The Road Back: Design Conference 2023

Every year, over the course of a long weekend, APT brings together the design teams and artists for each of the season's plays to talk, bounce ideas around and make some decisions about what works and what doesn't. We call this annual pilgrimage Design Conference, and this year it took place in-person for the first time since 2019. Managing Director Sara Young was on site, and is here to share a bit of the weekend's energy in this new installment of The Road Back.

As I write this post, the annual Design Conference is underway. Each March, we bring together all the production teams for an intense three days of meetings. As I sit in my office doing some fairly mundane manager-type work, I can hear a buzz in the building. People greeting each other, talking about their plays, planning. It fills me with excitement and anticipation – the thrill of the coming season. It’s just so palpable.

This is the first time since the pandemic that most people are here in person for the design conference. The last few have been mostly virtual so the sense of community is that much more special this weekend.

There are more than 60 people involved – and a dozen or so more participating virtually. This includes each production’s director, design team (scenic, costume, lighting, sound), voice and text coach and some stage managers. We also have specialists like our Movement and Fight Choreographer, and artisans such as Drapers, Milliners and more.

It’s far from the first time these teams have gotten together. The director and designers have been working on these plays for months. Preliminary designs have been submitted to the shop staffs – the folks who will make those designs a reality. But this is an important opportunity to clarify, to verify that everyone is on the same page. By the end of the conference, they’ll be ready to make it happen. Build the scenery and costumes. Record the music. Rehearse the play.

All leading to a mild night in June (or August) when we complete the process by adding the final piece of the creative process – you, our audience.

I’m truly in awe of this operation.

At last count, there were 115 separate meetings scheduled. Who is behind this project management magic? Many people, but I’m going to just call out a few. Production Manager Michael Broh, along with Associate Production Manager Laura Arnold are at the heart of the planning, scheduling the meetings and coordinating every move. Michael will also be attending as many meetings as he can, sniffing out challenges that might come up and then guiding the team to find a path forward.

Company Manager Andy Truschinski, along with Assistant Company Manager Nora Murphy, make sure everyone arrives safely and has a place to stay. Oh, and they put out a heck of a spread so nobody goes hungry as they move through the days of constant meetings. Also, shout out to Sharon Moshure, our IT Coordinator, who has set up six separate meeting rooms to handle virtual visitors.

Of course, Artistic Director Brenda DeVita is the host-in-chief, always listening carefully and diving into any tough conversations that might come up. And with dozens of artists working together, they invariably do. And whenever she can’t be in the room, you can bet that Associate Artistic Director Carey Cannon and Artistic Associate and Production Stage Manager Evelyn Matten are there on the job.

We know it would have been possible, cheaper and easier to continue having these meetings by Zoom. Believe me, we thought about it. But being witness to this weekend leave absolutely NO DOUBT in my mind of the value of these artists and artisans being together in person. Walking in these magical woods, drawing energy from each other, creating these plays.

I can’t wait until you’re here to feel it too.