USITT Elite Training at Cirque

ruinexplorer

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Deadline to apply for training at @gafftaper 's favorite show (in Vegas) is March 25th. Here is the information to apply.

Elite Training - This annual program provides three days of intensive, hands-on training FREE to a total of 40 participants in sound, rigging, automation, projection, and stage management. Training will be held at the KA Theatre by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.
May 10-12, 2018 in Las Vegas. (Student & Early Career members only).

Eight students per discipline train with USITT partners Cirque du Soleil, Meyer Sound, CM Entertainment Technology, Theatrical Concepts Inc., Silver State Wire Rope & Rigging Inc., and Tait Stage Technologies. Participants get backstage tours of Cirque shows and one-on-one interaction with industry professionals and production staff.

Those selected are responsible for their transportation to Las Vegas, hotel costs, and some meals. Hotel housing is $100 per night for Elite participants, $50 if willing to share with a roommate.

Disciplines: Automation, Rigging, Sound, Projection, and Stage Management

What you need to apply: Be a Student or Early Career USITT Member, educational experience, up to three disciplines you're Interested in, resume', and answers to the following questions; Why should you be chosen for this Intensive Training Opportunity? and Special Skills or Qualifications?




New! Elite Pro - a two-day intensive for a very select pool of technical theatre professionals. Training will be held at the KA Theatre by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.
May 12-14, 2018 in Las Vegas (Early Career, Individual, and Professional members only).

Elite-Pro is an opportunity to spend the evening of May 12, attending a Cirque performance and the following two-days at the KA Theatre by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, in one of three tracks. Rigging, Automation, and Projections will be taught and monitored by Cirque staff and invited affiliate companies. While in residence, participants may be observed as potential future employees for Cirque or their partners.

  • Applications will be open to USITT Early Career, Individual, and Professional members
  • Eight experienced applicants will be selected in each area
  • $15 Application fee, max 24 applications accepted in each area
  • Those selected are responsible for their transportation to Las Vegas, housing, and meals.
What you need to apply: Be an Early Career, Individual, or Professional USITT Member, educational experience, resume', and an answer to the following; summarize your special skills and the qualifications you have acquired through education or commensurate experience.
 
That's an amazing opportunity!

Yes LDI's my favorite show because I don't have to spend over 11 Freaking hours on a plane to get there!

It was a rough day getting home from USITT.
 
The 11 hours may have addled your brain. This opportunity happens in May, at KA.
 
The 11 hours may have addled your brain. This opportunity happens in May, at KA.
Yes. So, it appears that 11 hours on the plane may have had a few minor side effects. While LDI is a great convention, Ka is definitely my favorite Cirque show (followed closely by Love... wouldn't want anyone to get jealous). I had the opportunity about 7 or 8 years ago to spend a day backstage at Ka and it was AMAZING! I encourage everyone to apply for this. You'll be blown away by the scale of that place and who knows you might even meet a few people who can help you out in your career.
 
I did Elite Training for Sound in 2011, if anyone has any questions about the program feel free to ask. I also have thoughts and opinions on the Elite Pro opportunity, but I'll keep those to myself unless asked.
 
I did Elite Training for Sound in 2011, if anyone has any questions about the program feel free to ask. I also have thoughts and opinions on the Elite Pro opportunity, but I'll keep those to myself unless asked.
@themuzicman OK, I'll rise to your invitation. I neither qualify nor would be applying but please give a hint of your "thoughts and opinions" in broad, general, terms: Would you say "Elite Pro" is a fabulous opportunity for those who qualify / are interested and ought not to be missed OR would you lean towards "Elite Pro" is a waste of qualified applicants' time and money and ought to be avoided?
@themuzicman , please do tell.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
 
My only big issue with Elite Pro is if you're applying with the intent on getting a future job with "Cirque du Soleil or related sponsors". It sounds like a catchy phrase to get applicants, but after going through maybe a dozen interviews with Cirque over the years and knowing their hiring practices I'd say don't ever bank on it. They are a highly compartmentalized company, each show hires people onto their show -- there is no company-wide hiring manager, the tours and shows do their own search and hirings. If you go to this event with Ka hoping to get an offer to tour you'll be sad to find it just won't happen. The employees at Ka are technically employees of the MGM Grand, there is limited internal movement at Cirque du Soleil but ultimately they are employed by the show/venue.

Silver State Wire Rope, the rigging sponsor, is a fantastic company - but only works in Nevada. I don't know anything of Theatrical Concepts - the projection sponsor. Pandora's box might be used by concerts and events, but currently the largest Theater shows in NYC are all using D3 now so I'd say that those who are entertainment-minded but not necessarily theater minded should look at the Projection side of things.

They'll have to overcome with Elite Pro the same thing that hindered Elite Training - you only learn as much as the slowest person in your group. At 24 people per section, that's a lot of folks. I had 16 when I did Elite Training and that was too many. I couldn't imagine how 24 folks who are all various stages of career professionals would act in a room. It's an industry built on war stories and letting a bunch of professionals know that they are "elite" might just be throwing fuel on a fire. I imagine if you're looking for an opportunity like Elite Pro it's because you're a professional that comes from a smaller market that doesn't normally give you hands-on experience with the technology at use here and I'd be worried at folks just one-upping each other constantly. Without that clause in the description I think it would be a much better program but I'd be super hesitant of folks from smaller markets seeing this as their big chance to move on up.

When I did Elite Training, out of the 16 folks in my segment, only 4 or 5 fundamentally understood the core concepts at work in order to progress through the material we were there to learn. We were hindered by braggarts and those that needed teaching. It's an application-only deal, no interviews, so you had folks who looked good on paper get into the program who just couldn't manage it.

That being said -- the upside of Elite Training is that I ended up getting my first tour due to a VERY niche skill taught in the Elite Training program I attended (among other factors). I know of 4 or 5 freelancers in my market who went to Elite Training in my year, so USITT did do a good job making sure at least a handful of us were good candidates -- or maybe we were a subset of super driven folks who coincidentally all applied.
 
My only big issue with Elite Pro is if you're applying with the intent on getting a future job with "Cirque du Soleil or related sponsors". It sounds like a catchy phrase to get applicants, but after going through maybe a dozen interviews with Cirque over the years and knowing their hiring practices I'd say don't ever bank on it. They are a highly compartmentalized company, each show hires people onto their show -- there is no company-wide hiring manager, the tours and shows do their own search and hirings. If you go to this event with Ka hoping to get an offer to tour you'll be sad to find it just won't happen. The employees at Ka are technically employees of the MGM Grand, there is limited internal movement at Cirque du Soleil but ultimately they are employed by the show/venue.

Silver State Wire Rope, the rigging sponsor, is a fantastic company - but only works in Nevada. I don't know anything of Theatrical Concepts - the projection sponsor. Pandora's box might be used by concerts and events, but currently the largest Theater shows in NYC are all using D3 now so I'd say that those who are entertainment-minded but not necessarily theater minded should look at the Projection side of things.

They'll have to overcome with Elite Pro the same thing that hindered Elite Training - you only learn as much as the slowest person in your group. At 24 people per section, that's a lot of folks. I had 16 when I did Elite Training and that was too many. I couldn't imagine how 24 folks who are all various stages of career professionals would act in a room. It's an industry built on war stories and letting a bunch of professionals know that they are "elite" might just be throwing fuel on a fire. I imagine if you're looking for an opportunity like Elite Pro it's because you're a professional that comes from a smaller market that doesn't normally give you hands-on experience with the technology at use here and I'd be worried at folks just one-upping each other constantly. Without that clause in the description I think it would be a much better program but I'd be super hesitant of folks from smaller markets seeing this as their big chance to move on up.

When I did Elite Training, out of the 16 folks in my segment, only 4 or 5 fundamentally understood the core concepts at work in order to progress through the material we were there to learn. We were hindered by braggarts and those that needed teaching. It's an application-only deal, no interviews, so you had folks who looked good on paper get into the program who just couldn't manage it.

That being said -- the upside of Elite Training is that I ended up getting my first tour due to a VERY niche skill taught in the Elite Training program I attended (among other factors). I know of 4 or 5 freelancers in my market who went to Elite Training in my year, so USITT did do a good job making sure at least a handful of us were good candidates -- or maybe we were a subset of super driven folks who coincidentally all applied.
@themuzicman Thank you for your opinions, honesty and laying it out for the rest of us. I'll go back to my memories and bragging.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
 
Theatrical Concepts is basically they guys who had been running coolux prior to Christie Digital buying them. So, they still are a partner and are a great bunch of people who can really teach Pandora's Box and the concepts of media servers (I have worked with them, and taken a class from some of them).

As for the "elite" part of this, I think that it was intended to be in reference to the students opportunity to get training that is not available to everyone, not necessarily that the trainers are elite (just the way I read it). I posted this as I was just at the annual conference and wanted to make sure that our members have the opportunity to apply (make sure that you are aware that you must be a member of USITT to apply). I share Ron's sentiments that it is great that @themuzicman can actually offer an honest opinion as to someone who has attended.
 
I reached out to Christine Troscher, who is the Director of Training for USITT, and she provided me with the FAQ for the standard Elite training program (there isn't one for the pro yet, since this is its first year). Hope this helps.
 

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I reached out to Christine Troscher, who is the Director of Training for USITT, and she provided me with the FAQ for the standard Elite training program (there isn't one for the pro yet, since this is its first year). Hope this helps.
@ruinexplorer I've long wondered and I finally feel compelled to ask: Is it true that "Stobaeus" is the elder brother of Strobaeus the founding father of the strobe light?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
 
@ruinexplorer I've long wondered and I finally feel compelled to ask: Is it true that "Stobaeus" is the elder brother of Strobaeus the founding father of the strobe light?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
Can't say as I don't follow much genealogy. I can say that I have famous ancestry (not that it has anything to do with who I am). I am related to both Jesse James and Edgar Allen Poe.
 

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