ATHE's awards honor excellence in and exceptional contributions to teaching, scholarship, playwriting, and artistic practice in educational and professional theatre. All ATHE members are encouraged to submit their outstanding work or nominate individuals, projects, and endeavors that have advanced the study and practice of theatre and performance.

Please visit individual award pages for detailed award descriptions, selection criteria, eligibility requirements, and nomination forms.

For questions, contact Dassia N. Posner, Vice President for Awards, at vpawards@athe.org.

Ellen Stewart Career Achievement in Professional Theatre and Career Achievement in Academic Theatre

Oscar Brockett Outstanding Teacher of Theatre in Higher Education

Leadership in Community-Based Theatre and Civic Engagement

Outstanding Book

Outstanding Article

Excellence in Editing

Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting

Jane Chambers Playwriting

ATHE-ASTR Award for Excellence in Digital Scholarship

Nominations in each area are reviewed and voted upon by subcommittees composed of a small group of ATHE members.The two career achievement awards are reviewed and voted upon by the chairs of the subcommittees and one representative from the focus groups. The awards are presented in a ceremony at the annual national conference each year.

View the awards committee and subcommittees here.

Naming ATHE Awards:

1. All members of ATHE, including members of the awards committee, are eligible to nominate a person whose name will become part of the title of a standing award.
2. All nominations must be presented in writing to the awards committee.
3. The nominees do not have to have been members of ATHE at any time. The nominees must have made substantial achievements in the award category for which they are nominated.
4. The expectation is that nominees will have major, sustained, and indelible achievements in their field.
5. The nominator must provide a letter of nomination, two additional letters of support, and a brief biography of the person whose name is being nominated.
6. After deliberation, if the awards committee accepts the nomination for naming an award, it will send its recommendation to the operations committee of ATHE for approval or disapproval.
7. If the operations committee approves the recommendation, approval must be gained from the estate of the named person before implementation of the award.
8. When an award becomes named and is announced, ATHE will ask members to donate to the award.

View past award winners here.