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