SCTA Hosts Annual Awards Celebration

The South Carolina Theatre Association (SCTA) is hosting its annual awards celebration at Trustus Theatre in Columbia, South Carolina, on May 26 at 7 p.m. This event is another effort to connect, create and cultivate theater in South Carolina.

The Annual Awards celebration continues our tradition of honoring theatre practitioners in South Carolina. Last year's event featured music, dancing and food, with over 100 attendees from all over the state of South Carolina. "For 50 years the SC Theatre Association has been the place to go for theatre in South Carolina to connect, create and cultivate theatre opportunities in our wonderful state for students, educators, professional actors and designers, and leaders. We are thrilled to continue this celebration. Last year we marked a milestone of 50 years and have come so far since the beginning and look forward to celebrating the people who are making it happen every day and look to the future of Theatre in SC," said Harry Culpepper, Jr., SCTA Immediate Past President.

This year will honor the following award winners from across the state for their work in theatre:

2017 Founders Award - USC Aiken. The SCTA Founders Award is the most prestigious honor the South Carolina Theatre Association can bestow. It is given to recognize the individual or organization that has made the most significant contribution to theatre in South Carolina during the year most recently completed. This year's award is for contributions made between July 2016 and June 2017.

2017 Lifetime Service Award - Chip Egan. The Lifetime Service Award is a plaque awarded to a person judged to have contributed significantly to theatre in South Carolina throughout his/her career. Long-standing service to the field.

2017 Outstanding Theatre Educator Award - Peter Duffy. The Outstanding Theatre Educator Award is given to the K-12 theatre educator, college or university professor, or teaching artist judged to have done the most at their respective educational levels for theatre students in South Carolina during the year most recently concluded.

2017 SC Theatre of Distinction Award - Footlight Players Theatre. The South Carolina Theatre of Distinction Award is given to a theatre in South Carolina that has exhibited a history of artistic, professional, or educational excellence, producing seasons of high artistic quality and establishing a strong presence in the statewide theatre community.

Trustus Theatre is partnering with SCTA to host the event and the event is open to the public. The evening will be filled with heavy Hors D'oevres, beer and wine, dancing, and the awards presentations to celebrate the accomplishments of the selected individuals and organizations who have contributed greatly to theatre in South Carolina.

Tickets can be purchased on the SCTA Website at a cost of $40. Tickets may be purchase on-line at www.southcarolinatheatre.org. For questions call (864) 844.8111.

About the organization

The South Carolina Theatre Association was founded in September 1967 at the behest of the Southeastern Theatre Conference. SETC, anxious to create a statewide theatre organization in each of its ten states, had appointed state representatives including Hill in South Carolina. SCTA hosts an annual state-wide convention in November. The 2017 SCTA Theatre Convention will be held November 2-5 at USC - Aiken, Aiken, South Carolina.