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Theatre Historical Society of America
"Philadelphia-Baltimore-Wilmington" - July 7 - 11, 2009
With a special optional Afterglow on Sunday, July 12 to Northeast Pennsylvania: Northampton, Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton.
~ 2007 Milwaukee to Minneapolis Conclave Scrapbook
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2006 Boston
Conclave Scrapbook
~ Read the article by Elliott Stein in The Village Voice:
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More about our Conclaves
The first evening is always a welcome reception and silent auction/"flea market" sale featuring theatre-related books and collectibles. Attendees enjoy meeting one another and renewing old friendships or making new ones and purchasing that special item. Over the next few days there are visits to a variety of theatres, from neighborhood venues seating a few hundred to giant movie palaces seating thousands. Some have been lovingly rehabilitated by dedicated volunteers with "sweat equity," while others have been restored to their original grandeur by master craftsmen for millions of dollars. Some others, however, have not been so fortunate but are nonetheless historically interesting, and the opportunity to see them is equally appreciated. Attendees are usually allowed to go backstage and sometimes up to the projection booth, or "crawl" around the many other nooks and crannies. Managers or owners are usually present to give the history of their theatre. If there's a pipe organ, it may be played by the resident organist -- or THSA members! Other highlights of the Conclave are sometimes a "trailer bash" and/or "slide bash." The "trailer bash" is held at one of the theatres visited. Members bring movie "trailers," or previews, of classic or contemporary films, sometimes presenting real treasures! The "slide bash" features slides or sometimes videos of a member's favorite theatres, or highlights from the previous year's Conclave. The commentary is sometimes serious, sometimes humorous. The main Conclave concludes with a banquet in the host hotel or another unique location. The 1995 Detroit Conclave's farewell brunch was in the ornate lobby of the Fox Theatre, and the final banquet of the 1989 London Conclave took place amidst the regal splendor of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton! Frequently there is also an "Afterglow" tour following the regular Conclave to a nearby area of interest, for those who wish to spend a little more time "seeing the sights" with fellow THS'ers. The 1999 Western New York Conclave had an excursion to the historic Chautauqua Institution; and the 2005 Southern California Conclave visited theatres in San Diego and enjoyed brunch at the historic Hotel Del Coronado. In 2008, there was a tour to the incredible Hearst Castle along the beautiful Big Sur coast highway! Previous THSA Conclave locations:
1970 - New York City NY
1980 - New York City NY
1990 - New Haven and Connecticut
2000 - Cleveland, Columbus and Northeast Ohio
2009 (July 7-11) Philadelphia PA, including Wilmington DE, Baltimore MD, New Jersey and Northeast Pennsylvania.
There are many cities and parts of the country with theatres that would be GREAT for THSA to visit! Consider having a Conclave in your area! They are are hosted by a local committee of member and outside volunteers, working under the direction of the THSA Vice President and a board committee. Any member is welcome to submit a proposal to host a Conclave. Contact Society headquarters for more information.
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2007 Conclave DVD Now Available!
Listen to the KPLU Seattle/National Public Radio report:
