Virtual Masterclasses
AACT Virtual Masterclasses are 75 to 90-minute, in-depth explorations of specific skills or topics, offered every other month. These online presentations are designed to provide new perspectives, powerful strategies, and ways to unleash your creativity.
All events begin at 2:00 pm Eastern, 1:00 pm Central, 12:00 pm Mountain, and 11:00 am Pacific.
Registration is $15 for AACT Members; $25 for non-members.
- Access to webinar is one per registrant.
- Recordings will not be available, unless otherwise noted.
Refund Policy
Transfer/substitution requests are welcomed 48 hours prior to the event date. Only one attendee transfer/substitution per registration. The amount paid, minus a 20% cancellation fee, will be applied to all refunds. No refunds are eligible after the 48 hour window period.
Tuesday, August 20
Theatre Marketing: Planning & Implementation
In this interactive session, you’ll roll up your sleeves and brush up your marketing project management and content strategy skills to reimagine how you plan marketing for your productions.
Learn how to use automation, AI and other technology to your advantage to create more impactful timelines and level-up your creativity when creating compelling and engaging ways to excite audiences both loyal and new. When audiences are engaged, they're more likely to buy!
This masterclass is highly recommended for your theatre’s marketing staff and volunteers.
>> Registration Information coming soon.
Facilitator
Julie Nemitz is a marketing mastermind who's shaking things up in the world of live theatre. She is the founder of Theatre Marketing Lab, a consultancy dedicated to helping thousands of theatre artists and organizations grow audiences and amplify their work in the digital space –with a big dose of content marketing magic and a whole lot of innovative brand strategy. Julie is passionate about working with theatremakers, coaching them to harness the power of online to build their theatre’s brand. Julie’s passion project, The Artist Marketing Lab, launched in 2023. There, Julie works directly with theatre artists to develop personal brands and companies. In the past year she has worked with playwright and Guggenheim fellow Christine Masciotti, Broadway director James A. Rocco to launch Thirty Saints Productions, his licensing company, and with playwright Susan Parker to rebrand her company Parker Plays for the digital age. Her desire to help playwrights with their branding and marketing strategies speaks directly to Julie’s personal passion to keep new theatre works alive and produced in communities everywhere.
Since 2019, over 2,800 theaters have benefitted from training with the Theatre Marketing Lab where theatermakers can take self-guided training, group coaching sessions or collaborate on one-on-one consultation projects with Julie. Her signature programs Sell The Show! and Merrily We Roll Out: The Season Reveal Launch Plan have impacted local theatre marketing strategies from Glasgow to Melbourne and everywhere in between. Prior to the launch of Theatre Marketing Lab, Julie had a nearly fifteen year career in sales and marketing with some of the top publishers and media companies including Playbill, People Magazine, Parents.com, Scholastic.com. As a VP of Partnership Marketing at Triad Retail Media, she led her team to develop award-winning eCommerce content for Walmart.com.
Julie travels the country (and the internet) speaking about marketing and the theatre industry for organizations such as American Association of Community Theatre, The National Presenters Association, and on numerous podcasts. She is also adjunct faculty at Western Michigan University teaching Theatre Arts Marketing to the next generation of artists.
Currently, Julie is leading marketing for the new musical Signs Of Life with book, music and lyrics by Christopher DeLair which will have its NYC industry workshop in October of 2023.
Learn how you can work with Julie by visiting julienemitz.com.
Thursday, September 5
Arts for All: Creating Inclusive Theatre Experiences
Presented by Libby Pedersen, Executive Director, Ignite Theatre Company
Unlock the potential of inclusive programming with our engaging masterclass! Discover how to design theatrical experiences that cater to the neurodiverse, individuals with developmental delays, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments. You’ll gain practical skills for creating accessible performances and learn strategies to forge meaningful, lasting relationships with community members, performers, and audiences. This session will equip you with actionable programming plans to implement and share within your theatre communities.
Libby Pedersen holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Columbia College Chicago, specializing in performance and arts education. Her extensive experience in regional theatre is complemented by a profound commitment to nurturing young talent and expanding arts opportunities. As the former Youth Programs Coordinator at Stray Dog Theatre, Libby launched the Stray Pups Youth Theatre and later founded and led Ignite Theatre Company, a nationally acclaimed youth arts organization recognized with two prestigious awards. Her innovative approach to accessible programming has also garnered accolades, underscoring her dedication to creating inclusive theatre experiences. Currently serving as Ignite’s Executive Director, Libby was named one of Focus St. Louis’ 2022 Emerging Leaders and actively participates in multiple task forces focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the St. Louis Metro East area.
>> Registration information coming soon
Thursday, October 3
Developing New Works & Engaging Your Community
Presented by Trinity Bird, Executive Director, The Sauk
Since 2014, The Sauk, in Jonesville, Michigan, has presented an annual Plays-in-Development series, showcasing their dedication to developing new theatrical works. Each year, it presents staged readings of new and in-process plays, with post-performance discussions to further engage audiences and gather valuable feedback for playwrights. In this session, you’ll learn how the Plays-in-Development series was born, the impact it’s made on the theatre and community, and tips for launching similar initiatives with your organization.
Trinity Bird has been The Sauk’s executive director since 2015, but has been involved with the organization since 1997 as an actor, director, and volunteer. His directing credits at The Sauk include an immersive outdoor Charlotte’s Web, Living Room Monologues, Les Miserables, Titanic, Doubt, The Full Monty, Pippin (his favorite), and two AACT NewPlayFest world premieres: On Pine Knoll Street, by Mark Cornell and Criminal Mischief, by William Cameron.
>> Registration information coming soon
Thursday, November 7
Making Immersive Theatre
Presented by Chris Hamby, Executive Director, TheaterWorks
Immersive theatre surrounds the audience with the world of the story, and this workshop will give you a quick introduction to all things immersive. You’ll learn how you begin in making immersive work, who is making immersive theatre, and much more. Bring your questions as we share this exciting world-making genre of our craft.
Chris Hamby is an award-winning director and the Executive Director for Arizona's TheaterWorks. During his 11 years with the organization, he previously served as the Education Director and Artistic Director. During the pandemic, his leadership led to the creation of three immersive productions; Curiouser & Curiouser, Curiouser Nutcracker and Curiouser & Curiouser Too. The Curiouser productions were mentioned in the Wall Street Journal and were the basis for the documentary film, Down the Rabbit Hole: The Arts, The Pandemic and the Curiouser Immersive Project. Chris spent much of 2023 in the UK researching best practices in immersive theater with a Research & Development grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts.
>> Registration information coming soon
