Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1977 - 8

winners to the Annual Convention, not one of the Regions has really carried out this program. I consider this
one of our most exciting and important activities. What
better way can we bring talented students to the attention
of producing theatres? We can, and must make this project work next year.
Another matter of concern: I am troubled because it
is increasingly clear that the achievements of Committees
are more and more becoming the work of one or two key
members rather than the total efforts of a larger team.
The practice of which I speak is found in all Committees, but I can think of one in which 98 percent of the
work seems to have been accompl ished by one man
working alone. I am not trying to blame the other members of the Committee, because it is the function of
the Chairman to involve his Committee in this work. And
furthermore, one function of the Vice President is to see
to it that the Committee Chairman does involve the members in this work.
There are some Committees such as the Commission to
Study How To Improve Stage Floors for Dancers who desite best efforts have made no significant progress on the
project they have accepted. What do we do about this?
It is easy to say "Change the Committee", but the Committee has been carefully chosen to include those people
best qual ified to attempt the project. We must find a way
to get these very often busy and overworked specialists
to allot a specified regular amount of time to their accepted undertaking.
In Iight of this I hesitate to add new projects to an organization whose Committees appear to be already overloaded with uncompleted work. Yet, the USITT must
continually examine the needs of the art and industry and
the society we serve, and set priorities accordingly . . .
even at the cost of dropping earlier projects that we have
approved. I believe that the problem of energy conservation be undertaken at once. Therefore, before my term of
office expires, I will set-up a Committee to determine
what we should be doing about this national problem and
to make recommendations to the incoming President.
Now, I would like to speak about the Journal. Without
complaining about what has been achieved under difficult
conditions, I know that I am not alone in believing that
the highest priority should be given to improving the
Journal. To begin with . . . we need better quality in
typography and in the reproduction of technical drawings
and photographs. As for the content, I would Iike to see
more detailed data about electromechanical devices,
lighting instruments and controls. I would like to see
stricter adherence to mailing the Journal on time. I
would like to see a regular listing of patents issued for
machinery, lighting instruments, electrical devices pertaining to theatre technology. I would like to see even more
book reports and a listing of pertinent publications made
available to members with membership discounts. I would
Iike to see more reports and articles from the membership
on new theatres in which they are involved and/or their
opi nions about theatres they have visited. I do not mean
undue accolades, but candid constructive criticism. I
would like to see reports about experimentation with
8

SUMMER,1977

stage forms with unusual stage relationships; relationships
of new theatres to their adjacent areas i.e., new type of
thrust stage to overcome poor sight lines. Keep the actor
downstage and still in command of the stage; different
means of seating, even side seat arrangements of audience
to stage. Plenty of backstage space to attain a sense of
scenic environment.
All of these things require that we allot more money to
composing and printing of the Journal, and that we pay
the Editor enough to make his job a primary responsibility.
Already, we have forty-five Sustaining Organizations
and Companies who subscribe and remit $200 yearly.
There is no reason why this group cannot be enlarged
to 125. Members can help and I ask that you please
do. Of course, advertising is an essential part of the
revenue for any magazine and with the proposed improved qual ity of the Jou rnal, I see no reason why we
cannot increase advertising revenue to at least $15,000.
These goals will be the responsibility of a new group
which I will select and name the Development Commission. But, beyond finding the wherewithal for improving the Journal, the Development Commission will
be charged with the most challenging task of all, which
will be the constant search for grants to support whatever USITT projects require them. Proposers of approved
projects will work closely with the Development Commission to write applications for grants.
In closing, I hope my comments asking for growth
and improvement do not convey an inordinate despair
about the shortcomings of our organization. My two
years which will terminate June 30, 1977, have gratified me beyond (my) expectations. There are innumerable members with whom I have collaborated, whose
dedication and work is apparent to me and I am grateful to them. The merits of their works will be apparent
to the membership.
The elected President of any organization must always
balance his knowledge of how much remains to be done
with his joy about the achieved work in which he has
played some part.
I have felt most joyous when the USITT has moved
ahead not as a mere devisor of stage machinery, but as
unselfish and imaginative collaborators with creative
theatre artists. Through our work, we minimize antisocial working hours and inflationary labor and office
costs and thereby give actors and directors more rehearsal time in wh ich to create, and more possibil ities of
choice with VVhich to enhance performances. The closer
we work with the artist the more truly do we justify
the existence of the USITT.

*****************
The "CAPITOL 77" conference came to an end on
Satu rday evening with the Awards banquet. Ms. Zelda
Fichandler, a recipient of a USITT Award - see belowwas the principal speaker.

The awards to Institute members and others are as
follows:
Continued on.

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

. Page 32

I USITT

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1977