USITT Announces 2015 Young Designer & Technicians Awards

By: Feb. 09, 2015
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Eleven promising young theatre artists will receive 2015 USITT Awards for Young Designers & Technicians in the Performing Arts -- the YD&T awards -- at USITT 2015 in Cincinnati, March 18-21.

The annual YD&T Awards give young theatrical designers and technicians a leg up in their careers, and come with free registration to USITT's Annual Conference & Stage Expo and up to $1,000 in cash prizes.

YD&T winners also gain recognition and access to leaders in their fields. Last year's winners were featured in a display in the front window of The Drama Book Shop in New York City last month, and samples of their work are on display at the US Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic.

The honorees are nominated by professors or mentors who are USITT members. The awards are sponsored by leading companies and individuals who present them at the Conference and provide prizes.

THE 2015 WINNERS ARE:

USITT Lighting Design Award sponsored by Barbizon Lighting Company -- Kenneth Foster of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He will complete his MFA in Lighting Design this year.

KM Fabric Inc. Technical Production Award -- John Van Arsdale of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He will receive his MFA in Drama and Theatre Technology this year.

Frederick A. Buerki Scenic Technology Award sponsored by Bernhard R. Works -- James Rogers of Penn State University will receive the so-called "Golden Hammer Award." He will earn his MFA in Theatre Technology this summer.

USITT Scene Design Award sponsored by Rose Brand -- Josafath Reynoso of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He is about to complete his MFA in Scenic Design.

W. Oren Parker Undergraduate Scene Design Award sponsored by Stage Decoration & Supplies -- Greg Pinsoneault of The Theatre School at DePaul University. He will receive his BFA in Scene Design this year.

Master Craftsmanship Award sponsored by Bernhard R. Works -- Emily Morrisey of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts will receive the award for excellence in Stage Properties. She will earn her BFA in Design and Production from UNCSA this year.

USITT Makeup Design Award sponsored by Kryolan Professional Makeup -- Chia Chia Feng of UNCSA. She will earn her MFA in Makeup Design this year.

The Barbara Matera Award in Costume Making, sponsored by Judy Adamson -- Colleen Dobson of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She will receive her MFA in Costume Technology this year.

The Zelma H. Weisfeld Costume Design & Technology Award -- Maureen Freedman of the University of Connecticut will receive the award sponsored by Zelma Weisfeld. Freedman is completing her MFA in Dramatic Arts at UConn.

USITT Stage Management Award sponsored by Clear-Com -- Tyler Jacobson of Carnegie Mellon University. He will receive his MFA in Production and Stage Management this year.

Robert E. Cohen Sound Design Award -- There were no submissions for this award for 2015.

The YD&T Awards presentation at USITT 2015 will be Thursday evening, March 19, at Cincinnati's Duke Energy Convention Center. The Conference & Stage Expo is expected to draw over 5,000 people and more than 260 exhibitors from the backstage industry.

For more information on the Conference, visit www.usittshow.org. For more on USITT, visit www.usitt.org.

Pictured: USITT's 2014 YD&T winners had their work displayed in the front window of New York City's Drama Book Shop last month. Patrick Rizzotti, winner of the 2014 USITT Scene Design Award sponsored by Rose Brand, installed the display.



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