GEORGIA THEATRE CONFERENCE OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Shirley Spencer, President
Shirley began her teaching career at Central Michigan University and then roamed around from Central Texas Institute to Univ. of Maryland – Heidelberg. Finally putting down roots in the state of GA where she taught 28 of her total 33 years at Glynn Academy as their Theatre Director, One Act Play and Literary Coordinator. Shirley began working with Georgia Theatre Conference in ’96 as the Vice Chair of Secondary followed by Chair of Secondary, Secretary and later Chair of Community Theatre. Shirley is also a Hall of Fame Member of Georgia Thespians. Shirley hold a ED.S Degree in English from Georgia Southern University; MA – Interpersonal & Public Communications from Central Michigan Univ.; and a BS. In Theatre Education from Wright State University Dayton, Ohio. Shirley has happily retired to Athens, GA. where she is active with several Community Theatres: Town N Gown’s Reading Committee and she performs light hearted roles for Athens Creative Theatre.
Shirley Spencer
912 399-2492
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Brenda May Ito, Vice-President (Membership)
Brenda is a Professor of Theatre at Columbus State University in Columbus, GA. She is the Program Director for the MEd in Theatre Education, the only MEd theatre program in Georgia and the BS in Education Theatre degree, the only university system program offering the Bachelor of Science in Education and teacher certification in drama. She is also the Program Director for CSU’s Theatre for Youth programs. The CSU Department of Theatre Youth productions are seen by over 50,000 children each year. She received her MFA in Theatre (concentration Theatre for Youth) at University of North Carolina-Greensboro, her MA in Theatre at Missouri State University, and her BS in Education Dance degree from Missouri State University. Brenda is the recipient of the 2010 Woodruff Arts Center’s Georgia Arts in Education Leaders award, the 2014 Southeastern Theatre Conference Sara Spencer Child Drama Award, and the 2014 Leighton Ballew Award for Distinguished Service to Theatre in Georgia. Brenda is in her 26th year at Columbus State University.
Brenda May Ito
Columbus State University
Department of Theatre
706-507-8410
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Julie Busby, Vice-President (Programming)
Julie C. Busby is the Conference Coordinator and Technical Director at Southeastern Technical College. She is the Vice President for the Franklinia Playhouse Community Theatre and a board member for both the Salvation Army and The Altamaha Gallery. She works with Vidalia tourism and the city of Vidalia. Julie believes live performance can make one think about the big picture of how you as a person or group can effect change (see the bigger picture of the world). She likes to see all the arts work together to make the world a kinder and more beautiful place. She, and the entire Vidalia community, are excited to have the Georgia Theatre Convention come to town. WELCOME to the Sweet Onion Swamp!!!! The magic is in the layers - and YOU are the layers!!!!
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Krystal Kennel, Secretary
Krystal is a Professor of Theatrical Design at Columbus State University. While at CSU, she has designed lighting, sound, or scenery for over forty productions; sometimes she designs all three for the same production. She originally hails from Michigan, but has spent time working at various theatres and colleges across the country including The Springer Opera House, Swamp Gravy, down in Colquitt, The Georgia Repertory Theatre, The Hartford Stage Company, Dallas Theater Center, Madison Repertory Theatre, The Ohio Light Opera, Meadowbrook Theatre, Wagner College in New York and the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Krystal Kennel
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Josh Sinyard, Treasurer
Josh is the former drama teacher at Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick, GA. He has served in the past as Secondary Division Chair and Vice-Chair. He is honored to be a part of the Georgia Theatre Conference. Josh is married, has three dogs, and resides on Saint Simons Island. Georgia.
Josh Sinyard
COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY DIVISION
Ian G. Andersen, College & University Division Chair
Ian is an assistant Professor of Acting and Voice at Valdosta State University. As an artist and educator, Ian’s research interests lie in the areas of outdoor classical theatre, supporting/activating classical texts, and the modern actors approach to poetic texts. As an actor, he has spent more than a decade as a Company Member with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival; where roles included Slender in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Poins in Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Ian in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare…Abridged, Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, and Freddy in Noises Off. Other favorite roles include Hamlet in Hamlet, Bo in Appropriate, Cassio in Othello, Posthumous in Cymbeline, Costard in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Dr. Caius in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Boss Mangan in Heartbreak House, Dev in Stupid F*#king Bird, Orgon in Tartuffe, and Robert in Boeing Boeing. Ian has also had the pleasure of treading the boards off-Broadway at Theatre Row, and regionally with The American Players Theatre, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. His teaching credits have taken him to Colorado, Montana, Wisconsin, Alabama and Georgia. Ian holds a BFA from the University of Colorado, Boulder and an MFA from the University of Alabama. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Ian G. Anderson
COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY DIVISION
Celeste Morris,
SETC Professional Screening Auditions Coordinator
Celeste is a resident designer and associate professor of theatre at the University of North Georgia focusing on Stage Management and Scene Design. She began her training with a BA degree from the Gainesville Theatre Alliance at Brenau University and received her MFA from The Florida State University in Design and Technology. Outside of her teaching career, Celeste has worked as a scenic artist for Universal Studios, Walt Disney World and various theatres throughout the southeast. Celeste has been a member of the Georgia Theatre Conference for over 10 years and has served on the professional committee and as Vice President Programming. She is currently the Southeastern Theatre Conference Auditions Coordinator.
Associate Professor of Theatre, UNG
COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY THEATRE DIVISION
David Poole, College & University Division Vice-Chair
David I. L. Poole (Vice Chair Colleges and Universities Division) began his theatre career in upstate New York in the early 1990s. His extensive background in theatre, film, television and education has taken him to many new and experimental venues at which to showcase his directing, designing and puppeteering. He is a Senior Lecturer at Savannah State University in the Fine Arts Humanities Department. He is also a founding member of The Collective Face Theatre Ensemble and has directed/designed several of their productions. Sone of his recent directed and designed works include Hedda Gabler, Intimate Apparel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Dark of the Moon, A Midwinter Night’s Dream, Big Love, August: Osage County, The Great Gatsby, Harvey, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Pygmalion, Calendar Girls, Death of a Salesman, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Boeing-Boeing, The Little Prince, Grey Gardens, The Trip to Bountiful, Fool for Love, EQUUS, Pride and Prejudice, What the Butler Saw, No Exit, Angels in America Part I, and The Glass Menagerie (Collective Face, Savannah GA); and Color Struck, Oba Oedipus, The Conference of the Birds, The Marie Plays, Agamemnon, Gee’s Bend, Flight, Frankenstein, and Flyin’ West (Savannah State University, Savannah GA); Red Fish (Dillard University, New Orleans, LA) Poof!, Tick, Tick…Boom!, Through the Lookingglass, 365 Days/365 Plays (SCAD); ’night, Mother and Agnes of God (Cardinal Rep); Barnum and Into the Woods (Asbury Memorial Theatre, Savannah GA); The Rocky Horror Show Live! (Bay Street Theatre, Savannah GA); and The Witches (Savannah Children's Theatre, Savannah GA) . Recent recipient: NEH Summer Fellowship at Grambling State University’s 2014 Summer Institute in Greek Drama and Connect Savannah’s 2014, 2015 and 2016 Best Director. Featured in American Theatre Magazine in ROLE CALL 6 Theatre Workers you should know in 2018. B.A. Drama Studies, Purchase College; M.F.A. Interdisciplinary Arts, Goddard College. David is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
COMMUNITY THEATRE DIVISION
Rebecca Parker, Community Theatre Division Chair
Becca is the current Artistic Director of Live Arts Theatre in Norcross, GA. A graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory, Becca has done almost every job both onstage and off. She enjoys her role supporting school theatre programs and mentoring community theatres, as well as preparing people to enter the field of professional theatre.
beccaparker@liveartstheatre.org
603-867-2200
Live Arts Theatre
3520 Red Willow Ct
Buford, GA 30519
COMMUNITY THEATRE DIVISION
Kate Guyton, Community Theatre Division Vice-Chair
Kate Guyton is an actress and playwright who lives just south of Atlanta with her handsome husband, two dogs and two cats. She is a member of Onstage Atlanta’s Artistic Company as well as the Dramatists Guild. She won a Metropolitan Atlanta Theater (MAT) Award for her 2017 portrayal of “Henrietta” in Daniel Guyton’s Three Ladies of Orpington at Onionman Theater. Her biggest project to date was performing in Joan McElroy’s Thus Spoke the Mockingbird as Nelle Harper Lee at the Picollo-Spolette Festival in North Carolina. Some of her other credits include The Women’s Shorts at Out of Box theater; 9 to 5 (Missy Hart/Ensemble - OSA); Scrooge, the Musical (Ensemble/Crew - OSA); Tony and Tina’s Wedding (Sister Albert Maria - Lionheart); Prison Monologues (Rebethany - Onionman); The Mother of God Visits Hell (Mary – Process Theater); Motherhood Out Loud (Risa and ensemble - OSA); among others. She has written plays for the Atlanta Girls’ School, Lionheart Theatre, Out of Box Theater, GOOD Acting Studio, as well as the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Alaska. Her play Somewhere in France is a Lily won first place in the GISA One Act Play Competition in 2017. She also wrote The Pink Ladies for Atlanta Girls’ School and it opened in 2019. She has acted for Onion Man Productions, Atlanta Fringe Festival, Out of Box Theater, the Process Theater’s Play-Day-Readathon and more. She is happy to be apart of the Georgia Theatre Conference.
PROFESSIONAL THEATRE DIVISION
Daniel Guyton, Professional Theatre Division Chair
Daniel is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter from Fayetteville, GA. His stage plays have been produced nearly 500 times around the world, and he has been published in over 40 anthologies and solo publications, including several of the Best American Short Plays collections. His play Three Ladies of Orpington recently won 7 awards from the Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre Awards. He is a theatre professor at Georgia State University and Georgia Military College, and is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Writers Guild of America East. In addition, he is Vice Chair of the Fayette County Public Arts Committee, and Chair of the Professional Division of the Georgia Theater Conference. For more info, please visit: www.danguyton.com.
dguyton@gmc.edu dguyton1@gsu.edu
Georgia Military College Georgia State University
255 Veterans Parkway 3251 Panthersville Road
Fayetteville, GA 30214 Decatur, Georgia 30034
PROFESSIONAL THEATRE DIVISION
Amina S. McIntyre, Professional Theatre Division Vice-Chair
Amina is an Atlanta based playwright whose productions and readings include: Atlanta One Minute Play Festival, Atlanta History Museum, Fort Wayne Fringe Festival, Working Title Playwrights, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Onion Man Productions, The Blues Series (2019 Taurean Award Nominee for Excellence in Theatre), Vanguard Repertory Theatre (Suzi Bass Winner). Her residencies include Blackacre Conservancy Writer's Residency, Taleamor Park, Hambidge Center for Arts and Sciences and the National Winter Playwrights Retreat. Amina has studied and earned degrees from Colby College, Indiana University, Spalding University and Emory University, respectively. She was a 2014-2015 playwriting apprentice at Horizon Theatre Company, Managing Director of Karibu Performing Arts, 2014-2016 Atlanta Region Young Ambassador for the Dramatist’s Guild and the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs 2014-2015 Emerging Theatre Artist.
Amina S. McIntyre, MA, MFA, MTS
Writer. Editor. Artist. Preacher.
P O Box 110063
Atlanta, GA 30311
765.918.2992
SECONDARY SCHOOL THEATRE DIVISION
Lucy Lynn Bryson, Secondary School Theatre Division Chair
Lucy is the current Theatre Directorand Teacher at Brunswick High School. Before joining the Glynn County School System, she served as the Education Director for Golden Isles Arts & Humanities. Lucy Lynn also spent time as a freelance Director and Teaching Artist working with Lexington Children’s Theatre, the Orlando Repertory Theatre, Springer Opera House, University of Central Florida in partnership with the Kennedy Center, and others. She holds a BSEd from Columbus State University in Theatre Education and a MFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Theatre for Young Audiences.
912-267-4200 ext. 6163
SECONDARY SCHOOL THEATRE DIVISION
Ariana Perez-Lugones, Secondary School Theatre Vice-Chair
Ariana Perez-Lugones is the Technical Theatre Director at Camden County High School in Kingsland. Before teaching at CCHS, Ariana graduated from Columbus State University with her BSEd in Theatre Education. She worked professionally on staff at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan, and also worked productions at the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia. She is excited to be part of the GTC Board and looks forward to seeing everyone at conference!
Camden County High School
6300 Laurel Island Parkway
Kingsland, GA 31548
(912) 729-7318
SECONDARY SCHOOL THEATRE DIVISION
Ricardo Ipina, Secondary School Auditions Coordinator
Ricardo R. Ipina is currently the Musical Theater Arts Director at Valdosta High School, Valdosta, Ga. He holds a Bachelor degree in Piano Performance, a Bachelor’s in Music Education, and a Master’s in Music Education. Mr. Ipina served as choral/general music director in the Valdosta City School system for five years before transitioning into his current, 23 year position as theatre director. Professionally, he has performed with peach State Summer Theatre both on stage and in the pit orchestra, and is the music director and orchestrator/arranger for Theatre Guild Valdosta’s summer musicals.
Ricardo Ipina
229.563.1082
Valdosta High School
3814 Robin Lane
Valdosta, GA 31605
THEATRE FOR YOUTH DIVISION
Hannah Glass, Theatre for Youth Division Chair
Hannah Glass is currently serving as Vice Chair for the Youth Festival Division of Georgia Theatre Conference. Hannah is a graduate of the Columbus State University Theatre Education Program and has been proudly working in the Savannah Chatham County School District as a middle school theatre arts teacher for the last five years. Hannah continues to learn and grow in her craft working as an actress locally in Savannah in Community theatre and in hired freelancing. It’s going to be a great conference!
THEATRE FOR YOUTH DIVISION
Elisabeth "Mimi" Bair, Theatre for Youth Division Vice-Chair
Elisabeth Bair (Miss Mimi to the children) has been involved in theatre in some capacity for the last 21 years. She currently works with Kindergarten through college age students at the Colquitt County Arts Center as director of ACT2 and ACTOURS.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dean Slusser, Past President, Historian, Webmaster
Dean Slusser, a veteran educator currently in his 38th year of teaching, accepted his first position on the Georgia Theatre Conference Board of Directors in 1987, shortly after accepting a position at Gordon College in Barnesville. In 1989, he made the transition to high school teaching when he moved to Fort Valley, Georgia to create a drama program at Peach County High School. In 1995, he moved his family to the coast where he has been at Camden County High School ever since. He was named Fine Arts Coordinator in 1996 and Director of Fine Arts sin 2002. In the coming months, he will oversee the opening and operation of the multi-million dollar CCHS Fine Arts Academy, which is scheduled to host the GTC annual convention in 2021. He serves as Director of Adjudicator Training and State One Act Play Coordinator for the Georgia High School Association. He has served as adjunct faculty at the College of Coastal Georgia and Armstrong Atlantic University. He also has 25 years of music ministry behind him, and authored Adjudicating Theatre Performance: Responding to Competitions and Festivals (Dramatic Publishing, 2010). Slusser completed his doctorate in Educational Administration and his Specialist's degree in Leadership at Georgia Southern University. His Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Theatre are from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He and his wife, Susan live in St. Marys. They enjoy their children, Stephanie, Phillip & Grace, and Gabriel - but they most enjoy their grandchildren - AbbiLynn and Josiah!
Camden County High School
6300 Laurel Island Parkway
Kingsland, GA 31548
(912) 729-7318
EX OFFICIO
Mary Norman, GTC Executive Director
Mary became Executive Director for Georgia Theatre Conference after retiring from the Colquitt County School System with 32 years of service. For 21 of those years, she taught theatre, sponsored the drama club, and directed the one-act play. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Georgia, and pursued additional studies at Valdosta State University. She is a founding and sustaining member of the Arts Center Theatre, Colquitt County’s community theatre.
Please send all official GTC mail to:
Mary Norman
CCAC
401 7th Avenue SW
Moultrie, GA 31768