Spring Conference 2017

We built the 2017 Spring Conference around an idea that’s surfaced repeatedly at recent marketing and development conferences: The full patron experience. In an increasingly data-driven and customer-focused world, marketing and fundraising can and should overlap more and more. While individual relationships will always matter, your patrons support your theatre — whether through subscriptions, group sales, individual ticket purchases, small contributions or big gifts — not an individual department. How do you communicate with your audience and with each other? How do you promote your theatre as a destination both to attend and to support — and how do you actively make those two goals work together? How do programming, education and community engagement play a role? How do your patrons experience your theatre from the moment they receive your mailing, to when they arrive, through the show, to when they leave?

This Conference was designed for anyone who plays a role in the message your theatre and your shows are sending — not only Development and Marketing staffs, but also Artistic Directors, Executive Directors, Managing Directors and commercial producers and presenters. Discounts were available for multiple attendees.

We’ve just moved all our fundraising direct mail to the marketing department for the rest of the year and already it’s a revelation. Watching marketing look at it completely differently from how development has been looking at it, big score. There’s something about that idea that I’ve always wanted to tease out, where you look at skill set more than department.

-Phil Santora, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, at the 2016 Spring Conference

I’m fortunate…that I oversee an integrated marketing and development department. One revenue generating department that oversees all the ways that we speak to and talk to and touch our patrons. We’ve had much success in doing that…. Over the course of the eight years that we’ve had this integrated department, we’ve increased our donor base by just over 30%, we’ve increased our contributed giving three times, and we’ve done that because we have throughout the organization managed how we talk to and cultivate our ticket buyers. I’m a big proponent of the integrated marketing, development, education, audience outreach, customer care department, because you remove that human tendency to silo an organization.

-Gregory Patterson, WaterTower Theatre, at the 2016 Spring Conference

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Spring Conference registration included:

• panels and case studies from our members and outside experts
  • creating a unified experience for our patrons
  • breaking down silos inside our organizations
  • overcoming challenges to better serve our patrons and ourselves
  • putting a personal face on your theatre
• vibrant discussion and break-out sessions
• breakfast and lunch on both days
• networking cocktail parties
• ample networking time
• and more!

ADD-ON EVENTS

• An American In Paris at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre
• Fun Home at the Ahmanson Theatre
• Peek Behind the Magic at Disney Imagineering
• A day at Disneyland with behind-the-scenes extras (

REGISTRATION, RATES AND DEADLINES

• NAMT Conferences are open to NAMT members in good standing and invited guests.
• The more people you bring, the more you save!
  • Member registration rates were $520-600 per person ($100 discount for early registration).
  • Additional options were available for single day rates, Associate Members and invited non-members.
• Deadlines:
  • Early registration ended on February 20. All prices increased $100 on February 21.
  • The last day to register for the Conference was March 19, 2017.
  • Cancellations were permitted through March 12. Fees were refunded, less a $100 service charge. We will not be able to provide any refunds after March 12, however you may transfer your registration to someone else if you are unable to attend.
  • The last day to purchase An American in Paris or Fun Home tickets was March 10.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

We are very grateful to the sponsors and exhibitors of the 2017 Spring Conference. Please click here for information on supporting NAMT and the benefits of sponsoring or exhibiting at our events.

Planning Committee

Educational Resources Committee
Donna Lynn Hilton, Goodspeed Musicals (CT), Chair
Michael Ballam, Utah Festival Opera Company (UT)
Wayne Bryan, Music Theatre Wichita (KS)
Kathy Evans, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat (NY)
Mark Fleischer, Pittsburgh CLO (PA)
Phil Santora, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley (CA)

Spring Conference Committee
Frank Stilwagner, Village Theatre (WA), Co-chair
Daniel Thomas, 42nd Street Moon (CA), Co-chair
Nancy Altschuler, Goodspeed Musicals (CT)
Michael Betts, Musical Theatre West (CA)
Lisa Cooney, Paper Mill Playhouse (NJ)
T.J. Dawson, 3-D Theatricals (CA)
Matt Morrow, Diversionary Theatre Productions (CA)
Courtney Simms, The MUNY (MO)