Thank you to everyone who contributed
to the success of
LHAT's 31st Annual Conference & Theatre Tour in Boston:

Lobstahs and Linesets

Boston , Massachusetts
July 25-28, 2007

HarborFest Red Coats, Courtesy of Greater Boston CVB

"Lobstahs" and tea parties...swan boats and beans...Fenway and the Freedom Trail...fife, drum, and vaudeville -- Boston is a city rich in history, culture and tradition. From Boston's historic waterfront through its theatre district, education centers, and numerous landmarks, the "City on the Hill" is a rousing mix of old and new. Highlighting Boston's mix of tradition and innovation, historical significance and new solutions for community and economic development, the League’s 2007 conference celebrated the region’s unique characteristics and leadership in preserving and sustaining historic theatres.

Based on attendees' comments and evaluations, the conference was a great success, affording historic theatre representatives, service providers, suppliers, government officials and individuals the chance to:

• Network with their peers to share information, advice and experiences about the topics of most interest to them during Peer Discussion Breakfasts and Nuts & Bolts Sessions.
• Attend professional development and plenary sessions about rescuing, rehabilitating and sustaining historic theatres presented by some of the field's best practitioners.
• Meet the professional providers and suppliers who serve the field.
• Tour the area's landmark theatres.

More about the 2007 conference:

Trinity Church and John Hancock Building, Courtesy of Greater Boston CVB

• Attending were 282 total delegates and presenters from 38 different U.S. states and the District of Columbia, plus individuals from Great Britain and Canada. More than 98 different historic theatres were represented, along representatives from more than 60 different service providers and suppliers, not to mention individuals, nonprofit preservation associations and government agencies.
• For 36% of the attendees, this was their first time attending an LHAT Annual Conference.
• The Pre-conference Theatre Ramble took 54 delegates to visit several theatres outside of Boston, including: Providence Performing Arts Center - Providence, RI; the Garde Arts Center - New London, CT; the Sam S. Shubert Theatre - New Haven, CT; Yale Repertory Theatre - New Haven, CT; and the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts - Hartford, CT.
• Tours during the main conference included Boston’s Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, Wang & Shubert Theatres at the Citi Center for Performing Arts, Sanders Theatre, Colonial Theatre, Charles Playhouse, Opera House, Jordan Hall, Boston University Theatre, and Boston Symphony Hall, in addition to the The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH and the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA.
• We offered 22 professional development workshops covering issues related to rescuing, rehabilitating, operating and sustaining historic theatres. In addition, we held a facilitated nuts and bolts session to continue the issues raised during the daily peer breakfast discussions.
• We were warmly welcomed to Boston by Mayor Thomas M. Menino at the Cutler Majestic Theatre and learned from a panel of community leaders about the development of Boston’s Midtown Cultural District.
• We offered 12 plenary sessions at many of the theatres we visited to learn more about each venue’s unique programming, place in the community, and/or architectural significance.
• We hosted another successful Meet the LHAT Service Providers Expo (the 7th annual!) on the opening afternoon of the conference with 19 service provider and supplier exhibitors.
• We ended the event with the traditional Closing Night Reception and 2007 Annual Awards Banquet. Click here to read more about the 2007 winners!

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