Connie Britton, Mike Faist, Tommy Bracco and More on Tap for VTA2017

Joining Virginia's theatre community are luminaries Connie Britton (Nashville, American Horror Story), Mike Faist (Connor, Dear Evan Hansen), Tommy Bracco (Spot Conlon, Newsies), Tom Reynolds (Production Stage Manager, Disney's The Lion King), and Tony nominated costume designer Toni-Leslie James (Jitney, Come From Away).

A highlight of this year's event will be the annual presentation at the President's Dinner of the VTA GINNY Awards. The event will celebrate 45 years of VTA's work toward its mission in Virginia, to connect, develop, nurture, and advocate for Virginia Theatre people of all ages, at all levels, across the Commonwealth, and will benefit VTA's scholarship programs for undergraduate and graduate students of theatre in Virginia.

The 2017 VTA Ginny Awards, sponsored by Moore and Giles and BWX Technologies, will honor:

For Distinguished Career: Lynchburg native Connie Britton (Nashville, Friday Night Lights, American Horror Story)

For Outstanding Service to Theatre in Virginia: Hugh Copeland, Founder and Artistic Director of Norfolk's nationally recognized youth theatre ensemble the Hurrah Players; and

For Lifetime Achievement in Virginia Theatre: Bruce Miller, a standard bearer in Virginia theatre for more than 40 years, as Founding Producer of Richmond's Theatre IV and Barksdale Theatre, now merged as the Commonwealth's powerhouse Virginia Repertory Theatre.

The celebration will be held October 28 in the Grand Ballroom at Hilton's new Waterside District property The Main.

The conference, sponsored by Disney Theatrical Group, Music Theatre International, Barbizon Lighting, VisitNorfolk, and others, will feature Virginia theatre's most dynamic acts, including performances, keynote addresses, workshops, master classes, and panel discussions by state and national theatre leaders.

In addition to All-Conference presentations by the featured guest artists, the conference features:

- Live performances of The Parchman Hour, a joint production of Virginia Stage and Norfolk State University, at the Wells Theatre, marking the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Riders;

- Workshops by Joe Calarco, the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre's Director of New Works, and captain of its annual SigWorks in the Schools Project. VTA will feature a performance of Smile Lines, a new Signature work marking the 100th anniversary of the National Woman's Party's Silent Sentinels protest at the White House;

- A production of the Sondheim classic Into the Woods at Virginia Wesleyan University;

- All-Conference events, including Hamiltunes, a rollicking sing-along of songs from the Broadway hit Hamilton, sponsored by VTA's Community Theatre Division and facilitated by Old Dominion University;

- Recertification points for Virginia educators, and Continuing Education accredited sessions by leaders at TheatreFolk;

- Division Days, featuring programming tailored to the membership of each of VTA's six divisions: 25 tech theatre workshops, College Jumpstart programming and panels for Virginia's soon-to-be graduates entering the workforce or graduate school, and programming tailored to VTA's Technical, Community Theatre, Professional, and Theatre for Youth members;

- More than 50 college, university, summer intensives, job recruiters, and commercial vendors on hand at 2017's VTA Expo;

- Festivals and Competitions for theatre lovers of all ages;

- VTA's brand new Virginia Fringe Festival, featuring no-holds-barred new works and classics reimagined, from companies from all over the state;

- College recruiting as well as admissions and scholarship auditions from dozens of colleges and universities from New York to Florida;

- Southeastern Theatre Conference Pre-Screening Auditions;

- More than 100 master classes, workshops, and all-conference events.

- Opportunities for networking, socializing, and camaraderie.

Day Passes are available for Friday and Saturday sessions for $30; a limited number of $5 single-session passes are also available. Tickets for the VTA Ginny Award Dinner are available to conference attendees for $60; tickets for the general public are $75. For more information, visit virginiatheatre.org or call the VTA office at 434.845.7529.