THEATER DIRECTOR AND EDUCATOR SUMMER CONFERENCE 2026: “EMPOWERMENT THROUGH PLAY-FILLED LEARNING, LEADERSHIP, AND MINDSETS”
At this year’s TDEC, we are thrilled to be led throughout the day by Malia’Kekia Nicolini and Christopher Beaulieu of Play Pathways Initiative! In this time of challenge for us as individuals and as a collective, as educators, artists, and humans, we are excited to return to the grounded seeds of our practice – play and creativity – and see what it might calm, ignite, and transform. Malia’Kekia and Christopher write, “As interdisciplinary artists we weave all of our training to empower creativity, innovation, and leadership through vulnerability…This intimate work is led through movement, not lecture, and grounded in a Pedagogy of Play.” Come join us and PLAY!!!
We’ll begin the day with a 2-hour deep-dive hands-on workshop for all those who would like that experience. The Play Pathways team will also ground us with some framing, using their pedagogy of buoy and anchor’s of play for the day.
We’ll then break for a catered lunch, an opportunity to debrief on the experience, and the chance to connect for small group table conversations on the topics of your choice. If the morning session does not work for you, feel free to join the conference day here.
The afternoon will consist of breakout sessions – some led by Play Pathways Initiative, and some by local theater educators – covering a range of theater education topics including but not limited too: Creative Casting, Graceful Feedback, Performing the Death, Acting in Archetype, and more. We’ll close with a plenary booked session with Play Pathways Initiative.
And then, as always, we’ll have a catered dinner and more conversation, and tickets to a show! This year’s performance is Come From Away at the Guthrie Theater. We can’t wait to see you and to get playful together!
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CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND TO REGISTER!
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DATE AND TIME:
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
9:45 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. + Dinner + Show
Detailed schedule below!
LOCATION:
Perpich Arts High School
6125 Olson Memorial Highway
Golden Valley, MN 55422
COST: $35
CLOCK HOURS: Certificates will be given for 8 Clock Hours
TARGET AUDIENCE:
K-12 and College/University Theater Educators, Directors, Tech Directors, Music Directors, Arts Educators and others who work with educational theater programs
Please register and pay to save your seat today! Registration deadline is June 30th.
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SCHEDULE & SESSIONS FOR THE DAY
9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. – Participants arrive and check in
9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Welcome, Intros, Logistics
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – MORNING PLENARY SESSION: EMPOWERMENT THROUGH PLAY
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Catered Lunch and Optional Table Conversations
12:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – BREAKOUT SESSION BLOCKS (3 sessions x 3 options @ 75 min each)
- Performing the Death – Christopher Beaulieu
- Auditioning Reimagined: Banishing Self-Doubt – Malia’Kekia Nicolini
- Engaging Kids Who Don’t Want to Be in Theater Class – Jamela Pettiford
- Heroes and Villains: Acting Through Archetype – Christopher Beaulieu
- Graceful Feedback: How to Offer, Listen, and Respond – Malia’Kekia Nicolini
- More Than Putting on a Show: Creating and Running a Successful Theater Program – Mike Ricci
- All Things Musicals: Movement, Voice Work, and Character Interpretation – Sheena Janson Kelley
- Tech Theater 101: A Crash Course for Beginners – Austin Adler
- Shaping Lesson and Unit Plans: Concrete Examples That Work – Lori Constable
5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. – AFTERNOON PLENARY SESSION: REFLECTION WITH PLAY PATHWAYS
5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Catered Dinner and Conversations
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Travel to the Guthrie Theater
7:30 p.m. – PERFORMANCE of COME FROM AWAY
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CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND TO REGISTER!
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FACILITATORS & PRESENTERS
Find out more about Play Pathways Initiative, our partners for this conference day: https://playpathways.com/
And find out more about the PPI Facilitators, Malia’Kekia Nicolini and Christopher Beaulieu here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mrx3aCjlxcbV_j0GhMbb57fcg0ttbdt462QLvg0Mji4/edit?usp=sharing
Theater Director and Educator Conference (TDEC) 2026 is hosted by Dr. Stephanie Lein Walseth, Theater Education Specialist in Professional Development and Resource Programs at Perpich Center for Arts Education
More here: https://perpich.mn.gov/professional-development/state-arts-education-specialists/theater-education-specialist/
Please contact stephanie.walseth@pcae.k12.mn.us with any questions about the conference!
