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How to Join a New National Effort to Support Arts Education

By EdTA News posted 7 hours ago
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The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards has launched Arts ARE Education , a national campaign encouraging school districts to continue to fund and support K-12 arts education programs — including theatre — in the 2021-22 school year. Given expected state and district budget cuts, calls for remedial education in tested subject areas, and the continued need for PPE equipment, NCCAS expects that arts programs across all disciplines will be at risk.  The campaign asks advocates of all ages to take three action steps through its website :    Sign the Arts ARE Education Pledge committing your support for arts education. Reach out to your district ...
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A new national campaign on behalf of theatre and other arts education

By James Palmarini posted 5 days ago
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It has been a year like no other in education. As a theatre educator, like all other teachers, the pandemic demanded that you pivot your instruction and do your best to ensure meaningful learning outcomes for your students -- whether in a virtual, hybrid, or altered classroom environment where safety was the highest priority. Performance opportunities for students, so fundamental to the art, needed to be reimagined online and you and many of your fellow theatre teachers did that, creating innovative theatrical stories that engaged both the students and their home-bound audiences. Thank you for that — you are heroes! The challenges ahead Now, as the 2020-21 ...
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2021 Democracyworks Student Essay Competition Now Open

By EdTA News posted 6 days ago
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Has theatre been a lifeline for your students during COVID? Encourage them to enter EdTA’s 12th annual Democracyworks essay competition, designed to support and grow student advocacy for arts education. The winner will receive a $250 cash award, a pass to attend Americans for the Arts’ virtual National Arts Action Summit , and publication of his or her winning essay on Dramatics.org, EdTA’s student website.  All Thespians and Junior Thespians (must be inducted by March 1) are eligible. The deadline to submit essays is February 7. This year’s competition ties into current events, along with EdTA’s participation in the national advocacy campaign Arts ARE ...
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New Main Stage Submission Deadline for Virtual ITF 2021

By EdTA News posted 15 days ago
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Attention, troupe directors: Want your students to experience the thrill of having their performance broadcast to thousands of fellow Thespians? There’s still time to submit your troupe’s production for the Virtual ITF 2021 main stage. Due to COVID-19 related disruptions to schools in late 2020, the deadline to apply for main stage adjudication will be extended to January 31. Just like in-person ITF, the Virtual ITF main stage will feature top performances from across the country. At least six shows will be selected in two categories: Live performances (including virtual) Hybrid and video-enhanced performances (prerecorded) What’s different: This ...
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Community Spotlight: Lindsay Brustein

By Ginny Butsch posted 29 days ago
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One of the main goals for our Theatre Education Community is to help theatre students and professionals from all over connect and identify with each other in order to build resources and support the theatre education field. We shine a spotlight on different members by conducting a simple interview. Our next Spotlight is Lindsay Brustein, an EdTA professional member and the theatre teacher for St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas. Lindsay has been involved in our Community for several years and contributes encouragement, advice, and interesting questions to inspire conversation.   Do you have any tips for new theatre teachers?   ...
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Get to Know the 2021 Board Candidates

By EdTA News posted 30 days ago
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Who will join the EdTA Board of Directors in 2021? The slate of candidates for next year’s election has been finalized. Three candidates are running for one vice president/president seat, and nine for two director seats. One candidate has joined the slate by petitioning prior to the filing deadline. The 2021 ballot also will include proposed changes to the code of regulations. Read more about the proposed changes in the 2021 Election Library . The election will begin in late January by way of online balloting. All members in good standing as of January 4, 2021, will be eligible to vote. Members will receive voting instructions via email in mid-January; ...
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Tips for Using the New EdTA Membership System

By EdTA News posted 12-18-2020
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EdTA has completed the upgrade to our member management software. This upgrade will provide streamlined operations, integrated technology systems, and advanced features that give you more flexibility to manage your member experience. As with any technology implementation, this new system comes with a learning curve – and the rollout process is never without hiccups. Thanks to those who have helped troubleshoot by reporting bugs and questions. To help with the learning curve, here’s a quick guide to using the system: Terms Community Hub: This is the new version of the former “Troupe Business” page, where you conduct transactional business related to ...
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Iowa Chapter Director Election to be Held in January

By EdTA News posted 12-07-2020
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In January, members of EdTA’s Iowa chapter will choose a new director to replace current co-directors Aaron Dean and Leslie LaCorte, whose term ends July 31, 2021. The election will open January 8, 2021; eligible voters (all active adult EdTA members in Iowa) will have until midnight CT January 31 to cast a ballot. EdTA will tally the results February 1 and notify the current Iowa chapter directors of the election results. Per EdTA Chapter Governance Policy , if there is a tie, it will be the responsibility of the Iowa Thespians Board to break that tie. Alan Strait and Christina Myatt are on the ticket together and if elected as a slate, will serve as ...
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Community Spotlight: Julie Hanisch

By Ginny Butsch posted 11-17-2020
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One of the main goals for our Theatre Education Community is to help theatre students and professionals from all over connect and identify with each other in order to build resources and support the theatre education field. We shine a spotlight on a different member every other week by conducting a simple interview. Our next Spotlight is Julie Hanisch, the English/Drama teacher at Mukwonago High School in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, home of Thespian Troupe 642. Julie has been exchanging ideas and advice in the Open Forum for a couple years now and has a clear passion for creating student leaders and providing a variety of theatrical opportunities. Why do you ...
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Important Enhancements Coming to EdTA Online Member Services

By EdTA News posted 11-17-2020
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EdTA is currently upgrading our member management software to better serve you. This upgrade will provide streamlined operations, integrated technology systems, and advanced features that give you more flexibility to manage your member experience. The change requires us to take some transactional processes offline. During this time, you’ll still be able to register for Thespian Nation Live , access webinars and lesson plans on Theatre Educator Pro , order items in the Thespian Spirit Shop , post or receive messages in our online forums , and make a donation to help school theatre programs in need. The following online transactions will be temporarily ...
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Advocacy Leadership Network Seeking New Chapter Representatives

By EdTA News posted 11-16-2020
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The Educational Theatre Association’s Advocacy Leadership Network (ALN) is now accepting applications for new chapter representatives. Launched in 2017, the ALN is designed to train adult members in grassroots advocacy efforts on behalf of theatre and other arts education. The network, currently including 26 chapters, was founded to address a new era of public education signaled with the passage of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015. ESSA gave greater responsibility to state and district decision makers to determine how and what education is delivered to their K-12 students. The goal of the ALN is to create a coordinated team of chapter representatives ...
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Save the Date for Virtual ITF 2021

By EdTA News posted 11-10-2020
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The Virtual International Thespian Festival ― the ultimate annual celebration of school theatre ― will return June 22-25, 2021. For one week every summer, members of the International Thespian Society and other theatre fans from around the globe gather for performances, interactive workshops led by top teaching artists, and auditions with premier colleges and universities in a community-centered experience like no other. Daily surprises and special appearances by Broadway and Hollywood celebrities mean participants never know who might stop by. Virtual ITF attendees can: Participate in a broad range of workshops highlighting every theatre interest. Enjoy ...
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EdTA Nominating Committee Selects 11 Board Candidates

By EdTA News posted 11-02-2020
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The Educational Theatre Association Nominating Committee has selected 11 candidates to compete for three national board seats. They have endorsed three candidates for the vice president/president position and eight candidates for two board director positions. The nominees for vice president/president are Krista Carson Elhai, David Tate Hastings, and Scott Walker. The vice president/president serves one five-year term: two years as VP, two years as president, one as past president. Randall Delone Adkison, Tali Allen, Donald Amerson, Sean Elias, Joannarae Ibañez, Darla Jones, Silvia D. Scaife, and Mary Schuttler will be on the ballot for the board director ...
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EdTA Survey Shows Profound Impact of COVID-19 on Theatre Education

By EdTA News posted 10-16-2020
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The Educational Theatre Association’s August survey, “The Impact of COVID-19 on Theatre Education,” has confirmed the profound effect of the pandemic on school theatre throughout the United States, leaving many programs at significant risk in the coming years. The survey queried more than 11,000 middle and high school theatre educators about the status of their programs in the pandemic environment. Nearly 2,400 teachers responded, offering a snapshot of how COVID-19 has reshaped both their teaching methods and student learning opportunities. Analysis shows programs have suffered substantial revenue losses, with 91% of schools forced to cancel performances ...
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Chapter Director Elections 2021

By EdTA News posted 10-15-2020
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The following candidates have been nominated by their boards to run for chapter director positions beginning August 1, 2021: Illinois Chapter ― James Smith Indiana Chapter ― Jeremy Leazenby Bruce & Ray Palasz (co-directors) Iowa Chapter ― No nominations. Kansas Chapter ― Barbara Hilt and Jennifer Morgan-Beuchet (co-directors) Massachusetts Chapter ― Jessica Harms Michigan Chapter ― Jason Pratt Montana Chapter ― Sarah DeGrandpre Nebraska Chapter ― Brooke Phillips and Emili Mokrycki (co-directors) New Jersey Chapter ― Carolyn Little New York Chapter ― Lindsay Shields Ohio Chapter ― Matt Wolfe ...
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USITT and EdTA Launch Technical Theatre Pilot Exam in High Schools Across the Country

By EdTA News posted 09-08-2020
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The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) and the Educational Theatre Association(EdTA)  have selected 171 schools from 39 states and Taiwan to participate in the BACKstage Technical Theatre Pilot Exam, a digital test for high school students designed to measure their competency in a broad range of technical theatre knowledge. Several thousand students are expected to take the pilot exam, which includes both a pre- and post-test. The pre-test is available between September 8 and October 22, 2020, and the post-test will be conducted April 15 through June 1, 2021.  USITT, the recognized expert in the field of technical theatre, developed the ...
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Community Spotlight: Marie Miguel

By Ginny Butsch posted 09-02-2020
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One of the main goals for our Theatre Education Community is to help theatre students and professionals from all over connect and identify with each other in order to build resources and support the theatre education field. We shine a spotlight on a different member every other week by conducting a simple interview. Our next Spotlight is Marie Miguel, the theatre teacher at Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. Marie also has an adaption of Frankenstein published and available at Stage Plays, with a forthcoming publication of an adaption of Oedipus, also at Stage Plays .   Why do you believe theatre is important? For many people, especially ...
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