Claudia Longo, left, presents Kevin Kyle with the 2006 USITT Award for Makeup Design which was sponsored by Kryolan Corporation.

Photo/Casey Kearns

They're out there, and USITT wants them! The Institute is looking for young, talented members of the performing arts industry for its annual Awards for Young Designers & Technicians in the Performing Arts.

USITT has made significant changes to this year's program by developing an electronic submission process. Award nominees will be able to submit their portfolios and information through the USITT website, beginning October 5.

Each submission will require an entry fee and specific materials which may include photographs, paperwork, drawings, and renderings. Acceptable formats for submitted materials will include .doc, .jpg, .xls. ppt, .pdf, and .mp3.

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit here for more information. All nominees and nominators must be current USITT members. Members should encourage their students to join USITT now so they are able to submit materials. All registrations must be received by noon on November 10, 2006. The deadline for submissions is November 15. Awards will be presented at USITT's 2007 Annual Conference & Stage Expo in Phoenix, Arizona.

Recognizing and encouraging emerging talent is a way to keep the performing arts industry healthy and bursting with new energy. That is why, in 1994 the USITT Young Designers & Technicians Awards were established. Visionary leaders and corporations such as Richard Heusel and KM Fabrics, Bob Cohen from Clear-Com, and Jonathan Resnick from Barbizon were the first to invest in the performing artists of the future.

They were soon joined by George Jacobstein from Rose Brand, Zelma H. Weisfeld, Claudia Longo from Kryolan, Bernhard R. Works, Charles E. Williams, and Stage Decoration & Supplies, Inc. New this year is the award for undergraduate lighting students sponsored by Niles Sayre and Stage Technology of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Winners of the 10 awards receive complimentary registration for the 2007 Annual Conference & Stage Expo, a chance to meet with the award sponsors, recognition throughout the Conference, and cash prizes ranging for $500 to $2,000 each.

By establishing the YD&T awards, Grants & Fellowships, and other programs such as the USITT Rising Star Award sponsored by LDI 2006/Live Design, the Institute brings together students, their teachers and mentors, and pioneers of the industry to celebrate excellence.

It is through this interaction that emerging professionals are challenged to better their art and enhance the profession through their work in the performing arts.

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