1,100 Gather for Theatre Communications Group National Conference

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) convened a record-breaking 1,100 theatre practitioners from around the world at its 21st National Conference June 16-18 in Los Angeles, hosted by LA Stage Alliance.

This year's conference, the kick-off to TCG's 50th anniversary, welcomed attendees who explored emerging ideas and the question, "What if...?" This fundamental and generative question helped attendees imagine the future of the theatre field in 212 sessions led by visionaries across many industries.

"This year's conference underscored the power of a National Theatre community - which increasingly is a global one," said Teresa Eyring, executive director of TCG. "More than any other conference, this convening provided the opportunity for a multigenerational group of theatre practitioners to nurture ideas, share resources, and get creative about the future."

Three hundred conference attendees also participated in TCG's Pre-Conference of workshops at RADAR L.A., an international festival of Contemporary Theatre, which focused on how theatres can integrate touring productions into their seasons. The RADAR L.A. festival was the result of a long-standing partnership between TCG, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Center Theater Group, LA Stage Alliance, REDCAT, the Under the Radar Office at The Public Theater and the Los Angeles Theatre Center.

To watch videosfrom the event, click here.

TCG presented the following annual awards at the conference. View more information on the awards and recipients at www.tcg.org/conference:

National Funder Award - The Edgerton Foundation gives plays in development extended rehearsal period for the entire creative team, including the playwrights. Launched in 2007, the foundation has awarded 130 plays - 48 plays have gone on or been scheduled to have subsequent productions following their world premieres.

Regional Funder Award - The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grant-making foundation dedicated to expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. Since 1937 the Foundation has provided over $1 billion in grants to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations throughout California.

Theatre Practitioner Award - Gordon Davidson is the founding artistic director of Center Theatre Group. He led the Mark Taper Forum throughout its first 38 seasons, guiding over 300 productions to its stage and winning countless awards - including the Tony Award for theatrical excellence.

Peter Zeisler Memorial Award - Daniel Beaty is an award-winning actor, singer, writer, and composer. He just completed an extended off-Broadway run of his solo play Through the Night, produced by Daryl Roth, for which Beaty received the 2010 AUDELCO Award for Outstanding Solo Performance and the 2010 Ovation Award for Best Male Lead Actor.

Visionary Leadership Award - Martha Coigney served as Director of the U.S. Center of the InterNational Theatre Institute from 1966 to 2003, and was an essential part of the incorporation of ITI into TCG. From 1987 to 1995 she was President of Worldwide ITI. In 1995, she was awarded UNESCO's Picasso Medal and was made Honorary President of ITI for life.

For 50 years, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, has existed to strengthen, nurture and promote the professional not-for-profit American theatre. Founded in 1961, TCG's constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to nearly 700 member theatres and affiliate organizations and more than 12,000 individuals nationwide. TCG offers its members networking and knowledge-building opportunities through conferences, events, research and communications; grants approximately $2 million per year to theatre companies and individual artists; advocates on the federal level and serves as the US Center of the InterNational Theatre Institute, connecting its constituents to the global theatre community.

TCG is North America's largest independent publisher of dramatic literature, with 11 Pulitzer Prizes for Best Play on our booklist; it also publishes the award-winning AMERICAN THEATRE magazine and ARTSEARCH®, the essential source for a career in the arts. In all of its endeavors, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of its member theatres, cultivate and celebrate the artistic talent and achievements of the field and promote a larger public understanding of, and appreciation for, the theatre.