USITT and LDI are excited to announce Gisela Estrada as the winner of the 2026 Rising Star Award! The Rising Star Award is sponsored by LDI/Live Design and is given annually to a young professional at the beginning of their career. The award recognizes excellence and artistic achievement in scenic, lighting, sound, projection design, or a convergence of these design disciplines.
Gisela Estrada is a Helen Hayes Award–winning Latina scenic designer for theatre, opera, dance, and live entertainment based in Washington, DC. She holds a Master’s in Scenic Design from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a degree in architecture from the Universidad Dr. José Matías Delgado.
In 2023, she was awarded The Kenan Fellowship at the Kennedy Center. Her work has been seen in theaters across Washington, DC, Portland, New York, North Carolina, and San Salvador. Born and raised in El Salvador, Gisela grew up in an artistic family, where her early training in music, ballet, and visual arts, combined with her background in architecture and producing, led her to scenic design.
Gisela will be honored on Thursday, March 19 at 2:00 p.m., at our Awards Awards Awards ceremony in Long Beach as part of our 66th Annual Conference & Stage Expo. We hope to see you at the ceremony in Long Beach!
Explore Natalie's work:
Website
More News
Support USITT
For many 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, USITT included, donations are a lifeline. We are able to continue to expand our online offerings to our Members and to our industry thanks to Membership dollars and the generosity of our donors.