Georgia Theatre Conference Returns For Big 59th Year

The longest-running state theatre convention is back, this time in Columbus, GA. At Georgia Theatre Conference (GTC), high schools compete in one-act competitions and college artists begin the preliminary audition process to be seen by a multitude of regional theatre companies for professional performance/technical work. Georgia Theatre Conference also hosts several middle school, community theatre, and professional theatre performances open to the public and patrons.

This year marks the 59th anniversary for the conference. There's plenty of room for celebration, as Georgia Theatre Conference is reporting the highest attendance numbers in nearly a decade. Three of the four one-act festivals are at maximum capacity, allowing patrons to catch nearly 40 performances in the four-day convention. This is also the first year with Jono Davis at the helm as Executive Director. He expresses, "I'm excited to see so many new participating schools at GTC. The Board has worked very hard to bring us back to pre-pandemic numbers and we have a bunch of really fun experiences up our sleeves."

Among the classic Georgia Theatre Conference experiences, paying attendees will be offered free professional headshots and chances to win deluxe prizes by participating in the varying workshops. Atlanta legend Freddie Hendricks will be honored and entered into the Georgia Theatre Hall of Fame, and Atlanta playwright Christina Donica will have a staged reading of her award-winning new work. GTC has also spent the year rebranding itself, so returning patrons can expect a new logo, merchandise, and a new set of one-act adjudicators including Broadway actress Deborah S. Craig (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) and Atlanta theatre icons Mary Nye Bennett, Kayce Grogan-Wallace, and Clifton Guterman.

High school and secondary school juniors and seniors have the opportunity to pre-screen for over 12 attending colleges and universities. College and university students, along with professional artists, can audition and apply for seasonal and full-time work with hiring companies like Disney Live Entertainment and Peach State Summer Theatre. "We have attendees ranging from 2nd graders to theatre veterans. This conference offers experiences for all-ages, so I'm thrilled to see everyone at this celebration!"

This year's Georgia Theatre Conference will be at Columbus State University in Columbus, GA. Passes to this event can be purchased online (georgiatheatreconference.com) or in-person on the days of the convention; October 18-21. Georgia Theatre Conference is operated by its Executive Director, Jono Davis, and its Board of Directors: Brenda May Ito (President), Lucy Lynn Bryson (Vice President), Joe Sendek (Secretary), Shirley Spencer (Past President), Ian G. Andersen, Celeste Morris, Pamela Workman, Rebecca Parker, D. Norris, Amina McIntyre, Thandiwe Thomas DeShazor, Ariana Perez-Lugones, Cassandra Scott-Fortune, and Sam Casey.