Author: ATCA

More conference notes

Zinoman, Pressly, Boland, Handelman, Butler, McKowen Shepherdstown, WV, July 20 — It’s hard for even a conscientious note-taker to keep up as the conference barrels along. Thursday there was a workshop on “Monetizing your Website,” with Brad Hathaway, Bill Hirschman, Mark Lowry and Lorraine Treanor. Yesterday we had a morning...

Playwright Stefanie Zadravec wins 2013 Primus Prize; director Lear deBessonet also honored

Director Lear deBessonet also honored Shepherdstown, WV, July 19, 2013—Today the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) announced at its annual cconference, held at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, that playwright Stefanie Zadravec has been awarded the 2013 Francesca Primus Prize for her play The Electric Baby. Zadravec will receive the...

The Daumier goes to W.V.

By popular demand, here’s the unofficial logo of this year’s conference. The caricature on the left is of a mountaineer (like the WVU mascot); the one on the right is of Daumier’s caricature of a self-important critic (ATCA’s logo).  Here, the two seem mutually unsure of...

Now for something completely different

Outside the Lost Dog: always a gathering Well, not completely different, since coffee is (some) critics’ best friend. So here’s a word on the three coffee shops in Shepherdstown, home of CATF, host of ATCA’s annual conference. I’m still high on the three-shot Wet Dog (one...

New members

Bob Schneider, Russell Warne, Mark Dewey, Erin Keane, Steven McKnight. Thursday, July 18, Shepherdstown, WV — New ATCA members at the annual conference at CATF include (left to right), Bob Schneider, New Haven, CT; Russell Warne, Salt Lake City; Mark Dewey, Bluemont, VA; Erin Keane, Louisville; and Steven McKnight, Falls Church, VA. Missing:...

Excom works all day; ‘Modern Terrorism’ at night

Wednesday evening, July 17 The ATCA executive committee put in a long day on reports, discussion and debate, as these snapshots testify. The results will show up at membership meetings the next few days. But tonight, the conference proper began with a welcoming dinner at Byrd Hall, Shepherd...

July 17-21, 2013: Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, W.V.

Check out the new conference brochure (download pdf). Five plays, panels, speakers, dinners, a host of historical sites and more, plus transport, etc. THE AMERICAN THEATRE CRITICS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE,July 17-21 at the CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN THEATER FESTIVAL IN HISTORIC SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V.CLICK HERE TO REGISTER The venue: The theaters of Shepherd University.  The dates: Wednesday, July...

ATCA/CATF gets underway

Wednesday noon, July 17 Bill Hirschman sizes up the Yellow Brick Bank restaurant. ATCA arrives in the very eastern panhandle of West Virginia for its annual meeting, hosted by the Contemporary American Theatre Festival (CATF). Tuesday night, early arrivals were treated to an accomplished reading of The Few, by Samuel...

O’Neill ATCA scholarships

Catching up: Recipients of ATCA financial scholarships for this year’s National Critics Institute at the O’Neill Theater Center were Paul Hyde of the Greenville (S.C.) News and Andrew McGibbon of West Milford, N.J., who has his own theater site, TheAndyGram.com. Congratulations.  Eugene, critic and friend (call it two critics) ...

ATCA packing its bags

ATCAns are preparing to gather next week at CATF, the Contemporary American Theatre Festival in Shepherdstown, W.V. Watch for reports here....