The mission of the International Museum Theatre Alliance is to inspire and support the use of theatre and theatrical technique 
to cultivate emotional connections, provoke action, and add public value to the museum experience. 

Since 1998, IMTAL conferences have recognized and supported the best in museum theatre innovation and practice.
These meetings of museum and theatre professionals from around the world have advanced the field of museum theatre, helping to encourage growth of new programs as well as best practices and high quality work. Veteran practitioners, emerging professionals, academics and students come together to impel and inspire each other.

Please join us for the 17^th Annual conference of the
International Museum Theatre Alliance:

 GET CRITICAL: FORGING THE FUTURE OF MUSEUM THEATRE

August 22-25, 2019             Indianapolis, Indiana
hosted by the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

With a cutting-edge call to Get Critical: Forging the Future of Museum Theatre, this year’s conference promises to offer a range of professional learning opportunities, from performances and plenary sessions, workshops and demonstrations to professional debates and networking occasions. 

We will enjoy Greece-inspired dishes at the entrance of the Children's Museum's new gallery, Take Me There: Greece. Remarks and presentation of the Lipsky Award will be in the gallery, followed immediately by the interactive Museum Theatre piece, "Opa! A Big Fat Greek Wedding Reception."

A full day of startup workshops and tours on Thursday, August 22. Workshops will include: Demystifying Grants, Collaborations, Creating Extraordinary Characters, among other sessions. (Those not attending the start-up Workshop will travel to Minnetrista, for a field trip and box lunch outside of the city.)

And, a special guest panel: Authenticity in Representation and Interpretation: A Native American Indian Perspective. This panel of award-winning Native American Indian museum practitioners, performers, and scholars, with credentials ranging from Academia to Hollywood to Living History, share their experiences and perspectives on engaging audiences.

Attendees will also see performances at Minnetrista, the Indiana State Museum, and other local venues. 

Whether you are a veteran of past conferences or a newcomer to IMTAL, you can be part of challenging conversations that move this field forward.

 Evening events will also make sure you don’t miss the IndyFringe Festival with 80 groups performing 400 shows!

Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Porchia Moore, Co-Creator of the Visitors of Color Project

Someone once proclaimed, "Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good." What's the good that we are making in museums with our theatre? Join Dr. Porchia Moore, Critical Race Theorist, Museum Strategist, and cultural heritage thought leader in a riveting keynote address examining how 21st century museums can better understand the "critical" in our daily praxis. Dr. Moore will outline the benefits of approaching diversity, equity, access, and inclusion as a function of Critical Race Theory application. Explore why deepening the "critical" creates deep satisfaction for both museum professionals and their visitors. This keynote will discuss the important role of museum theatre as a tool for strengthening the language of inclusion and providing pathways for dialogic community-based work as a means of addressing issues of social justice, transformation and change, and power. Let's turn what's good into greatness by understanding the nuances of critical museum work and the application of radical inclusion and empathy in our field.

Conference Details

Dates: August 22-25, 2019
(Thursday Workshops & Tours; Conference Friday-Saturday and Sunday 1/2 day)

Conference site: Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

Hotel Info: Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown
10 East Market Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204
$149/night, includes breakfast - rate available for dates between Aug 21-25
Click here to make reservation with our group rate   (Group code: IMTAL)

HOTEL ROOM BLOCK CLOSES ON JULY 29! RESERVE NOW!

Cost: $275 members / $325* non-members  *includes start up membership
- Includes refreshments & a dinner. Transportation will be provided between sites & events.

REGISTER HERE!

FIND OUT MORE or ask questions, email vicepresident@imtal-us.org.

2019 Jon Lipsky Award for Excellence in Playwriting

Betsy Maguire

for her play

Tales from the Dungeon: Life at Newgate

Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine

East Granby, Connecticut

above: Theatre Guild of Simsbury performing Tales from the Dungeon: Life at Newgate

The 2019 Lipsky Award will be presented to Betsy Maguire at the end of August during 

a celebratory dinner at the IMTAL Annual Conference, hosted this year 

by The Children’s Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana

INSIGHTS - Spring 2019 

ADAPTATION!
When Things Don't Go as Planned...

In this issue:

Mitigating Failure Through
Unscripted Expertise: a polemic
by Molly M. Ritchie

Adaptation and a Solo Performer's Journey
by Lisa Hayes

VIEW THE FULL SPRING 2019 ISSUE (PDF)

ARTICLES ONLINE:
In addition to the PDF version (above), now you can also link to, comment on, and share articles on social media via the ARTICLES ONLINE section. We encourage you to explore and interact with this new format: leave a comment, start a dialogue, and spread the word about museum theatre!