CINCINNATI — USITT’s annual Conference & Stage Expo is set for March 18 to 21, 2009, and the association is finalizing plans for activities before, during and after the show. Despite the uncertain economic outlook, USITT reports that more than 85 percent of the exhibit space available for the Stage Expo is already sold. The keynote speaker will be Lynn Meyers, artistic director of the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, who will launch the conference at 10 a.m., March 18 at the Duke Energy Convention Center (DECC). For 2009, USITT is also introducing a Young Technicians’ Forum, a mentoring program modeled on the existing Young Designers’ Forum.
Most events will be held at the DECC, but several sessions and meetings will be held in the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, one block away. The Hilton will also serve as the conference’s headquarters hotel and the venue for USITT’s Awards Banquet. Special conference rates have also been negotiated at the nearby Hyatt and Millennium hotels.
More than 200 sessions are scheduled to run during the conference, including a report covering recent codes and standards from Mitch Hefter, makeup techniques for high definition film or television, a discussion of the challenges of super-sized venues and a walking tour of Cincinnati theatres. Regional events include a planned tour of the U.S. Air Force Museum in Akron, which is equipped with gear from ETC.
Pre-conference activities start March 15, with a three day workshop offered by Ben Sammler titled Structural Design for the Stage, one of 14 professional development workshops that will be offered. Two professional development workshops, the USITT Electrical Workshop and Stage Rigging with Jay Glerum, can be used to gain ETCP renewal credits for certified technicians.
The deadline for the lowest possible registration rates is Dec. 4, 2008. For more information, and to register online, go to www.usitt.org/cincy.
