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TEXAS NONPROFIT THEATRES STATEWIDE SERVICES PROFILE
ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Each year, TNT produces an annual conference. Every odd numbered year, TNT also produces the Texas level AACT/Fest, which is held in conjunction with the conference.
Nonfestival Years - tend to be workshop oriented. TNT staff handles all hotel arrangements, sets up the schedule, works with the Conference Planning committee of the Board to define workshop needs and desires and to identify applicable presenters. Staff makes contact with potential presenters, executes contracts, provides maps and schedules for presenters, and arranges transportation and lodging if necessary. Staff prepares conference brochure and arranges for mailings. Staff then handles all registration and on site management during the conference, preparing all materials to be included in conference packets.
Festival Years -TNT staff organizes four preliminary festivals in the four geographic Quads of Texas. Each Quad has a local host theatre which handles all technical aspects of the Festival, while TNT handles company registrations, all festival paperwork, and on site ticket sales. Two theatres from each Quad advance to the State Festival. TNT staff prepares the Festival schedule of rehearsals and performances, facilitates ticket sales, and produces the conference in conjunction with the Festival.
YOUTH CONFERENCE: In 1996, TNT started the Annual Youth Conference. Two tracks are prepared - one specifically for the students, one for the adults who sponsor and/or work with them.
The student track includes classes specifically tailored to the interests of youth - acting, improvisation, movement, singing, voice and diction, etc. The students are divided into appropriate age groups and each group rotates among the classes offered. While the students are attending their rotations, the adults have the option of attending workshops specifically designed for them in such matters as curriculum development, discipline, using Shakespeare with students, finding appropriate scripts/materials, etc. - or attending the students' workshops. There is an adult Roundtable Discussion planned at every conference where they may discuss whatever is concerning them - insurance issues, establishing liaisons with the school system, etc.
In addition to the workshops, there are performances. Youth companies, upon paying a $75 entry fee are eligible to perform. Each company has a short technical rehearsal time, with performance blocks scheduled for Thursday evening, Friday afternoon and evening, Saturday afternoon and evening, and perhaps Sunday morning, 2-3 companies performing during each block. Running times for the performances are limited to 40 minutes in order to accommodate the number of companies wishing to perform. There is no competition as far as placement of companies, but the performances are adjudicated. The only awards are recognition awards for Achievement in Acting. This is to downplay competition, but to offer something to look forward to. Cost is kept low - $50 per person - to encourage participation. At least one food even is included with registration.
TNT staff handles most aspects of this event, with the exception that the host theatre handles everything to do with the rehearsals and performances from the technical end.
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER: The TNT Quarterly newsletter includes information about what the TNT member theatres are producing during the next quarter (TNT Marquee), information about TNT programs coming up, news items of interest to the theatre community, advocacy items, a calendar, etc. TNT also puts out an E-mail newsletter sporadically when timely dissemination of information is important. Individuals subscribe to the E-mail newsletter via the TNT Web Site. There are about 500 on the TNT E-mail list.
STATEWIDE THEATRE DIRECTORY: There are over 400 theatres in Texas - most of them nonprofit. In previous years, TNT updated the information every two years on each theatre through phone calls, e-mails, letters, faxes, etc., then published the information in booklet format. The directory was then mailed to every TNT member theatre and individual, plus copies are sent to Texas Commission on the Arts commissioners. Currently, TNT is working on making the directory available to members online so that information can be accessed easily and updated instantly, solving the problem of almost immediate obsolescence in print form. A theatre does NOT have to be a member of TNT to be in the Directory, since this is not a membership directory.
WEB PAGE: The TNT Web Page includes an expanded Marquee, listing upcoming shows for all TNT member theatres for a year in advance, by Quad, by date, and by city. It has bulletin boards where one can post job opening, auditions, general announcements and playwriting competitions. The TNT Script Lending Library is posted on the web so those interested in checking out a script can see what we have. Information about TNT conferences, the TNT Summer Internship, the Playwright in Residence Project and TNT POPS!, links to all Texas theatres with web pages, links to theatre related organizations and services, and information about ordering Enid Holm's book, Theatrically Speaking, are all included on the site.
NETWORKING AND CONSULTING SERVICES: TNT staff provides consulting services on a wide variety of subjects, which may be handled with a simple phone call, or involve a two day workshop. The majority of the work - often called technical support - involves answering questions about such topics as: How do I get my nonprofit status? Where can I get masks, backdrops, etc.? What kind of insurance do we need? How do we deal with difficult volunteers? Who do we contact for guest Equity contracts? We need a touring show - who's got one? We want to build/convert a theatre space. Who will consult on design? My computer won't work - how do I . . .? If we don't know the answer, we try to find someone who does.
LIAISON SERVICE TO TCA: TNT staff attends the quarterly meetings of the Texas Commission on the Arts in order to inform the commissioners about TNT activities and relay concerns brought by the constituency. TNT passes information about TCA activities on to the theatres.
INTERN PROGRAM: TNT places college/university theatre students in two residencies during 11 weeks in the summer. Ideally, one residency is with a community theatre, the other with a professional theatre. The students apply for the residencies, and eight are selected for interview, which takes place during the annual conference and allows those applicants to participate in the conference activities. Two or three are selected by the end of the conference. They spend three days in the TNT office for orientation, then begin a five week residency with one theatre, move on to the next for five weeks, then return to the TNT office for evaluation at the end of the summer. TNT pays their salary, matching payroll taxes, and a travel allowance; the host theatre provides housing and mentoring.
NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: In support of a Board resolution, TNT prepared guidelines for theatres and playwrights to use in establishing a collaborative relationship. A pilot project in Houston, actively pursued by a TNT Board member, proved to be a huge success, with some 16 theatres adopting playwrights through some kind of contractual agreement. The board then developed TNT POPS! - a new play contest to showcase Texas Playwrights.
DATABASE OF PRODUCTIONS: The Texas Theatres Production Database provides the raw data which creates the TNT Marquee for the newsletter and the Web site. It also is useful when other theatres need certain props, sets, etc. TNT can steer them to a theatre which has recently done the show and may be of assistance in finding those items.
SCRIPT LENDING LIBRARY: Several years ago, after seeing what other statewide services offered, TNT began its own script lending library. Donations from individuals and theatres have built the stock to over 2500 scripts so far. Any TNT individual or theatre member may check out scripts at no cost except the return postage.
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