NETCNewsinside

this issueThe Forum:

Do the Best TranslationsRead Themselves?

andNow What?

A Graduate Student’sThoughts on Academia

page 6

Two Views fromNorth of Boston

page 8

Area Newspage 2

Ovationspage 5

Opportunitiespage 10

UpcomingEventspage 13

volume 13 number 2 spring 2004

A QuarterlyPublication of the

New England TheaterConference, Inc.

2003 saw the awarding of the thirty-sixth John GassnerMemorial Playwriting Award. The winner is BrucePost, a playwright from Sandy Hook, Connecticut. Theplay is an extraordinary script called Size Matters.

Size Matters isinsightful, frankand brutally funny.It’s about a gentle-man who predictshis fortunes by thesize of his penis.He’s displeasedwhen his daughterdiscovers she hasthe same skill vis-à-vis her breasts, and he discredits herinventing her personal history.

If there’s obscenity in the script, it’s the obscenity of theway we behave. It has a truthful distortion of life cou-pled with strident comment on our obsession with bodyparts—as if Carl von Sternheim had teamed up withKaren Finley. If you would like a copy of the script, con-tact NETC.

Bruce Post is a playwright, a director, and a teacher atthe Milford Alternative Program, a public school forsecondary students-at-risk in Connecticut. He has anMFA in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College, wherehe worked with Eduardo Machado. He’s the ExecutiveDirector of the Maxwell Anderson Playwrights Seriesand the Producer of the Annual Young ConnecticutPlaywrights Festival.

We asked Bruce to tell us about the script from his per-spective. This is what he wrote:

I wrote Size Matters in response to my father’s death.The character of Dick is not my father. I didn’t knowmy father well; he left when I was one year old. He wasan okay guy, I guess. But he did, literally, try to erase mefrom his life. When he remarried, he agreed to his newwife’s demand to never mention his earlier children toher family. The result was, for her parents and siblings,I never existed.

Gassner Playwriting AwardGoes to Connecticut Playwright

Plans are well underway for the 2004 Convention to beheld on November 11-14. The convention will takeplace at The Sheraton Twin Towers in South Portland,Maine, just off Exit 7 on the Maine Turnpike. TheSheraton is conveniently located minutes from thePortland Jetport and Amtrak. It is adjacent to theMaine Mall and there are dozens of eateries withinwalking distance. The accommodations are exquisiteand the room rates will be very reasonable making theweekend very affordable.

The convention weekend will include the popularHigh School Theatre Olympiad on Friday and threedays of programming for all levels of theatre includingchildren and youth, secondary education, college, com-

2004 Convention Headed toSouth Portland, ME

continues on page 4

All over New England in January and February hun-dreds of high school drama programs are abuzz withrehearsals, set building, costume stitching, and lightdesign to prepare a one-act play for competition.Throughout the months of March and April the schoolspresent their shows for competition at local and region-al levels with winners advancing to their StateCompetitions. Two winners emerge from each of the sixState Finals to represent their state at the New EnglandDrama Festival, a regional showcasing of the best in sec-ondary theatre.

This year the New England Drama Festival will be heldat Lawrence High School in Fairfield, Maine. Lawrencewill host the twelve state representatives for an excitingthree-day event on April 22–24. At the NEDF schoolsno longer compete. Instead, they showcase their workfor each other, special guests and the general public.Each school is given written commendations from stu-dents and members of the New England Drama

New England High SchooolDrama Festival at LawrenceHigh School in ME

continues on page 4

continues on page 2

2004 Gassner Award winner

NETC News2

When a newly-renovated 1917 movie house in theheart of Stoneham Square first welcomed audiencesthrough its doors just three years ago, Artistic DirectorWeylin Symes could only imagine what was in storefor the young company. It’s been a whirlwind eversince.

“Sometimes it’s hard to keep up,” says Symes with asmile. “We’re delighted with the response we’ve seen.We’ve tripled in size over the past three years and wecontinue to welcome new people every day. It’s reallyjust exciting to be a part of it.”

Stoneham Theatre is now the fifth-largest regionaltheatre in Greater Boston—an impressive feat for acompany that just passed its third anniversary. Thisyear nearly two hundred performances are planned onits stage and 40,000 people are expected to passthrough its doors. It’s an ambitious schedule like thisthat makes Stoneham Theatre the only companyfounded within the past ten years that’s ranked by theBoston Business Journal among the area’s ten largestperforming arts organizations.

“What makes this theater intriguing is that it takes achance or two,” says Boston critic Bill Marx, a senti-ment echoed by audiences and critics alike. In anOctober 2003 article, the Boston Globe suggests thatit’s Stoneham Theatre’s willingness to take calculatedrisks that inspires its growth.

“We’re focused on new theatre for new audiences,”Symes says. “We produce new and less familiar worksthat still appeal to a wide variety of people.”

It’s a concept that the staff, the board, and the audi-ences take seriously.

Stoneham Theatre This spring, the theatre premieres two productionsthat Symes calls emblematic of the company’s mis-sion: The Sweepers, a tale of Boston’s North End byJohn C. Picardi, and Lizzie Borden, a hauntingly beau-tiful new musical about the infamous alleged axe mur-derer. New works like these anchor StonehamTheatre’s subscription season as its audiences becomeincreasingly more accustomed to its consistent quali-ty and broad appeal.

Stoneham also takes seriously its commitment to edu-cation, an important part of building new audiences.The flagship of its education programs is the ResidentYouth Ensemble, an advanced training program forhigh school students. Fifteen select students partici-pate in intensive master classes with theatre profes-sionals—the current course of study is an eight-weekcurriculum on movement-based techniques.

Advanced, ongoing programs like this for the highschool level are rare, and the theatre is quick todeclare their importance to the company. Members ofthe Ensemble are an integral part of the theatre’s dailylife, participating alongside professionals as assistantdirectors, production assistants, and occasionallyactors. Only in its first year, the Resident YouthEnsemble is expected to become even more promi-nent as time goes on.

With all that’s happened over the past three years,Symes is hesitant to guess where Stoneham Theatremight be three years from now. “Whatever happens,we just plan to continue producing the best theatre wecan.”

Stoneham Theatre is a professional Equity company justminutes north of downtown Boston with easy access to I-93 and I-95 and free parking right across the street.

Gassner Awardcontinued from page 1

I became fascinated with the idea of a parent rewrit-ing the history of his child in order to maintain anadvantage or gain a personal benefit. As is often thecase with my plays, I first saw a stage image. Theimage I saw was of Dick, his back to the audience,measuring the size of his penis. I like literal imagery.Our culture is so fascinated with penises and breasts,in dangerously self indulgent obsession, and so Iwanted to focus on those body parts as potent sym-bols of the power of size. Americans are manic aboutsize; witness SUV’s and McMansions. Unfortunatelythis obsession results in a nation that consumes mostof the world’s resources and no longer cares about theconsequences.

At first it was Dick’s play, but it was clear after itwrote itself that the play really belonged to Steph[the daughter]. I really wanted to write about thepressure we receive to limit our goals, even to livebelow expectations so as not to make any waves.

My favorite playwrights are Ibsen, who WAS theMaster Builder, Beckett, who is my god, Albee, whotaught me to think literally about the abstract, andMamet, who teaches us all how to master subtext.Like Beckett, I believe that less is more.

AreaNews

volume 13, number 2 3

AreaNews

NETC a Lively Presence at the Kennedy CenterAmerican College Theatre FestivalOnce again, the College University Division ofNETC was active and visible at the annual Region IKennedy Center American College TheatreFestival. The festival, which took place January 29through February 1, was based at the Crowne PlazaHotel in Warwick RI, with performances staged atRhode Island College, Providence.

On Friday afternoon, NETC Audition chair JoeJuliano gave a spirited and informative presentationon the process of applying for and auditioning at theannual NETC Auditions. Over twenty highly moti-vated and talented students from throughout theregion listened attentively and asked pertinent ques-tions concerning the format and protocols of theNETC process. Joe reports that about a dozen stu-dents took advantage of his extending the deadlinean additional week to accommodate students fromthe Festival.

On Saturday night NETC, through C/U chair AnnMarie Shea, presented the second annual Excellencein Acting Awards (with $150 cash prize) to twodeserving student performers. In the Comic catego-ry, Alex Carey of Keene State College took topNETC honors with his performance of Laughing Wildby Christopher Durang. From Salem State College,

Brianne Beatrice who performed the characterClytemnestra from Aeschylus’ Oresteia, was awardedthe classical prize. The winners were selected at thesemi-finals phase of the competition by judgesRebecca Hilliker of University of Wyoming andSteve Stettler of the Weston Playhouse in Vermont.

The prizes represent NETC commitment to supportKCACTF’s efforts to keep the classics alive andcomedy rolling in the undergraduate scene, and prizemoney is available to encourage students to developtechnique in these categories.

Mentors of undergraduate actors throughout theregion are reminded to keep these opportunities inmind when assisting students in selecting materialfor Irene Ryan competition.

A familiar face to NETC members, Patricia Rigginof Boston College, was awarded the KennedyCenter Medallion for her years of service to theregional festival. Patricia serves as chair of the play-writing chair for the region, supporting and encour-aging student playwrights throughout the NewEngland area. Congratulations to Patricia for well-earned recognition!

If you’re ready to laugh out loud, don’t miss the musi-cal comedy at Acton-Boxborough Regional HighSchool, My Favorite Year. Set in 1954 at the NBC-TV studios, this show recreates the excitement andfun of working on a live television show during thisera. The story is set around freshman writer, BenjyStone and his encounter with his childhood moviehero, Alan Swann, who is not the hero he had imag-ined. Swann’s week as guest on the King KaiserComedy Cavalcade almost drives King and the writ-ers and producers of his hit show crazy. And whenBelle, Benjy’s quintessential Jewish mother, invitesthe pair to Brooklyn, the whole neighborhood showsup to meet the famous movie star. With physicalhumor, great dancing, and even a sword fight, thisshow is full of energy from the opening number.

Based on the movie starring Peter O’Toole, whichcelebrates the work of Sid Caesar and the writers on

his show that included Mel Brooks, Neil Simon andWoody Allen, the music and lyrics are by Ahrensand Flaherty, creators of “Once On This Island” and“Ragtime.” The production is directed by LindaPotter, with music direction by Jeanie Furlan andchoreography by Melinda Samperi. To set the mood,a special 1950’s Retrospective will be shown 30 min-utes before each show. Doors open early so don’t missthis look at the Golden Age of television and 1950spopular culture.

Performances are March 26, 27, 28 and April 2, 3.All shows are at 7:30 pm, except for the matinee onSunday, March 28, at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $12 foradults and $8 for students and seniors; availableonline via credit card at www.MKTix.com. For moreinformation, contact Susan Williams, 978-263-3143.

Comedy is King in My Favorite Year,the Acton-Boxborough Spring Musical

NETC News4

AreaNews The NETC Professional division is happy to

announce our Seminar and Workshop informationbulletin! Do you have a seminar or workshop that youfeel can help others in the New England TheatreCommunity? Or are you looking for a specific type ofSeminar or Workshop that is being offered? TheNETC Professional division would like to help!

The needs of the Theatre Community cannot be metat one convention yearly and we are aware of that. Soin order to help facilitate these types of events theProfessional division would like to produce a Seminarand Workshop “Catalogue” that would go out twice ayear to all NETC Members. Anybody that is anNETC member can participate in this offer of semi-nars. In other words if you are member and havesomething to share or teach, let us help you make ithappen!

A great example would be a popular Seminar I domyself, “Budgeting and Sourcing; How to Put up YourShow” this is a joint seminar that is provided bymyself, and Kevin Russell of Arts Boston. So how doyou get involved? Simple, email me at lisaanton@hot-mail.com, a simple one-paragraph description of your

Seminars and Workshops, Helping Each OtherGrow in the Theatrical Community

seminar or workshop, with that include all needs, i.e.audio, visual, space, amount of participants, etc. Alsoinclude how much you require as a stipend, or if youoffer this as a free event. Once a group is compiled wewill start sending this out to our members.

The Professional Division is taking great strides tomake improvements to our participation in theTheatre Community and we feel that this is a greatstart. Bringing contacts and knowledge to any and allwho want it. We also wish for you to understand wewould like all divisions to offer seminars and work-shops! Maybe you teach elementary education andhave a wonderful way to teach music to kids! Maybeyour community theatre is wonderful at communityoutreach and fundraising! In the end we can all learnand teach each other to bring a better quality of the-atre to all of New England.

So on behalf of the Professional Division I hope youwill join us in our enthusiasm and submit as manyseminars or workshops as you like to our bulletin. Weare again very interesting in helping you all continueto work and grow in the New England TheatreCommunity!

2004 Convention Headed to MEcontinued from page 1

munity and professional. Nationally known theatrepractitioners are being sought out to present work-shops in the latest techniques and training.Convention organizers are also looking to draw fromthe talent of local theatres and Maine artists to show-case the theatre work of Maine.

As the programming process begins organizers areopen to ideas from the NETC community. Pleaseemail suggestions for workshops ideas, contacts whomight present workshops, or whether you might havea workshop that you are willing to present. Our themefor the 2004 Convention is Basic Training for a NewTheatre featuring new approaches to theatre trainingand stage production. The workshops will be gearedto all levels of participation.

The planning committee includes, chairman, JeffWatts, drama teacher at Lawrence High School inFairfield, Maine, and co-planners are Carol Korty,youth and children’s theatre playwright and WilKilroy, associate professor at the University ofSouthern Maine. You may contact Jeff atjwatts@msad49.org.

NE High School Drama Festivalcontinued from page 1

Council. In addition to showcasing their one-act play,the students will take part in a number of theatre work-shops, meet new friends from all over New Englandand enjoy the exhilarating atmosphere of the Festival.The New England Drama Festival is a highlight in thecareer of any high school thespian.

The theme of this year’s festival is Magic 2004: theTheatrical Journey. The festival weekend will celebratethe magic of theatre. Most of us are drawn to the the-atre because of that magical moment we experienceseeing our first show and we become addicted to thetheatre the first time we tread the boards or work back-stage. Finally, we learn to value theatre’s ability tomove and inspire us. To borrow from TennesseeWilliams; theatre is, “truth in the pleasant disguise ofillusion.”

Support the theatre’s future by attending, or volun-teering to present workshops, for the New EnglandDrama Festival at Lawrence High School in Fairfield,Maine just off I-95 on April 22–24. For more informa-tion call (207) 453-4200, ext. #249.

2004 Annual Convention—“Basic Training for a New Theatre”November 11, 12, 13, 14 • Thursday Evening through Sunday Noon • Sheraton Hotel, South Portland, Maine

PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL(Please type or print clearly. This form will be photocopied.)

Your name

Organization or affiliation

Mailing Address City State Zip

Day Phone Evening Phone

Fax E-Mail

Proposal Title

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL: (Minimum thirty to maximum fifty words)

• What is the topic and scope of the presentation?• How does the presentation relate to the theme “Basic Training for a New Theatre”?• State the outcomes or objectives—what will the participant learn from this presentation?• Please help us by making your description concise, clear and appealing, and appropriate for use in the conference catalogue.

PERSONNEL: Please provide each presenter’s/speaker’s name and affiliation:

1.

2.

3.

TYPE OF ACTIVITY:

Please indicate the type of activity based on the descriptions below:

NEW ENGLAND THEATRE CONFERENCE

2004 Convention Proposal Form

• Performance• Paper: Reading(s) of a scholarly work• Play reading: Book-in-hand presentation of original

dramatic work.• Workshop: Provides participants with hands-on experience

to learn and apply new skills or techniques and receivefeedback on their progress. Please note if participants areexpected to dress to move, to prepare a selection, etc.

• Seminar: A wide range of viewpoints, usually presented in alecture format, concentrating on a specific topic or a focusedaspect of an interest area, facilitated by one or more experts.

• Roundtable discussion: Participants exchange points ofview concerning a topic or problem under the leadership ofa facilitator.

• Poster session: Visual presentation of graphic or technicalmaterials with discussion among participants.

New England Theatre Conference 2004 Convention Proposal Form, pg. 2

LEVEL OF ACTIVITY:

Select from among the following categories:

TARGET GROUP/S

This presentation will be of most value to members interested in:

❐ Community ❐ Professional ❐ Children’s & Youth ❐ Secondary ❐ College/University

This presentation is appropriate for secondary school students:

❐ Yes ❐ No

KIND OF SPACE NEEDED

❐ Chairs around perimeter ❐ Chairs in circle ❐ Chairs in rows facing one view

TABLE NEEDED?

❐ In center ❐ In front

PIANO OR AUDIO/VISUAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED

FROM NETC OR SHERATON HOTEL

❐ Piano ❐ Screen ❐ VCR ❐ Slide projector ❐ Computer projector ❐ Flipchart easelPlease make every effort to provide your own equipment to help us keep our overhead low.

Note: Each session is 75 minutes long.Note: NETC does not provide reimbursement or stipends for presenters.

ARE YOU A MEMBER OF NETC?

If not, would you like to join?

Please enclose a check made out to “New England Theatre Conference”

❐ $45 (Individual) ❐ $30 (Student) ❐ $95 (Group)

Please check division affiliation desired:

❐ Professional ❐ Community ❐ College/University ❐ Secondary ❐ Children’s

Please send this completed form IMMEDIATELY to:Jeff Watts, Conference Chair for NETC 2004By email to jwatts@msad49.org, or by mail to:

Jeff Watts, Lawrence High School9 School Street

Fairfield, ME 04937

• Introductory: Assumes little or no information within theareas covered. The focus is on general orientation andincreased awareness of the participant.

• Intermediate: Assumes a general familiarity with the liter-ature and professional practice within the areas covered.The focus is on increased understanding and application bythe participant.

• Advanced: Assumes thorough familiarity with current lit-erature and professional practice. The focus is on recentadvances, future directions, and applications of research.

• Various: Some activities comprise two or more levels ofinstruction. If more than half of the activity falls withinthe Introductory, Intermediate or Advanced level ofinstruction, the activity should be classified in that level.

volume 13, number 2 5

All divisions are represented in this year’s Moss HartAwards competition. Every organization is encour-aged to enter its spring and summer productions inthis contest which honors the finest theatricalendeavors in the Northeast.

The 2004 entries include The Bells of Amersfort,Honk, Every Seventeen Minutes the Crowd Goes Wild,Charlotte’s Web, All My Sons, Orphans, Lord of theFlies, The Laramie Project, West Side Story, andCabaret.

For additional information on the Moss Hart award,check the website www.netconline.org

Moss Hart AwardsThe Secondary Division of the New England theatreConference is actively seeking members! The divisionis busy planning the Second Annual High SchoolOlympiad for Conference 2004 to be held inPortland, Maine. We need your help and advice andyour input! Come join the team who is making thisevent happen. We invite you to come to the nextBoard of Director’s meeting and see how theOlympiad is put together. The Secondary Division iscomposed of junior high and high school theatre anddrama teachers who are interested in fostering net-working and quality theatre experiences in the NewEngland Region. We heartily invite you to join us andmeet others who teach the same things you do! Formore information, please contact Linda Potter, Chair978-263-0173 or at e-mail lpotter@mail.ab.mec.edu.

NETC Secondary Division

North Shore Music TheatreReceives 14 IRNE AwardNominationsIndependent Reviewers of New England

Honor NSMT Productions of

PACIFIC OVERTURES and MEMPHIS

The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE),a panel of critics from community papers around thestate of Massachusetts, have announced the nomineesfor the IRNE Awards honoring the best of the 2003Theatre Season. North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT)received 14 award nominations honoring performanc-es and creative teams who worked on NSMT’s criti-cally acclaimed productions of Pacific Overtures andthe world premiere of Memphis.

“We are thrilled to be nominated for these two pro-ductions from our 2003 Musical Season,” says JonKimbell, NSMT Artistic Director and ExecutiveProducer. “Both Pacific Overtures and Memphis wererisks for NSMT, but the rewards have great, and thisvote of confidence from the IRNE Committee is trulyan honor.”

Pacific Overtures is nominated in 11 categories includ-ing Best Musical Production, Best Director of a

Musical (Kent Gash), Best Musical Direction (M.Michael Fauss) Best Choreography (Darren Lee andFrancis Jue), Best Set Design (Neil Patel), BestLighting Design (William Grant III), Best CostumeDesign (Paul Tazewell) Best Sound Design (John A.Stone), Best Actor in a Musical (Steven Eng andJason Ma), Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (RaoulAranas) and the entire cast is nominated for BestEnsemble Playing.

Memphis picked up 2 acting nomination in the catego-ry of Best Actor in a Musical (Chad Kimball) and BestActress in a Musical (Montego Glover).

The IRNE Awards will be presented at a ceremony atthe Lennox Hotel in Boston on March 22, 2004. Formore information about NSMT’s 2004 Season, visitthe NSMT web site at www.nsmt.org, contact theNorth Shore Music Theatre at 978-232-7200.

On its 26-acre Dunham Woods campus, the award-winning North Shore Music Theatre is creating someof the most vibrant and exciting musical theater in thecountry. As the largest nonprofit professional theaterin New England, NSMT annually produces a six musi-cal subscription series, a production of A ChristmasCarol and an acclaimed Celebrity Concert series. Withits renowned Theatre for Young Audiences program, aschool touring program, and year-round classes forchildren, NSMT has become one of the region’s lead-ing providers of theater arts and education.

Please visit NETC on the web at www.NETConline.orgto find out how you can get more involved in your community!

Ovations

NETC News6

“The Forum” Seventh Edition:Where In the World Are We?by Suzanne M. Ramczyk, Ph.D.Professor of Theatre Arts, Bridgewater State College and NETC Executive Secretary

Special Feature

Dear Readers,

This time around I am featuring two short essays bystudents of theatre, one undergraduate and one Ph.D.candidate, both who raise some very cogent issuesconcerning academia and theatre education. Mr.Marganian challenges us to concern ourselves withsolid translations of the masterpieces of dramatic liter-ature for use in production and teaching; and Ms.Madden demands that a balance be achieved in col-lege theatre programs between practical courses andthe more theoretically based ones. I believe that it isessays such as these that should make those of us whohave established careers in professional theatre, the-atre in higher education, and theatre education standup and take notice. It is the voice of these developingtheatre practitioners and educators that we mid or late

career practitioners should consider to be the voice oftheatre to come in the very near future. Let thesevoices break through those many-layered ivy coveredwalls of our esteemed institutions and through thecinder block walls of high schools or theatres to chal-lenge any existing “calcification.”

As usual, we encourage any response to these pieces inthe form of a short email to me (sramczyk@bridgew.edu),which needs to be submitted no later than April 25,2004 for publication in the next NETC News. Further,if any reader would like to write his/her own “Forum”piece, please contact me at the above email address.

Suzanne Ramczyk,editor, “The Forum”

The Forum,Part One:

Do the Best Translations Read Themselves?by Jeffrey Marganian

Recently, an absolute plethora of translations of classicplays have appeared: Ibsen, Chekhov, the Greeks,some Wedekind and Strindberg. Many of these billthemselves as more actor friendly for students; that is,highly usable for young persons because they are writ-ten in the vernacular. However, translations for stu-dent actors should and ought to uphold similar stan-dards as those merited by the original text. The effortto relax those standards has some negative conse-quences, of which three, to my mind, seem most appar-ent.

Firstly, these new translations into the vernacular aresometimes not accurate translations. There seems to belittle relationship between the words chosen to thewords in the original. Every translation of an originaltext is a separate work in its own right. Translation ishighly specific. Words must translate appropriately. Allof the translation must bear some resemblance to theartistic and thematic integrity of the original. Thisnecessitates careful word choice. Translations thatemphasize English vernacular or colloquialism quenchthe mother tongue of all its richness and verisimilitudein favor of readability and familiarity to an Englishaudience that may result in inaccuracies. Words in atranslation have to be specific to be effective. If theyare not, a high likelihood of mistranslation occurs.

Secondly, vernacular translations destroy the daringand originality implicit in the original text. Plays thatare in the canon as literature remain there for someoutstanding merit they possess. Perhaps a superior exe-cution of style, profound thematic content, or richmetaphoric use of language; all these fortify a work asdramatic literature. These distinctions must remain in

the translation of a text if that text is to be warrantedas worthy of the high status of the original. These dis-tinctions are essential if students are to understand thehistorical significance of the works they are studying.A student shouldn’t admire Chekhov because he sim-ply resides in the canon. A student ought to realize the

Something being strange, as the best art usu-

ally is, doesn’t mean it’s bad. Strangeness is

what educators are hoping to expose to their

students, in order to release them from the

everyday world. Great texts, strange texts, con-

vince students to reach beyond themselves. Is

this not the fundamental education process?

volume 13, number 2 7

greatness of Chekhov for very real, specific qualitiesthat are present in the mind in his or her reading.Those qualities should be there before the student’svery nose, right on the page.

Finally, vernacular translations encourage a kind ofcultural myopia. If a student cannot recognize somevirtue in a text; if it does not at first seem strange tohim or her; if it is written in a language s/he hears onthe radio or TV, why would that student be inspired toread it? Something being strange, as the best art usual-ly is, doesn’t mean it’s bad. Strangeness is what educa-tors are hoping to expose to their students, in order torelease them from the everyday world. Great texts,strange texts, convince students to reach beyond

themselves. Is this not the fundamental educationprocess? Vernacular texts do not challenge the readerto explore the historic or literary culture outside theone s/he is reading. This is a breach of faith in the ideathat true education is multi-cultural, its standards uni-versal. Simplifying texts leave nothing for the studentto explore, and therefore deprive him or her of thefecundity of personal growth. This can only ultimatelyundermine the integrity of all educational efforts, notjust in drama.

Jeffrey Marganian is in his final semester as an Honor’sTheatre major at Bridgewater State College, and is intend-ing to pursue graduate school and a career in dramaturgy.

The Forum,Part Two:

Now What? A Graduate Student’s Thoughts on Academiaby Jennifer Madden

I am about to enter the job market after spending thelast five years attempting to obtain a Ph.D. in that par-ticular circle of hell known as grad school. With theeconomy in its current condition it seems as thoughmy options are a) look forward to remaining an adjunctfor the next twenty years or b) return to graduateschool and acquire an MBA. More daunting than theshortage of actual positions is the internal strife facingmany theatre departments; departments ripped apartby petty politics and/or slashed by cuts in institutionalsupport. Theatre practitioners and educators aim forcareers in college theatre due to both their love of theart form, of teaching, and of course, for financial sta-bility. However, it seems that the rigorous demands ofthe ‘publish or perish’ mentality encourages a depend-ence upon obfuscating jargon and keeps us further andfurther away from uniting theory and practice. In otherwords, a dismaying tension exists between “skills”courses (acting, voice, and movement) and theoreti-cal/text-based classes.

My friends working in commercial theatre are oftenbewildered by academia’s seeming condescensiontowards the practical application of the field they pur-port to study. On the other side, there is the tendencyto view theoretical labor as so much superfluous navel-gazing that serves no real purpose. Why must we priv-ilege one over the other? In my own experience as anadjunct I have witnessed college administrators fail torecognize theatre as a valid discipline; funds are cut,positions axed. Does this explain theatre education’srejection of practice? If we publish enough books andspeak in ever more esoteric language then will wereceive respect as a discipline? This is a topic that I

chose to write about before I read Linda Potter’s excel-lent piece “Come Happy, Leave Hungry” in lastmonth’s newsletter, yet I would like to build on theissues she raised.

If we are to train future theatre practitioners shouldthey not be rigorously trained in both theory and prac-tice? The best theatre artists have an understanding oftheir chosen profession, its history and are able to artic-ulate its place in the larger culture. The health of the-atre departments and our future as a discipline dependson these two strands coexisting peacefully and rigorous-ly, while recognizing each other’s validity and necessity.The harsh realities of our chosen profession may bedaunting but we must remember the joy of teaching, ofremaining perennial students ourselves and staying intouch with why we became educators in the first place.A healthy symbiosis between theory and practice builtupon a foundation of mutual admiration and respectwill strengthen our departments, enrich our students,and ultimately embolden the future of the form.

Jennifer Madden is PhD candidate at Brown Universityand an adjunct at various colleges in the New Englandarea.

It seems that the rigorous demands of the

‘publish or perish’ mentality encourages a

dependence upon obfuscating jargon and

keeps us further and further away from unit-

ing theory and practice.

Special Feature

NETC News8

Special Feature

We often examine the theatre professional or the col-lege student from the point where they are now andlook back to see how well they were prepared in sec-ondary school. However, it is rare that we are able to seeinto the minds of the high school students who areabout to enter the world of professional and college the-atre. Two rural Vermont students from Mill RiverUnion High School in North Clarendon, a school witha large theatre program and about 750 students, gradesseven through twelve, share that point of view. TiernanMartin, a senior, first shares his view as the studentabout to move into the college environment.

“As a student in a rural Vermont high school, theatre isof great importance to me. Theatre forces me to drawon my academic knowledge, my athletic ability, myartistic vision, and my general sense of being human. Itallows me to explore and compels me to expand. Aftera long day of school, I can still go into a rehearsal withthe energy to learn and push myself artistically, while atthe same time releasing my school-day stress.

Living in Rutland, Vermont, it is rare that I see a greatperformance. This fact forces me to look outside mysmall-town upbringing. If I pursue theatre, I will haveto leave Rutland and go where there is opportunity toimmerse myself in the world of theatre. Theatre is likea good set of directions guiding me between high schooland college.

My theatre work also helps me in my everyday life. Anexperience that changed my whole perception of act-ing was watching another actor struggle with a role andthen come to an understanding that allowed that actorto grow. The student actor tried over and over to deliv-er a series of lines, and each time the director stoppedhim to explain the objective. The actor made excusesas to why he couldn’t do what the director was tellinghim and after a while it began to be more of anendurance test than a rehearsal. However, through thesheer determination and patience of the actor and hisdirector, the character was finally realized. I learned

that high quality work happens when a person fails, butstrives until he succeeds. This experience taught me abetter understanding of work on the stage, at a desk, orin the classroom.

A theater major in college is one plausible option forme. My future college experience seems like a nebuloushaze with only two certainties: I know that I want aschool where I can exchange ideas on a personal basiswith the professors, and I want to continue with the-atre. As I look at the move from high school to the col-lege stage, one question that comes to mind is what thedifference will be between doing theatre for fun andstudying theatre as a future career. I also questionwhether a college graduate can enter the business witha liberal arts degree as opposed to a conservatory degree.The largest question is whether or not the theatre hasthe atmosphere I want to work in for the rest of my life.I hear that the vast majority of actors are unemployedand I ask myself whether I want to work in such a high-ly competitive and unstable business. The answer is,probably not. But does that mean I shouldn’t pursuetheatre as a major in college? These are some of thequestions that I am eager to answer as I look toward col-lege and my future.”

Ben Aleshire, a junior who is over a year from makingthe move on to college, gives us a slightly different per-spective on the mindset of future theatre majors andprofessionals.

“I love theater. I have the chance to express myself, tomeet people, and to feel the magic and experience thenatural high that only the stage can give. As a junior inhigh school, drama is my focus. Most of my high schoollife is centered on it. It’s both a great opportunity and somuch fun that I know I want to continue theater in col-lege. In fact, all the schools I’ve been looking at are the-ater-oriented. The only plan I have for my future is tomajor in theater, and to see where it takes me.

Two Views from North of BostonA rural Vermont high school senior and a junior examine the

role of theatre in their current lives and in their futures.

Realistically,I know that my chances of becom-

ing a professional actor a few years down the

road are slim. Even though a career in acting

may not happen for me, I know I want to

pursue a theater major. I’m too infatuated

with theater to just quit it after high school.

—BBeenn AAlleesshhiirree

My future college experience seems like a neb-

ulous haze with only two certainties: I know

that I want a school where I can exchange

ideas on a personal basis with the professors,

and I want to continue with theatre.

—TTiieerrnnaann MMaarrttiinn

continues on next page

volume 13, number 2 9

In an attempt to keep the members informed aboutthe people who lead this organization The NETCNews will present biographical sketches of the Boardmembers, featuring a different member each issue.This issue introduces Ann Marie Shea, Chair of theCollege and University Division of NETC, memberof the College of Fellows and Co-planner of the 2003NETC convention in Providence.

Ann Marie has twice directed Moss Hart-winningshows: The Arkansas Bear, by Aurand Harris, 1990, forWorcester Children’s Theatre, and Brundibar, byHans Krasa and Adolf Hoffmeister, 2000, forWorcester State College and the Worcester PublicSchools. She has served NETC as a reviewer for theMoss Hart Award and has been a respondent andmember of the selection team for Kennedy CenterAmerican College Festival, Region I.

Her education includes an M.A. fromThe CatholicUniversity of America and a Ph.D. from New YorkUniversity. Additional studies include work withShakespeare and Company, Catherine Fitzmaurice, B.H Barry, Marjorie Barstow and Frank Pierce Jones.

Ann Marie is Professor of Theatre at Worcester StateCollege where she is developing curriculum integrat-ing the visual and performing arts, as well as teachingtheatre as an integral part of the liberal arts program.At Worcester State College she directs two produc-tions a year. Most recently she directed The LaramieProject (fall, 2003), and she has in progress, DebutStages, an evening of student-written short plays.Ann Marie is currently striving to develop playwrit-ing at Worcester State College, with Ronan Noone

as adjunct professor, andartist-in-residence forthe current production.In this regard, she wasdelighted that WSCstudent, Jessica Cooper,won second placerecognition in the 2004KCACTF regional fes-tival 10-minute playevent.

Ms. Shea organized the Augusto Boal residency andworkshop at Worcester State College in 2000. Shehas presented at various venues—NETC conven-tions, KCACTF festivals and Association for Theatrein Higher Education conventions—on topics rangingfrom Theatre of the Oppressed to presentations onthe history in theatre. At various medievalist confer-ences Ann Mare has presented on off-beat treatmentsof Jeanne d’Arc in obscure dramatic works.

Her recent sabbatical in the spring of 2003 providedopportunity to pursue translation of the first play fea-turing Jeanne d’Arc as a dramatic character, the 15thcentury Le Mistère du Siège d’Orleans, an undertakingthat required travels to France (for the Orleans’Joannine fetes), to Rome (to view the manuscript inthe Vatican Library), and to Paris and Vienna. Thesabbatical also inspired her to return to creative writ-ing. As a self-described, recovering English major, shehas been daring to submit original scripts to variousoutlets as the opportunity arises.

NETC Board MemberAnne Marie Shea

NETC Board Member: A Profile

Realistically, I know that my chances of becoming aprofessional actor a few years down the road are slim.I’m only a kid from Vermont, and I know it’s a toughbusiness to enter. Even though a career in acting maynot happen for me, I know I want to pursue a theatermajor. I’m too infatuated with theater to just quit itafter high school.

When I think about it, all this is actually pretty faraway. But even though I’ve got another year and a halfof high school I’ve got to start planning my futurenow. One of my main obstacles is money; my familydoesn’t have the money to send me to college.Although the “college search” process is still a yearaway, I worry about scholarships, student loans, finan-

Two Views North of Bostoncontinued from previous page

cial aid, and tuition costs.

I have to admit that I’m also a little intimidated by theprospect of just moving to college. The idea of uproot-ing to some huge metropolis and living at an arts uni-versity with thousands and thousands of other students,half way across the country from my former life is a lit-tle nerve-racking. My high school is surrounded byfarms; it’s practically on a dirt road. A wire fence is allthat separates our parking lot from grazing sheep. Manyof my classes have only a handful of students. Going toany college, even a small one, will be a huge leap forme. But even with all that, I can’t wait.”

Tiernan and Ben provide an insight into the vision ofthe next generation of theatre majors and professionalsas they look from a rural Vermont high school at theprospects of a career in the theatre.

Special Feature

NETC News10

As you probably already know, NETC is a volunteerorganization that supports theatre throughout the NewEngland region. We have a board of directors, commit-tee chairs, and divisional members who donate theirtime, energy, and expertise to helping us fulfill our mis-sion. These volunteers come from the five divisions oftheatre: Community, Youth and Children, Secondary,College and University, and Professional. They are direc-tors, actors, writers, designers, technicians, industryemployees, and general theatricians, who throughout theyear attend quarterly board meetings and special get-togethers to take care of the region’s theatre business. Ofcourse, there is much socializing that goes on, network-ing, and many friendships are made that often last formany years.

Many people aren’t aware that they can becomeinvolved with NETC as a volunteer. Our organization isalways looking for volunteers to share their expertise andopinions. We have openings on our board of directorsand on several committees, including Awards,Membership, Conference, and others. In addition, wealways need people to write on theatre and theatricalactivities for the NETC News (which you are presentlyreading), and for the New England Theatre Journal(NETJ), which is distributed world-wide. Once a year,we hold auditions for summer theatres, and once a yearwe hold our annual conference, both of which requirelots of “peoplepower!” With all of these activities, thereis much to be done in our organization. Somehow, we do

get it done every year and, in fact, we have a lot of fundoing it. NETC has been in business for more than fiftyyears, and, with the help of our volunteers, we will easilybe around for many more years to come!

As for volunteering, in addition to our regular boardopenings, we have just embarked on a new initiative of“division building,” which means that we are going toexpand our board by ten members. We are going to addtwo members to each of the five divisions to fill out thesepositions in the secondary, college, community, profes-sional, and children’s theatre areas. Although I have saidthat there is the benefit of meeting new people and devel-oping friendships, involvement in NETC can also help ifyou are interested in networking with other professionalsfrom around the region, expanding your theatrical expe-rience and knowledge, or providing service to your pro-fession. Volunteers shouldn’t be afraid of lacking experi-ence and training because, although many of our boardmembers have skills in theatre and arts management,many do not. Although NETC benefits its members, italso offers its volunteers lots of practical experience andtraining. In NETC, there is always someone there to helpyou! I know, because I joined the organization many yearsago, and, as a result, instantly got to know many theatrepeople throughout the New England region who havegenerously shared their expertise with me.

So, whether you have lots of experience or not, we arealways interested in anyone, at any level, who is willingto join us as a volunteer! Email me at miko@maine.edu orcall 207-299-8550 to speak to me directly about gettinginvolved. You can also contact the NETC office (listedon the back of this newsletter), or, if you know any pres-ent board members of NETC, you can speak to one ofthose fine dedicated people!

Message from the President:You Are Invited to Join Us!by Tom Mikotowicz

Opportunities

High School Theatre Olympiad 2004The successful High School Theatre Olympiad hasbecome a major part of the NETC Convention inrecent years. In 2004 we look to continuing that tradi-tion by making the Olympiad even bigger and better.The Olympiad is a day of workshops, competition andfun for students and teachers alike. It is open to all highschools in New England.

Plans for the Olympiad are being made now and willinclude many of the events that have become favoritesof Olympiad participants and some new events andchallenges. Among the events will be the FreestyleCostume Design, the Bard-a-thon, the DanceDecathlon, Power Lighting, Vocal Marathon and theFreestyle Set Design. An exciting new ImprovChallenge will set the “stage afire” throughout theOlympiad day. The planning is not done yet! Planners

are still working on the Olympiad programming andpromise an unforgettable and enriching experience forall participants.

Students will have a chance to meet theatre profes-sionals who will judge each event and give studentswritten feedback on their efforts. Students will alsohave an opportunity to meet representatives from col-leges throughout New England that offer excitingTheatre Programs. Teachers and high school directorswill not be left out. Plans are being made to offer, on theday of the Olympiad, special workshops that willencourage, inspire and sharpen their skills as well.

The Olympiad is currently being developed by NETC’sSecondary School Division members Linda Potter andJeff Watts and they encourage more participants to comeon board to help us bring this event to the next level.

volume 13, number 2 11

Stoneham Theatre, a professional non-profit theatrecompany 8-miles north of Boston, seeks a Director ofDevelopment to join its existing 9-member staff.They produce seven main stage shows, new-worksseries, youth programs and special events on $1.3Mannual budget. An energetic, qualified, motivatedindividual is needed to oversee and implement allaspects of development, including corporate spon-sorships, annual fund approach to individuals,fundraising events and seeking funding throughfoundation and public grants. Strong organizationand computer skills are essential. Candidates shouldhave experience with all aspects of fundraising for amid-sized to large non-profit organization, includingdirect approaches, campaign planning, working withvolunteer board members and grant writing. Salarywith benefits, and a commensurate with experienceare offered. Submit resume, references, cover letterto Troy Siebels, Producing Director, StonehamTheatre, 395 Main Street, Stoneham, MA 02180; oremail troy@stonehamtheatre.org.

Seeking Director ofDevelopment

Scenic / Lighting Designer and Lecturer / TechnicalDirector. Sabbatical replacement for 2004-2005. MFAin design required. Competitive salary and benefits.

Design and technical direction for two major theatreproductions; coordinate one dance concert; teachcourse on general design (fall) and lighting design(spring). Department has a full-time assistant technicaldirector.

Application letter, vitae, and three letters of recom-mendation:

Edward Isser, Acting ChairDepartment of TheatreCollege of the Holy Cross1 College StreetWorcester, MA 01610

Holy cross is a Jesuit undergraduate liberal arts collegewith an enrollment of 2700 located in centralMassachusetts that offers a curriculum leading to theBachelor of Arts degree with majors in 20 fields.

The department is committed to providing studentswith a comprehensive academic background in theatrewith the opportunity to participate in two professional-ly directed and designed productions each year. Thedepartment staff consists of three full-time faculty direc-tors and two part-time faculty that teach courses in dra-matic literature, acting, directing and playwriting, twopart-time instructors in dance, and Luce scholar inBalinese dance and music, a faculty designer/teacher/technical director, a full-time assistant technicaldirector and a full-time costume designer.

The College is an Equal Opportunity Employer andcomplies with all Federal and Massachusetts laws con-cerning Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action inthe workplace.

College of the Holy Cross:Position Announcement Fenn School Summer Camp is hiring a technical

director for summer drama camp. The scheduleincludes flexible hours from June 12 through July 16.Tech director will be responsible for simple lighting,sound and set design. Sets will be built by the techdirector with assistance from wood shop staff andcampers. Excellent pay is offered. Contact DavidPlatt, director of Summer Fenn Camp. Email at:dplatt@fenn.org or contact Linda Potter, DramaCamp Director, at lpotter@mail.ab.mec.edu

Technical Director NeededOpportunities

We are seeking fun, informative, and insightfularticles about recent or upcoming events in

the New England theatre community.

Deadline for upcoming issue: May 15, 2004

Contact Peter Marsh, Vice President ofCommunications at PMarsh0613@aol.com,call 617-424-9275, or visit us on the web at

www.NETConline.org!

NETC NEWS: CALL FOR ARTICLES!

NETC News12

Are you looking to be cutting edge? How about offer-ing your students the opportunity to work on a shownever before produced in the New England area? Doyou have a show you want produced? Well here is yourchance!

A new series, “Produce My Show Please!” is nowbeing offered in the NETC News Bulletin. If you havea new piece that you want to see produced email LisaAntonecchia at the Huntington Theatre Companyand she will be happy to feature your information inthe News.

The First Featured Show is (Drum roll Please!)...Heaven in Your Pocket, a contemporary musical is twoacts!

The music and lyrics are by Mark Houston, story andlibretto by Mark Houston, Francis J. Cullinan andDianne M. Sposito. The cast includes 4 females and 2males. The approximate running time of this produc-tion is 2 hours, with an intermission. It is set in a sin-gle interior scene.

Heaven In Your Pocket follows the journey of theHeavenly Belles, a female singing trio hailing fromHeaven, Oklahoma, en route to stardom in Nashville.An unexpected detour to Kansas City plays havocwith their plans and everything is up for grabs. Acharming hairdresser, a handsome cowboy and a MissFixit complete the cast of characters.

Produce My Show Please!Opportunities

Francis McCullinan, one of the shows librettists, said,“This is an ideal contemporary package for civic andeducational theatre venues. It has great appeal togroups from high school age and up, and includes theretirement home crowd!”

He went on to say that, “casting includesactors/singers from post teen through adults in theirearly fifties; however for college groups the show canwork with the two women (age early 40’s) beingplayed by young character actresses.”

Heaven in Your Pocket is already having great success,and has been produced in many cities in the Midwestand the south, but the production team is looking tobring it to the New England area, and they are opento talking with anybody who is interested. The teamknows that, “the increasing popularity of theNashville sound makes the musical aspects of theshow most appealing.”

This production team has a proven track record and afierce energy for their piece. Many of you may havebeen lucky enough to meet Mr. Cullinan at theNETC Convention in Providence, RI, and you knowhis energy is infectious! So if you are looking to findout more about this piece contact him at fjc340@com-cast.net, I am sure this show will get you tapping yourtoes too!

A special weekend workshop in a new scriptwritingtechnique that utilizes a psycho dramatic process willbe offered on May 1 and 2 at the University of NewHampshire. An introductory workshop in psychodra-ma will also be offered on Wednesday and Thursdayevenings, April 28 and 29.

Conducted by Dr. Eberhard Scheiffele, a board certi-fied psychotherapist, and scholar and David Kaye,Associate Professor of Theatre at the University ofNew Hampshire, the workshop will offer participantsthe chance to develop characters and stories throughthe use of psychodrama. This new technique allowsthe playwrights to actively experience and explore theworld of their creation. “Active Script Writing,” isdesigned to give the playwright the opportunity todelve deeply into the full spectrum of a character, and

Special Workshop in “Active Script Writing”and Psychodrama Offered

to bring out a fullness and clarity that can only beachieved through experience.

Developed by Kaye and Scheiffele, “Active ScriptWriting” was first presented at the Association ofTheatre in Higher Education in 2000 and will beoffered this summer at the International Psychodramaand Sociodrama conference in Oxford, England.

Dr. Scheiffele, will also host a two evening introduc-tion to psychodrama workshop. Both workshops areopen to the public. Contact David Kaye atdjk@unh.edu for workshop fees, exact times and regis-tration.

volume 13, number 2 13

North Shore Music Theatre Collaborates withShakespeare & Company to Present Romeo and JulietTwo of the most innovative leaders in integrating the arts and education join forces

North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) and Shakespeare& Company (S&Co) have announced a collaborationthat will bring Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to NSMT’s1800 seat theatre-in-the-round. As part of the S&Co’sSpring Tour, Romeo and Juliet will have a different twistwhen it arrives in Beverly.

According to NSMT Education Director MartyJohnson, student audiences will see a 90-minute produc-tion specifically designed for NSMT’s unique theatre.“Shakespeare & Company will be adding six additionalactors to their touring production and NSMT will bedesigning and building a full set and additional props,”says Johnson. “By working together, we are enhancingthe theatrical experience for thousands of students fromall over the region.” The actors joining the productionare Stephen Anderson, Katie Atkinson, Stephen Libby,Robert Serrell, Sarah Taylor, Brian Weaver, and TomWells.

NSMT is committed to providing education-rich pro-gramming to students, and the company’s annual pres-entation of Shakespeare is seen by over 9,000 studentsevery year. “We are very fortunate to be able to tap intothe skills and experience of Shakespeare & Company. It’sa partnership that makes a great deal of sense in light ofdecreased funding for arts organizations and schools,”explains Johnson. “With this collaboration we can con-tinue to make Shakespeare accessible and affordable forall school children.”

Romeo and Juliet will be directed by Kevin Coleman, whoalso heads S&Co’s Education Program. “North ShoreMusic Theatre’s expertise in all aspects of design, pro-duction and performance promises to take our Romeo andJuliet to a new level. We are especially looking forward to

performing for a week in-the-round. It’s a wonderfulopportunity for both companies to present somethingspecial to students who otherwise would not have anopportunity to experience the works of Shakespeare.”

The joint production will run from March 15–19 for stu-dents in Grade 6 and up. For more information onRomeo and Juliet and other NSMT Education Programsplease visit www.nsmt.org or call 978-232-7257.

One of the most extensive theatre-in-education pro-grams in the Northeast, Shakespeare & Company’s pro-grams has reached over half a million students since 1978with innovative performances, workshops, and residen-cies. Guided by Coleman and Company educationartists and teachers, educators continue to develop andfine-tune their programs to enhance and complementcurricular activities in elementary, middle, and highschools across the country.

North Shore Music Theatre’s award-winning TheatreArts Academy annually reaches over 100,000 studentswith their extensive arts education programs and youthperformances. The theatre’s Youth PerformanceAcademy attracts thousands of students from 4–18 yearsold who are interested in the exploring the world ofmusic, theatre and dance and honing their craft. In 2003,NSMT’s Youth Performance Academy was awarded theJunior Theater Festival Outstanding Achievement:Musical Performance for its moving performance ofGodspell, JR. With partnerships with Music TheatreInternational (MTI) and Disney Theatricals, NSMT’sTheatre Arts Academy has become the model forschools and organizations around the country and is oneof the region’s leading providers of theatre arts and edu-cation programs.

Weston PlayhouseAnnounces its SeasonWeston Playhouse, a summer theatre since 1937,announced the ‘04 summer main stage season. TheCompany will open on June 24 through July 3 withTartuffe by Molière, translated by Richard Wilbur. Theseason will continue on July 8–31 with The Full Monty,book by Terrence McNally and music and lyrics byDavid Yazbek. On August 5–21 the Company will pres-ent Big River with a book by William Hauptman andmusic by Roger Miller. A story of truth and myth, The

UpcomingEvents

Drawer Boy by Michael Healy will be presented onAugust 26–September 5

Other Stages, intimate performances in alternativespaces, will open on June 30–July 18 withTopdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks. The PulitzerPrize-winning drama will be presented at the WestonRod and Gun Club, and August 12–29 will seeSwingtime Canteen by Bond, Repicci & Busch, a 40’smusical revue, also at the Weston Rod and Gun Club.

Weston’s fall production and tour at the playhouse onOct. 14–16 and on tour Oct. 18–Nov. 3 will beRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard.

NETCPMB 502198 Tremont StreetBoston,MA 02116-4750

Return service requested

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBOSTON, MAPERMIT NO.

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEETom Mikotowicz, President, University of MaineRussell Swift, Executive Vice President,

Emerson CollegeJim Quinn, Vice President for Administration and

Finance and Clerk of the Corporation,Bridgewater State College

Peter Marsh, Vice President for Communicationand Development, Mill River Union High School

Suzanne Ramczyk, Executive Secretary,Bridgewater State College

Hank Zappala, NETC Management,Emerson College

Linda Murphy Sutherland, Past President,Huntington Theatre Company

DIVISION DIRECTORSCollege/University Theatre DivisionAnne Marie Shea, Chair, Worcester State CollegeLuke Sutherland, Community College of Rhode Island

Secondary School Theatre DivisionLinda Potter, Chair, Blanchard Memorial SchoolDavid Kaye, University of New HampshireJeffrey Watts, Lawrence High School

Youth Theatre DivisionMarty Johnson, North Shore Music TheatreNina Schuessler, Harwich Junior TheatreRon Jones, freelance actor/director

Who’s Who at NETC Professional Theatre DivisionLisa Antonecchia, Huntington Theatre CompanyDana Knox, Broadway in Boston

Community Theatre DivisionCharles Emmons, New Hampshire Community

Theatre AssociationJennifer Howard, Chair, Burlington Players, Inc.

Directors-At-LargeKevin Russell, Arts BostonTim Fitzgerald, Newton Country Players

COMMITTEE CHAIRSSummer Theatre AuditionsJoseph Juliano, Jr., Hamden Public Schools

2003 Providence ConventionJeffrey Watts, Lawrence High SchoolCarol Korty, playwrightWil Kilroy, University of Southern Maine

NETC/New England Theatre JournalStuart Hecht, Boston College

Long Range Strategic PlanLisa Antonecchia, Huntington Theatre CompanyKevin Russell, Arts Boston

College of Fellows, DeanSigurd Jensen, Emeritus, Southern Connecticut

State University

Annual Excellence in Theatre AwardsTBA

Moss Hart AwardsRichard Rousseau, Colonial Theatre

John Gassner Memorial Playwriting AwardSteven Capra, freelance writer, director

Aurand Harris Memorial Playwriting AwardJay DiPrima, Mickey Dude Productions

Marie Phillips Service to NETC AwardBevie Lord, Performing Arts Academy at the

Orpheum

Leonidas A. Nickole Theatre Educatorof the Year AwardAnn Marie Shea, Worcester State College

Constitution and By-LawsSigurd Jensen, Emeritus, Southern Connecticut State

University

Nominating ChairRussell Swift, Emerson College

NETC NewsletterPeter Marsh, Mill River Union High School

AACT LiaisonPatricia White, Region I Representative

KCACTF Region 1 LiaisonWil Kilroy, University of Southern Maine