Congratulations to all of our award winners! Our winners will be honored on March 21, at our Awards Awards Awards ceremony in Seattle as part of our USITT24 Conference & Stage Expo. Join us for the ceremony, and afterward be one of the first on the Expo floor as our winners drop the rope and open it for attendees!

USITT Award

The USITT Award, the highest honor given by USITT, recognizes a lifetime of distinguished contributions to the performing arts or entertainment communities in any capacity. This year’s recipient is Rachel Keebler!

Rachel Keebler has been a painter since high school and was an SA member of USA 829 from 1981 to 1994. Well known for co-founding Cobalt in 1988, she has been the Owner and Director of Studies at Cobalt Studios since 1993. She has been actively charging, painting, and overseeing the programs there ever since. Rachel Keebler is a 1978 BFA graduate of Boston University, where she studied Scenic Design and Scenic Art with Don Beaman and concurrently worked for and learned many of her painting skills from James Leonard Joy, an association that continues to this day. Having painted scenery in high school, Rachel began painting professionally in 1977. In 1981, Rachel was accepted through the practical exam into USA 829 while she was teaching at UNCSA. Among other venues, she has taught at Temple University, the University of North Carolina School for the Arts, the University of Michigan Kalamazoo, the Krannert Center, USITT national Conferences, USITT Chicago, USITT Chesapeake, and at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. Designers who know and like her work include Jose Varona, Ming Cho Lee, Santo Loquasto, Tony Walton, James Joy, John Ezell, Campbell Baird, Howard Jones, Mark Pirolo, Tony Fanning, John Ezell, Jim Yeomans, and Jim Noone.

Her colleague and friend Tammy Honesty had this to say about Rachel: “Rachel Keebler is a treasure to the institute and the industry. Not only is she a gifted artist and innovator, but she also gives selflessly her knowledge and time to the members of USITT and industry. Rachel Keebler exemplifies USITT. She has created Cobalt as a prominent leader in developing the craft of scene painting for decades. She elevates the work of both individuals and organizations. Rachel cultivates innovation in education and art in the pursuit of excellence. And first and foremost, Rachel creates an inclusive culture in everything she does. The house and studio are warm and welcoming to all.

"Thank you SOOO much!

I am amazed that I’m getting this (Lifetime ?!!) achievement award! Wow! It was totally not in my sights at all. There are SO many unrecognized theatre people who work every single day (and so many nights, too! ), dedicating themselves to their aspect of our industry that I kind of wonder “Why me?”, but if I’m the one chosen & voted on and I can be a “stand-In” for all of you, then why not? It’s very humbling, actually.

As all of you who are in this club know, we wouldn’t engage and stay in this business if it weren’t for the help, enthusiasm, and support of those around us, be they co-workers, students, mentors, or friends & family. As with any Production, we couldn’t do this with our lives by ourselves. They deserve lots of credit."

Keep and use the old ways, they are so common sense, direct, and intuitive. Add in the amazing new things we do. It’s quite a dynamic and a good recipe for a wonderful life!"

Honorary Lifetime Membership Award

The Honorary Lifetime Membership Award is bestowed to a small but very distinguished group of individuals who have been recognized for providing a significant period of years of continuous and extraordinary service to the Institute. This year’s recipient is Lea Asbell-Swanger.

Lea Asbell-Swanger was named a Fellow of USITT in 2012 and received the USITT Award in 2016. She served as President of USITT from 2012-2015. She holds an MFA in Arts Management from Penn State where, since 2001, she has been the Assistant Director for Penn State University’s Center for the Performing Arts. She is responsible for the general operation of this performing arts presenting and venue management organization. 

Upon joining USITT in 1991, Lea immediately became active and has served as a panelist or chair for more than twenty sessions at USITT Conferences. A stalwart of the Management Commission, she has served that group as Vice-Commissioner for both Human Issues (1996-2003) and Programming (2003-2008). In 2003 she also began the first of three consecutive terms on the Board of Directors. In 2006, Lea was recruited to become a member of both the Finance and Nominations Committees. In 2007 she was asked to chair the 21st Century Task Force that examined the Institute's practices and governance, and the following year was asked again to chair USITT's Transition Advisory Team that developed and implemented an overhaul of the Institute's governance structure.   

She also co-chaired the institute’s Living History Project (2005-2010) and was an inaugural member of the institute’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She currently serves on both the fun-loving Archives Committee and the Bylaws Committee.

Her most recent contribution to USITT during 2022-2023 was to serve as the Interim Executive Director during our search for a new ED. Her responsibilities during that year included oversight of Institute operations, serving as liaison to the Board of Directors, and overseeing the management of the senior staff – all the while keeping up with her day job and her other Institute committee responsibilities.