Burbank, Calif USA, 21 February 2012 — “The 2012 TEA Summit March 
15-16 followed by the Thea Awards Gala March 17 at Disneyland Resort will be 3 days of business networking and executive leadership dialog plus celebration of achievement and success,” says Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) president Rick Rothschild of FAR Out! Creative Direction. “These events highlight the breadth of our international industry and the extraordinary collaboration amongst a wide diversity of disciplines, talents and skills. It is also that annual reconnecting with colleagues who make up the world-class creative ‘family’ that is the TEA. We’re really pleased at the caliber of participation this year – we’re going all-out for TEA’s 20th anniversary.”
15-16 followed by the Thea Awards Gala March 17 at Disneyland Resort will be 3 days of business networking and executive leadership dialog plus celebration of achievement and success,” says Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) president Rick Rothschild of FAR Out! Creative Direction. “These events highlight the breadth of our international industry and the extraordinary collaboration amongst a wide diversity of disciplines, talents and skills. It is also that annual reconnecting with colleagues who make up the world-class creative ‘family’ that is the TEA. We’re really pleased at the caliber of participation this year – we’re going all-out for TEA’s 20th anniversary.”  |
| Joe Rohde |
All events take place at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.
Tickets are on sale now at this link.
TEA Summit Day One (March 15) is an executive empowerment gathering with two keynotes: “Undercover Boss” TV star Joel Manby, CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment, and renowned business coach, “Sell the Feeling” author Phil Glosserman. TEA Summit Day Two (March 16) keynote is Disney Legend Joe Rohde. Attendance is open to a wider circle, including students. Speakers reflect the current slate of Thea Awards recipients. TEA Summit organizers are Kelly Ryner of Thinkwell Group and Roberta Perry of ETI.
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| Amelia Anne Gordon |
The annual Thea Awards Gala (March 17) will confer 16 awards while marking TEA’s 20th anniversary. Confirmed celebrity presenters include Pixar’s Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera, Cars2 composer Michael Giacchino, actor Anthony Daniels (C3PO) and “Ambassador of Americana” Charles Phoenix; ticket sales are open to the industry and the public. Thea Awards Gala executive producer is Ron Miziker. Sponsors include AECOM and Disney.
Companies providing support for the Thea Awards and/or TEA Summit include: AECOM, Disney, Coca-Cola, Canyon Creative, Garner Holt Productions, Miziker & Co., RGH Themed Entertainment, Fountain People, AES, Universal Studios, Electrosonic, PGAV and Air Dimensional Design.
Links:
Official blog: TEA Summit & Thea Awards
Tickets for all events: TEA Box Office
Thea Awards – full list of recipients with descriptions
More details
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| Anthony Daniels |
Summit Day One – For business owners and senior management
March 15, Disneyland Hotel
This executive empowerment event always fills to capacity and offers critical information and networking. Discussion focuses on ensuring success in today’s global marketplace. Joel Manby will talk about leadership strategy; fellow keynoter Phil Glosserman will share paths to entrepreneurial success. Economics specialists Ray Braun, Christian Aaen and Matt Earnest of Entertainment + Culture Advisors will speak on Economies and Emerging Markets; Dina Benadon (Super 78), Chris Conte (Electrosonic) and Brad Merriman (ProFun) will share lessons in international contracts. Limited number of seats. More details at this link.
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| Pete Docter |
Summit Day Two – Hear from owners and designers of Thea Awards projects
March 16, Disneyland Hotel
Day Two explores the back-stories of this year’s Thea Award recipients, spanning a wide range of international projects. It is attended by a diverse group of industry creatives, from students to professionals. Keynote: Joe Rohde. Speakers include Jeremy Railton (EDG; designer, Crane Dance at Resorts World Sentosa), Tom Fitzgerald (EVP Walt Disney Imagineering in connection with Star Tours – The Adventures Continue), Amelia Anne Gordon (producer, Space Fantasy the Ride at Universal Studios Japan), Matthew Jessner (Artistic Director, The House of Dancing Water at City of Dreams, Macau) and many more. More details at this link.
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| 2012 Thea Award Recipient Fernbank NatureQuest |
Thea Awards Gala
March 17, Disneyland Hotel
The culminating event is the Thea Awards Gala – an elegant, black-tie dinner affair. The prestigious Theas are the “Oscars” of the attractions industry, recognizing and celebrating excellence in the creation of compelling places and guest experiences. Awards are formally presented to the project owners while the project creatives and builders are acknowledged and credited. The Thea Awards are an expression of TEA’s core mission to foster better relationships between operators, creatives and vendors, and to generate greater awareness of the people and companies behind these icons of popular culture and the human experience. There will be a silent auction of paintings by 20 industry artists. The Season Pass Podcast will broadcast from the event. The Thea Awards Gala has sponsorship from presenting sponsor AECOM, and support from The Disney Company. Ticket sales are open to the industry and the public. Details at this link.
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| 2012 Thea Award Recipient The House of Dancing Water |
About TEA
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| 2012 Thea Award Recipient Crane Dance |
The TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) is an international nonprofit alliance founded in 1991 and based in Burbank, Calif. TEA represents some 7,000 creative specialists, from architects to designers, technical specialists to master planners, scenic fabricators to artists, and builders to feasibility analysts working in some 700 firms in 30 US states and 40 different countries. TEA presents the annual Thea Awards and the TEA Summit and hosts the annual SATE Conference (Storytelling, Architecture, Technology, Experience). TEA also produces a variety of print and electronic publications, including the TEA/AECOM Theme Index, TEA Project Development Guidelines, TEA Annual & Directory and Thea Awards Program magazine. Visit www.teaconnect.org.
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About TEA’s Thea Awards
Like the TEA, the Thea Awards, sponsored by AECOM with support from The Disney Company, were created to bring recognition to achievement, talent and personal excellence within the themed entertainment industry. From a modest beginning in 1994, the Thea Awards have become internationally recognized as a symbol of excellence. The name of the award is a play on three words: the first is “Thea,” the Greek goddess from whom all light emanates. Thea was the mother of Helios (the sun), Eos (the dawn), and Selene (the moon). The second key word is “Theater,” a word derived from the goddess Thea. The third word, of course, is TEA, the name of our association. Tickets are available to the public as well as the industry to attend the black-tie 18th Annual Thea Awards Gala March 17, 2012 at the Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim Calif. USA. Order tickets online at teaconnect.org.
Like the TEA, the Thea Awards, sponsored by AECOM with support from The Disney Company, were created to bring recognition to achievement, talent and personal excellence within the themed entertainment industry. From a modest beginning in 1994, the Thea Awards have become internationally recognized as a symbol of excellence. The name of the award is a play on three words: the first is “Thea,” the Greek goddess from whom all light emanates. Thea was the mother of Helios (the sun), Eos (the dawn), and Selene (the moon). The second key word is “Theater,” a word derived from the goddess Thea. The third word, of course, is TEA, the name of our association. Tickets are available to the public as well as the industry to attend the black-tie 18th Annual Thea Awards Gala March 17, 2012 at the Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim Calif. USA. Order tickets online at teaconnect.org.
A comprehensive listing of Thea Awards and project credits from 1994-2011 and instructions on how to submit a project for a Thea Award are on the TEA website at this link.
About Economics at AECOM (Thea Awards Gala presenting sponsor)
Economics at AECOM (formerly ERA/Economics Research Associates) is an international consulting firm focused on economic analysis for the entertainment and leisure industry, real estate development, public-policy analysis, tourism, and economic development. Since its founding in 1958, Economics at AECOM has completed over 15,000 assignments yielding unmatched experience in land use economics. In the process, the firm has made important contributions to some of the world’s most innovative and successful development projects. Their projects span the globe and range from repositioning single land uses to New Towns planned over 30 years. In broad terms, Economics at AECOM assists private developers and public agencies in assessing the future economics and outcomes of real estate projects and economic development plans. Economics at AECOM offers a diverse array of economic analysis and tools to answer complex problems. Website: www.aecom.com.
