The International Theatre Institute (ITI) is the world's largest performing arts organization in existence today. ITI was founded in 1948 by a globally diverse collection of theatre and dance experts working together with the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Based out of Paris, France, the ITI boasts an ever-growing membership base of 92 centers and institutions devoted to the practice, pedagogy, and scholarship of theatre and dance. Some of their primary goals consist of international collaboration initiatives, archiving and disseminating important industry information, and fostering the development of performers, educators, and festivals throughout their global fraternity. To be involved with this international institute is an honor distinguished by its current member list and their efforts to help develop and promote a more equitable and inclusive community of theatre makers and educators. 
 
Texas Tech University was just one of two United States institutions to attend and participate in the recent ITI Special Connecting Event, hosted virtually this past December (2021). This level of commitment to the arts and higher education demonstrates just how devoted the School of Theatre and Dance is to its students and faculty. By being invited to such an event, Texas Tech's School of Theatre and Dance can continue to offer opportunities for its theatre makers and educators to thrive within a global network on an international stage. The access to international partnerships, pedagogical methods, and artistic perspectives are fundamental in helping Texas Tech flourish as an institution dedicated to the arts.
 
School Director, Dr. Mark Charney, has much to do with Texas Tech's invitation to this elite institute, as he works tirelessly and selflessly to promote the School of Theatre and Dance's brand throughout the United States and abroad. So it was a great honor and no small task when Dr. Charney approached me about representing Texas Tech at December's Special Connecting Event. I, along with fellow PhD student, Cory Lawson, prepared a presentation to showcase the development and recent St. Louis production of one of my latest plays, The Playwright & The Producer. This same play, alongside other new works from Texas Tech playwrights, will be featured in this spring semester's Frontier Fest. The response both to my play and our presentation of materials was overwhelmingly supportive, resulting in immediate networking opportunities with interested producers in London, Edinburgh, Manila, and Maharashtra. 
 
I like to think of this play's short but mighty journey thus far as being of two different legs, before ITI and after ITI. With plans to visit this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August as a special guest of London-based producer, Chris Grady, Cory Lawson and I are endlessly thankful for the rich and unique opportunities presented to us and this play from representing Texas Tech at ITI's Special Connecting Event. This sort of success exemplifies ITI's primary objective to connect theatre makers and educators from various backgrounds and disciplines in order to create something new and exciting across borders and boundaries—geographically, artistically, and professionally. I am excited about what these new partnerships will involve and for Texas Tech University's place among this celebrated and generous global family.

Watch the presentation below or click here.