The STAA 2008 Conference was hosted by Utah Shakespearean Festival.
STAA members were greeted with warmth by the whole community – including the downtown merchants who gracefully kept their Christmas lights up for the conference. This year’s theme was “The Artist in Shakespeare.” The perfect tone was set by keynote speaker, Antoni Cimolino (General Director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival) and a true sense of passion and purpose permeated the rest of the week. As a group, attendees focused some attention on The Merchant of Venice, diversity and the “one-headed vs. two-headed” leadership models. Breakout sessions included: the art of season planning, training teaching artists, clues in the text to staging Shakespeare, Shakespeare in small centres, Shakespeare’s lesser-known works, working with loved ones and changing personal art. Attendees also had an opportunity to tour the Utah Shakespearean Festival theatres and facilities as well as attend a performance of their production of “ART”.

The full conference report is now available in the members section.