DTM AWARDS & ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility Requirements are posted on the KCACTF National Design and Technologies pages, which can be found here. Each category has its own page with specific requirements and rules.  Generalized and Region specific requirements are found below.

Design Entries

A student will present those materials, which most clearly tell the story of the process and evolution of the design. Supporting materials that have proven most useful include combinations of the following: a design statement in outline form, research images, preliminary sketches, white models, color models, color sketches, drafting including sections, recording of sound cues and manipulations that lead to those compositions, design bibles, story boards, costume plates, fabric and trim swatches, costume plot, cue synopsis, production photographs, tracking sheets, and the like.  This is in no way meant to be a definitive list.  Choose elements that best articulate and document the conceptual approach and process.

General Information on the KCACTF Awards for Theatrical Design Excellence Design and Allied Design and Technology Awards.

Any student may take part in the KCACTF Awards for Theatrical Design Excellence, KCACTF Allied Design and Technology Award and/or the KCACTF Stage Management Fellowship Program, as long as their school has entered at least one associate or participating entry during the festival year.  All entries must have been realized and produced at their home institution.  Participants must attend their regional festival, and display their supporting materials and documentation.

One regional award recipient – a national finalist – in each area (costumes, lighting, projections, scenery, sound, and allied design & technology) will be announced at the regional festival. National finalists in costumes, lighting, projections, scenery and sound design will be invited to exhibit their design display, and will attend, the national festival in Washington, D.C in April. Each Allied Design and Technology regional award recipient will be invited to exhibit their design display and attend the annual USITT Conference.

KCACTF will provide national KCACTF Allied Design and Technology award recipients with travel, conference fees, and shared hotel accommodations and per diem for the period of the annual USITT conference.

National KCACTF awards will be selected at the national festival, by national design respondent/s, solely on the basis of the response session for the submitted design and documentation of the relevant production.

Regulations and Procedures

  1. Any student may take part in the KCACTF Awards for Theatrical Design Excellence, KCACTF Allied Design and Technology Award and/or the KCACTF Stage Management Fellowship Program, as long as their school has entered at least one associate or participating entry during the festival year.  All entries must have been realized and produced at their home institution.
  2. Only bona fide students are eligible for this award. A bona fide student is: a) an undergraduate student who is registered for a minimum of six semester hours or nine quarter hours at the time of production; b) a graduate student who is enrolled for three semester or four quarter hours at the time of production; c) a continuing part-time student who is enrolled in a regular degree program at the time of production.
  3. Regional nominees must attend their regional festival, and display their realized designs and the process documentation to be eligible for KCACTF Awards for Theatrical Design Excellence.
  4. The designer is responsible for developing a suitable method of shipping or delivering their design to and from the regional festival, including providing the appropriate mailing and insurance charges.
  5. The timely delivery of such materials will be determined by the host of the regional festival. Alternatively, most regions may require that students bring their materials in person to the design exhibit space at a specifically scheduled time.
  6. The complete design presentation normally is presented on a vertical surface.  When size limitations require xerographic reduction of materials presented in scale, such out-of-scale reduction should be noted.  Each region shall determine its own specific requirements as to space and presentation at their regional festival. Please check with individual regions for specifications and restrictions.
  1. The Award will be open to students who have completed major design or technology projects in areas including (but not limited to) makeup, projection, properties, millinery, masks, tech, wigs, scenic art, draping & tailoring, technical direction, puppets, special effects, costume craft, audio engineering, etc. as long as their school has entered at least one associate or participating entry during the festival year.  All entries must have been realized and produced at their home institution.
  2. Only bona fide students are eligible for this award. A bona fide student is: a) an undergraduate student who is registered for a minimum of six semester hours or nine quarter hours at the time of production; b) a graduate student who is enrolled for three semester or four quarter hours at the time of production; c) a continuing part-time student who is enrolled in a regular degree program at the time of production.
  3. Regional nominees must attend their regional festival, and display their realized designs and documentation, in order to be eligible for KCACTF Allied Design and Technology Awards.
  4. The designer is responsible for developing a suitable method of shipping or delivering their design to and from the regional festival, including providing the appropriate mailing and insurance charges.
  5. The timely delivery of such materials will be determined by the host of the regional festival. Alternatively, most regions may require that students bring their materials in person to the design exhibit space at a specifically scheduled time.
  6. The complete design presentation normally is presented on a vertical surface.  When size limitations require xerographic reduction of materials presented in scale, such out-of-scale reduction should be noted.  Each region shall determine its own specific requirements as to space and presentation at their regional festival. Please check with individual regions for specifications and restrictions.
  7. Should a regional KCACTF Allied Design and Technology Award, nominee move on to the national USITT Conference as a national finalist, an approximate space of 24 sq. feet, including wall shelves, is normally provided to each regional award recipient.

The purpose of the KCACTF Award for Sound Design Excellence is to provide student designers with feedback from professionals working in the field; to give outstanding student designers national recognition; and to provide the opportunity for student designers to attend the national festival at the Kennedy Center. Designs will be appraised on the basis of quality, effectiveness, and originality. The KCACTF Sound Design award is focused on the ideas behind, and approach to, a design that supports a production, and not on the equipment in the original venue. Students who have designed the sound for a KCACTF associate or participating entry are eligible for the KCACTF Award for Sound Design Excellence. A student sound designer may be nominated to enter the regional sound design competition by a KCACTF respondent, or a faculty member from their own campus. Entering schools will, at the time of registration with the Kennedy Center and Regional Chair, inform the Regional Chair of a student sound designer and will request a KCACTF respondent.

Link to Stage Management Fellowship information. The purpose of this award is to give an outstanding student stage manager the opportunity to parcipate in the national festival and learn from working professionals. One student stage manager from each of the eight regions of KCACTF will be invited to participate in the National KCACTF Festival at the Kennedy Center each April. At the National KCACTF Festival, stage managers will assist in managing National KCACTF performances/programs and will participate in workshops, and be able to attend performances. This award includes travel, lodging and per diem expenses.

Region II Stage Management Selection Process Step-by-Step

Day 1 Interviews
Stage management competition applicants should report to the Design/Tech/Management Table at festival registration to receive an interview time. All applicants will be interviewed by a team of two industry professionals. Applicants should bring the prompt book that they will be presenting in the Region II Exhibit along with their resume to the interview. Interviews will take place the evening of festival registration. Please plan accordingly.

Festival Participation
At the regional festival, the student may stage manage a virtual event. Possible venues to stage manage include: NPP events, Irene Ryan auditions at all levels, NCI (National Critics Institute), Student Directing Institute, The Fringe, etc. Note that managing a virtual festival event will be time consuming. If you are interested, please contact us at dtmchair@kcactf2.org to express your interest.  And please provide your schedule of workshops and other things that you want to experience at festival so we can determine what opportunities might fit your availability.