This survival guide is your hub for any and all important information once you're onsite at USITT24! Below are important dates and times, quick links, a few tips and tricks, maps, and more! Remember to check your email when you're onsite for daily Conference highlights and events!
*PLEASE NOTE: USITT24 BOOKSTORE AND ALL BARS ARE CASHLESS. CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED.
Do you want to share with your social media followers that you'll be attending USITT24? Just click here to easily share your attendance on your favorite platforms! And don't forget to check out USITT's social media for photos, videos, updates, and more exciting content during Conference!
USITT Facebook | USITT Instagram | USITT TikTok
USITT24 wouldn't be possible without our generous sponsors. To see our full list of USITT24 sponsors, click here.
Seattle Convention Center | Arch
705 Pike St
Seattle, WA 98101
Learn more about our host city!
The 5th Avenue Theatre Presents Something's Afoot, a musical spoof of the whodunit genre. use code USITT24 at checkout or use this link for 25% off tickets!
ACT Contemporary Theatre presents STEW, a hilarious, haunting drama about mothers and daughters wrestling with loss and hope in their family kitchen. Use code USITT24 at checkout or use this link for 25% off tickets to performances of STEW, March 15-24 (excluding March 21)! Going to be in Seattle early? Use the code INDUSTRY at checkout or use this link for $25 tickets to performances of STEW on Tuesday, March 19!
Seattle Rep is offering a 15% industry discount for all remaining performances of their production Sanctuary City. This searing and captivating new play by Pulitzer Prize-winning Martyna Majok asks what we’re willing to risk for those we love. Use the discount code SANCTUARY15 at checkout, or use this link to get 15% off all tickets until March 31st!
Your first stop when you arrive at USITT24 is to pick up your badge at registration. You'll find our registration desk in the Atrium Lobby of the Seattle Convention Center | Arch. Please note: Registration is cashless. You must register for USITT24 online as onsite registrations will not be available. Our registration area is for badge pick-up only!
Wednesday, March 20: 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday, March 21: 8:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday, March 22: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 23: 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Reminder: You will need your badge to access ALL parts of our Conference & Stage Expo! If you have registered for a Professional Development Workshop (PDW), you MUST go to registration first and get your badge before you head to your PDW.
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Age Policy: Children under 12 years of age will NOT be admitted to the Stage Expo or to Conference sessions.
Free Wi-Fi is available at the convention center for anyone registered for USITT24. To access the Wi-Fi on your device, go to your device's settings, select the network labeled "Free SCC WiFi," and follow the steps to connect. Please note free attendee Wi-Fi is NOT available on the Stage Expo floor.
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The USITT24 Conference app is now available in the app stores for both iPhone and Android. Visit your app store and search USITT. Choose the app called USITT Conference & Stage Expo.
Download Instructions for Previously Installed USITT Conference & Stage Expo App:
Open the app and click START (Apple devices) or ">" (Android devices) in the lower right corner.
Go to "My Planner" on the bottom menu.
Sign in using the login credentials you received in your 2024 Registration Confirmation Email.
Click on "Upcoming Events", and then select and download USITT 2024 Annual Conference & Stage Expo
Download Instructions for New Users:
Visit the App Store on your device and search "USITT Conference & Stage Expo"
Download and open the app.
For Apple devices, click on "Load." For Android devices, click on the right arrow to load the current event.
Login using the credentials you received in your 2024 Registration Confirmation Email.
Once you've logged in, click "Start" on the bottom right corner (Apple) or ">" (Android)
Start building your schedule in My Planner by bookmarking sessions found in the Session List. You can bookmark exhibitors you wish to visit at the Stage Expo, view the Expo Floor Map, and find attendees and speakers. You'll also be able to use the app to complete evaluations for sessions you attend during Conference.
TIP: Have the "My QR Code" (located in "My Planner") open to quickly scan and print your badge when you arrive at Registration.
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USITT's Connections Housing representative, Tamara, will be onsite, March 19-22, for any questions or concerns regarding housing for ALL hotels within the USITT block. She will be located at a satellite desk located within the Sheraton Grand Seattle and will be servicing ALL hotel questions/concerns. Please note: If you did not book your accommodations through our official housing partner, Connections Housing, any questions must be brought directly to the company you booked through.
The Starbucks located in the Sheraton Grand Seattle now has mobile ordering! Place your coffee order before you leave your hotel room for the day and pick up your order just minutes later! No lines, no hassle, no problem!
Check out Seattle's public transportation options to get you to and from the Seattle Convention Center | Arch, and other activities around the city! Click here to learn more about Seattle's public transportation.
A sensory relief room is available to all attendees. Please use this room as a quiet and comfortable space to decompress during Conference hours. You'll find it on the Tahoma level in the Falls Suite.
Open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Full USITT24 Schedule
Hands-On Labs
Professional Development Workshops
Thursday, March 21, 2024: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday, March 22, 2024: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 23, 2024: 10:00 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Join us for our Stage Expo Opening on Thursday, March 21, at 10:30 a.m., immediately following our Awards, Awards, Awards Ceremony. Outside the Expo hall just moments before you experience USITT24's Stage Expo, we'll be jamming out, celebrating, and getting energized before the doors open to a world of new products, innovative tech, demonstrations, and more networking and recruitment opportunities than you ever thought possible!
*Interested in a sensory-friendly Stage Expo Opening environment? Head to the North Hall for a quieter experience.
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Stage Expo Map
Exhibitor List
USITT24 Sponsors
Back by popular demand, we will be operating a Conference-wide scavenger hunt! This is an interactive game powered by Goosechase. Download the app, create your team, and win some fabulous prizes! Check here for more info.
Snap some shots at the USITT Photo Booth! Dress up with your friends, be the cover of your own story, and capture your Conference memories! Our USITT24 Photo Booth can be found at the entrance of the Sky Bridge.
Thursday, March 21: 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday, March 22: 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Mix and mingle with colleagues as you explore the USITT24 Expo floor. Discover new products and companies and renew relationships with established vendors. Bar and concession areas will be open.
*PLEASE NOTE: ALL BARS ARE CASHLESS. CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED.
Thursday, March 21, 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
End your Thursday with Al Ridella of 4Wall on the Expo Stage and explore a variety of moving fixtures and their capabilities. Learn how to discover the best moving instrument to achieve your artistic ideas.
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Thursday, March 21, 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Join us as we raise a glass in memory of lighting designer and stage technician, Collier Robert Woods, Jr., a long-standing member of IATSE local #15. Though he worked nationally and internationally, he considered Seattle to be his 'home base'. This year we are honored to celebrate him in the place he called home!
Friday, March 22, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
It's not uncommon for a beloved film to inspire a theme park or attraction. But creating a 30-minute live musical production based on a 4.5-minute segment of a fictional Broadway show in a Disney+ series was a first when "Rogers: The Musical" opened at the Disneyland Resort in 2023. The once-act play featured seven musical numbers and more than 50 costumed looks, most of which were not part of the original televisions scene but were conceptualized and created by Disney Live Entertainment Costuming. Join us for an introduction to the creative process presented by Costume Designer Joe Kucharski and hear about how the costumes came to life from the show's Costumer, Renee Harrison.
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Stump the Rigger
Saturday, March 23, 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
It's been years since anyone has been able to stump the rigger. Now that we're all together again, you'll get your chance. Join your fellow rigging enthusiasts to see if you can stump the one and only Bill Sapsis of Sapsis Rigging Inc. and his posse.
A special session titled Transforming Space Over Time explores Beowulf's process while designing several Broadway shows.
Seattle Rep Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann leads an interview with set designer and 1/52 Project founder Beowulf Boritt, and project contributor Amith Chandrashaker, lighting designer and Professor of Lighting at the University of Maryland. This interview also features Johanna Pan, costume and scenic designer and 2021-2022 grant recipient.
Don't miss your chance to secure your own piece of creativity by meeting Beowulf in person at his book signing. To purchase a copy of Beowulf Boritt's book, Transforming Space Over Time: Set Design and Visual Storytelling with Broadway's Legendary Directors, please visit the publisher's website here. USITT will also have limited copies for sale at our USITT24 onsite bookstore. We hope to see you there!
Wednesday, March 20, 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Join your fellow attendees and exhibitors in Mainstage Ballroom B&C for our Opening Night Celebration! There's something energizing about gathering thousands of live entertainment professionals and students together to kick off an event ALL about Powering Live Entertainment, and we want YOU to be there! Join us for our Opening Night Celebration where we're showing off the latest tech, bringing out special guests, and sharing our excitement for the next four days of education, speakers, networking, new technology, special exhibits, hands-on labs, and so much more!
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Thursday, March 21, 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Celebrate your fellow industry designers, creators, managers, luminaries, and more at our reimagined awards presentation. Show your support and join in the fun as we present our winners with their accolades. After our awards presentation, all Awards, Awards, Awards attendees will travel as a group, led by our winners, President, and Executive Director to the opening of the Stage Expo. Join their procession to be the FIRST attendees to enter our 2024 Stage Expo.
Thursday, March 21, 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Join all of our distinguished USITT authors at our open author signing. Books and bookplates will be available for purchase, conversations are encouraged, and inspiration will be flowing! This event is hosted by the Publications Committee. To preorder titles for the book signing, check out our list of attending authors here!
Thursday, March 21, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Join us on Thursday for an evening of pub trivia! Build your team and win fabulous prizes!
Friday, March 22, 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Touch base with your Regional USITT Section. See the who's who in your area of the country, make new connections, and reacquaint with old friends! Check out our Conference Schedule here for the location of your regional section meeting.
Friday, March 22, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Join us at MoPOP- Museum of Pop Culture, for a night of light bites and libations with your fellow attendees and exhibitors. Explore the many sights and sounds of the world's most immersive pop culture experiences showcasing iconic moments in TV, rock n roll music, science fiction, and much more!
Transportation for USITT's Annual Party: The iconic Seattle Monorail is available to transport you to MoPOP! You MUST have your USITT24 badge to ride the Monorail and enter our Annual Party. The QR code on your badge will allow you to ride the Seattle Monorail on FRIDAY NIGHT ONLY for free to MoPOP. A short distance from the Seattle Convention Center | Arch and surrounding hotels, the Seattle Monorail Station and its iconic 90-second ride to Seattle Center are both fully handicap accessible. The Seattle Monorail provides a fantastic view of Seattle's Space Needle and even transports you through the middle of MoPOP! The Seattle Monorail is the most convenient and fastest way to get to our Annual Party, and we highly encourage you to take advantage of this transportation option. Remember: You MUST have your physical USITT24 badge to enter our Annual Party at MoPOP. Digital QR codes (including your USITT24 app) will not be accepted.
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Saturday, March 23, 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Please join us for our annual in-person business meeting of the Institute, where we will announce the results of our annual election, followed by a meet & greet with USITT Board Members and our Executive Director, Laura Lee Everett.
Saturday, March 23, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Don't head to the airport just yet! Help us celebrate and close out USITT24 by attending our Saturday Night Meet Up at GameWorks. GameWorks is double the fun with an arcade and a restaurant all under one roof! Join us for games, food, and fun with your fellow attendees. The full menu will be available and hundreds of games await your skills! Don't forget to wear your badge as you will need it to enter our Saturday Night Meet Up.
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USITT Member Author books, hats, shirts, stickers, and more will be available for purchase at our onsite USITT Bookstore!
Wednesday, March 20: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday, March 21: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday, March 22: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 23: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m
The Vault is a safe space initiative providing Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Nonconforming USITT Members a more comfortable and accessible way to find clothing that fits their professional and stylistic needs.
Wednesday, March 20: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday, March 21: 12:30 p.m. - 3 p.m
Friday, March 22: 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 23: 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Using the most disparate materials, Sonia Bacchi creates experimental costumes used for theater, ballet performances, and avant-garde photo shoots.
A celebration and exhibition of Seattle Repertory Theatre's designers and craftspeople showcasing their interpretations of the environments of August Wilson's Century Cycle
Experience the work of your fellow designers! Cover the Walls is a joyous montage of professional and student designs, paper projects, crafts, and more. This exhibit allows for the exchange of ideas and design approaches with fellow USITT Members, fostering an intimate atmosphere focused on design and implementation
USITT's Digital National Poster Sessions allow presenters to share their research and expand scholarly activity. They are a great way to experience new solutions to old problems, innovations, research results, discoveries, developments, and more. This year's topics include Building Basics (rethinking core concepts or practices), Material Movement (looking at materials and mediums in a unique or novel way), and Processed Processes (new or improved processes or protocols).
The Emerging Creatives Showcase is an annual open adjudicated exhibition of designers, craftspersons, and managers. The Emerging Creatives Showcase helps us showcase emerging talent that has, for the most part, been left unfeatured in this and other exhibitions of rising talent. The cohort for this year's exhibition features Hispanic and Indigenous Designers and Technicians.
If you are seeking employment or college admission, you will have the opportunity to be matched with exhibitors who are on the lookout for their newest employees or colleges and universities looking for their next star student. SmartMatch allows you to make appointments with our exhibitors for a one-on-one interview right at USITT24! Click here to learn more.
Upload your resume using our QR code and start your job search! Find job postings, connect with exhibitors, set up interviews, and more!
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Many of our exhibitors will be on the lookout for their next staff member, so be prepared with your resume! Bring a few printed copies, have a website QR code ready to go, or exchange a business card. Remember to dress to impress for your interviews and be prepared and ready to network!
Seeking tips on how to make your resume shine? Want to hear from experts what companies are looking for? Stop by the Resume Doctor booth on our Expo floor to get tips from experts on how to make your resume stand out!
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Need to update your professional headshot? Stop by the exclusive headshot booth on our Expo floor to get your free professional headshot!
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If you require mobility assistance at USITT24, click here to learn more about accessibility, mobility aid rentals, and accessible parking.
Click here to learn more about the USITT National Office Staff. Be sure to say hello when you see the staff buzzing around at the show!
There are many ways to play an active role in USITT throughout the year. Click below to learn more about our various committees, Regional Sections, Student Chapters, Board of Directors, and how to get involved.