The 30th Annual Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Americas Conference

 

Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas presented the 30th Annual Conference in New York City livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv Thursday 25 June to Saturday 27 June. 

In Twitter, use #LMDA15, and follow @HowlRoundTV.

Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas was founded in 1985 as the volunteer membership organization for the professions of literary management and dramaturgy. LMDA is a not-for-profit tax-exempt organization with members throughout North America and abroad.

LMDA holds the belief that theatre is a vital art form that has the power to nourish, educate, and transform individuals and their communities and that dramaturgy is central to the process of theatremaking.

Livestreaming Schedule (All times are listed in Eastern Time —EDT):

 

Thursday 25 June:
5:15 p.m.-6 p.m:
Keynotes—
Tim Sanford, Artistic Director, Playwrights Horizons (Past LMDA President, 1994-1996)
Ken Cerniglia, Dramaturg and Literary Manager, Disney Theatrical Group
Richard Wolfe, Artistic Director, Pi Theatre
Michele Volansky, Drama Department Chair and Associate 

 

 

Friday 26 June:
9:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m:
Author Rights…the Conversation Continues…
Moderator: Richard Wolfe (Artistic Director, Pi Theatre)
Panelists: Howard Sherman (Director of the Arts Integrity Initiative at The New School for Drama, @HESherman)
Ralph Sevush (Dramatists Guild, @RalphSevush)
Peter Hagan (Dramatists Play Service)
Amanda Green (Author, @amanda_green)
Bruce Lazarus (Executive Director & General Counsel, Samuel French, Inc., @BruceLazarus)
Building upon the conversation in Boston, we return to questions that arise with alarming frequency when dramaturgs are in a rehearsal room where the authors’ words are being altered. Does it matter if you are in a university setting or a professional theatre? What is the line that can’t be crossed when bringing creative expression to a copyrighted work? 

 

 

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m:
Inclusion and Diversity Panel: Making It Happen
Moderator: Martine Kei Green-Rogers (University of Utah, @MartineKei)
Panelists: Rehana Lew Mirza (playwright, Co-Director of Ma-Yi Theatre’s Writers Lab, @rehanamirza)
Nick Viselli (Theater Breaking Through Barriers)
Keith Josef Adkins (The New Black Fest, @KeithJosef)
Lisa McNulty (The Women’s Project)

 

 

2:45 p.m.-4:15 p.m:
Freelancers Unite
Before we begin, 1996-1998 LMDA President Jayme Koszyn (Founder, Koszyn & Company) will share some reflections on LMDA.
Moderator: Jayne Wenger
Panelists: DD Kugler (Simon Fraser University)
Amy Handelsman (@AmyHandelsman)
Nakissa Etemad, Shawn Rene Graham (Artist Services Manager at The Field, @allcreatvwrites)
If you are struggling with how to treat yourself as a business join this conversation with dramaturgs from around the country and hear their stories. They will be joined by Shawn Rene Graham who works at The Field, a worldwide organization that serves as a fiscal sponsor, holds seminars on grant writing and self-producing, and advocates for an artist’s ability to live a sustainable life. In addition she is the Literary Director at Classical Theatre of Harlem and the dramaturg for the American Slave Project. 

 

 

4:30 p.m.-6 p.m:
In Conversation—On Critics and Criticism
Before we begin, past LMDA President (1989-1992), Anne Cattaneo will share some reflections on LMDA.
Moderator: Anne Cattaneo (Dramaturg, Lincoln Center Theater)
Panelists: Peter Marks (Washington Post, @petermarksdrama) and Linda Winer (Newsday)

A dialogue about the state of contemporary theatre criticism.

 

 

Saturday 27 June
9:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m:
Design and Dramaturgy
Before we begin, past LMDA President (2012-2014) Vicki Stroich will share some reflections on LMDA.
Moderator: Vicki Stroich (Executive Director, Alberta Theatre Projects, @VickiStroich)
Panelists: Fitz Patton (Sound Designer and Founding Editor of Chance magazine, @FitzPatton)
Martha Steketee (Dramaturg, General Editor and Monograph Editor of Chance magazine, @msteketee)
Rachel Hauck (Scenic Designer)
Louisa Thompson (Scenic Designer, Generator of “Washeteria”)
Designers will reveal their own dramaturgical impulses and talk about stepping into the role of being a generative artist themselves. Whether they are there from the beginning or join towards the end, we reveal the dramaturgical minds sitting behind the tech table. When they aren’t starting magazines or creating theatre for children and adults who enjoy getting in touch with their inner child. 

 

 

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m:
University Caucus Plenary Sessions “Hot Topics!” PART DEUX
Before we begin, past LMDA President (2005-2006) Liz Engelman will share some reflections on LMDA.
Co-Moderators: Bryan Moore (Concordia University, @orionbcm) and Liz Engelman (University of Austin)
Panelists: Diane Brewer (University of Evansville) "Keeping the Conversation Current: Kilroys in the Classroom"
Sara Freeman (University of Puget Sound) “What We’re Talking about When We’re Talking about New Writing”
Mark Lord (Bryn Mawr College, @Mark_Lord) “How to Complain: A Structural and Practical Model for Dramaturgs and Other Revolutionaries”
Christian Parker (Columbia University, @echristianp) “Do or Do Not. There is No Try: How to Quit Calling Yourself a Dramaturg and Be One”
Daniel Smith (Michigan State University, @danaturg) “Teaching Literary Management"
The Dramaturgy Open Office Hour Project: Jeremy Stoller (NYC, @jnstoller)
Amy Freeman (Philadelphia, @amy_e_freeman)
Catherine María Rodríguez (Baltimore/DC, @latinadramaturg)
Sarah Slight (Chicago, @sarahmslight)
Sara Keats (Seattle, @keatsara)

 

 

2:30 p.m.-4 p.m:
Meet the First Round of Bly Grant Recipients
Before we begin, past LMDA President (2006-2008) Brian Quirt will share some reflections on LMDA.
Moderator: Brian Quirt (Artistic Director, Nightswimming, @NightswimmingTh)
Panelists: Philippa Kelly and Lydia Garcia (Diverse Dramaturg: An On-Line Handbook)
Janice Paran (“Memory Rings,” @JaniceEParan)
Heidi Taylor and Jan Derbyshire with Playwrights Theatre Centre (PTC ACK Lab: a hacker approach to inclusion)
Katalin Trencsénvi (“Dance with Me”—the development and process of dance dramaturgy) and Mark Bly
A celebration of and a conversation with the first six individuals to receive the Bly Grant. They will share where they are at in their processes, what they look forward to down the road, and how we all might participate in their projects. 

 

 

About HowlRound TV

HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based peer produced, open access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world's performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and to develop our knowledge commons collectively. Participate in a community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our participate page. For any other queries, email [email protected], or call Vijay Mathew at +1 917.686.3185 Signal/WhatsApp. View the video archive of past events.