Georgia Theatre Conference History

With the help and encouragement of the University of Georgia's Leighton Ballew, the Georgia Theatre Conference was established in 1964.  Don Kordecki of Cartersville served as the first president of the organization.  In the spring of 1965, GTC held it's first annual convention, and continued to hold a spring convention through 1981 when, under the leadership of then-President Bolton Lunceford we hosted a "two-convention" year, with a spring convention in Atlanta, and a fall convention in Savannah. Since that time, the annual convention of the Georgia Theatre Conference has been held in October or November.

 

Convention sites and presidents of the organization as we have been able to confirm them are listed below.  If you can help us fill in the blanks, please contact GTC Historian Dean Slusser at dslusser@camden.k12.ga.us

2021

Vidalia

Shirley Spencer, President

 

2020

Online Convention

Shirley Spencer, President

 

2019

Americus

Shirley Spencer, President

 

2018

Savannah

Shirley Spencer, President

​

2017

Carrollton

Dean Slusser, President

 

2016

Augusta

Dean Slusser, President

​

2015

Gainesville

Dean Slusser, President

​

2014

Columbus

Dean Slusser, President

 

2013

Kingsland

Bill Murray, President

 

2012

Americus

Bill Murray, President

 

2011

Statesboro

Bill Murray, President

 

2010

Savannah

Bill Murray, President

 

2009

Columbus

Jeff Green, President

 

2008

Albany

Jeff Green, President

 

2007

Vidalia

H. Duke Guthrie, President

 

2006

Macon

H. Duke Guthrie, President

 

2005

Gainesville

Dean Slusser, President

 

2004

Savannah

Dean Slusser, President

 

2003

Athens

Dean Slusser, President

2002

Americus

Dean Slusser, President

​

2001

Carrollton

Shelly Elman, President

​

2000

Valdosta

Shelly Elman, President

 

1999

Columbus

Connie Fritz, President

 

1998

Carrollton

Connie Fritz, President

 

1997

Jekyll Island

Connie Fritz, President

 

1996

Albany

Amy Atwell, President

 

1995

Augusta

Amy Atwell, President

 

1994

LaGrange

Jacque Wheeler, President

 

1993

Macon

Jacque Wheeler, President

 

1992

Warner Robins

Ray Horne, President

 

1991

Valdosta

Bolton Lunceford, President

 

1990

Decatur

Bolton Lunceford, President

 

1989

Augusta

Candice Coleman, President

 

1988

Columbus

Jay Willis, President

 

1987

Macon

Lynn Wooddy, President

 

1986

Athens

Vic Lambert, President

 

1985

Columbus

Neal Fenter, President

 

1984

Atlanta

Tom Jeffrey, President

1983

Albany

Randy Wheeler, President

​

1982

Atlanta

Randy Wheeler, President

 

1981

Savannah

Atlanta

Bolton Lunceford, President

 

1980

Atlanta

Bolton Lunceford, President

 

1979

Athens

Mary Hatfield, President

 

1978

Atlanta

Rick Rose, President

 

1977

Savannah

Hazel Hall, President

 

1976

Atlanta

Bob West, President

 

1975

Columbus

Jim Sligh, President

 

1974

Valdosta

Lailah Feldman, President

 

1973

Savannah

Dennis Giesel, President

 

1972

Athens

Wray Kessel, President

 

1971

Savannah

Ed Cabell, President

 

1970

Albany

Leighton Ballew, President

 

1969

Site Unknown

Len Hirsch, President

 

1968

Site Unknown

Len Hirsch, President

 

1967

Callaway Gardens

Travis Rhodes, President

 

1966

Site Unknown

Don Kordecki, President

 

1965

Columbus

William Diamant, President

Georgia Theatre Conference Archives

The Georgia Theatre Conference Archive at Valdosta State University’s Odum Library was established in May of 2007 thanks to the tireless efforts of then-GTC Executive Director Vicki Pennington, and a grant from the Georgia Humanities Council.  The grand opening celebration, “Telling Our Stories: Archiving, Describing and Creating Theatre in Georgia,” was held at the library May 11-12.  Presentation topics included Theatre for people with disabilities, military life, plantation life, Asian Wedding Traditions and more. The introduction to the archives and a ribbon cutting ceremony were held at 1 p.m. Saturday.  Past GTC presidentswere present in honor of the ceremony.

 

The Georgia Theatre Conference began informally in 1965 and was granted non-profit status in 1971. It seeks to encourage and coordinate a close relationship among the community, educational and professional theatres in Georgia; maintain quality in both live theatre and theatre education. Funded in part by a grant from the Georgia Humanities Council, the GTC collection features photographs, programs, newsletters, membership information, financial statements and much more. All artifacts represent the extensive history of the GTC. The collection is on permanent loan to VSU Archives and Special Collections, which has created an online finding aid at www.valdosta.edu/library/find/arch/gtc/index.html