2017 Honor Award: Florida State University – From left: Challenge Chair – Michael McMackin, FASTC , Johanna Miller, Erin Collopy, Zachary Brisco, and ASTC Mentor – Todd Hensley.

ASTC and USITT are pleased to announce the fifth collaborative project between university students and ASTC member theatre consultants. Projects will be presented at the USITT 2019 Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky – March 20-23, 2019. By working together with a professional theatre consultant as a mentor, students will learn more about how venues are designed or renovated. Additionally, students will see performance spaces differently and therefore will be exposed to other available career paths within the entertainment industry. Teams may consist of undergraduate or graduate theatre students and should be under the supervision of a faculty advisor.

Working together, the teams will select a theoretical project of a building that is on, or accessible, from the team’s campus. They will survey and study the current conditions and develop a plan to transform the subject space to meet the team’s stated concept goals.   Potential projects include:

• Substantial improvements to an existing theatre
• Conversion of non-performance space into a new performance space
• Changing the form and function of an existing theatre.

Save the dates below to make sure students and advisors plan this project for the 2018-19 academic year. Advisors should consider including this project into the Team’s curriculum for academic credit. A $400 travel stipend will be provided, and conference registration fees will be waived for the first four students from separate teams who request financial assistance.

Applications and concept statements are to be sent to the email addresses below. Find your nearest ASTC member on our ASTC MEMBERSHIP ROSTER members.

Contacts: Van Phillips ASTC, vanphill@gmail.com or Christine Troscher, USITT christine@usitt.org.

Applications Due: October 26, 2018 5:00 PM EST (forms are available from the ASTC website) or from USITT.

Team Concept Statements Due: November 9, 2018 5:00 PM EST (Instructions to Participants with detailed information is available on the ASTC website) or from USITT.

Submissions Due: February 15, 2019 5:00PM EST; An electronic submission (.pdf, or PowerPoint) will be due in advance of the USITT Conference. Presentations may include electronic display, graphic boards and/or 3D model(s).

Conference Presentation: The public presentation will be during the USITT 2019 Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky – March 20-23, 2019. The exact day and time to be determined by the Conference schedule. At least one student member of the team is required to present the team’s challenge and solution at a conference session in person. Judges do understand that the materials to be presented at the USITT Conference, may be re-worked to fit a public presentation, but must consist of the same essential elements submitted on February 15^th.

The ASTC member judges will make their final selection for Awards based on both the submitted design and the live presentation. One team will be presented the Edgar L. Lustig Honor Award, and a Director’s Award may be presented to a second team by the judges.

The Awards presented will be announced nationally by ASTC and USITT.

To read more about the 2019 Challenge and view past student presentations – CLICK HERE