The LMDA/KCACTF Student Dramaturgy Award recognizes student dramaturgs’ contributions to theatre production and educational projects in dramaturgy at their colleges and universities. It comes through collaboration between Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) and Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), with additional support from the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE).

Fellowship Opportunities: Regional Fellowship recipients will receive membership in LMDA, an all-expense-paid residency at the National Festival at the Kennedy Center in mid-April, and multi-day workshops with leading artists in both production and new-play dramaturgy. The recipients of the National LMDA/KCACTF Fellowships receive residencies with the O’Neill Playwrights Conference, the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis, or the Kennedy Center/National New Play Network’s MFA Playwrights’ Workshop in the summer.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate student dramaturgs on a production or workshop, or who submit work created for a dramaturgy class. Students need not be enrolled full-time to submit work for consideration for this award. Projects must be completed (plays closed, workshops completed, projects turned in) by December 1 to be eligible. Projects completed after December 1 may be submitted for this award the following year.

Deadline for receipt of everything, including all supporting materials as a PDF file, is December 15.

How to Apply
1. Compile the following:
2. Create a title page, identifying the dramaturg (name, mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number), the school where the project was completed, the title of the project, and its date.
3. Enclose one Letter of Nomination from a faculty member. Or have your faculty member use the online nomination form. LINK TO THE ONLINE NOMINATION FORM HERE. (If you wish, you may also enclose additional letters from others directly involved—collaborating artists, audience members, fellow students, or teachers.)
4. Include a project description consisting of two statements written by the dramaturg—one describing the breadth and scope of the project and its challenges, and the other detailing the process from start to finish.
5. Include all supporting materials that seem relevant, but not to exceed 100 pages—e.g.:

• E-mail correspondence between the dramaturg and the director, designers, cast, etc.;
• Pictures of the dramaturgical display;
• Information from websites created;
• Questions discussed and explored during the process;
• Information gathered for individual packets.

The judges need not see all that you researched; rather, they are interested in a clearly organized and accessible overview of the research materials. They are particularly interested in your analysis of the material.
6. Submit the completed application and all supporting materials electronically as a PDF file via e-mail to:

• Bob Nelson
Department of Theatre
University of Utah
bob.nelson@utah.edu

Award Criteria
• Distinctiveness—what is creative about the dramaturg’s approach or analysis?
• Contextualization: how is the production or project enhanced by dramaturgical analysis or research? Alternatively, how is the academic project in dramaturgy imaginatively projected into a larger social, political, academic, or artistic setting?
• Impact: in what ways are the audience, artists, or institution enriched by dramaturgical ideas and execution?
• Process: how much and in what ways is the dramaturg involved with the entire process? How did s/he contribute to the process outside of initial research and putting together packets?
• Ethics: how are issues that might be raised by the terms of the collaboration or changing responsibilities dealt with or resolved?

For further information, please see the national KCACTF link HERE.

Link to download Application Form (submit prior to December 15th)