Award winners will receive:

• A complimentary full conference registration for the 2025 Annual Conference & Stage Expo
• $1000 Cash Award
• Commemorative Certificate
• Invitation to an award luncheon, which includes a chance to meet other award winners as well as the award sponsor.

Nominees must be an undergraduate or graduate student, or a recent graduate (within two years).

Nominees must have a current student, early career, or individual membership at the time of submission.

An individual may self-nominate OR be nominated by faculty or another non-student professional who is a current USITT member.

Awards are open to all ages and recognize promising newcomers in each award area.

Award will be presented at the Annual Conference.

The 2025 Annual Conference will take place from March 5-8 in Columbus. Award Presentations are scheduled for Thursday, March 6 at 9 AM.

Nominations Open: September 3, 2024

Nominations Close: October 31, 2024 (11:59 PM EDT)

Review Period: November - December 2024

Award Notifications: January 2025

Award Presentation: March 6, 2025

The entry fee for each nomination is $25 (US Currency).

This fee must be paid by credit card by the nominee at the time of form submission.

All entry fees are non-refundable.

Read all guidelines carefully before submitting your application.

All applications must be submitted via the USITT Awards Portal to be considered.

Nominators must begin the nomination by filling out a brief nomination form. Nominees may self-nominate or be nominated by a faculty or professional. Nominator must be a current USITT member.

Upon receipt of a complete nomination form, USITT will email the nominee a link to complete their submission.

Required information:

• Nominee Contact Information: Name, email address, mailing address
• Nominee’s school attended or currently attending
• Graduation date (or anticipated graduation date)

Submission Materials:

• Resume (PDF Format)
• Letter of recommendation from a faculty member.
• The faculty member may include a stage management instructor/mentor, design instructor, department chairs, or other faculty mentors including faculty directors.
• Nominee will provide recommender’s name and email address. The recommender will receive instructions via email to upload their letter directly into the submission portal. Nominee will not be able to upload or view the letter.
• Letter of Support
• Letter of Support may come from fellow collaborators, directors, choreographers, production team members, faculty members, or other in the entertainment industry.
• Personal Artistic Statement (Max. 300 words)
• The personal artistic statement articulates who nominee is as a collaborative artist. What is their creative working philosophy? What is their approach to stage management in to productions?
• Five (5) digital image plates.
• A Plate refers to a single image or a collage of images, much like one page in a portfolio.
• Maximum size and resolution is 18 x 24 inches, 300dpi, 20MB.
• All plates must be in PDF format.
• Event/play/piece title, scene and character clearly labeled with an appropriately sized and colored, easy-to-read, well-placed font.
• Multiple shows or projects may be placed on a single plate with proper organization, BUT for the most part there should be a maximum of one (1) show/project per plate and/or one (1) show/project may take up multiple plates.
• Consider a way to organize the plates so that the process is shown in a clear, concise, and thoughtful manner. Quality should be stressed over quantity.
• Paper work should be legible, labeled, and be examples that best reflect process.
• All documentation should meet current industry best practices.
• The plates should be organized to cite examples of work that features the individual’s creative application of management in the performing arts. Examples cited must demonstrate excellence in areas such as:
• Effective rehearsal and performance management
• Script notation and calling the show - do not send multiple prompt scripts
• Preparation and effective use of schedules, shift plots, and running sheets (one show)
• Working with the director, actors, and designers
• Effective collaboration with the production staff
• Team building and personnel management
• Computer applications

• For each production featured on the five (5) required plates, the applicant must submit a statement of collaboration articulating the collaborative process within the production team and shop, research and development, communication with the run crew and others in the team and the ability to work within the parameters of the production as whole.
• May include but is not limited to:
• Demonstrate a management analysis of the event content (script, dance, music, etc.) and a discussion of the use of management elements to support the production.
• Explain how collaboration was achieved with director, choreographer, other production and design team members, actors/dancers, shop staff, run crew, etc.
• Synopsis of the overriding themes, motifs, or elements as presented by the director/choreographer/musician.
• Explain the research and development process undertaken by the manager and analysis/usage of other designer materials to further the creation of the production.

• An additional three (3) plates of material may be submitted for a maximum of eight (8) plates total.
• May include projects, from other areas of theatre management, entertainment management or artistic work.
• This work may be produced or classroom projects, realized or conceptual, and should showcase the range of the applicant.

All USITT award nominees are required to submit a Professional Conduct Disclosure Form. This form will not be visible to the award jury and will only be reviewed by the USITT Ethics Officer.

This form is part of the submission and your submission will not be considered complete if it has not been submitted.

For more information, please review the USITT Honors and Awards Policy.

All nominations for the Young Designers’, Managers’, and Technicians’ Award will be reviewed by selected members of the USITT Commissions.

No current USITT staff member may serve as a juror. Any reviewer with a conflict of interest is required to recuse themselves.

All submissions will be scored on a scale of 1-10 using the following criteria:

• Demonstration of skills: communication, organization, and collaboration
• Content and organization of plates and photographs (image size & quantity, labeling, legibility, and clarity)
• Illustration and explanation of how the show/event was supported by the work of the stage manager
• Adherence to the submission guidelines: plate size, format, and parameters. Submissions not adhering to the format listed will be considered ineligible.
• Written materials: clarity, articulation, and thoughtfulness

Judging process is overseen by the USITT Awards Committee and results are approved by the Board of Directors.

Nominees will be notified of the outcome of their requests via email after the Board of Directors has approved the results.

Award winners will be required to submit additional information via the submissions portal, including a W9 form and RSVP to any Conference events. Failure to submit this information promptly may delay award processing.

USITT will publicize award winners utilizing official channels including (but not limited to): website, social media, weekly newsletter, Technically Speaking podcast. Winners may be contacted for additional information for publicity .