Page 21 - Summer 2022 inLEAGUE with 46th National Conference Program

Conference Education Sponsor
TUESDAY MORNING SECOND EDUCATION SESSIONS

The Idea Center at Playhouse Square
®
Tools & Techniques Segment 2B (11:30AM-12:45PM)

Cincinnati Music Hall: Orchestrating Re-engaging Your Donor Audience
Multiple Arts Programs into One Venue Post-Pandemic

The Cincinnati Music Hall has been restored and improved An interactive workshop to reflect on lessons learned from
to support the needs of many diverse performing arts the pandemic and best practices moving forward. Join us
groups. CMH has very significant resident companies that as we take a deep dive into LHAT members experiences.
operate in the same hall; working together, they improved Participants will walk away with a menu of findings and
their production quality, patron experience, and technical ideas. We encourage participants to come prepared to
sophistication. Reopening in 2017, the venue is a wonderful share their successes and challenges experienced during
example of intensive programming and discussions to the pandemic.
elevate the needs, aspirations, and design of the renovated ROOM: Westfield Studio Theatre (Idea Center, street level)
hall. The programmatic requirements for the Hall and the Presented Previously in Segment 2A
antiquated building and systems needed to be redefined Presenters: Ricia Ballas, Vice President, The Compass
to create a successful future for the performance groups, Group, Dayton, OH; Elizabeth Weatherly, Vice President, The
all within the context of the National Historic Landmark Compass Group, Knoxville, TN
status. This session will bring together the Symphony’s
operations manager, the architect, the theatre planner,
and the acoustician to show how the needs were met and Targeting Performing Arts Audiences in
balanced throughout the project and how these aspects of Rural, Blue-Collar America
a multi-purpose hall are pertinent to theatres of all sizes.
ROOM: Miller Classroom B (Idea Center, lower level) Does
NOT repeat. Struthers Library Theatre (SLT) is in Warren, PA, a rural
Presenter: Michael DiBlasi, ASTC, Partner, Schuler Shook northwestern Pennsylvanian town in the heart of the
Theatre Planners, Minneapolis, MN; Gary Martinez, FAIA, Allegheny National Forest. The entire county consists of
Partner, OTJ Architects, Washington, D.C.; Paul Scarbrough, about 37,000 people, with the city’s population totaling
Principal, Akustiks, Norwalk, CT; Heather Stengle, Director of 9,191 citizens. Warren has long been known for its oil
Operations, Cincinnati Symphony, Cincinnati, OH and timber and is mostly a blue-collar, working town. For
decades, the people of Warren County considered the
theatre as a place that provided entertainment only for
“the rich.” In the past few labor-intensive years, the theatre
Finding Post-COVID Normal in the Film has reached out to several businesses in the area to sponsor
shows and events it provides. With sponsorship backing, SLT
World can book quality performers at a price that is affordable
to most Warren County citizens. Traditional means of
The evolving landscape of film exhibition post-COVID has marketing (newspaper, radio, and flyers) have been utilized
been a challenge on many fronts. From policy, to audiences, to promote activities to the largest demographic (60-80+) in
to film release schedule, we are seeing the need to evolve the Warren area, while newer marketing strategies include
strategy, work with stakeholders in new ways and generally more online advertising through social media platforms such
reignite excitement for moviegoing in new and innovative as Facebook and Instagram reach the younger generations.
ways. This panel will explore the strategies of three different In-depth surveys have been and still are consistently utilized
exhibitors navigating the world of showing films in this to determine what shows and genres would be most
changing environment. attended by Warren area audiences. Performers such as
ROOM: Gund Dance Studio (Idea Center, street level) LeAnn Rimes, Winona Judd and Dwight Yoakam have all
Does NOT repeat. graced the stage at SLT for sold out performances. Struthers
Presenter: Barak Epstein, Operator, Texas Theatre, Dallas, TX; Library Theatre remains passionate about fulfilling its mission
Stephanie Silverman, Executive Director, Belcourt Theatre, statement: Entertaining, enriching and educating the
Nashville, TN; Jill Witecki, Vice President and Director of people of Warren County and the surrounding region in all
Marketing, Tampa Theatre, Tampa, FL the qualities and delights of live theatre, music, dance, and
film.
Scan to dowload the ROOM: Miller Classroom A (Idea Center, lower level)
Conference App to Does NOT repeat.
stay connected with Presenters: Karen Austin, Executive Director, Struthers Library
Theatre, Warren, PA; Eric Morelli, Marketing and Educational
your phone. Everything Director, Struthers Library Theatre, Warren, PA
online in one place.

46th National Conference & Theatre Tour July 2022 INLEAGUE | PAGE 19