Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 1976 - 5

EDITORIAL & NEWS
EDITORIAL

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For the greater part of the USITT membership, the
period from January 4 to January 11, 1976 undoubtedly passed without notice_ However, for nearly 50 hearty
technicians, designers, teachers and students this was the
time for a unique and historical excursion into theatre
on a truly international level. This issue of Theatre Design
CTJd Technology is an effort to document this experience
and communicate to the membership at large the variety
of impressions we brought back from Prague.
For those not familiar with the nature and scope of
the gathering in Prague, a few notes will be helpful. The
two major events in which the delegation participated
were the 4th Congress of the International Organization
of Scenographers and Theatre Technicians, and the Prague
Quadrennial. Though they occured in Prague simultaneously, they are distinct and unique.
The Congress of OISTT is a bi·annual meeting of an
international organization composed of some twenty
nations with the most developed theatre societies; for
example "western" nations who are members of the
OISTT include France, Great Britain, West Germany
(GFR - German Federal Republic!, Belgium, the Netherlands, Israel, the Scand inavian countries, Canada, Mexico
and the United States. "Eastern" member nations include
Poland, the German Democratic Republic (DDR), Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia; the Soviet
Union usually sends observers to the Congress but is not
officially a member of the 0 ISTT. Other member nations
are Egypt, Austria and Japan.
The subject matter of this year's congress was "The
Training of Scenographers and Theatre Technicians,"
and was developed through formal papers and discussions
combined with sessions of the Commissions on Scenogra!fly, Technical Theatre, Architecture, Education and
Training, and Publications.
The Prague Quadrennial, sponsored by The Czechoslovakian government, was the third quadrennial exhibit
and competition of international scene design, costume
design and theatre architecture. This exhibition encomplssed the work of some 700 artists from nearly 30
nations in one place at one time. The Quadrennial was
divided into nariomil exhibits of stage and costume design,
and separate national exhibits of theatre architecture.
Czechoslovakian exhibits do not participate in the com-.
petition. An international jury awards the major prize of
the "Golden Triga" to the best foreign exhibit for stage
and costume design, as well as a gold medal to the best
stage designer and the best costume designer from abroad.
A gold medal is awarded to the best foreign theatre
architecture exhibit. Gold medals are awarded to the best
Czechoslovakian scenic designer and costume designer.

USITT

The participation in these two events by a delegation
of 50 Americans was of some considerable historical
significance. This was the first time the United States
has been represented by an exhibition, Contemporary
Stage Design, U.S.A. For the first time USITT made it
possible for the United States to be represented at an
nternational congress by a delegation of ten outstanding
young students of theatre design and technology from
Golleges and universities across the nation. The Senior
Delegates with whom they attended the Congress included
USITT President Edward Kook, OISTT President Dr.
Joel Rubin, Gary Gaiser, Van Phillips, John Bracewell,
Don Stowell, Oren Parker, Richard Dunham, Ned Bowman, John Rothgeb, Tom Watson, Bernhard Works,
Brigitte Sitte, George Izenour, Jim Franklin, Harold
Burris-Meyer, Ming Cho Lee, Peter Frink, Larry Graham,
Jo Mielziner, Millia Davenport, Gilbert Hemsley, Leon
Brauner, David Nash, Stan Miller, Pat Zipprodt and Eldon
Elder.
Each member of the delegation gave of his time, effort
and comradeship to make this unlikly gathering a uniquely unified and dedicated representation of the arts and
crafts of the American theatre. For their vision and
determination in this enterprise thanks must be extended
by the membership of the Institute to Edward Kook and
Dr. Rubin. The Student Delegation contributed its unbounded energy and enthusiasm, which infected us all.
Generous grants from Arts of the Theatre Foundation,
N. Y.C.; Kliegl Brothers Lighting, Inc., Long Island City,
N.Y.; and Rosco Laboratories Inc., Port Chester, N.Y.
provided the initial encouragement and funds to make
the Student Delegation possible. These organizations
sustain our effort and encourage the future.
Particular thanks must be extended to Mr. Robert
L.B. Tobin of San Antonio, Texas for his encouragement
of design for the theatre and the funds to make this
enlarged edition of Theatre Design and Technology
possible.
John Rothgeb

University of Texas at Austin

NEWS

NEW FACILITY FOR HUNT ELECTRONICS
Hunt Electronics Company, a firm that pioneered the
development and manufacturing of solid state control
systems for residential, commercial and theatrical lighting, will move its corporate headquarters and principal
manufacturing facility to Palisades Business Park in Plano,
Texas. Up to 200 persons will be employed in a new plant

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

FALL,1976

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