USITT is happy to announce the winners of our 2026 Young Designers, Managers, and Technicians (YDMT) Awards! The awards for YDMT bring recognition and support to young designers, managers, and technicians at the beginning of their careers. They are made possible by generous gifts to USITT from their sponsors.

Our YDMT winners will be celebrated and honored at USITT26 in Long Beach on Thursday, March 19, at 2:00 p.m. during our Awards, Awards, Awards ceremony with the rest of our 2026 Award winners!

Abby Yu Bi

USITT Digital Media Award sponsored by PIXERA

Abby Bi is a multimedia artist and video media designer specializing in projection and media design for live performance, immersive environments, and cinematic storytelling. Her interdisciplinary background spans theatre, video arts, game design, and animation, with a growing interest in live entertainment and themed experience design.

Having grown up across multiple cultures, Abby approaches design through storytelling as a universal language. While cultures differ, human emotion is shared, and she aims to translate this emotional core into visual and motion-based experiences. Her designs respond to the body, interact with space, and extend storytelling beyond words, transforming narrative into environments that can be seen, felt, and inhabited. She has also worked as a LARP game and escape room designer, where she developed a strong interest in audience engagement and responsive environments shaped by choice and participation.

"I would like to thank everyone who has supported me along the way, including my mentors, collaborators, friends, family, and especially my partner for their encouragement and belief in me.

It is a great honor to be recognized as the first recipient of the USITT Digital Media Award. This recognition means a great deal to me, as my work focuses on exploring how digital technology can expand visual storytelling and performance. Being acknowledged by USITT affirms my artistic direction and encourages me to continue developing my practice in digital media."

You can explore more of Abby's work on her website.

Instagram: @abbybi_design

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Daney Brookover

Bernhard R. Works Master Crafts Award

Daney Brookover is a senior pursuing a BFA in Theatre Design and Technology from West Virginia University School of Theatre & Dance. She is thankful to have been the Scenic Designer for WVU's Into the Woods, and Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, as well as Assistant Scenic Designer for WVU's 9 to 5: The Musical and Rodger's & Hammerstein's Cinderella. When she is not designing, Daney is a scenic painter for WVU's theatre seasons including being the Charge Artist for 9 to 5: The Musical, Sueño, and Something Rotten. Professionally, she has also had the honor of being the Charge Artist for West Virginia Public Theatre's Clue: On Stage and Steel Magnolias. She was the Assistant Charge Artist for Texas Shakespeare Festival’s 2025 summer season. She is so thankful for her passion for theatrical painting to be recognized and hopes to pursue further scenic artistry opportunities.

"I would like to thank my mom, dad, and brother for their love and support. Without them, I would be without the confidence to pursue my passion or the work ethic to back it up. I would like to thank my mentor Tamara L. Honesty, whose infinite knowledge has always supported my growing curiosity. I would also like to thank my friends who have grown though this industry alongside me, we were always in it together. My fellow moon and stars, Maguire Glass and Jess Ford whose beautiful souls have inspired me on the daily to put my best work forward. The people who I have met along my journey have helped to shape my path and I am forever grateful for them.

I am honored to have won this award for a skillset I am passionate about and have worked very hard to grow and develop. Scenic painting has been something I have poured so much of my time into, and I am grateful for the validation of my dedication to my art. Every time I pick up a paintbrush is an opportunity to learn something new. In developing my skillset, I always try to be open to new information and remain adaptable. I’m always in the scene shop and have committed many hours to scenic painting. The more I learned and practiced different techniques, the better and more comfortable I became with my artistry. I am thankful to the Bernhard R. Works Master Crafts Award for deeming my work worthy of recognition.  In winning this award, I hope it continues to open doors as I graduate and pursue employment in this field that I love so much."

Instagram: @daneyjane15

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Ashley Christensen

The Barbizon Lighting Company Jonathan Resnick Lighting Design Award

Ashley Christensen is a third-year M.F.A Lighting Design candidate at Indiana University Bloomington. As a lighting designer as well as a sound designer and musician, her design work strives to combine each of her backgrounds in order to find the richness where the three intersect. This pushes her to find innovative ways to communicate through light, helping her to find the beats in a moment onstage, the musicality in a transition, and strengthen her collaboration with the sound or score of a work. Recent credits include The Prom, Twelfth Night, and Fucking A for Indiana University and Apprentice Scenes for The Santa Fe Opera.

"I would like to thank everyone who has collaborated with, mentored, and supported me throughout my theatre journey so far. Their steadfast belief in me and my abilities has pushed me past my reservations and helped shape me into the person I am today.

This award is a wonderful reminder of the work and dedication that has gotten me to where I am in addition to reinforcing the importance of the effort and attention to detail I put into each show I have been a part of. As I enter the industry, the honor of receiving an award like this encourages me to continue to continue to strive for my best in every endeavor I am involved with."

You can explore more of Ashley's work on her website.

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Cian Jasper Freeman

Bernhard R. Works, Frederick A. Buerki Scenic Technology Award

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Cian Jaspar Freeman is the Asst. Technical Director at Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, MN and recently acquired his M.F.A. in Technical Design and Production from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. Credits at Children's Theatre include: Asst. Technical Director for Treasure Island, Wizard of Oz, and Go Dog Go/Ve Perro Ve. Credits at Yale Repertory Theatre include: Technical Director of The Inspector and Asst. Technical Director of falcon girls and The Salvagers. Cian has also worked at Goodspeed Musicals, Maine State Music Theatre, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, and A Broken Umbrella Theatre. While at the School of Drama, he completed his thesis restructuring and updating the Fall Protection Written Program for the School and Yale Repertory Theatre. Before coming to the School of Drama, Cian worked as a technician at the McGlothlin Center for the Arts while completing their B.F.A. in Theatrical Design and Production at Emory & Henry University.

"Cian would like to thank everyone they have relied on throughout the years; particularly Neil, LT, Matteo, Shawn, and the staff at DGSD/YRT and CTC. He could NOT have done this without learning from all of you!

Winning this award is a huge testament to every carpenter, classmate, coworker, mentor, and friend who has paused and taken the time to teach me something new at each step along the way."

Instagram: @cian.jaspar

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Julia He

USITT Stage Management Award sponsored by Clear-Com Communication Systems

Julia He is a stage and production manager and theatre producer based in Pittsburgh and Shanghai. Recent projects include serving as stage manager for Hurricane Diane, The Inseparables, and Sistas: The Musical, as well as assistant stage managing Sunday in the Park with George. She is also producing a Pittsburgh-based adaptation of Shakespeare’s R&J this May through international collaboration. Julia is completing her MFA in Stage & Production Management at Carnegie Mellon University. Her thesis, From Proscenium to Puzzle: Rethinking Theatrical Management for Immersive Games, explores how stage management practices can evolve for interactive and non-linear audience experiences. She brings rigorous project management, artistic sensitivity, and international fluency to every production she leads. She values mentorship, equity, and sustainable creative collaboration.

"I am grateful to the artists and production teams I have worked with, whose collaboration has shaped my growth. Especially, I would like to thank my mentors, classmates at Carnegie Mellon University for creating such a supportive and inspiring community.

I am deeply honored that this award recognizes my philosophy of stage management as an art of connection, shaping collaboration into storytelling through clarity, empathy, and care. Coming from experiences across both Eastern and Western theatre environments, this encouragement means a great deal to me as I continue building a future in theatre producing and management. It motivates me to keep creating processes that support both artistic rigor and the people who make performance possible."

You can explore more of Julia's work on her website.

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Caifeng Hong

Zelma H. Weisfeld Costume Design & Technology Award

Caifeng Hong is a costume designer and illustrator based in Los Angeles, with a foundation in fashion design. She received her BFA in Fashion Design from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and her MFA in Costume Design from Carnegie Mellon University. Her design work spans immersive media, theatre, dance, and fashion.

Her theatre credits include Kim's Convenience; Lear; John Proctor Is the Villain; Mirror; and In Time, Microplastic Invasion Strategy, both immersive theatre experiences; Candle, a Chinese traditional play;  What is Time, Show Me Your Body, and If We Are in 2090 are dance projects.

In summer 2024, she served as a millinery and dressing apprentice at the Santa Fe Opera and was the costume designer for La Cenerentola and craft lead in the Apprentice Scenes. She was also a featured artist in Phipps Conservatory’s Flowers Meet Fashion: Inspired by Billy Porter. In 2025, she was named an Elizabeth Schrader Kimberly Fellow.

"I have so many people to thank; I’ve met countless teachers who have guided me. But when I think about this award, the first people who come to mind are my teacher, Susan Tsu, and my friends, Rui Sun and Xuewei Eva Hu：

Firstly, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my mentor, Susan Tsu. She has been my advisor throughout my Costume Design program at Carnegie Mellon University and has been incredibly supportive and encouraging, especially while I was applying for this award. She dedicated so much time and care to analyzing how to best showcase my abilities, and always believed that I would be seen. I am truly, truly grateful for her trust, passion, dedication, and tireless support for her students.

Secondly, two of my best Friends, Rui Sun and Xuewei Eva Hu. Rui Sun has been my friend since childhood, someone who knows me deeply, understands how I’ve taken each step to reach where I am today, and has witnessed me finding the profession I love. Xuewei Eva Hu is a lighting designer friend I met at Carnegie Mellon University, with whom I’ve formed a deep and lasting friendship. Both of them have given me tremendous encouragement, support, and inspiration throughout my life, my studies, and now my career. They know the challenges I’ve faced, and they know the process behind every polished piece of my work. This award is something I’ve worked on day and night; they even acted as my personal reviewers for my submissions, and I am incredibly grateful for that. I feel so lucky, at a young age, to have two friends who are talented and so generous with their honest advice, their trust, and their unwavering support.

It’s the recognition of years of studying, practicing, and slowly building up my skills and knowledge. After graduating, it feels like a tangible, visual acknowledgment of all that effort, a reward for the work I’ve put in. Every time I feel good about myself, this award reminds me that there are so many talented people out there working hard, and I need to push myself further.  It’s been a goal that kept me motivated.

As a recent graduate and an international designer, I really need opportunities like this let people see my work and give me a chance to reach broader platforms and new creative spaces. I would be deeply grateful for any chance that allows me to be seen and to grow in the field. This award, in particular, would also be a strong support for my O-1 visa application."

You can explore more of Caifeng's work on her website.

Instagram: @ceibongyi

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Celine (Tzu-Hsuan) Lin

USITT Makeup Design Award sponsored by Kryolan Professional Make-Up

Celine Lin (Tzu-Hsuan Lin) is an artist from Taiwan, receiving her MFA in Wig and Makeup Design at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in May 2026.

With a BFA in Theatrical Costume Design, she has worked as a prosthetic makeup artist on a Netflix movie, and designed and built costumes for stage productions. At UNCSA, Celine has designed for theater, opera, and film. She also contributed to The Santa Fe Opera, where she received the Kathrine M. Mayer Memorial Award. Blending Eastern and Western techniques, Celine believes makeup and hair design should reflect both historical accuracy and emotional truth. She strives to bring novelty and elaborate details to every project she works on.

"I would like to thank my parents, I would never have the chance to pursue my dreams abroad without them. And also the faculties of UNCSA Wig and Makeup Program, I am so lucky to have them to deepen my knowledge and improve my skills with their instruction.

I am honored to receive the USITT Makeup Design Award sponsored by Kryolan, especially as three faculty members from the Wig and Makeup Program at UNCSA, whom I deeply admire, are all previous recipients of this award. Receiving this honor means a great deal to me, as it affirms the hard work I have put into my training and reassures my passion to continue growing and pushing myself as a wig and makeup designer."

You can explore more of Celine's work on her website.

Instagram: @celine.th.lin

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Yuyuan Lu

The Richard Hay Undergraduate Scene Design Award & The USITT Scene Design Award sponsored by Rose Brand

Yuyuan Lu (Echo) is a scenic and prop designer from China and she just graduated from Emerson College with a degree in Theater Design/Technology. She is passionate about immersive theater design. She aspires to bring interdisciplinary communication, blending stage and tech. She has worked in Chinese theaters, film and television industries, and also worked for Emerson Scene shop, PRG scene shop. Some of her design credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Limber, A Love Story, the Chinese musical The Messages, The Knock Out.

"First of all, I would like to thank all the people who have helped me in my development, especially Chris, Ryan, Kristin, Luciana, for your guidance and companionship in making me a great scenic designer. I also would like to thank Ao Li for helping me in career. Last but not least, my heartfelt thanks to my family, friends and other teachers and colleagues. I couldn't have come this far without your support. You all have a part to play in this honor!

This award reminds me of all the growth I've experienced during my studies, as well as being a validation of my transition from film to the theater industry. Initially, I was not particularly interested in makeup design, but after teaching an introductory makeup course and practicing design during my time at the school, I not only became interested in it, but I also have a lot of respect for those who have achieved excellence in this field. It also provides an opportunity to say thank you to all those who have helped me in my growth as a designer, and I would like to share this honor with them, without whom I would not be where I am now. This award also means looking forward to the future and inspires me to keep going."

You can explore more of Yuyuan's work on her website.

Instagram: @echolu.art

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Brandon McDuff

Robert E. Cohen Sound Achievement Award

Brandon McDuff is an award-winning theatrical sound and media designer, composer, and engineer. Currently in his final year at Michigan State University, he is completing his MFA in Theatrical Sound and Media Design. Brandon’s work is distinguished by a meticulous attention to narrative, seeking to elevate productions through emotionally intelligent soundscapes, music, and systems. As a dedicated composer, he frequently crafts original music; utilizing a self-developed technique called "equalization harmony," he creates sonic environments that blur the line between score and sound effect.

"I would like to thank the faculty at Michigan State University for mentoring me and guiding me to be a better designer, Lucas Nunn, Ji Won Jeon, Alison Dobbins, Tina Newhauser, and Shannon Schweitzer.

In sound design we always hear, "The best sound goes unnoticed," but winning the Robert E. Cohen Award is a rare chance to make the 'invisible' work visible. I’m beyond thankful for this recognition. This is a greenlight to dive even deeper into the art I am wholly dedicated to."

You can explore more of Brandon's work on his website.

Instagram: @therealbrandonmcduff

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Tamara ("T") Morris-Thompson

KM Fabrics, Inc. Technical Production Award

Tamara ("T") Morris-Thompson is a third-year Technical Design & Production MFA candidate at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. Before attending graduate school, T was both an Assistant Technical Director at The Alliance Theatre & Lead Draftsperson at Angle Architecture, where they worked on projects such as Book Eating Boy, Everybody, Godiva, and Consulting Engineers. T pursued their undergraduate degree at Piedmont University, where they obtained their BA in both Design Technical Theatre & Theatre Arts. T is passionate about the craft of theatre and the people who bring it to life. They thrive at the crossroads of creativity and technical problem-solving, ensuring that every production runs smoothly, safely, and with care. T sees every project as an opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to meaningful storytelling. They approach each day with curiosity, care, and a commitment to making theatre that resonates with all walks of life. After receiving their MFA, T is looking forward to spending time with their fiancée, Tatum, in the northeast with their two fur babies, pursuing their dreams of collaborating with theatres across the states, putting people before product.

"I would like to thank my Fiancè Tatum Williams for being my best friend, my rock, my support system, and for always pushing me to follow my heart. I would also like to thank my amazing family: my mom, dad, Jay, and Melina. I would not be who I am today without your love, care, and support. Finally, I would like to thank my mentors and advisors for pushing me to do my very best and for always supporting me in my career.

Receiving the KM Fabrics, Inc. Technical Production Award is an honor that means more to me than I can fully express. This recognition affirms not only the final work that is seen onstage, but the care, discipline, and problem-solving that happen throughout the entire process. Technical production is where I have learned to translate creative vision into something tangible, functional, and safe, and this award acknowledges the intention behind every decision I make, from materials and construction techniques to collaboration and execution. This award reinforces my commitment to creating work that supports storytelling, honors collaboration, and upholds the standards of professional technical production."

You can explore more of T's work on their website.

Instagram: @tamara_morristhompson

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Matthew Smith

The Barbara Matera Award in Costume Making

Matthew is an Austin-based costume maker from Texas. He is currently in his final year of study as a Master of Fine Arts candidate in the UT Live Design and Production program at The University of Texas at Austin. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design & Technology from Santa Fe University of Art and Design and an Associate of Arts in General Academics from McLennan Community College. Matthew's costume work spans across the United States - from Off-Broadway to regional L.O.R.T. theatres, world-renowned opera and dance companies such as Baltimore Center Stage, Everyman Theatre, Santa Fe Opera, and Houston Ballet.

Matthew is in the midst of completing his thesis that employs practice-based research to explore a range of transformative costume and textile technologies (velvet devoré, tambour bead embellishment, immersion dyeing) through historic recreation of Selena Quintanilla Perez’s iconic stage costumes. Matthew’s work at The University of Texas at Austin also include being a Lead Draper for Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Old Man Grasshopper in James and the Giant Peach and Romeo in a world-premiere adaptation of Romeo y Juliet.

"I hope to honor the wisdom, patience, and encouragement of my mentors throughout my career so far: my current advisor David Arevalo, David Burdick, Ginny McKeever, Marcia Dixcy-Jory, Lara Berich, Medea Maraia, and Kathleen Laundy.

I am deeply honored to receive the Barbara Matera Award for Costume Making. Barbara Matera's legacy represents an extraordinary standard of craftsmanship, care, and dedication to the art of costume making and are values that have shaped my own practice. To be recognized in her name is incredibly meaningful to me as a maker who believes in learning through doing and respecting the hands, time and knowledge behind every costume. This award affirms the long hours, risk, and love that go into my work, and I am profoundly grateful to USITT for this recognition and support."

You can explore more of Matthew's work on his website.

Instagram: @sewnbymatthew

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Shuyang Zhou

USITT Scene Design Award sponsored by Rose Brand

Shuyang Zhou is a China-born scenic designer based in New York City. She holds an M.F.A. in Design & Production from University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a B.F.A. from Hubei Institute of Fine Arts.Living between two cultures, Shuyang has learned to see the world through more than one truth. Originally a painter, she approaches design as an emotional translation, balancing beauty and ruin, stillness and change. Her visual language leans abstract, minimal, and atmospheric, creating spaces that breathe and transform with the story. For her, each production invites the audience into another world, one that vanishes the moment the show ends.

"I’m deeply grateful to my family for their unwavering support, to my mentors for their inspiration and guidance, and to my friends for helping me keep faith in myself and my work.

Winning this award affirms the direction of my work and the effort behind it. It encourages me to keep moving forward on this path with greater clarity and commitment."

You can explore more of Shuyang's work on her website.

Instagram: @shuyang_zsy