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Tools & Techniques 43rd National Conference and Theatre Tour July 14-17. 2019 Philadelphia, PA Last updated 7/15/19 TOOLS & TECHNIQUES: 4th Segment Wednesday, July 17, 2019 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM (All five sessions will only be presented once) At the Philadelphia 201 Hotel See presenter biographies following session descriptions A Guide to Theatre Marquees... Designing, Building, Installing, Maintaining Learn everything you need to know about your marquee. From the Theatre Marquee history to their new modern functions. Learn the proper way to start your marquee project so that you can make the best decisions for your theatre. From initial survey to final installation Eric Larsen of Wagner Electric Sign will teach you the process of theatre marquees so that your theatre will get the proper fit for your needs and budget. Wagner Electric Sign has been designing and building marquees since 1954. Eric has won the International Sign Associations Traditional / Historic, design of the year, and finished in the top ten twice in ten years. Learn about the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House and how Eric and WESCO designed and built a historically accurate and budget minded marquee project. In 2019, WESCO will be installing seven new Historic Theatre Marquees across the United States. Presenters: Eric Larsen, Marquee & Specialty Design, Wagner Electric Sign Company, Midland, MI Business Intelligence Matters: Using Data to Understand Donors and Unlock Wealth Understanding your patrons and recognizing trends embedded in your data could be the secret needed to catapult your organization to the next level. Follow the path from ticket buyers to members to major donors through data discovery in this insightful and engaging session—perfect for any art house operator who needs ideas and tips on how to turn your audience into donors. Presenters: Brooke Bernard, Development Director, Belcourt Theatre, Inc., Nashville, TN; Shane E. Burkett, Director, Strategic Marketing, Agile Ticketing Solutions, Hermitage, TN (moderator); Brandon Lyons, Direct Sales & Relationship Manager, DonorSearch, Marriottsville, MD; Darryl Moser, Business Development Manager, DonorPerfect CRM Fundraising Software, Fort Washington, PA; and Becky Roubos, Director of Sales, Agile Ticketing Solutions, Hermitage, TN Celebrating John Eberson’s Genius: The Renovation of the Historic Tampa Theatre Having recently undergone a major restoration effort, the Tampa Theatre’s CEO and members of the design team will discuss the extraordinary efforts they went through to maintain the authenticity of this historic atmospheric theater designed by John Eberson. Driven by the overarching vision to respect the original design intent, restoration efforts included intense research, public pleas, and community building to bring the theater back to its original glory. The panel will also discuss additional improvements made to enhance visitor experience and overall building health and longevity. Presenters: John Bell, President & CEO, Tampa Theatre, Tampa, FL; Scott Cryer, AIA LEED AP BD+C, Culture+Performing Arts Leader, DLR Group|Westlake Reed Leskosky, Washington, DC; and Jeff Greene, Chairman & Founder, EverGreene Architectural Arts, Brooklyn, NY 43rd National Conference and Theatre Tour July 14-17. 2019 Philadelphia, PA How to Manage Your Theatre's Risk MDP Programs and National Trust Insurance Services administer the Historic Theatre Insurance Program designed for LHAT members. Kevin Sullivan will address the insurance coverages every theatre needs; whether just starting out or a fully operational organization. An overall discussion on what the different coverage options mean for a theatre will be provided as well as risk management tips. Ask the Expert Q&A session will follow where you can present your current insurance woes and have Kevin as a resource! Presenter: Kevin Sullivan, Client Executive, National Trust Insurance Services (NTIS), Baltimore, MD and Keith Marston, Vice President of Facilities, The Shubert Organization, New York, NY Uncovering the History of Your Theatre or Cinema: Knowing Where to Look Tracking down information pertaining to any historic theater is a challenge. Important records are lost, and significant artifacts disappear over time. The search for your theater’s history may seem impossible. Fortunately, we live at a time when access to historical information is just waiting to be discovered online – one just has to know how and where to look for it. This session will help you locate information about your historic theater or cinema. Uncovering little gems connected to your theater’s past not only draws a community together, but also helps market your theater, generate community support, and secure grant funding. Presenter: Wendy Waszut-Barrett, PhD, President, Historic Stage Services LLC, Minneapolis, MN Presenter Biographies John Bell is an experienced historic theatre leader having successfully managed two different historic theatre projects over his career. He began his career in arts administration with the North Carolina Arts Council and later assumed duties as the Managing Director of the historic Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC in 1979. After he assumed management responsibilities in Tampa in 1985, Tampa Theatre revamped its programming to include a heavy mix of first run and classic films supplemented by concerts, education programs and special events. This successful formula remains in place today, as the Theatre presents approximately 535 film events, 20 major concerts, 45 educational field trips, four weeks of summer camp, and scores of corporate and community events a year. In spite of having a tiny stage with no fly capabilities, Tampa Theatre is one of the busiest historic theatres in the country. John has served on the Board of Directors of the League of Historic American Theatres, serving as LHAT's Chairman of the Board in 2014 and 2015. He is a member of the Florida Facility Managers Association, the Florida Professional Presenters Consortium, and the Tampa Cultural Executives Council. John holds a BA degree in Theatre Arts from Catawba College in North Carolina and was inducted into Catawba's Blue Masque Hall of Fame in 2012. Brooke Bernard joined the Belcourt Theatre's staff as their first full-time development director in 2014. Previously, she was an independent film producer whose work premiered at festivals across the world including Sundance, Cannes and Rotterdam. She has a deep knowledge of and passion for independent filmmaking and of the cultural/economic role of art houses in communities. Shane Burkett is Director of Strategic Marketing at Agile Ticketing Solutions. He has been providing marketing ideas to small and medium-sized organizations, including historic theatres, for nearly a decade. His passion for theatre and cinema goes far beyond the box-office operations and into the heart of the patron; understanding the patron's desire to connect with the stories and be a part of the inspiration that is theatre. His professional background in learning 43rd National Conference and Theatre Tour July 14-17. 2019 Philadelphia, PA and development, legal and compliance along with a terrific sense of humor provides workshop participants with an enjoyable way to absorb a variety of subject matter. Scott Cryer, AIA LEED AP BD+C leads a team of designers who create transformative cultural and performing art spaces across the country. He is a firm believer in integrated design, including diverse voices and disciplines in the design process, and helps to build lasting relationships long after project completion. Jeff Greene and his team of designers and craftsmen have combined art, science, and technology to restore some of the country’s most significant interior spaces for over 40 years. As Founder and Chairman, Jeff has led large-scale interior conservation, restoration and new design work, and is considered one of the foremost experts in innovative techniques for restoring murals, plaster, and decorative finishes. Eric Larsen started in the sign industry at age twelve in 1978. He worked for several sign companies including national companies designing, building, installing, and maintaining signs. In 1984, he started his own sign company specializing in hand lettering and historically accurate sign design. In 1990, he started designing signs and wayfinding for theme parks, water parks, zoos, and arenas. In 1994, he won a national award for his design and manufacturing of signage at the Soaring Eagle Casino featuring two three dimensional eagles with 30' wingspans as the grand entrance. From there, Eric started designing and engineering signs and sign systems for other manufacturers of signs while doing large unique projects from his own shop. During this time Eric won several awards for design. In 2009, Eric won the International Sign Assoc. Traditional / Historic design of the year award for the State Theatre Marquee in Bay City Michigan. He competed against five thousand entries from 27 countries to win the award. In 2012, he finished in the top ten of the ISA awards for the Bohm Theatre Marquee. In 2018, Eric finished in the top ten of the ISA awards for the Temple Theatre Marquee. In 2017, Eric joined the Wagner Electric Sign team to concentrate only on theatre marquee design. Together with WESCO they have designed and built nine marquees in the past two years with seven being built this year alone. Currently they have over 14 theatres they are working with on design / build for installation beginning in 2020. Wagner Electric Sign Company has been building
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