Thomas DeGaetani Award
Nominations for 2024 are currently closed.
USITT recognizes excellence and significant contributions in the performing arts and entertainment industry, in the areas of design and technology, through a variety of awards. These awards honor established professionals and performing arts/entertainment-focused organizations throughout the world. Nominations for these special awards are accepted from the membership-at-large.
The Thomas DeGaetani Award, named in honor of the first USITT president, honors an outstanding lifetime contribution to the performing arts or entertainment industry by an individual or a performing arts/entertainment-focused organization living and/or working in a particular region of the country, generally near the location of the Annual Conference & Stage Expo. Recipients of this award have distinguished themselves by their service or contribution in the arts or entertainment within that region.
Past Winners
Arena Players, Inc.
The Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute
Eileen Morris
Lexington Children's Theatre, Lexington, Kentucky
Disney Parks Live Entertainment, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Peter Sargent, St. Louis, Missouri
Kevin Myhre, Theatrical Designer & Director
Playhouse Square, Cleveland, Ohio
Darren K. Woods, General Director, Fort Worth Opera
First Stage
PCPA Theatre
Children's Theatre of Charlotte
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Paul Vincent, Vincent Lighting Systems, Cleveland, Ohio
Gregory Boyd, The Alley Theatre, Houston, Texas
David Saar, Childsplay Theatre, Tempe, Arizona
Jon Jory & Marc Materson, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
Christopher Newton, The Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
Jack O'Brien, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, California
Lou Bellamy, Penumbra Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Kent Thompson, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Montgomery, Alabama
Sheldon Epps, Television Director
Donald R. Seawell, Denver Theatre Center, Denver, Colorado
Ed and David Mirvish, Mirvish Productions
David Emmes and Martin Benson, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Costa Mesa, California
Howard and Vira Heinz, The Howard Heinz Endowment and The Vira I. Heinz Endowment
Peter Wolf, Theatrical Designer/Six Flags Over Texas
Frederic Apcar, Las Vegas Extravaganza Producer/Director
Irene Corey, Irene Corey Studio, Dallas, Texas
Karl C. Bruder, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas
Greg Falls, A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle, Washington
Robert Brustein, American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Ardis Kranik, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Sarah O'Connor, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Bill Bushnell and Diane White, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Los Angeles, California
Tanya Moisievitch, The Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Arthur Benline, New York City Commissioner of Buildings
George Gill, Yankee Clipper Hotelier and Showman
Paul Baker, Dallas Theatre Center, Dallas, Texas