Theater Organizations

The National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) is the official accrediting agency for academic theater programs in the United States. Member institutions boast programs that meet the standards for theater education at the collegiate level, in much the same way music programs are so certified and endorsed by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). In the Spring of 1995, the IUP Department of Theater was granted membership in NAST, an achievement that reflects directly on the quality of the degree program offered by the department. Contact information:

11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston VA 20190
Phone: (703) 437-0700
Fax: (703)437-6312
Web address: www.arts-accredit.org
Email: info@arts-accredit.org

The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KC/ACTF) is a year-round program in eight geographic regions in the United States. Our region is Region II which included Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. Our Department has been an active participant in our regional KC/ACTF activities. KC/ACTF provides opportunities for college and university theater departments to showcase their best work and to receive outside assessment. Through state, regional, and national festivals, KC/ACTF participants celebrate the creative process, see one another's work, and share experiences and insights within the community of theater artists. KC/ACTF honors excellence of overall production and offers student artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing, and design. For further information on the organization or on the scholarships available contact the national offices at the Kennedy Center, http://www.kennedy-center.org/eductiona/actf or our KC/ACTF regional chairperson:

Maggie Lally
Adelphi University, Department of Performing Arts
One South Avenue, PO Box 701
Garden City NY 11530
Email:lally@aldelphi.edu
Cell Phone: (917) 755-2829
 

The Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) is an organization that recognizes that the theater arts are a necessary and expressive means by which the human community may come to understand and celebrate itself. SETC also realizes that the southeastern United States has a rich cultural diversity and legacy. For these reasons, its purpose is to provide services and educational programs to those individuals and organizations engaged in theater in the Southeast. It encompasses the ten southeastern states, Puerto Rico and the American Virgin Islands. Some of the benefits members enjoy include an annual convention at which there may be auditions, workshops, exhibits, a job contact service, awards for such things as graphic arts and design, scholarship opportunities and many other valuable benefits. The annual convention is held during the first week of March with preliminary auditions being held in the fall. For more information on SETC, its happenings, or membership, check the department office in early October or check the Callboard or write to:

Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.
PO Box 9868
Greensboro, NC 27429-0868
Phone: (336) 272-3645; Fax: (366) 272-8810
Email: setc@setc.org
Web page: http://www.setc.org/

The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) is a connection for design and production professionals to the rapidly changing world of theater. It provides members with such things as different concentration expositions (i.e., stage, costume, design, etc.), and a national conference at which there are workshops, panels, seminars and presentations covering all aspects of theatrical production. Other membership benefits include a subscription to a leading design/tech. magazine, a newsletter, discounts on things like handbooks, journals, directories, etc., a theater "joblist", a major medical and dental health insurance plan, and many other exciting and valuable advantages. For further information on membership, write to:

USITT
6443 Ridings Road
Syracuse, NY 13206-1111
Phone: (800) 93-USITT: Fax: (866) FXUSITT
Email:   info@office.usitt.org
Web page: http://www.usitt.org/usitthome.html

The American Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) is an organization that strives to assist academic units in higher education to maintain quality programs as well as maintain a membership representing a majority of theater practitioners and scholars in higher education. Membership benefits include free subscriptions to their publications (i.e., ATHENEWS, Theater Journal, and Theater Topics), networking opportunities, reduced rates on many conferences and other publications, and an opportunity to participate in group health, life, disability and professional liability insurance. For more information on how to become a member write to:

ATHE
P.O. Box 1290
Boulder CO 80306-1290
Phone: 1-888-284-3737 or 1-303-530-2167
Fax: 1-303-530-2168
Web page: http://www.athe.org
Email: info@athe.org

The University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA) is a national organization that provides collective audition/interview opportunities often leading to scholarships/assistantship monies for senior students seriously considering graduate school. Preliminary regional auditions/interviews are held before the national competition is held which is in the beginning of the year. A student must be nominated by the IUP Department of Theater and Dance faculty in order to attend these auditions/interviews. If you are interested in more information concerning U/RTA, contact Barb Blackledge or check it out on their webpage: http://www.urta.com/

The New England Theatre Conference, Inc. (NETC) has as its mission to "develop, expand and assist theatre activity on the community, educational and professional levels." Towards that end, it hosts an annual conference in Boston in February or March to provide an opportunity to audition and/or interview for several dozen New England summer theaters. Applications for this conference are available in the department office in November of the fall semester. Additional information about NETC and its conference can be found at http://www.netconline.org

Institute for Outdoor Drama serves as the major coordinating agency for most of the outdoor dramas in this country, primarily those in the Eastern U.S. They sponsor a major audition call usually in later March each year in Chapel Hill, NC. Information and application forms are usually available in the department office by January or check their webpage at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/index.html  or you can request information directly from their offices at:

Auditions Director, Institute of Outdoor Drama
CB 3420, 1700 Martin Luther King Blvd. UNC-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill NC 27599-3240
Phone: (919) 962-1328
Fax: (919) 962-4212

The Ohio Theatre Alliance (OTA) is a consortium of Ohio based theaters who hold annual auditions/interviews in February each year towards both summer and full year employment opportunities. Information and application forms are available in the department office usually by November or you can contact OTA directly at their web homepage:

http://www.ohiotheatrealliance.org/

Alpha Psi Omega (APO) is a national honorary society for undergraduate students which recognizes achievement in theater and functions as a service organization in theater departments. As it is an honorary society, membership is by invitation only. Current members of the Nu Omicron (IUP) Chapter nominate students each semester and issue an invitation. Criteria for membership include achievement in any area of theater, collegiality and personal contribution to Theater-by-the-Grove. All students active in theater, regardless of major, are eligible for nomination to APO.  For further information, please check their webpage:

 http://www.alphapsiomega.org

The National Dance Association (NDA) is an Association of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. It is dedicated to promoting the development and implementation of sound philosophies and policies in all forms of dance and dance education at all levels. By providing leadership for improvement in programs, materials and methods, the NDA is active in identifying resources, gathering and disseminating pertinent information on dance to Association/Alliance members, other organizations, governmental bodies and agencies, and the general public. In cooperation with other arts and education organizations and structures in the Alliance, the NDA strives to cultivate, facilitate and promote the understanding of dance and dance education.  Further information can be found on their webpage: http://www.aahperd.org/nda  The national office can be contacted at:

NDA/AAPHERD
1900 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22091
(703) 476-3436

The regional contact for PSAHPERD, Inc. (Pennsylvania State Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance):

Executive Director
Linda Woods Huber
202 East 3rd Avenue
Lititz, PA 17543

Webpage: www.psahperd.org