National Collaborators Conference To Feature Advocate and Broadway Stage Manager Cody Renard Richard

The Stage Managers' Association (SMA) and Ohio Valley USITT (OVS) have announced the National Collaborators Conference, which will take place virtually on October 9 - 11, 2020 from Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH.

This will be a first-time international gathering of the Stage Manager Association and Entertainment Design community. They are pleased to partner with The Collaborator Party, The Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers (TSDCA), and Playhouse Square, Cleveland in this unique, entertainment-based, conference which will be produced by Broadway Unlocked.

This national (and international) gathering will feature sessions on Stage Management, Design and Technical Collaboration, along with the Annual Peggy Ezekiel Adjudicated Design and Tech Showcase. The conference will feature over 25 unique workshop sessions, virtual tours of Playhouse Square, and a showcase of stage management paperwork.

The Special Keynote speaker is advocate, educator, and professional Stage Manager Cody Renard Richard, who is joining the conference to speak about collaboration and the future of theatre. Cody's career spans many genres including Broadway, Television, Cirque du Soleil and Opera. As an advocate for change and equity, Cody has appeared live on CNN and has been interviewed on WNBC. He was also recently named one of Variety Magazine's 2020 Broadway Players to Watch and has just launched The Cody Renard Richard Scholarship Program in partnership with Broadway Advocacy Coalition. @codyrenard

Programming Highlights:

• Sports Events Management, featuring representatives from the Cleveland Indians, the Vegas Golden Knights, the San Francisco 49ers, and more (Sponsored by Theatre Art Life)
• Intimacy Choreography: Best practices for the entire production team
• Designing in Translation, taking your design work across the world
• Sound Design, artist or engineer (sponsor TSDCA)
• The Behind the Scenes Magic of Weddings in India
• Traditional Indigenous Ceremonies in the US and Abroad
• The Annual Peggy Ezekiel Adjudicated Design Exhibit
• Managing the DNC Online
• Stage Management Paperwork throughout the ages, a Showcase
• Virtual Tour of Playhouse Square, the largest performing arts district outside of NYC
• Discovering unconventional jobs in which you can utilize your performing arts skills to earn income
• Spark your Creativity, a two-part series of design charettes in lighting, scenic, costumes, and more. Introductory sessions on Friday, Sharing sessions on Sunday.

Understanding the difficult financial times for our worldwide industry, Registration is only $50 (USD) for individual attendees with discounts for SMA, TAL, and OVS members. Special group rates for educational institutions are also available on the registration site.

To register: bit.ly/NationalCollaboratorsConference

Exhibitors who are interested in sponsoring or purchasing a space in the virtual exhibit hall please contact Mandalyn Stevens, Exhibit Manager, by using the links below:

• Exhibitors Click Here
• Colleges/Universities Click Here (for Saturday's virtual college fair)