5th Avenue Theatre

I’ve taken two trips to Seattle in the past year – one last June and one just last week – to prep for the upcoming Spring Conference. It’s a beautiful city, and I’m a fan of taking pictures, so to whet your appetite for your trip to Dramatic Marketing next month, here are some photos of what you’ll have to look forward to.

View from the W Seattle hotel, site of the Spring Conference:

Those of us in the office who have been to Blue C Sushi are so obsessed with it we’ve gotten everyone else obsessed with it too. Small plates of freshly made sushi (and other Japanese goodies) whiz by you on a conveyor belt. You take what you want, and when you’re ready for the check the waiter counts your color-coded plates. This is a few blocks from the hotel and The 5th Avenue Theatre.

A lovely spot for a conference coffee break or side meeting:

…and a lovely place to retire to at the end of a long day discussing marketing:

Very modern new light rail and bus station a block away from the hotel. Just $2.75 to get from the airport!

View from The Village Theatre’s First Stage building:

Sunset from The 5th Avenue Theatre: 

Monorail! Left over from the World’s Fair, this will take you from downtown (a couple of blocks from the hotel) to the Space Needle.

Views from the Space Needle:

Pike Place Market, a short walk from the hotel:

Sunset view from in front of Village Theatre’s mainstage last June:

Any Twin Peaks fans out there? Snoqualmie Falls, site of the Great Northern Lodge on the show, is a short drive from Village. (These were taken on a trip a few years ago.)

In the green room of The 5th Avenue Theatre: 

“Musical theater and those who create it are critical to the enrichment of our soul. Your work is about entertainment and enlightenment of the human spirit. We take this wondrous journey with you. Through our laughter and tears are all who we were, who we are and who we could become. Bravo to you who light our way!” -Kenny & Marleen Alhadeff

These are just a few of the sights Seattle has to offer. I hope you’ll join us and explore them all for yourself! Conference registration for NAMT members is open until March 8. Details at namt.org/conference.

Read More

The Fall Conference is barely over, and I’m already at work on the Spring Conference! I actually have been since June, when I traveled to two cities selected by the members as possible locations (on both trips I did double duty, attending a conference in one and visiting members in another). A lot goes into finding the right location for the conferences, both in New York and elsewhere. Hotels are great because they’re all-in-one: Attendees can stay there, and facilities, catering and audio-visual services are all packaged together. Many factors are considered, taking into account the diversity of our membership. It’s important to find a place where everyone will be comfortable and well taken care of, and is also affordable to all of the members. We also strive to keep NAMT’s own costs down, so that we can pass those savings on to you in the lowest possible registration fees. And with all the time we spend in the conference room, it can’t just be any old space. You’d be surprised how few hotels have event spaces with windows! It’s important for me to make these trips to see the venues in person, try the food, and spend the night in the hotel when possible (it’s worth noting that this doesn’t cost NAMT anything, since the hotels are after our business and treat me pretty well!)
For the city, we survey the members periodically to see where you’re interested in going. It’s better for me if we have a member in town. Some host at their venues, but even if not, having local knowledge is extremely helpful.
The 2012 Spring Conference will be held on March 22-24 in Seattle, WA. We have an amazing rate at the beautiful W Hotel, which I think you’ll all like very much, and we’ll also spend time at the 5th Avenue Theatre and Village Theatre. Save the date and watch for details in the coming weeks!

Read More