South Florida Theatre League Launches A Summer Of Continuing Education

While the theatre community is working towards reopening, the South Florida Theatre League will aid the process through multiple professional development opportunities aimed at long term sustainability in the arts.

The League will be bringing back a workshop focused Summer Theatre Fest with four workshops offered on zoom throughout the last three weeks of July and is launching a second AntiRacism Theatre Strategies (ARTS) Cohort with consulting firm Alexander Christie.

"Our upcoming educational opportunities will provide a chance for theatres and theatre workers to pick up skills to help them thrive in an industry that is rebuilding," says executive director Andie Arthur. "The League is dedicated to the idea that we shouldn't just get back to normal, but rather create an even stronger, more resilient theatre community."

A Summer Theatre Fest of Professional Development Workshops After the success of last year's Quarantine Theatre Fest, the South Florida Theatre League is bringing back Summer Theatre Fest as a period of educational opportunities, with a variety of workshops aimed at individual artists and arts organizations. All workshops will be held over zoom. Admission is free, though donations are welcome. Registration is required for the zoom link.

The League's traditional promotional activities associated with Summer Theatre Fest will occur in September with Theatre Homecoming, a coordinated campaign focusing on welcoming patrons back to in person performances. The Remy Awards, which honor those who work behind the scenes, will be a part of Theatre Homecoming with more details to be announced.

Self-Advocacy for Theatre Workers

Monday July 12 at 7:00 PM

This panel discussion, led by Nicole Perry, local choreographer and intimacy director, will cover advocating for yourself as a theatre professional, no matter what part of the industry you work in -- from actor to administrator to playwright to stage manager. How can you stick up for yourself and maintain your own mental health? Panelists include Christina Alexander, Kent Chambers-Wilson, Jessica Kaschube, Marj O'Neill-Butler, and Jesus Quintero.

Social Media and Marketing with Gaby Tortoledo

For Organizations: Wednesday July 14 at 7:00 PM
For Individuals: Wednesday July 28 at 7:00 PM

With a quick course on best practices for audience engagement, 'branding' yourself, and an Adobe Lightroom tutorial, this workshop is designed to polish your virtual platforms and ensure you look your best when you can't be in 'the room where it happens'

With over a decade of experience working in Visual Communications, Marketing, Community Management, and Graphic Design, Gaby has worked with clients in the US, Latin America, and the UK. Now exclusively dedicated to theatrical marketing, current clients include Theatre Lab, FAU's Department of Theatre & Dance, the South Florida Theatre League, Song Cycle Intensive, and, of course, her own public image. Gaby holds a BA in Graphic Design and Business Administration and a graduate degree in Visual Communications from the University of the Arts London.

Return to Revenue with Matt Lehrman
Monday July 19 at 7:00 PM With hope (cautiously) on the horizon, now is the time to kick-start your nonprofit's transactional revenue engine. Emerging from a period of unprecedented disruption, it's both your responsibility and opportunity to reimagine your organization's operating structure. And even before your organization is able to resume full in-person operations, explore your potential to generate ticket sales, admissions, class & activity fees, memberships, and paid reservations for special events. Matt Lehrman is the co-founder and managing director of Social Prosperity Partners and the former executive director of Alliance for Audience, an arts service organization serving Phoenix, AZ. For more information on Matt, visit https://www.mattlehrman.com/meet-Matt

The Launch of the 2nd AntiRacism Theatre Strategies (ARTS) Cohort In September 2020, eight theatre companies (City Theatre, Florida Children's Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Miami New Drama, New City Players, Slow Burn Theatre, Theatre Lab, and Zoetic Stage) embarked on a six month pilot program with consultants Christina Alexander and Katie Christie of Alexander Christie to develop an antiracist action plan for their respective organizations.

Alexander Christie provided monthly workshops, individualized coaching calls, and affinity group spaces from September 2020 to February 2021, working with the eight companies on antiracism values and vision, implicit bias and systems analysis, and aesthetic perspectives.

The program was so well-received by the eight participating theatres that the South Florida Theatre League and Alexander Christie have decided to start a second cohort. The second ARTS cohort started in June 2021 and includes Island City Stage, JCAT, Juggerknot Theatre, MNM Theatre Company, Momentum Stage, and Thinking Cap Theatre. Both the League and Alexander Christie currently plan to bring back the first cohort for continuing work at some point in 2021 and to launch a third cohort of participating theatres in 2022.

For more information about Christina Alexander and Katie Christie of Alexander Christie, visit https://voicesunited.org/meet-the-team/

To get tickets for any of the Summer Theatre Fest workshops, visit https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/34547

For information about the South Florida Theatre League, visit www.southfloridatheatre.com.

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