careers that having a degree in theater can lead them to,” said Dr. Michele Pagen, department co-chair.
The conference welcomes students from all majors, especially students studying theater, commercial music technology, mechatronics and computer engineering technology.
The Conference
Actor and Paralympian John Siciliano will be the keynote speaker at the USITT Ohio Valley Fall Conference. A native of Springdale, Pa., Siciliano has been featured in television series including “ER,” NCIS,” “Blue Bloods” and “Bull.”
Several Cal U faculty members will be presenters:
- Greg Davis, an assistant professor in Cal U’s commercial music technology program, will discuss the analog-to-digital conversion process and digital consoles in theater production.
- Sabrina Hykes-Davis, of the theatre department faculty, will conduct a workshop outlining the process for creating a shadow puppet show and using shadow puppets in productions and educational settings.
- Joni Farquhar, costume shop coordinator, will demonstrate basic hair and wig design techniques,
- Peelor will give a presentation on converting old lighting units to LED.
Peggy Ezekiel Awards
During the conference, winners of the 2018-2019 Peggy Ezekiel Awards will be announced.
These awards were created in 1985 as a way to recognize outstanding achievements in produced works within the Ohio Valley section. The awards are presented each fall during the OVS conference and include all areas of theatrical design and technical production.
An exhibit of last year’s Peggy Ezekiel Award-winning productions on display through Nov. 8 on the first floor of Manderino Library.
Steele Upgrades
The sound system in Steele Hall’s 639-seat Mainstage Theatre is undergoing an upgrade, including new digital Yamaha sound boards, Dante software, and an overhaul of all speakers, microphones and communication systems. The upgrade will be completed for December’s production of The Happy Elf, the University's holiday production.
“It’s all very hands-on,” Peelor said.
“I believe where we are at with the new sound system, what we do with recycling the lighting instruments and the main theater’s full fly (rigging) system will be helpful to conference visitors looking to upgrade their space,” said Peelor.
“Our building has good bones, and we are proud that OVS asked us to host this."
Student Involvement
Cal U students also will be involved in running the one-day conference, which will add to their experience and prepare them for the USITT National Conference in March 2019 in St. Louis, Mo.
“From a stage-management perspective, this is great because it’s an event in itself and a resume-builder,” Peelor said. “This what stage managers for theater or production assistants for film do: help gather the people, organize the schedule and make sure everywhere is where they are supposed to be when they need to be.”
Senior theater major Amanda Rhoades will be one of the volunteers.
She has been directing children’s musicals since she was 16 and is very interested in lighting, sound, set design and painting.
“What really intrigues me about this conference is they show different aspects of theater that I had never even thought of, as well so many different sound and light boards,” Rhoades said.
“This conference gives you a real look at what it means to be in the tech industry when it comes to theater performance and a good feel for so many jobs that are offered through it.”
Register
Online registration with pricing and other conference information is available at usittohiovalley.org. On-campus parking is available for $5, payable at the time of registration. Registration is also available on the morning of the event, in the Steele Hall lobby. For more information, contact Peelor at peelor@calu.edu or 724-396-3404.