SETC News Spring/Summer 2024

NEWS

CONTENTS

Remembering Dr. Edmond Williams

Page 3

Opportunities

Page 4

SETC CONVENTION HONOREES:

Hall of Fame, Getchel Award, Best of the Fringe

Page 5

Secondary School Honorees

Page 6

Grant Awardees & Convention Honorees

Page 7

Secondary School Honorees

Page 8

NEWS SUBMISSIONS

Thomas Pinckney (he/him) Marketing & Communications Manager thomas@setc.org

Moving Forward with SETC

I have only a few words to describe the conference in Mobile, Alabama, in March. Wowie, Wowie, wow, wow! What a fantastic convocation to see such talented, committed, and inspiring theatre artists. The marvelous performances, the informative workshops, the inspiring keynote speakers, and the opportunity to connect with other theatre artists left me excited and refreshed as we work together to keep theatre a vibrant part of the cultural fabric of our country.

For me, theatre is where communities are built, where empathy occurs, and humanity resides. That is why it is important for us as theatre artists to continue to band together and support each other. I am honored to be the President of SETC. It is an honor and a privilege to be asked to serve and I hope to continue the conversations and work of the organization in the areas of diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging. I am excited for the

continued on page 2

Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.

Jeremy Kisling SETC President (he/him)

Connecting You to Opportunities in Theatre Nationwide

Central Office

SETC

5710 W. Gate City Blvd. Suite K, Box 186 Greensboro NC 27407

336-265-6148 info@setc.org

Executive Committee

Jeremy Kisling (he/him) President

Matthew Leckenbusch (he/him) VP of Services

Lynn Nelson (she/her) VP of Divisions

Ricky Ramón (he/him) VP of Equity & Inclusion

Ian Andersen (he/him) VP of States

Annette Dees Grevious (she/her) VP of Finance

Steven H. Butler (he/him) VP of Administration

Jeff Gibson (he/him) Elected Past President

Caroline Jane Davis (she/her) Secretary

Moving Forward with SETC cont’d

organization as it continues to find pathways that lead to meaningful growth as both an industry and an art form. But it will take the whole community of artists to do so. I am looking forward to conversations about moving SETC forward, and how our industry adjusts to our current world and the opportunities of the future. We are moving forward! That is our mantra! I would like us as an organization to look at our governing structure and how we conduct our business. Do we have an organization that allows all the voices in the membership to be heard? How do we get better at communicating with one another so that everyone feels involved in the conversation and decision-making process? How do we continue to be effective in our mission of “connecting you to opportunities in theatre?” Do all the services we offer still serve the membership and the mission? Again, these are big questions about our organization, and we’ll need your voice. If you have any questions or concerns, or brilliant ideas, please reach out to me at president@setc.org.

Jeremy Kisling, SETC President Producing Artistic Director, Lexington Children’s Theatre

Advertise with us!

SETC offers several affordable ways to put your program in front of a broad audience.

Email us for more information.

Send your news to Thomas Pinckney, Marketing & Communications Manager thomas@setc.org

Remembering Dr. Edmond Williams

by Maegan McNerney Azar, SETC Past President

SETC Past President and recent Hall of Fame

Inductee Dr. Edmond “Ed” Williams passed away shortly after convention in March 2024. For those of us who knew him well, we have great memories of a man whose legend preceded him. I can remember many a rehearsal strolling up to Rowand-Johnson Hall on the University of Alabama campus to find Ed pulling weeds while smoking a cigarette in front of the building. I always found it funny — the Chair of the Department doing yard work — but as I look back on it, I can see that Ed’s tireless devotion to excellence was always exhibited in the most charming and understated ways. Whether it be upholstering a piece of furniture in a new fabric that was about to be on stage or telling an entire graduate class to “read with all the detail of the beauty of the moment,” he was beloved by many across the globe. His resume is lengthy and has been written about in his obituary. But my memories of Ed are of inclusive excellence. Every game day (even though he didn’t particularly care about football), he made sure that the building was open to anyone who wanted to share community. He made his classic “Ed-Nog” for everyone at the holiday party. He invited new graduate students and their families to his home before classes began. And he made sure that the SummerTide company never missed the Tony Awards. He always demonstrated that everyone was welcome at his table — no matter their background, their gender, their race, their identity — as long as they were willing to give respect to the person in front of them, they were welcome. He believed in hard work and he loved a question that made him really think for an answer. We’re all better for having known him. Wishing his family and friends peace as they remember his great legacy.

JOB LISTINGS

u Instructor of Theatre (Design)

University of South Carolina, Aiken, SC details ❱❱

u Acting Faculty

Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts at Pebblebrook High School, Atlanta, GA details ❱❱

u Technical Director

Quincy Community Theatre, Quincy, IL details ❱❱

u Faculty, Theatre – Scenic Design, Production Management, Technical Direction

Miami Dade College, New World School of the Arts, Miami, FL details ❱❱

u

SETC Office Manager

Full-Time Remote details ❱❱

Take the next step in your career! Explore these and many more available positions at the SETC Theatre Job Board.

To post a job listing, CLICK HERE

Thanks to SETC’s Contributors

Contributions made January 16, 2024 – April 12, 2024

Chadwick McDonald*

Elizabeth Watkins*

Ricky Ramon*

Mia L Self*

Mark Cottrell

J. Theresa Theresa Bush*

Momoka Sugawara

Dirk Durossette

William & Mary

Alison Greer

Cameron Archer

Franklin Randolph deCelle

Liberty Mountain

Anika Riya Farid

* denotes monthly contributions

Norfolk State University

Danielle R Woods

Alex Oaks

Elaine L Malone

Hannah Kay Bradley

To make a donation to SETC, click here

SETC Hall of Fame Honorees

Getchell New Play Award

Cris Blak, for his play Between Dog and Wolf

High school friends Blake, Patrick, and Mara reunite at a hotel the day before their 10-year reunion. Forever traumatized by the school shooting that took place their junior year, the three try and fail to relive painful memories and heal broken friendships.

Southeastern

Adanma Barton Jeff Gibson Dr. Edmond Williams

Secondary School Theatre Festival Honors

Outstanding Play Production

The Bookbinder

Perry High School Theatre, Perry, GA

Runner-Up

The Servant of Two Masters

Windermere Preparatory School, Windermere, FL

Finalists

Jungalbook

Ocean Springs High School Theatre, Ocean Springs, MS

Antigone Now

Jefferson County Academy of Theatre and Dance, Irondale, AL

Cardboard Stories: Some Assembly Required Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY

Outstanding Set Design

The Night Witches, Denmark High School, Alpharetta, GA

Outstanding Costume Design

Jungalbook, Ocean Springs High School Theatre, Ocean Springs, MS

Outstanding Sound Design

The Bookbinder, Perry High School Theatre, Perry, GA

Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design

Unexpected Tenderness, Lafayette High School Theatre Company, Williamsburg, VA

Overall Technical Excellence

The Bookbinder, Perry High School Theatre, Perry, GA

Outstanding Props

Cardboard Stories: Some Assembly Required Jefferson County Academy of Theatre and Dance, Irondale, AL

Outstanding Puppetry

The Bookbinder, Perry High School Theatre, Perry, GA

Jungalbook, Ocean Springs High School Theatre, Ocean Springs, MS

Outstanding Dance Choreography

Superhots!, North Myrtle Beach High School, Little River, SC

Outstanding Movement

Jungalbook, Ocean Springs High School Theatre, Ocean Springs, MS

Outstanding Social Message Production

The Inexplicable Chaos Factor of Mia Gregory, Clay County High School, Manchester, KY

Outstanding Performance Ensemble

Girls in the Boat, Northwest Rankin High School, Flowood, MS

Outstanding Director

Bambi Ellen Fadoul, The Servant of Two Masters

Windermere Preparatory School, Windermere, FL

Outstanding Supporting Performer

Klarissa Comes Flying, Jungalbook, Ocean Springs High School Theatre, Ocean Springs, MS

Sophia Gegg, A Servant of Two Masters, Windermere Preparatory School, Windermere, FL

Outstanding Performer

Anderson Davies, A Servant of Two Masters, Windermere Preparatory School, Windermere, FL

Jaida Jackson-Davis, Antigone Now, Jefferson County Academy of Theatre and Dance, Irondale, AL

Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.

L: The Bookbinder, Perry High School Theatre, Perry, GA

R: The Servant of Two Masters, Windermere Preparatory School, Windermere, FL

Secondary School Festival All-Star Cast

Ellie Sawyer, Emily Hiatt, Martha Dinstuhl Rabbit Hole, Collierville High School TN

Nisha Mangrati, Atlas Salazar, Filipi Klein Arajuo & DJ Yuille, Kat Ore

The Trial of Ygor, Heritage High School VA

Lila Jones, Lily Thomas, Alex Greene

Sillyheart, Christ Church Episcopal School SC

Christian Kemp, Shrimpy Leary, Janie Martin & Juliet Cruz

The Bookbinder, Perry High School GA

Zion Carmichael, Jaela Pittman, Thatcher Carter

Antigone Now, Jefferson County Academy of Theatre & Dance AL

Mariana Oliveria Gandin, Jaxon McCormick

The Servant of Two Masters, Windermere Preparatory School FL

Katie Bowden, Owen Scott, Silas Cornette

Cardboard Stories: Some Assembly Required, Lafayette High School KY

Naomi Willis, Kennedy Carruth, Zion Simpson Girls in the Boat, Northwest Rankin High School MS

Gavin Weddington, Ezekiel Michel, Olivia Piatiak

Second Samuel, Rossview High School TN

Convention Honorees

Suzanne M. Davis Award

Marci Duncan

John Spiegel Theatrical Artist Award

Timothy Simon

Convention Grant

New Bedford Festival Theatre

KEAP Awards

Olivia Calhoun

Klarissa Comes Flying

Austin Shaw

Rachel Simmons

HBCU Convention Grant

Hampton University

Claflin University

Fort Valley State University

South Carolina State University

Madi Walk, JD Lawrence, Tabitha Anderson

Unexpected Tenderness, Lafayette High School VA

JP Spencer, Adam Shaw, Ava Fish Down Came the Rain, Hopewell High School NC

Lily Hooks, Cayson Rollings, Devan Patel & Manny Platis

Superhots!, North Myrtle Beach High School SC

Jolee Stull, Riley Wright, Amulya Perumpalath

The Night Witches, Denmark High School GA

Atticus Bell, Stella George, Drue Gagliano

Quilt: A Musical Celebration, Opelika High School AL

Samantha Fornaris, Andre Cardona, Gabe Skiar

The Book of Will, New World School of the Arts FL

Lauren Gray, Ava Stevens, Hailey Sayer

The Inexplicable Chaos Factor of Mia Gregory, Clay County High School KY

Talia Harsa, Nate Haug, Alyssa Flinchum Jungalbook, Ocean Spring High School MS

Leighton M. Ballew Directing Scholarship

Jacob Widmar

Denise Halbach Performance Scholarship

Sammy Pontello

Robert Porterfield Graduate Scholarship

Fawzia Istrabadi

William E. Wilson Scholarship

Ben Lundy

Young Scholar’s Award

Benjamin Stanford

Christina Roc

Staffing Development Matching Grant

Appalachian Center for the Arts

Synchronicity Performance Group

Betsey Horth Arts Administration Advancement Grant

Virginia Stage Company

This year’s Design Tech Awards Winners will be printed in our next eNewsletter.

Southeastern

Community Theatre Festival Honors

Outstanding Production

Sistas, the Musical

Augusta Jr. Players, Augusta, GA

Runner-Up Outstanding Production

Happy Sad

Highlands Lakeside Theatre, Sebring, FL

Best Performance in an Acting Role

Debra Harper, Laundry and Bourbon Tupelo Community Theatre, Tupelo, MS

Larry Moore, Happy Sad

Highlands Lakeside Theatre, Sebring, FL

Spirit of the Road Laundry and Bourbon Tupelo Community Theatre, Tupelo, MS

Outstanding Costume Design

Monica S. Sanchez, ROJA

Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, Memphis, TN

Outstanding Sound Design

Chris Champion, Property Rites

Self Express Productions, Inc., Winfield, AL

Outstanding Scenic Design

Roy Lewis, Sistas, the Musical

Augusta Jrs. Players, Augusta, GA

Outstanding Scenic Design

Jennifer Westergom & Gary Johnson, Happy Sad

Highlands Lakeside Theatre, Sebring, FL

Special Recognition for Cultural Advancement

ROJA, Cazateratro Bilingual Theatre Group, Memphis, TN

Excellence in Musical Ensemble

Tayllor Davis, Teagan Johnson, Lillianna Miller-Lofton, Angel Smith and Charlissa Smith

Sistas, the Musical, Augusta Jr. Players, Augusta, GA

All-Star Cast

David Vogt

Property Rites, Self Express Productions, Inc., Winfield, AL

Holly Woods

Property Rites, Self Express Productions, Inc., Winfield, AL

Rhonda Vogt

Property Rites, Self Express Productions, Inc., Winfield, AL

Sean Dyess

Greater Tuna, Starkville Community Theatre, Starkville, MS

Gerardo A. Rivillas

ROJA, Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, Memphis, TN

L: Sistas, the Musical, Augusta Jr. Players, Augusta,, GA

R: Happy Sad, Highlands Lakeside Theatre, Sebring, FL

Debra Harper and Larry Moore