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. 

IMTAL was established in 1990. Since 1998, our 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.

 The pandemic has hit our industry particularly hard.

Your donations are greatly appreciated as we

continue our important work!

CONFERENCE 2020

 IMTAL at 30: Pandemic, Protests, and Possibilities

 73 of you took the time to join us on one or both days, and your enthusiasm and energy was evident across multiple time zones and zoom screens!

Thank you to Catherine Hughes for her powerful keynote, to Jo Clyne and IMTAL Asia-Pacific, to Angela Pfenninger and IMTAL Europe, to Paul Taylor and David Henry Wrigley and Tesla’s Dream, to George Buss and Mason Absher and The Bob Ross Experience, to those of you who stayed up late, and those who got up early, to our members and friends who listened, to those who spoke out and spoke up, and to those of you who shared your frustrations and your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your strengths, your stories, and your passions.

We didn’t solve all the world’s problems. We didn’t dismantle systemic racism. We didn’t put a dent in economic imbalances, we didn’t untangle the webs of social injustice, and we didn’t smash the patriarchy. But we did identify more of the tools we need to take on those jobs, we did find common ground, more members of our tribe, more souls dedicated to art and education and truth; and above all, we connected with, and were inspired by friends. Not too bad for a few hours, really.

Next year - Athens!

New Board of Directors!

IMTAL welcomes two new board members appointed as a result of our recent elections. 

Fiona Meagher                 Caryn M. Boehm 

Publications Officer:  Fiona Meagher of The Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History Secretary: Caryn M. Boehm, recently of The Peabody Essex Museum

They join President Todd D. Norris (Children’s Museum of Indianapolis), Vice President Elysia Segal (Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum), Treasurer Mason Absher (Minnetrista), Outreach Officer Nora Quinn (National Constitution Center) and Past-President/Member-at-Large Douglas Coler.

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 was presented to Betsy Maguire at the IMTAL Annual Conference,
hosted this year by The Children’s Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana

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!