Theatre & Dance

American College Theatre Festival (ACTF)

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide which has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States.  Through state, regional, and national festivals, KCACTF participants celebrate the creative process, see one another's work, and share experiences and insights within the community of theater artists. The KCACTF honors excellence of overall production and offers student artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing, and design.   American College Theatre Festival Region III (Great Lakes Region) Region III of the American College Theatre Festival includes theatres in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.  Productions and student designers and actors are critiqued by respondents and nominated for competition at the Region III festival.  Winners from there are then chosen to participate at the national level at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Alliance for Wisconsin Theatre Education (AWTE)

The Alliance for Wisconsin Theatre Education is dedicated to promoting comprehensive theatre education in Wisconsin through advocacy for theatre education and educators and by providing opportunities for professional development and a network for communication and support among members.   Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) The Association for Theatre in Higher Education is an organization of individuals and institutions that provides vision and leadership for the profession and promotes excellence in theatre education.  ATHE actively supports scholarship through teaching, research and practice and serves as a collective voice for its mission through its publications, conferences, advocacy, projects, and through collaborative efforts with other organizations.

United States Institute of Theatre Arts Technology (USITT)

USITT is a national organization for theatre arts designers and technicians.  USITT holds an annual convention with presentations, workshops and a showroom of theatrical supplies.  The conference also schedules specific activities for students including job search and portfolio review opportunities.  All visual aspects of design for the performing arts, costumes, scenic and lighting designs are eligible for inclusion in the Design Expo which is held in even years.  Winners are selected for publication in Theatre Design and Technology, the journal of USITT.  In odd years, a Tech Expo is held featuring innovations in technology in all areas.  For more information about USITT, please see Ron Stoffregen or visit the USITT website.

University Resident Theatre Arts Association (U/RTA)

U/RTA is an organization of professional theatre companies and professionally-oriented theatre training programs.  Each year, they offer several hundred positions to talented young theatre artists and technicians to bridge the gap between advanced student to aspiring professional through engagements with graduate programs, Shakespeare festivals, resident theatre companies on and off campuses, and summer theatre companies.

Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education (WAAE)

WAAE seeks to ensure that the arts are woven into every aspect of Wisconsin education.  The Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education (WAAE) conducts workshops, institutes, mini-conferences, and an annual Arts Education Summit Conference, bringing together members of the arts education community (dance, creative writing, theater, music, visual arts), as well as those from the general education community (administrators, school board members, curriculum coordinators, guidance counselors, classroom teachers, parents, business leaders, and legislators).