After the Saturday afternoon readings, we had a round-table discussion -- trying to put together a model for future conferences.  After some wheel-spinning, we decided to go around in a circle, with each attendee talking first about what worked best for her -- before we did any critique about what could have used improvement.  There was so much to compliment, and so little to critique!

Even the conference's small size -- 20-30 -- worked to everyone's advantage -- made it intimate, warm, and personal, enfolding the newcomers into the blend of folks who'd known each other F2F and the many we'd only known via the ICWP-L discussion list.

At 6:30 p.m. or so, we ended. A few went home, the rest went to dinner.  We closed down the restaurant at 10 p.m. after much talking and laughing, again all at one big table.

Also:  One of the nice things that we'd recommend was that in-town folks do what we did and pick up the out-of-towners at the airport. There was one mixup -- Elisabeth's luggage was lost, and she and Diane missed their connection -- but it made for a homey, welcoming connection right off.

Another thing :  each session was almost EXACTLY the right length -- between 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours, with coffee or food breaks in between.  So there was plenty of time to schmooze outside the sessions.

I hope this helps satisfy some "Dayton hunger" for the folks who couldn't go.

And we all REALLY hope that another group of ICWP'ers will get motivated  to host another regional 'do, so we can all come!   All you Seattle sisters --  you seem like the likeliest group!   We want to see your city! We'll send you the "template"  for how to do it.  It took some work, but believe it or not,  not as much as you'd think --  because  there is so much depth and experience in this group!  All you have to do is think about what you want to include, then tap your local theatre & university community and a few of your willing-to-travel sistahs!

Fondly,

Linda Eisenstein, ICWP Director of Communications