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James DeFord is the Film Program Manager background includes lighting design for live performance, retail
at Tampa Theatre, a 1,200-seat historic movie developments, exhibits and museums, entertainment facilities,
palace in downtown Tampa, Florida. James is restaurants, hotels, offices, nightclubs, and exterior building
primarily responsible for overseeing the Theatre’s facades. Custom fixture design, innovative control systems and
cinema program, being a public advocate for the effective exterior lighting have been successful elements in his
importance of cinema and the moviegoing experience, curating projects.
classic film series and collaborating with the Theatre’s incredible
film booker to bring unique, essential first-run movies to the Rebecca Durante, LEED AP, NCIDQ, IIDA is the
community. A third-generation Tampa native, James studied lead interior designer and principal at Wilson
creative writing and philosophy at the University of Florida Butler Architects (WBA), a Boston firm dedicated
before returning home and taking a part-time job at the Theatre. to architecture for the arts and entertainment,
Over his sixteen-year career there, he has worked in nearly every she has completed the design for award winning
department, starting as a ticket-taker and progressing through interiors and intricately detailed historic theater restorations,
roles as development coordinator, box office manager, and including the Altria and Carpenter Theaters in Richmond, VA.
manager of marketing and community relations. She is NCIDQ certified, has a BFA in Interior Design from the New
England School of Art and Design at Suffolk University, and more
Christine Delaney is the executive director of than 16 years of experience working in the industry.
the Tibbits Opera Foundation and Arts Council,
the nonprofit that owns and operates the Tibbits Steven Ehrenberg is the principal and owner
Opera House, built in 1882. She has held the of Eberg Stage Solutions, a firm involved in both
position since 2001, though her history with consulting on and managing a variety of live
Tibbits extends more than 30 years, giving her a thorough performance productions, theatrical building
understanding of the progress and growth of the theatre renovations and new theatre construction. Until
operations as well as an in-depth appreciation for its restoration recently Steven was the Director of Production, Kings Theatre,
journey. She oversees the administration, daily operations, Brooklyn; Director of Technical Production Ambassador Theatre
general fundraising, grant writing, and programming. Under Group, North America. Before assuming duties as Director of
her leadership (to date) $4.3 million has been raised and production at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn Eight years ago,
invested in the restoration of the historic theatre. She served as Steven had also served as the Vice President of Technical
owner representative through two major construction projects Supervision at Live Nation theatrical and the Vice President
including the $1.2 million award-winning transformation of of Technical Production at Base Entertainment. Steven has
the theatre’s French Second Empire façade. Tibbits Opera been involved in renovation and building projects including
House is a 500-seat theatre located in the rural community of The Colonial Theatre, Boston, The Hudson Theatre, The Kings
Coldwater, Michigan. With a county population of only 44,000, Theatre, The Boston Opera House, The Hippodrome Theatre
Tibbits is the only fully equipped theatre and professional arts in Baltimore, The Theatres at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore,
organization in the county. The programming includes self- Theatres on the Kotai Strip in Macau, The Phantom Las Vegas
produced professional summer stock as well as a children’s Theatre, The Jersey Boys theatre in the Palazzo, The Venetian
theatre program, professional touring artists, live performance Showroom, The Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Showroom, and
programming for area schools, an art gallery and visual arts many other theatrical and music projects and productions.
events, and a classic film series. The theatre is also a rental Jon Elbaum was named Executive Director of the
facility for approximately 20 area organizations and schools. Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in 2011. Prior to that
In 2017 the theatre was occupied 257 days with 92 events. he served as General Manager of the Bridge View
Originally from Detroit, Christine moved to Coldwater to work at Center in Iowa and Executive Director of the Ames
Tibbits assisting with marketing and publicity. She then worked Performing Arts Center in Burnsville, MN. The
for a commercial printer for many years helping area businesses Music Hall presents more than seventy performances annually
with their printing and marketing needs before becoming Tibbits ranging from free community concerts to internationally known
Executive Director. Christine graduated from Eastern Michigan touring artists such as Elvis Costello, Chris Botti, Indigo Girls,
University with a Bachelor of Science in Arts Management with Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, and many more.
an emphasis in marketing and written communications.
Lena Dau-Ping Fan, RA, AIA Associate Principal,
Michael DiBlasi, ASTC, IALD principal theatre joined Kostow Greenwood in 2012. Lena worked
planner and lighting designer at Schuler Shook, during her academic career from firms that
began his career in technical theatre design, focused on designing recreational buildings and
which is the basis for his theatre consulting hospitals to firms specializing in luxury residential
and architectural lighting designs. His hands-on
understanding of performance venue requirements, including and hotels. Her passion for architecture is to provide inclusive,
well-designed, and exciting environments. Key projects at KGA
technical, functional, and aesthetic issues, provides an include the expansion of The Shubert Organization’s historic
invaluable resource to the design of theatre facilities. Michael’s
Broadway James Earl Jones Theatre; the expansion of the iconic
47th National Conference & Theatre Tour July 2023 INLEAGUE | PAGE 45