Goodman Theatre Hosts Merritt Design Awards, 5/2

The 18th Annual Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration program, honoring and celebrating the work of scenic designer Walt Spangler (Desire Under the Elms, King Lear), will take place on Monday, May 2, at Goodman Theatre. Goodman Theatre's Artistic Director Robert Falls, a founding member of the Michael Merritt Endowment Fund Steering Committee, will present the award to Mr. Spangler. Sound designer, composer, musician and DJ, Mikhail Fiksel (Old Town, Last of the Dragons) will receive The Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. There will also be a presentation of three student scholarship recipients representing The Theatre School at DePaul University (sound designer Jeff Gary), Northwestern University (scenic designer Scott Davis) and from Columbia College Chicago for The John Murbach Scholarship for Collaborative Design (lighting designer Claire Chrzan).

The doors open at 5 p.m., with a viewing of the fifth annual ‘Theater Design Expo' in the Goodman lobby, showcasing the works of over 50 Chicago-area emerging theatrical designers and a portfolio review of graduating design students from some of the finest programs in the country. Hedy Weiss, Theater and Dance Critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, will lead a panel discussion at 7 p.m. in the Owen Theatre with awardees Walt Spangler and Mikhail Fiksel. The awards presentation will begin at 8 p.m. Attendees will enjoy food, wine, beer, soda and fellowship from start to finish until 10 p.m.

Tickets/Exhibit fees are $20 per person and $5 for students. To purchase your ticket or exhibit space by credit card, phone (312) 369-6105. To RSVP and for more information about exhibiting or attending, please visit the Michael Merritt Endowment Fund website at http://merrittawards.com/2011-event/.

Goodman Theatre is centrally located in Chicago's Loop at 170 North Dearborn Street, in close proximity to I-55, I-90/94, I-290 and Lake Shore Drive, as well as all major CTA rail lines and many bus routes. Discounted parking is available ($19 - rate subject to change) at the Government Center Self Park, located directly adjacent to the theatre at the southeast corner of Clark and Lake Streets, and parking coupons will be available at the registration table in Goodman Theatre lobby.