FALLFALL 2010 2010 FLORIDA FLORIDA THEATRE THEATRE CONFERENCE CONFERENCE NEWS NEWS Volume 55 Issue 2 Volume 58 Issue I Fall 2010 Winter 2013 Inside this issue: How Do You Measure Secondary School One Act Competition.......................... 2 & 3 Theatre for Youth Festival ........... 4 a Life? 10 Minute Play Writing Contest .. 4 FTC Scholarship Winners ............ 4 Just last summer we Community Theatre Festival ........ 5 featured Bob Ankrom on Spring Fling ................................. 5 this page when he received Festival 2012 Photo Call .............. 6 the Suzanne B. Davis Me- Manatee Players Performing Arts morial Award for Lifetime Center ........................................... 7 Achievement from South- FTC Membership Form .............. 8 Distinguished Career Award eastern Theatre Confer- Winners ................................ 9 &10 ence. FTC Board of Directors ............ 11 Today, we are sad to Schedule of Florida Theatres .... 12 announce his passing at his home in St. Petersburg on FLORIDATheatre is the January 3. official newsletter of the Our condolences Florida Theatre Conference go out to his family, his for theatres throughout the state of Florida. children Jennifer and Rob, his granddaughter Fiona, FLORIDATheatre is pub- and his sister, Ruth Ann, lished three times a year and her family, and to all and is free of charge. To Robert E. Ankrom his many, many friends, be added to the mailing list, colleagues and former contact floridatheatre481@ students throughout the country. gmail.com There is no better way to remember Bob than with the words of FTC President Rick Kerby when he presented him with the SETC President award. Rick Kerby He recalled the 50 years of Bob’s dedication to theatre “creat- Executive Director ing events and changing lives, touching every possible aspect of the TBA Editor theatre, having produced, directed, stage managed, house managed, Susan M. Smith adjudicated, and served as artistic director and publicity director for venues nationwide.” www.flatheatre.org Bob’s professional credits included Executive Director of the pro- fessional theatre company at University of Miami’s Ring Theatre and at the Sharon Playhouse in Sharon, CT. Professional directorial credits continued on Page 3 WINTER 2013 FLORIDA THEATRE CONFERENCE NEWS Secondary School One-Act Play Festival The Secondary School one-act plays that will represent Florida at the Southeastern Theatre Conference are: Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando with Dancing at Lughnasa directed by Karen Rugerio and Ft. Walton Beach High School in Ft. Walton Beach with Kosher Lutherans directed by Christa Whittaker .Individual winners: Best Actress Helena Whittaker - Ft. Walton Beach High School Best Actor Armando Santana - New World School of the Arts Best Supporting Actress Margot Bardeen - Dr. Phillips High School Best Supporting Actor Tyler Brown - Booker High School Best Technical Award Gulf Breeze Ft. Walton Beach cast of Kosher Lutherans Best Lighting Award West Orange High School Best Costume Award Booker High School Best Choreography Award Gulf Breeze High School Winner of the Technical Olympics West Orange High School - Team 1 Helena Whittaker Best Lighting Award Best Actress West Orange High School Best Choreography Award Best Costume Award Gulf Breeze High School Booker High School 2 WINTER 2013 FLORIDA THEATRE CONFERENCE NEWS Secondary School One-Act Play Festival ALL STAR CAST Buchholz High - The Ensemble West Orange - Elina Moon, Sarah Kennedy, and The Spirits West Florida High - Aleigha Alexander, Lauren Meadors PCCA at Gibbs High School - Kelsey Seals New World School of the Arts- Spencer Bang Booker High - Tyler Brown, Zach Herman, Parker Lawhorne, and The Ravens Ft. Walton Beach High School - Helena Whittaker, Sean Royal Lehigh High- Amanda Rice Dr. Phillips High School - Hannah Levesque, Margot Bardeen, Javon Zigo Gulf Breeze High School - Nancy Prescott, Maggie Renfroe South Broward High School - KiDane Kelati St. Petersburg High School - J.J. Hubler, Noelle Rutland, Daniel Robles, Nyssa Hartmann P.K. Yonge High School - Jack Polefko Blake High - David Friedman, Regan Moore, Marina Wright, Sky Ray Bob Ankrom Continued from Page 1 served as the college/university coordinator in the high school auditions room for many years and then included Parker Playhouse in Ft. Lauderdale and Off- Florida State Representative. At every level, region- Off Broadway at the West Side Mainstage Theatre. al, state and locally in South Florida, Bob promoted With his wealth of professional experience, he rose theatre education and was instrumental in arranging from instructor of drama and theatre management to for all State Theatre Executive Directors to hold a Chairman of the University of Miami’s Theatre Depart- meeting during each SETC Convention for the past ment, a position he held for more than 14 years. At eight years. At these important meetings, fellow UM he initiated the New Play Project which went on to Executive Directors discussed issues relating to their be produced in New York City. It was also his time at own state organizations, shared ideas and best prac- UM that sparked his passionate volunteer involvement. tices, and sought solutions for concerns and trends Bob served on the boards of the Florida Associa- from each state. tion for Theatre Education, was a past President of Rick concluded by measuring Bob’s life by the Florida Theatre Conference, and until his passing, “thousands and thousands of theatrical lives touched the Executive Director. He spent endless hours plan- by this wonderfully grumpy old guy.” Maybe the ning the annual convention and had a hand in every best way to remember him is the special note Ernie facet. His awards were many. FATE honored him with Sabella included in his Broadway Playbill bio a few Outstanding Administrator Award and FTC honored years ago: ”I would not be here if it wasn’t for Bob him with the University Distinguished Career Award Ankrom.” And that goes for countless others. and the Lifetime Achievement Award. For SETC he We will miss you, Bob! 3 WINTER 2013 FLORIDA THEATRE CONFERENCE NEWS Theatre for Youth Festival Marci Duncan, FTC Board Member and Chair of the SETC Preliminary Auditions, presented the following Theatre for Youth awards: Best Actor Best Actress Hugh Roberts Kayla Alvarez Seussical TYA Captain Louie, Jr. Blake High School Bay Street Players Young People’s Theatre Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting Actress Michael Marcinkas Alex Hand How To Eat Like a Child Omnipotence and the Wheelbarrow Man Magic Curtain Productions Best Supporting Actor P.O.P.S. Co-Op Michael Marcinkas Ten Minute Playwriting Contest The winning play in the 2012 Contest was The Dead Ex by Krystal Carrion; George Jenkins High School, Teacher Mrs. Glori Ann Snow Elizabeth Dash, South Broward High School, Teacher, Ms. Carol Spears Recipients of FTC Scholarships for High School Seniors Winner of Fran Walker Scholarship Winner of Vern Bryant Scholarship Juliana Dellasanta Michaela Wright Juliana Dellasanta 4 WINTER 2013 FLORIDA THEATRE CONFERENCE NEWS Community Theatre Festival Thanks to everyone who attended the Community Theatre Festival at FTC this weekend, and congratulations to the winners: Best Production: Best Actors: Golda's Balcony Don Fowler Theatre Winter Haven Bay Street Players Rounding Third and Runner Up Production: Joel Warren Moliere's The Miser Bay Street Players Venice Theatre Rounding Third Best Actress: Best Ensemble: Katrina Ploof - Golda's Balcony The Cast of Moliere’s The Miser Venice Theatre Katrina Ploof - Best Actress Norm Small, Director Golda’s Balcony, Theatre Winter Haven SPRING FLING Florida Community Theatre Spring Fling is coming up! Meet fellow theatre leaders Learn about the Festival competition process Clear up any misconceptions Discuss topics, problems, and practices Hosted by Theatre Winter Haven in Winter Haven, FL Which date would you prefer April 20 or 27, 2013?? Let me know! Suggestions, topics for discussions, and questions, are all welcomed. Contact: Kristofer Geddie, Director of Diversity at Venice Theatre [email protected] 5 WINTER 2013 FLORIDA THEATRE CONFERENCE NEWS Festival 2012 Photo Call 6 WINTER 2013 FLORIDA THEATRE CONFERENCE NEWS Manatee Players Performing Arts Center Construction for the new Manatee Performing Arts Center started six years ago when a longtime supporter, Cora May Stone, passed away and left a $2.5 million bequest for a new theatre. There was only one condition—that they break ground within a year of her death or the money would go to another charity. So things started moving quickly and they met the deadline. The Center will open March 28. With no time for a silent phase, they started fundraising immediately and were playing catch-up the whole time, said Rick Kerby, producing artistic director. It was “buy a brick and put it in and then buy another brick and put it in” for the six years of construction. Janene Witham, Executive Director, states: “The Manatee Performing Arts organize challenge gifts from board members and Project has been nothing short of a love and apprecia- community leaders, and the City of Bradenton gave tion of community. The outpouring of generosity for a line of credit for $2.5 million. The theatre took out this $19 million endeavor far surpasses any expecta- no traditional loans. tions I ever had.” The Manatee Performing Arts Center will in- It was a grass roots effort, said Rick. The many clude two theatres—the main theatre with 380 seats gifts include: $1.5 million (Kiwanis Club of Bradenton, and a studio theatre with flexible space seating up to a future resident of the facility); two gifts of $750,000; 100, and rehearsal space. three gifts of $250,000, and many more from a total of For revenue-producing events there is a cater- 2235 household contributors. ing facility on the second floor. The lobby can seat The Bradenton Community Foundation helped 300 people for sit-down dinner. In addition, several multiple-use rooms can be rented out for bal- let or opera performances. The main theatre has the latest technolo- gy.