ASTC and USITT are pleased to announce the ninth collaboration between college and university students and ASTC member theatre consultants. Student projects will be presented at the USITT 2027 Conference and Stage Expo in Baltimore, Maryland on March 17-20, 2027.
Working together with a professional theatre consultant as a mentor, students will explore and discover how performance venues are designed and renovated. This valuable experience exposes students to the challenges theatre consultants solve in creating the unique facilities theatre professionals work in every day. Students will learn to see performance spaces differently and will be exposed to career paths within the entertainment industry that they might not otherwise be aware of.
Two cash prizes are available for the winners of the competition. One team will be presented with the ASTC - Edgar L. Lustig Award, a $3,000 cash prize. A second prize, the USITT - Director’s Award of $1,000 will be presented to a team that shows special merit. The Awards will be presented at the end of the team presentations and will be announced nationally by ASTC and USITT and noted on both organizations’ websites and other social media platforms.
Teams may consist of undergraduate or graduate students from multiple disciplines and will be under the supervision of a Faculty Advisor. Some knowledge of theatre practice is useful, but we encourage students in architecture, design, visual and media arts to consider joining teams. Teams will select a theoretical project for a building that is on or near the team’s campus. They will survey and study the current conditions and develop a plan to transform the space to meet the team’s stated concept goals.
Potential projects might include:
• Substantial improvements to an existing theatre
• Adaptive re-use of a non-performance building into a new performance space
• Changing the form and function of an existing theatre
Faculty Advisors are encouraged to consider including this project in their curriculum for academic credit as an independent study or seminar class.
Additional details and examples of previous projects are available on the ASTC website https://theatreconsultants.org/astc-usitt-challenge/
Applications and concept statements are to be sent to the email address below. You may find your nearest ASTC member at https://theatreconsultants.org/members/astcmembership-roster/ or contact RenoChallenge@theatreconsultants.org and we will find an interested member to mentor your team.
Application forms and detailed Instructions to participants will be available from the ASTC website https://theatreconsultants.org/astc-usitt-challenge/ or using the QR code below.
Important Dates and Facts
Save the dates below to make sure students and advisors plan this project for the 2026-2027 academic year.
September 25, 2026 5:00 PM EDT Application and Preliminary Concept Statements due
October 30, 2026 by 5:00 PM EDT Final Concept Statement and Participants List with names of all team members. Faculty Sponsors shall submit a list with names and email addresses of all participants
February 5, 2027 5:00PM EST Project Submissions Due. An electronic submission (.pdf, or PowerPoint) will be due for review and comment by the Judges in advance of the USITT Conference. Teams will then have the opportunity to revise and update their presentation to respond to judges’ comments prior to the live presentation.
March 17-20, 2027 Conference Presentation: The final presentation will be during a public session at the USITT 2027 USITT Conference and Stage Expo in Baltimore, MD. 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 work at the conference session in person.
Student Travel Assistance Stipends
To help students defray the cost of attending the conference, $600 travel stipends are available. Five stipends are available for the teams to request financial travel assistance. Travel assistance can be requested by the Faculty Advisors beginning October 26, 2026. The stipends will be awarded on a first-come basis until all five are awarded. The stipends are limited to one per team.
For more information contact RenoChallenge@theatreconsultants.org
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