INSIGHTS Fall/Winter 2018-2019 - Volume 29, Issue 1
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International Museum Theatre Alliance INSIGHTS Fall/Winter 2018-2019 - Volume 29, Issue 1 HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING Whether You like it or not PRESIDENT’S WELCOME alloween at Discovery Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza, Place Science isn’t cele- July Fourth, Easter, Thanksgiving, brated in a big way, but Memorial Day – but the calendar is Hwe do observe the some of the chock full o’ lesser known holidays traditions. The most enduring of and days of observance that lend these is our annual staff pumpkin themselves to innovative program- carving contest. Each department ming. Pi Day (March 14), Arbor - from CEO’s office to Exhibits, Day (April 26), National Explosive from Labs to Aquarium to Public Ordnance Disposal Day (May Experiences, from Sales to Café, 4), White Cane Safety Day (Oct. Douglas Coler Facilities to Maintenance, about 15), National Aviation Day (Aug. IMTAL President 22 different teams in all -is issued 11), Lost Sock Memorial Day a pumpkin. We’re given three days (May 9), Yellow Pig Day (July 17), to design and execute a themed, Fibonacci Day (Nov. 23), Space IN THIS ISSUE carved pumpkin. There are few Exploration Day (July 20) and restrictions (the gourd must at least so many, many more. If you’re be pierced in some way) and the looking for program ideas, consult Looking Ahead ........................ 2 results are always creative, surpris- your municipal calendar or search Historic Holidays without ing, and delightful. The museum online. Marketing departments, by Tiny Tim .................................. 3 visitors cast ballots for their favorites the way, love holiday and special over the course of the weekend, and day programming. It gives them The Washingtons at Home: the winning department receives a a reason to seek out local media Using Seasonal Programming pizza party. It’s a way to acknow- coverage, and it can spur the to Tell New Stories ................... 6 ledge the season without having to customer base to plan a day or two drape the entire place in those cob of not-the-usual visit. 2018 Conference Recap ............ 8 web strands. Many of our institutions celebrate - Douglas Coler Get Involved ........................... 12 holidays. The “big ones,” of course – IMTAL President 2 IMTAL INSIGHTS EDITOR’S CORNER ello, readers! I know you’ve Douglas Coler. It was a lovely convening been waiting with baited breath in my home institution, the Natural for this latest “Fall” issue, History Museum of Los Angeles County. Hwhich has now become lovingly known We also hear from IMTAL founder as the “Fall/Winter” issue. Ya know... and Director of Museum Theatre and adaptation! I’m sure you’re all too fam- Research at Conner Prairie History iliar with that concept in your work with Museum, Catherine Hughes, as well as Museum Theatre. Make a plan, set a Elizabeth Keaney, Character Interpreter schedule, and yet all great intentions at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, cannot overcome the will of life’s great about their approach to Seasonal Pro- scheme. We had some delays getting this gramming. We’d love to hear from you issue out because of new life transitions about what sort of seasonal programming for myself and our graphic designer, your institution embarked upon in 2018. Elysia Segal. So with the blessing of the Always feel free to share and comment rest of the Board, this is a double-season on any of the articles past and present. issue! I want to take this opportunity to And if you’d like to write an article thank Elysia for her brilliant work re- for the Spring issue, take a look at our Ilana Gustafson, Insights Editor designing the Insights newsletter. We “Submission Guidelines” section and hope you’ve enjoyed the new look she send me your proposal! Inspired by the Want to write for Insights? created a few issues back. experience of getting this issue out, the Submission guidelines are In this issue we take a closer look theme for Spring will be “Adaptation! available online at: at highlights from the 2018 IMTAL When Things Don’t Go as Planned.” http://imtal-us.org/insights. Conference with our Board President, - Ilana Gustafson LOOKING AHEAD... ABOUT THE AWARDS SAVE THESE DATES! Jon Lipsky Award for Excellence in Playwriting Deadlines for the Lipsky and IMTAL awards the Lipsky Award to the IMTY Awards are approaching! play that best exemplifies standards of excellence and best practices in Museum Submit your play or nomination by Theatre. For criteria and submission March 31, 2019 to be considered. guidelines, visit: www.imtal-us.org/lipsky. IMTY Award IMTAL recognizes the importance of 2019 IMTAL CONFERENCE decision makers to the future of museum Indianapolis, IN theatre. The IMTY Award was established Tentatively August 22-25, 2019 to recognize Senior Staff members who Exact dates and details to be announced. have demonstrated strong support for Stay tuned for more! museum theatre. For more, visit: www.imtal-us.org/imty. VOL. 29, ISSUE 1 3 HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING The Curtis Family in Conner Prairie by Candlelight Historic Holidays without Tiny Tim Photo credit: Conner Prairie Photo credit: — By Catherine Hughes — onner Prairie bestows lon- of the program developers to show Friend” who arrives on Christmas gevity on its popular annual that the inhabitants of the town Eve. German immigrant and Inn events. There are several were not in agreement as to how owner, Mrs. Zimmerman and sons Cnow well into their third decade, this event should be recognized. bring Belznichol to life, along with like the ever popular Headless The secular versus the religious a reading of Jesus’s birth from the Horseman Festival in October. among them attempt to persuade book of Luke. Meanwhile, Ezra Among these, the venerable Conner attendants to their view. It was a Higbee and several other rowdies Prairie by Candlelight has offered purposeful narrative, scripted to celebrate with raucous songs and visitors since 1982 insight into reveal the diversity of beliefs. stories around a fire. The store how people viewed the notion of Cranky Mr. Fenton spews the owner Mr. Whitaker muses to his Christmas in the early 19th century. righteousness of his Scotch-Irish, wife on the future of consumerism if Each December since, groups of Presbyterian faith. He knows the the day is made a holiday across the 15-20 guests have promenaded Bible very well, and believes there nation. Generations of guests have through Prairietown homes on just isn’t any justification for pagan joined in the fun each year. It’s not December 24, 1836, hearing the celebrations, such as those Dr. uncommon to hear a grandparent stories of recent immigrants to the Campbell is offering that evening telling a young child of how they frontier and the traditions they at his soiree. On the other hand, brought the child’s parent when have brought with them. For many the Curtis family has brought with they were young. years, these stories were exclusively them from New York the Knicker- There have been changes white and Christian. The religious bocker History and the legends through the years. In 1997, a scene overtones were obvious, but from of Washington Irving, and they portraying Hannah and Shemu’el the beginning, it was the intention share a reading of “The Children’s Ullman, a Jewish couple emigrating 4 IMTAL INSIGHTS HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING from Germany, was added and keen to look over the school house a bit more toward St. Nicholas immediately received positive com- as a model for the school she hopes than their Methodist faith might ments from guests. This scene to set up in the Settlement. normally suggest. The biography continues to receive consistent high Choices about the programming of the composite character for Dr. praise. The Ullmans represent a elements have been made according Campbell was made Presbyterian new immigrant group to Indiana. to the historic record, as well as by birth and Episcopalian by his They were headed to Rising Sun to popular demand and contemporary marriage to Mrs. Campbell, which join a relative who had gone before them, but got lost on the National “The historically-accurate notion that Christmas was Road and broke a wagon wheel near Prairietown, forcing them to not widely or uniformly celebrated initially proved spend several nights there until it less satisfying to some guests.” was fixed. The Ullmans share the story of Chanukah. concerns, such as diversity and allows his character a wider berth In 2016, a scene at the School inclusion. When holiday programm- for discussing the shift toward more House was adapted to include a new ing first began around 1979, it celebratory and secular holiday character, Christmas Guilford, who featured wreaths and familiar traditions. has recently arrived in Indiana from Victoriana. As staff worked to bring There are other festivities at Philadelphia. She is a free African- in more historic authenticity to the Conner Prairie. Breakfasts and American woman following her holiday program, visitors resisted. Dinners with Santa sell out. Our brother to a newly created farming The historically-accurate notion Gingerbread Village display has community of free people of color that Christmas was not widely or dwindled in recent years to a nearby, the Roberts Settlement. uniformly celebrated initially proved crossroads, but there is a push to Again, we heard from guests their less satisfying to some guests. Giving revive submissions. Programming appreciation for another perspective slightly to popular opinion, The has fluctuated inside and outside of the holiday season. Christmas, so Curtis Family’s story, relying on over the break between Christmas named for her date of birth, is also their Dutch heritage, was stretched and New Year’s Day. While Candlelight might be an old-timer, The Ullmans in Conner Prairie by Candlelight holiday programming cannot be not static.