STAFF & OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
BRENDA MAY ITO,
President
Brenda is a Professor of Theatre at Columbus State University in Columbus, GA. She is the Program Director for the MEd in Theatre Education, the only MEd theatre program in Georgia and the BS in Education Theatre degree, the only university system program offering the Bachelor of Science in Education and teacher certification in drama. She is also the Program Director for CSU’s Theatre for Youth programs. The CSU Department of Theatre Youth productions are seen by over 50,000 children each year. She received her MFA in Theatre (concentration Theatre for Youth) at University of North Carolina-Greensboro, her MA in Theatre at Missouri State University, and her BS in Education Dance degree from Missouri State University. Brenda is the recipient of the 2010 Woodruff Arts Center’s Georgia Arts in Education Leaders award, the 2014 Southeastern Theatre Conference Sara Spencer Child Drama Award, and the 2014 Leighton Ballew Award for Distinguished Service to Theatre in Georgia. Brenda is in her 26th year at Columbus State University.
Brenda May Ito
Columbus State University
LUCY BRYSON,
Vice-President
Lucy is the current Theatre Directorand Teacher at Brunswick High School. Before joining the Glynn County School System, she served as the Education Director for Golden Isles Arts & Humanities. Lucy Lynn also spent time as a freelance Director and Teaching Artist working with Lexington Children’s Theatre, the Orlando Repertory Theatre, Springer Opera House, University of Central Florida in partnership with the Kennedy Center, and others. She holds a BSEd from Columbus State University in Theatre Education and a MFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Theatre for Young Audiences.
Lucy Bryson
Brunswick High School
JOE SENDEK,
Secretary
Mr. Joe Sendek is the Theatre & Performing Arts Director at Perry High School. A 1991 PHS alum, Mr. Sendek is proud to introduce the world of Theatre and challenge students to discover a new facet of creativity. Mr. Sendek has a Masters degree in the Education of Theatre/Communicative Arts from the University of Montevallo in Alabama. He was a member of the Theatre Honorary Fraternity, Alpha Psi Omega and also received a Bachelor's degree in Acting and Directing at UM. Recently, Mr. Sendek received the Best Director's Award from the South Eastern Theatre Conference. Mr. Sendek enjoys travelling with his wife, Mrs. Melissa Sendek, a PHS Spanish Teacher, and their son, Jacob. He also enjoys puppetry, playwriting, and wants to learn ASL.
Joe Sendek
Perry High School
SHIRLEY SPENCER,
Past President
Shirley began her teaching career at Central Michigan University and then roamed around from Central Texas Institute to Univ. of Maryland – Heidelberg. Finally putting down roots in the state of GA where she taught 28 of her total 33 years at Glynn Academy as their Theatre Director, One Act Play and Literary Coordinator. Shirley began working with Georgia Theatre Conference in ’96 as the Vice Chair of Secondary followed by Chair of Secondary, Secretary and later Chair of Community Theatre. Shirley is also a Hall of Fame Member of Georgia Thespians. Shirley hold a ED.S Degree in English from Georgia Southern University; MA – Interpersonal & Public Communications from Central Michigan Univ.; and a BS. In Theatre Education from Wright State University Dayton, Ohio. Shirley has happily retired to Athens, GA. where she is active with several Community Theatres: Town N Gown’s Reading Committee and she performs light hearted roles for Athens Creative Theatre.
Shirley Spencer
EX OFFICIO
JONO DAVIS,
Executive Director
Jono is the Producing Artistic Director of the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre and a proud employee of Cobb County PARKS (2019 Agency of the Year). He has coordinated and produced the last four years of events at the facility. Most recently, the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre was awarded 13 BroadwayWorld Awards, including Best Musical and Favorite Local Theatre. He recently served as Entertainment Coordinator for Cobb’s International Festival, which was awarded Event of the Year by Cobb Travel & Tourism. Jono has been nominated three times for Artist of the Year by Cobb Life Magazine's Best of Cobb Awards. In the last decade, Jono's had his hands in over 70 productions in Atlanta. He has worked and performed at Actor’s Express, Alliance Theatre, Arts Clayton, Atlanta Lyric Theatre, Aurora Theatre, Fabrefaction Theatre, Georgia Ensemble Theatre (Suzi Bass Award nominee), and SAIAH. Jono recently served as Lead Casting Director for an upcoming new musical series coming to Apple TV+. Since 2018, he has been selected to be an adjudicator for the GHSA one-act competition at Georgia Theatre Conference. He also generates all marketing and manages social media outlets for the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. Thank you for supporting the arts!
Jono Davis
Jennie T. Anderson Theatre
COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY DIVISION
IAN G. ANDERSEN,
College & University Division Chair
Ian is an assistant Professor of Acting and Voice at Valdosta State University. As an artist and educator, Ian’s research interests lie in the areas of outdoor classical theatre, supporting/activating classical texts, and the modern actors approach to poetic texts. As an actor, he has spent more than a decade as a Company Member with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival; where roles included Slender in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Poins in Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Ian in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare…Abridged, Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, and Freddy in Noises Off. Other favorite roles include Hamlet in Hamlet, Bo in Appropriate, Cassio in Othello, Posthumous in Cymbeline, Costard in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Dr. Caius in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Boss Mangan in Heartbreak House, Dev in Stupid F*#king Bird, Orgon in Tartuffe, and Robert in Boeing Boeing. Ian has also had the pleasure of treading the boards off-Broadway at Theatre Row, and regionally with The American Players Theatre, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. His teaching credits have taken him to Colorado, Montana, Wisconsin, Alabama and Georgia. Ian holds a BFA from the University of Colorado, Boulder and an MFA from the University of Alabama. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Ian G. Andersen
Valdosta State University
CELESTE MORRIS,
SETC Professional Screening Auditions Coordinator
Celeste is a resident designer and associate professor of theatre at the University of North Georgia focusing on Stage Management and Scene Design. She began her training with a BA degree from the Gainesville Theatre Alliance at Brenau University and received her MFA from The Florida State University in Design and Technology. Outside of her teaching career, Celeste has worked as a scenic artist for Universal Studios, Walt Disney World and various theatres throughout the southeast. Celeste has been a member of the Georgia Theatre Conference for over 10 years and has served on the professional committee and as Vice President Programming. She is currently the Southeastern Theatre Conference Auditions Coordinator.
Celeste Morris
University of North Georgia
DAVID POOLE,
College & University Vice-Chair
David I. L. Poole began his theatre career in upstate New York in the early 1990s. His extensive background in theatre, film, television and education has taken him to many new and experimental venues at which to showcase his directing, designing and puppeteering. He is a Senior Lecturer at Savannah State University in the Fine Arts Humanities Department. He is also a founding member of The Collective Face Theatre Ensemble and has directed/designed several of their productions. Sone of his recent directed and designed works include Hedda Gabler, Intimate Apparel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Dark of the Moon, A Midwinter Night’s Dream, Big Love, August: Osage County, The Great Gatsby, Harvey, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Pygmalion, Calendar Girls, Death of a Salesman, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Boeing-Boeing, The Little Prince, Grey Gardens, The Trip to Bountiful, Fool for Love, EQUUS, Pride and Prejudice, What the Butler Saw, No Exit, Angels in America Part I, and The Glass Menagerie (Collective Face, Savannah GA); and Color Struck, Oba Oedipus, The Conference of the Birds, The Marie Plays, Agamemnon, Gee’s Bend, Flight, Frankenstein, and Flyin’ West (Savannah State University, Savannah GA); Red Fish (Dillard University, New Orleans, LA) Poof!, Tick, Tick…Boom!, Through the Lookingglass, 365 Days/365 Plays (SCAD); ’night, Mother and Agnes of God (Cardinal Rep); Barnum and Into the Woods (Asbury Memorial Theatre, Savannah GA); The Rocky Horror Show Live! (Bay Street Theatre, Savannah GA); and The Witches (Savannah Children's Theatre, Savannah GA) . Recent recipient: NEH Summer Fellowship at Grambling State University’s 2014 Summer Institute in Greek Drama and Connect Savannah’s 2014, 2015 and 2016 Best Director. Featured in American Theatre Magazine in ROLE CALL 6 Theatre Workers you should know in 2018. B.A. Drama Studies, Purchase College; M.F.A. Interdisciplinary Arts, Goddard College. David is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
David Poole
Savannah State University
COMMUNITY THEATRE DIVISION
REBECCA PARKER,
Community Theatre Division Chair
Becca is the current Artistic Director of Live Arts Theatre in Norcross, GA. A graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory, Becca has done almost every job both onstage and off. She enjoys her role supporting school theatre programs and mentoring community theatres, as well as preparing people to enter the field of professional theatre.
Rebecca Parker
Live Arts Theatre
D. NORRIS,
Community Theatre Division Vice-Chair
D. Norris is a native of Atlanta, GA. He obtained a degree in Business Management from Alabama State University. He began his acting career in community and church plays. He has depicted diverse roles in stage plays and movies – sometime assuming multiple roles within a single performance. His skills include (but are not limited to) directing, stage managing, being an award-winning spoken word artist and choreographer. D. Norris started Adrenaline Entertainment in 2007 to promote artistic expressions such as music, dance, choreography and acting.
D. Norris
Adrenaline Entertainment
PROFESSIONAL THEATRE DIVISION
AMINA McINTYRE,
Professional Theatre Division Chair
Amina is an Atlanta based playwright whose productions and readings include: Atlanta One Minute Play Festival, Atlanta History Museum, Fort Wayne Fringe Festival, Working Title Playwrights, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Onion Man Productions, The Blues Series (2019 Taurean Award Nominee for Excellence in Theatre), Vanguard Repertory Theatre (Suzi Bass Winner). Her residencies include Blackacre Conservancy Writer's Residency, Taleamor Park, Hambidge Center for Arts and Sciences and the National Winter Playwrights Retreat. Amina has studied and earned degrees from Colby College, Indiana University, Spalding University and Emory University, respectively. She was a 2014-2015 playwriting apprentice at Horizon Theatre Company, Managing Director of Karibu Performing Arts, 2014-2016 Atlanta Region Young Ambassador for the Dramatist’s Guild and the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs 2014-2015 Emerging Theatre Artist.
Amina S. McIntyre, MA, MFA, MTS
Writer, Editor, Artist, Preacher
THANDIWE THOMAS DeSHAZOR,
Professional Theatre Division Vice-Chair
Thandiwe Thomas DeShazor (Thandi) is an actor, writer, producer and director. He is the writer/director of “Natural Woman: Unofficial Aretha” and other plays. His recent directorial collaborations include True Colors Theatre, Teatre du Reve, Out of Hand Theater and Out Front Theater. His Atlanta theatre credits include Angels in America and The Legend of Georgia McBride. His Television credits include “Lodge 49”, Murder Calls”, “Fatal Attraction”, and Swamp Murders. He started Thandi & Company to collaborate with other creatives to bring their ideas to life.
Thandiwe Thomas DeShazor
Director, Writer, Actor, Activist
SECONDARY SCHOOL THEATRE DIVISION
ARIANA PEREZ-LUGONES,
Secondary School Theatre Chair
Ariana Perez-Lugones is the Technical Theatre Director at Camden County High School in Kingsland. Before teaching at CCHS, Ariana graduated from Columbus State University with her BSEd in Theatre Education. She worked professionally on staff at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan, and also worked productions at the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia. She is excited to be part of the GTC Board and looks forward to seeing everyone at conference!
Ariana Perez-Lugones
Camden County High School
SETH HOWARD,
Secondary School Theatre Vice-Chair
Seth began his teaching career at Camden County High School on the south Georgia coast. After three years, he moved to the north Georgia mountains where he has served as the director of Theatre at Hart County High School in Hartwell since 2004. He is also active in Savannah River production. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Education from Piedmont College (now Piedmont University). Seth and his wife, Rebecca, live in Hartwell.
Seth Howard
Hart County High School
MICHELLE STYN,
Secondary School Auditions Coordinator
THEATRE FOR YOUTH DIVISION
SAM CASEY,
Theatre for Youth Division Chair
Sam is the Middle School Theatre Director at Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, GA. He is a graduate of the International Performance Ensemble at Pace University in New York City; and pursuing his MAT in Theatre Education at Columbus State (Fall ‘23). Most importantly, Sam is a proud student-alumni of the Georgia Theatre Conference (‘12 ‘13 ‘14). He is passionate about theatre education in Georgia and strives to create a welcoming environment for middle school students, directors, and makers of Theatre for Young Audiences.
Sam Casey
DALTON URDA,
Theatre for Youth Division Vice Chair
Dalton Urda is the middle school theatre teacher instructor at Rainey-McCullers and the GTC Theatre for Youth Division Vice Chair. Dalton joined the RMSOTA arts team at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. He graduated from Columbus State University in 2019 with a BFA in Technical Theatre & Design and immediately entered the professional workforce. Mr. Urda has worked on multiple feature films in the costume department and often as the head designer, including his work on Tulsa which premiered in the fall of 2020. Mr. Urda has also worked with multiple national touring productions and served as stitcher in the early stages of multiple tours.. When the pandemic hit, Mr. Urda returned to his original passion of theatre and decided to work towards becoming a school teacher to give his students the same love and passion for theatre that his teachers once gave him
Dalton Urda